Folly was born at Nicholl’s Town, Andros, and taken to Bimini as a baby. After a little schooling, he started as a fishing guide and was on his way to becoming famous.

Born Israel Rolle, Folley says he got his nickname as a child.

According to Folley, during the prohibition and rum running days in the 1920s, there used to be some folks who used to come to Bimini to sell booze to the folks who used to come over from the states. At that time, the U.S. didn’t allow the selling of liquor. So they used to come to Bimini and pick up liquor and take it over. It used to come from Nassau to Bimini and they’d pack it up and send it on a big ship.

“The man who owned the ship was named Folley. He had no kids. I used to be around him on the ship. He used to take me to school. Soon they started calling me Folley, like an adopted son,” he said.

The ship owner’s name was Carl Folley.

“There are some people from Bimini who have known me for a long time and still call me Carl,” he said. “I named my son Carl after Carl Folley.”

A musician, in addition to being a guide, Folley left Bimini while playing in a band.

“I played the drums in a band, ‘The Bimini Serenades’ and we used to come over in the 1940s to play at the Jack (Tar) Hotel,” he said. “I found there were good flats here and no bonefish guide so I just stayed here and my customers who used to go to Bimini started coming to West End.”

Peak season for bonefish is in the winter months. While few Bahamians participate in the sport, as it is against the law to catch bonefish for food, visitors from around the world visit the Bahamas annually just to bonefish – many to fish with Folley.

Folley says he has taken thousands of people fishing throughout the years – some of them are pretty famous.

His client lists includes: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The U.S. President Nixon, the late Prince Rainer of Monaco, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Taylor, Lana Turner and Curt Gowdy – just to name a few.

Those persons include U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas John Rood who befriended Folley as a child.

“I met Bonefish Folley when I was about five years old,” Rood said. “My father would rent out the Jack (Tar) Hotel in West End for a month for business conferences and then bring our family over for vacation the last week of the month.”

Rood says he remembers more than just fishing with Folley.

“We would go over to the Blue Marlin, a restaurant that Mellis (Folley’s wife) ran,” he said. “I remember great dinners, people playing pool and having a great time with Folley and his family.”

Rood said as he grew older he continued to stop by the West End to visit with Folley whenever he was in the area. One of those visits occurred right before hurricane Frances hit the Bahamas in September 2004. “It was my memory from that visit that made me want go visit Folley immediately after I heard about the storm hitting the West End,” he said. “Folley’s home was a small wooden house directly across from the ocean.”

Rood knew that like many Bahamian homes at the time, Folley’s home probably had been reduced to rubble. Rood arrived for transport into the area shortly after the storm. He and other dignitaries accompanied a group of media into the West End to survey the damage.

“As we approached what used to be Folley’s home, I saw him sitting in a boat in his front yard with his grandson.” he said. “Behind him was a pile of rubble which waswhat was left of his family’s home.” Rood said he was eager to speak with Folley and approached him to shake his hand and offer comfort to him. Upon seeing his old friend, Folley began to smile and greeted him warmly as usual.

“The cameras were taking photographs of Folley and he was smiling as if nothing so terrible had happened,” Rood said. “I asked him how he could have such a smile and be so happy after such a disaster.” According to Rood, Folley answered, “We lost our home, but my family is safe. We can rebuild the home.”

Rood decided at that point that he would take it upon himself to make sure Folley’s home was rebuilt. He and his father worked with an architect to design a safer home for Folley. The home consisted of three bedrooms, and two baths and was built on eight-feet high columns with the ability to withstand storm surges. It is considered to be a ‘model home’ for other residents of West End living on the waterfront and was built at no expense to Folley.

“We wanted to show the Bahamians how important it is to build their homes off the ground to make them more storm resistant,” he said. “We built several homes for other Bahamians as well.”

Rood is not the only person to be so taken with Folley. Bahamian artist Phil Stubbs wrote a song about him some years back: “Bonefish Folly, He’s so meek and lowly….”

In addition to being the theme of a song, a restaurant has been renamed as a tribute to the bone-fishing legend. Bonefish Folley’s Bar & Grille sits with a commanding view of Old Bahama Bay’s marina.

As welcoming as Bonefish Folley himself, the newly renamed eatery beckons patrons hungering for native Bahamian cuisine. Black and white photos of its namesake, “Bonefish Folley”, hang prominently from the restaurant’s walls. Perhaps the most interesting characteristic of this restaurant will be Bonefish Folley himself, as he continues to charm guests of Old Bahama Bay.

