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Orlando’s White River

Fly Shop News

January 2014

Welcome to the Orlando White River Fly Shop. We hope you’re able to find

everything you need, be it rods, reels, line, flies, a shoulder to cry on as you

relate a story of a fish missed, or just someone to listen as you brag about the big one that didn’t get away.

Anyway, here’s what’s going on.

New Products and Special Deals

G.Loomis Duffle The G. Loomis Tackle Duffle Bag is designed for

overnight fishing trips and getaways. Roomy with a

fully lined main compartment, this Duffle sports

wet/dry side pockets, a front zippered pocket, and an

adjustable padded shoulder strap. Size: 22" x 11" x

12". Imported.

Wet/dry side pockets

Fully lined interior

Padded shoulder strap

Large 2-way zippers

Front zippered compartment

G.Loomis Rolling Cargo Bag

Perfect for long or out-of-state fishing trips,

the G. Loomis Cargo Roller Bag features a

split zip bottom that holds rods or waders.

Clothing and accessories go on top. Other

features include wet/dry side compartments.

Dimensions: 15" x 36" x 13". Imported. Split zip bottom

Clothing and accessories go on top

Wet/dry side compartments

Double top handle for easy carrying

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Clinics and Classes Our classes are provided as regularly as possible. The best thing to do is call in to determine whether or not

the session is going to take place. Manpower requirements, special events, or weather may require

cancelling a session and we apologize in advance if this causes any inconvenience. Please call the night

before a casting clinic or the morning before tying class to find out if things are going according to plan.

The phone number is (407)563-5200.

Fly Casting: We offer free casting clinics Saturday mornings at 10 AM and Sunday morning at 11 AM, for

anyone who might need some help with their form or get the most distance and accuracy whether they’ve

been doing it a while or just getting started. Equipment is provided if necessary, but if you have a rod, it’s

best to learn and practice with what you will be using on the water. And for those of you “thinking” of

taking the plunge, give us a few minutes to go over the basics, and then give it a try. The decision to

purchase an outfit will be an easy one once you have experienced the thrill of laying out a line. We are also

going to offer one-on-one instruction throughout the week on a limited basis when time and manpower

allows. Just stop in and let us go through our work schedules to determine availability.

Our class size is limited to 8 people and will require prior signup. Just call in to put your name on the list.

Fly Tying: The next saltwater tying cycle will start on January 1, 2014. We’re tying five saltwater flies in

consecutive weeks and finish the course with a session on rigging, casting strategy, and the like. Classes are

held at 7:00 pm on Wednesday evenings in the fly shop.

We will have a sign in sheet available on the first class of each six week course for folks that plan to

complete the sessions and receive a certificate. Newcomers are welcome to join the classes at any time but

they won’t be eligible for the certificate since they have not completed all six weeks of a specific course.

Sorry guys. We will continue to alternate fresh and saltwater throughout the rest of the year so there will be

other chances to get in on a complete six-week course.

Fishing Forecasts Central Florida Saltwater

There are quite a few things to look forward to this month so get ready to have a hard time choosing what

you want to go after.

A. Sight fishing for redfish and black drum in the No-motor Zone. Water clarity should be at its best

right now and both reds and black drum should be available throughout the area. You can even

sleep in a little bit since they won’t become truly active until the water has a chance to warm up a

bit. By mid afternoon they should have moved out of the sand holes and onto the flats in search of

food. If you have a high sun and the wind hasn’t increased too badly like it normally does this time

of year, they should tail pretty well and finding them won’t be a problem. Work slooooowwww and

small. Don’t forget that a black drum is a

pretty patient feeder and won’t work terribly

hard for a meal. Use black or darkly colored

flies for success.

B. Spanish mackerel off Stuart: they should be

just about anywhere around the inlet and it

doesn’t take a rocket scientist to catch them

in good numbers. Flies like the one pictured

to the right and Clouser minnows will work

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pretty well as long as you can get them down in the water column with an intermediate or sinking

line, and then get them moving as fast as you can. Tucking the rod under your arm and then

stripping with both hands faster than you think possible. Believe me when I say you can’t move the

fly too fast. Don’t be surprised if a spinner shark shows up at some point. Their favorite food is

mackerel.

C. Crystal River: Should be at its peak this month with just about anything being available. Snook,

Bass, Snapper….. Just go.

D. Redfish in Mosquito Lagoon. The fish will be potholing and all you have to do is find them. Look

for flats with a good 50/50 mix of sand to grass and cast from a distance into any sand hole you find.

The hole could be as small as a foot or two in diameter or as large as 30 or 40 feet across. Pick at the

edges before casting to the center since there will be fish close to the grass as well as packed

together in the middle. Work a fly slowly and let the fish see it. Competition should encourage the

fish to race for the fly. Crab and shrimp patterns worked slowly are the way to go.

Central Florida Freshwater

Shad season should be here by now and it

will only get better as the season

progresses and the water levels drop

(provided we don’t get any unseasonable

rains). I really look forward to this time

of year as anyone will tell you and it’s

not just because of the number of fish

you can catch. It’s a beautiful time of

year with pleasant temperatures, making

it a wonderful time to explore the

freshwater fishery we have available.

Beyond the shad there are many different

species likely to hit a fly while you are

pursuing your primary species. Bass will

smash just about anything in the water

when a feeding frenzy takes place. One hint I can give you for success is pay attention to the shorelines and

high banks after a boat passes. The turbulence caused by the wake will blast small baitfish and grass shrimp

up against the hard ground momentarily stunning them. Bass and other predators will aggressively attack

the disoriented baitfish with abandon, making it relatively easy to pinpoint areas of activity. I’ve caught

some very nice fish by targeting these instances of mayhem. Cast into the frenzy and hold on.