Folley has passed on his expertise to two of his sons, who like him have fallen in love with the sport. Bonefish Tommy and Carly have studied and learned how to bone fish at the feet of the legendary master.

When asked if any of his daughter were interested in fishing he laughed, and answered, “My daughters are just here to eat the fish after we catch it.”

During the years, he has amassed lots of awards and citations. He says of his life, it has been a lot of work, but a whole lot of fun. Sixty-odd years and Folley says he still has a whole lot of living to do.

“The way I feel, I’ll probably go until I drop,’ he said. “Come on out, I’ll take you fishing.”

Publishers note: This issue we start a new column on fly fishing. We are fortunate to have aboard Bob Shirley, who brings a wealth of fly fishing experience and credibility. Bob is on the Board of Directors of the Federation of Fly Fishers, and is its Membership Director. He has fished from Washington to Baja California to Venezuela to the Bahamas. We hope you enjoy and learn from his column.

For several years, Gulf Coast fishermen have been turning to fly fishing as an alternative to the more traditional techniques of using live bait or casting artificial lures to catch fish. I have been a fly fisher for most of my life and will explain the differences between fly fishing and standard spinning or bait casting. This article will address the basic differences in the equipment used in fly fishing and gear fishing. Subsequent articles will explain the differences in technique and strategy between the two disciplines.

The most striking physical difference between fly reels and conventional gear reels (spinning & casting) is the shape. All three types of reels usually have an adjustable drag system, a handle to wind up the line, and a spindle to hold the line, but the fly reel has the same shape as a hockey puck – a flattened cylinder. The location of the fly reel is also different. It sits below the rod like a spinning reel but is behind the hand holding the rod and is at the very bottom end of the cork handle toward the butt of the rod. This placement helps “balance” the weight of the rod/reel combination, thus reducing fatigue and greatly enhancing your casting. The puck-like shape of the reel came about because most fly reels are direct drive with no extra mechanical advantage or gearing to get back lots of extra line for every turn of the handle. The reel’s removable spool holds the fly line which attaches internally to the drag system, and can be “palmed” on the outside of the rim of the spool using your hand to lightly supplement the drag system of the reel if necessary. This spool spins rapidly in reverse when a fish takes line and the protruding handle becomes a real knuckle buster if you’re not careful.

Fly rods have the reel seat placed below the cork handle toward the base of the rod. The rods are made of the same fiberglass or carbon fiber and resin as the gear rods and come as one-piece units or in sections of up to 4 or 5 pieces for travel. These rods are sized from 0-16 with 0 (zero) weight being the smallest and lightest duty and then going up to 16 wt. for billfish, tuna, and sharks. The numbers represent an equivalent line weight category needed to correctly load or bend the rod during a cast. An 8 wt. rod is ideal for redfish, bonefish, speckled trout, and is the most common fly rod used along the Gulf Coast – the go-to/all around best choice for this type of fishing. Higher weight rods are stronger and enable you to fight fish that might otherwise break a lighter rod. They also help prevent the fish from fighting to total exhaustion which reduces its chance for survival. Rods with lower wt. numbers are good for smaller fish, freshwater, or in situations where wind is not a factor. Fly rods for general saltwater use are usually 9 feet in length and firm enough to drive a fly through a brisk headwind. The 9 feet of rod not only helps in casting, but is a wonderful shock absorber and lever when fighting fish.

So, why use flies? The answer is that they are very effective at catching fish. Unlike other artificial lures, flies are usually made with hair, tinsel, feathers and thread attached to a single hook. This makes them very light and they don’t spook fish like heavier offerings when cast. Tying your own allows you to express your artful and creative side while saving money. The flies can be made to look exactly like the prey or may only suggest some combined new shrimp/crab creature. The fish are attracted to the general shape and movement of the fly, or they see a flash from the tinsel and come closer to investigate.

Along the Gulf Coast and in other warm saltwater fisheries, the game fish feed on high protein prey such as shrimp, small fish, and crabs because they are readily available. Speckled trout feed in shallow water near drop offs and target shrimp and small fish. Redfish feed on the same prey as the trout, but include crabs in their diet and can be found using the flats, channels, and the surf line or are out in deeper water. There are hundreds of fly patterns that imitate shrimp and they have great names like Gotcha, Crazy Charlie, and Simram. The most famous and widely used small fish fly is a Clouser Minnow and works as well in the Gulf as it does in Washington State or Venezuela. Flies like Dell’s Crab, Bonefish Bitters, and Mangrove Critter look like crabs and catch redfish, permit, or bonefish. These flies may change color or size depending on location, imitating the big three prey species. There is also a special delight and sense of accomplishment if you catch a fish on a fly you tied yourself.

Obviously, there is a lot to learn if you want to take up fly fishing, but that can be a definite plus to some of us. To help in the transition and then to aid you along the way to fly fishing perfection, the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) is an international organization dedicated to fly fishing education and conservation. The FFF also has local fly clubs to help educate and entertain you with programs on destinations and new equipment. Most clubs also organize outings to make sure you are getting some quality time on the water. Usually, these clubs have members who are among the best and most experienced fly fishers in the area. Their members are also very interested in instructing or demonstrating fly tying, fly casting, rod building, and bringing new people into the sport. Fly clubs are an excellent place to begin your journey into fly fishing. You’ll get good advice on equipment and are sure to learn a great deal about local fishing techniques and local fish preferences.

In the first article of this series, I left out any discussion of fly line because the line is so different from conventional fishing line that it dictates some of the tactics and strategies used in fishing it. In this article, we’ll learn about fly line construction, limitations, and how it fits into the total package.

In fly fishing, you wind “backing” on to the reel and attach it to the back end of the fly line to cushion the line and to act as a back-up if a fish takes out all 90 feet of the fly line. Backing is just flat woven nylon fishing line, colorful, strong, and you may need hundreds of yards of it. On the front end of the fly line, you attach a nylon or fluorocarbon tapering leader for attaching flies and to isolate the fly from the fly line. Leaders average about 9 feet, but may be 2 feet to more than 20 depending on usage.

Most modern fly lines are multi-layered plastic and consist of a core, a woven sheath over the core, and a hard outer layer. At the beginning or front end of the line, it is light and thin for about the first 5 feet and is attached to the butt section of the leader. Moving back along the line, it now tapers up in diameter for 25 feet or more and is called the weighted section because of the greater diameter which makes it heavier. Also, the weight forward section (WF) is where manufacturers get creative and make different tapers for special needs and situations. Back to the 30 foot mark – now the line tapers back down and becomes a 60 foot section of thin and light “running line”. Why? The answer lies in the weight of the fly – practically zero.

How do you throw the fly to the fish if it weighs nothing and has a bunch of feathers sticking out making it act like a parachute? The answer is to throw the heavy line. The first 30 feet of the line is heavy and will have enough momentum when cast to drag the fly along for the ride. This is why you need 9 feet of rod and a completely unnatural stroke to accomplish a cast, but it is worth it. Besides, you don’t need to remember all of this every time you cast – just have faith that the system works.

The act against nature which we call fly casting is unique in sports. Both the forward and back rod strokes are equal in power and both involve coming to an abrupt stop at the end. All other sports movements involving equipment (golf, tennis, hockey, baseball) are a slow backstroke and a hard forward stroke with no intentional stop. At the end of each fly casting stroke, there is a HARD stop with the rod pretty much at the vertical and the reel at or slightly below eye level. This allows the line to pass just over the tip of the fly rod and begin to straighten out in the air. Since the line has the weight, when it straightens out, its momentum loads (bends) the stopped rod and stores energy in the rod to be used in the next stroke/cast. This storing and re-using of energy accelerates the line in successive strokes and allows increases in distance and wind fighting capability.

Notice I said wind fighting. The wind acts on the line because it has a large diameter right at the place that is used in every cast. The wind can blow the line and the fly right back at you if it is a head wind or a side wind. This can be dangerous since the fly is, after all, just a decorated hook and doesn’t discriminate in what it hooks. Therefore, special casts need to be mastered to overcome the effects of the wind.

The Belgian cast, the steeple cast and more have been developed to combat and overcome the effects of the wind. A very simple technique which I use is to merely lay the rod parallel to the water and cast side arm. The effect of the wind is minimized when the line is low to the water and the stroke of the rod becomes more natural and more like a tennis stroke. Another sure fire way to beat Mr. Wind is to not fish or at least not use fly gear when the wind is howling.

By this time, you may be starting to understand why and how we fly fish. There are advantages and limitations just like in most things. However, the advantages make it a preferred method. Notice I said preferred and not the best. I feel there are times and places for all three methods of casting – spin, level wind, and fly. I use all three at different times and like to catch fish with spinning gear and plugs just as much as the next guy, but I love to fly cast.