Crappie will be readily available at the same time, which will make it tough to decide whether to chase shad

or something tastier for the table. There’ll likely be just as many folks out there trolling spider rigs as there

are casting fly rods so be prepared to share the water especially if you are in a crappie hotspot known to the

masses. You can catch them on the same flies and in the same locations but one big difference is that

crappie will hold in the same spot as a school where as shad tend to shift and move around a lot. Crappie

can be pulled in one after another once you pinpoint the location and depth.

Bluegill, redbellies, and warmouth can be caught right alongside the others but you need to hug the bottom

and slow down your presentation if you want to catch them in any numbers. One trick I use is to cast

upstream in water depth between four and six feet deep right up along the bank. Retrieve line just fast

enough to keep up with the current, maintaining a tight line. You should be able to feel each tick and pause

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of the fly as it bounces along the bottom of the river. Set the hook when you feel resistance or weight on the

other end of your line. You may not feel much of a take since the fish are just grabbing the fly as it bounces

into their face. Talk about having the food come to you. Good Luck.

Be sure not to waste time while moving from one area to another. Troll something behind the boat and

slowly move between locations and maybe you’ll find some fish hanging somewhere along the route. I’ve

caught bass, panfish, shad, and even catfish while relocating and I never pass up a change to fish while

moving between spots. Make another pass across the spot and it’s possible to pick up even more fish.

Tippet of the Month The absolute biggest question I get when it comes to shad season is, “Where do you fish for Shad?” It’s a

pretty simple answer when you figure that we can pursue them just about anywhere along the St. Johns

River from Lake Monroe at Sanford to Lake Hell-n-Blazes west of Cocoa Beach. That’s a huge section of

water and a great deal of variety. The river changes its face multiple times between these two points,

ranging from wide and relatively shallow to pretty darn narrow and very deep. Where do you start?

Well here are a few maps showing some hot spots from past years and the associated boat ramps in the area.

Hotspots are marked with the Smiley Face (because I’m happy to catch fish) and boat ramps are marked

with stars.

Map #1

Lake Jessup to Lemon Bluff

Boat ramps (from west to east) located at:

Cameron Wight

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Mullet Lake

Lemon Bluff

Hotspots can be found in deep holes, sharp curves, and narrow channels close to steep shorelines.

Map #2

Lake Harney to Puzzle Lake

Boat Ramp:

C.S. Lee (Jolly Gator Fish Camp) Hotspots include sandbars, deep holes, sharp curves, narrow channels, and the Little Econ River.

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Map #3

Puzzle Lake to Hatbill Park

Boat Ramp:

Hatbill Park

Hotspots include the same types of cover mentioned in the previous sections of river. The great thing about

this section is that wade fishing is possible throughout the area and when water levels are low enough, it can

actually reached from the boat ramp on foot. Watch for alligators in warm weather and always use a

walking stick to locate deep holes.

Sections of the river south of this point can also be spectacular and a couple of my favorite locations are

well upriver from here but the distance between them makes creating this type of map unrealistic. South of

Rt 50 can be quite good as can the section of river bordering the Tosohatchee WMA. You just have to be

willing to travel a bit further and do some exploring to find productive water.

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Species of the Month Text and Graphic From: http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Fishing/documents/Rainbow_Trout_profile.pdf

Image Credit: Duane Raver

Rainbow trout

Scientific Name:

Oncorhyncus mykiss

Identification: The rainbow trout is named for the broad, lateral stripe on its sides, which ranges from pink

to red. Its back is olive-green, and its belly is whitish with heavy black speckling on all fins and the entire

body.

Habitats and Habits: Rainbow trout are native to the Pacific drainages of western North America but have

been introduced throughout mountain streams in North Carolina. As with other trout, rainbows inhabit

streams, rivers, ponds and lakes with good water quality and temperatures that rarely exceed 70 F. They

have a tendency to hang out in faster currents, such as riffles and swift runs, more so than brook or brown

trout. Spawning occurs primarily in late winter. Young rainbow trout feed on small aquatic and terrestrial

insects. Adults eat a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects, as well as crustaceans, fish and other

small vertebrates.

Fishing Techniques: Fishing dry flies, streamers, and nymphs that imitate natural foods works well. This

method is especially popular in North Carolina’s many streams that support wild trout. Fishing baits, such as

worms and corn, are highly effective for catching hatchery-reared rainbow trout. Spin casting small

spinners, spoons and crankbaits can be productive as well. Be sure to check the current trout fishing

regulations on the type of lures allowed as well as the size limit and creel limit for a particular trout water

before fishing.

Good Places to Fish: Check out the North Carolina Trout Maps

(http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/Fish_Maps_Location.htm#trout) to find trout fishing opportunities listed

by counties.

Other Information: NCARP Minimum Requirements: Hatchery raised: 2 lbs., 8 oz. or 18 inches. Wild

trout: 12 ounces or 12 inches.

State Record: 20 lbs., 3 oz., from Jackson County, January 28, 2006

World Record: 42 lbs., 2 oz., from Bell Island, Alaska, June 22, 1970*

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Success Stories Here’s our buddy Stephen with a gorgeous redfish

he caught recently at low tide near some

Jacksonville oyster bars. Hell of a fish there

Stephen. Are you looking for a fishing partner?

And here’s John with a beautiful Georgia rainbow. Another

wonderful fish by one of our regular visitors. I need more time

off to go fishing!

Conclusion In closing, we would like to thank you for your business and we

hope to see you again soon. From all of us here at Bass Pro

Shops Outdoor World Orlando, keep your dry flies dry, your wet

flies wet, and may the wind always be in your favor.

Sincerely,

Brian “Beastman” Eastman