A fly landing on the water is silent compared to a plug or popping cork touching down. The rubber legs and flexible fibers on a fly give it life in the water and the strands of tinsel give it flash and sparkle as it just sits there waiting. Then you strip in some of the line and cause the fly to ‘swim’ forward. Stop stripping and the fly sinks back to the bottom just like a shrimp or crab would. The fish sees the movement or the flash and is attracted to the fly. You strip again and the fish accelerates to investigate. Strip again and the fish strikes to prevent the morsel from escaping down a hole or under a rock. Mr. Fish has just been fooled into believing a hook covered in feathers, fur, tinsel and flash is a shrimp or a crab or a small fish.

When I think of fly fishing, I see beautiful casts, pristine beaches, rivers, lakes and much more. However, one of the most interesting and pleasing aspects of the sport for me are the lures or flies which imitate live prey species. I see shiny silhouettes of shrimp – brown shrimp, grey, snapping, mantis, and pink. Redfish love them, bonefish chase them, permit attack them and tarpon inhale them. Shrimp patterns may be weighted to sink slowly or rapidly, or may be built with foam to buoy them at the surface to make noise and splash when retrieved in front of tarpon. Complete with eyes, waving antenna of sparkling plastic, and with bodies tied to collapse and expand as you retrieve them which gives them lifelike action, they get fish.
Similarly, crab patterns, baitfish imitations, and a host of other fly types attempt to imitate natural fish food and are tied by commercial tiers and amateurs alike. I have two friends (PJ & Jim) who loved tying and did it for many years before they ever fished a fly. Tying combines art and science to imitate life. Good tiers usually like to demonstrate, too, which is good news for us. We get to see the creation of a feather and tinsel jewel in real time.

Selecting a fly to cast depends on a number of variables and, even in saltwater, we are trying to “match the hatch.” The fly should obviously imitate a known and favorite available food source. It should match the conditions – shiny in bright sun light, darker in overcast situations. Also, to some extent, it should match the general bottom color. This last is often overlooked, but is important in fooling a wary target. After all, only well camouflaged creatures matching the surrounding weeds and bottom would be present as the fish forages. A blue crab in the right conditions can be deadly or obviously a fake depending on their surroundings and the local availability of blue crabs as an example. A pink shrimp when none are normally present will likewise send out an alarm signal.

Size matters too! Sometimes a bigger fly than the average size of the prey which is normally available in nature triggers aggressive strikes, sometimes not. Likewise, a fast retrieve is good for barracuda, but not bonefish. No retrieve or soft short tugs entice permit to bite crab flies. Remember, we are imitating prey species with the fly so our retrieve and size selection should mirror naturally occurring flight response and prey shapes.

A few years ago I fished Los Roques National Park – an atoll off the coast of Venezuela. It was there that I learned just how many of my preconceived ideas and helpful tips from my buddies about fly selection were not necessarily true. I was targeting bonefish and was throwing bonefish bitters, Gotchas, Crazy Charlies, and other “standard” bonefish getters. The fish were big (averaging 4-6 pounds), were not leader or fly shy because of restrictive fishing rules limiting the number of anglers per day. I believe only twenty anglers per day get to fish the three hundred islands and hundreds of square miles of flats there. I know I was casting to fish which had never even seen a fly before and I was doing well, but not spectacularly as I had hoped.

Then I talked to another American who happened to be there hanging around and waiting for a guiding job. I told him about what I was experiencing and, as his grin deepened and his head nodded, he said “the bonefish here key on the minnows.” He showed me some of his hand made Gummy Minnows in various sizes and colors. I asked if I could buy a few. And that’s how I learned he was a hard man to do business with. What could I do, though? We were eighty miles off the coast of Venezuela, and an eight hour flight from a fly shop in Dallas. He could name his price. And did!

Sure enough, those bones loved the minnows! Gummy minnows, Clouser minnows, any minnow imitation would take fish. As an added bonus, the juvenile tarpon liked minnows, too. In a pea soup lagoon, tarpon from 10 to 25 pounds just hammered large Gummies, blind cast as far as you could throw them onto the soup. Leaping repeatedly, the hooked tarpon’s gill plates rattling; bow to the leaping fish – tarpon on a fly!

I almost forgot to mention that the Jacks (Blue runners) liked those Gummies too. Everything there eats the minnows. I mean everything – one afternoon upon returning from a great day of fishing, the cook served fried minnows as an appetizer. They were great! I have absolutely no idea what species I was eating. Might have been anything – I was a human bonefish.

The point is, if logic and perception don’t work, ask a local, and then pay the price.

Beauty on the Water

Curt Morse grew up in true Huck Finn style, playing on the banks of the Mississippi River in Greenville, Mississippi. And, as did Mark Twain, Curt grew up with boats, something that served both of them well later on in life. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Curt embarked on a 15-year career in the world of retail equestrian products, a business that eventually took him to Ireland for three years.

The lure of the beach eventually got to Curt, and he and his wife Connie moved to Pensacola. This led to a chance encounter that would change Curt’s life and vocation. Curt was spending a leisurely day at Pirate’s Cove, a waterfront bar and restaurant on Arnica Bay in Josephine, Alabama, just across the border from Florida. He saw an interesting boat tied up at the Pirate’s Cove dock, one like he’d never seen before. He walked up, touched it, and “felt the life and energy in the boat.” He was mesmerized.

“It was a Caribiana Sea Skiff,” said Curt. “I met the boat’s owner there who turned out to be the original founder of Caribiana, Lynn Rabren. This was in ’03 or ’04. Lynn was by trade a videographer. He’s done stuff for “60 Minutes” and filmed Bob Dylan before becoming a boat builder. I got to know and respect him. He and I were kindred spirits.”

Then Katrina hit. Curt saw the effect on Lynn. “It floored him. After the storm, he went to New Orleans and filmed the damage and recovery efforts. I think it got to him. Katrina also knocked out the production facility for Caribiana and I talked to Lynn about getting involved. Lynn and his wife Joanne McDonough (who was a T.V. producer) had the artistic vision to design the boat, but the daily production chores weren’t what he liked. I thought I could handle the production side and marketing. We had the classic right brain versus left brain difference. Lynn was a creative, I was more business oriented. So I picked up the reigns from Lynn. I think the boat business had sidetracked him; I believe his true love was videography. After filming the effects of Katrina, he went back to it. Lynn and his wife had the design expertise and had perfected the boat. Now he needed someone else to take the business to the next level. Lynn said that Caribiana was like a kid. He had raised the kid and gotten her through high school, but she needed to go to college. He thought I could get the kid to college. So I started looking into what it would take to get things up and running again. Now we’re building the boats in Pensacola.”

Curt didn’t have any formal education in the boat business, but he’d had plenty of business and marketing experience, which he put to good use making Caribiana a sought after boat. “Boats are a lifestyle. That’s how people see them. The equestrian industry was a lifestyle, too, so I had experience selling a lifestyle. We’ve sold our skiffs from the East coast to the West coast, and to some notable people. A lot of our sales come from our owners’ friends, who see the boat and say, ‘Hey, I want one of those’.”

A Caribiana Sea Skiff is 23’ long and 6 ½’ abeam. Each is custom made. The fiberglass hull is hand laid. She’s rated for 90 h.p. but Curt and others say the craft works fine with a much smaller motor due to the narrow beam of the boat. Curt explained, “The Caribiana is based on a dory design from the Caribbean. You see them all over the Caribbean and there’s a reason they are so popular. They work. They don’t require a lot of engine to push them. They are very efficient. They glide through the water.”

Pricing for a boat with engine starts at around $30,000, but since each boat is custom made, there are lots of extras available. The standard fittings are stainless, but bronze is available as an option. Curt says the bronze turns to a wonderful patina finish that gives the boat an Old World look. And there’s lots of teak. There are options for a teak pedestal for the wheel, a teak rub rail with rope inlay, teak floorboards and a teak breastplate. All woodwork is done locally, too. Decked out in all that teak, the Caribiana is a beauty to behold.

It was the beauty that hooked Sid Klein, Clearwater, Florida’s police chief. Chief Klein went to the boat show in Pensacola in 2001 to see the Caribiana. He took a demo ride in Pensacola Bay. “I was impressed. The bay was really rolling and we didn’t get wet,” he said. “I loved the way it rode. And I fell in love with its looks. I wanted to buy it on the spot, but talked myself down. Then I got out to the car with my wife and she said, ‘You know you want it, why not go ahead and buy it?’ So I walked back in and bought it on the spot. It’s hull number 39, and I named it the ‘Lady Lo’ after my deceased wife.”

The Chief uses the Caribiana every chance he gets. “I take it out fishing, out in the bay island hopping. And it’s great for picnics. It has a fold down picnic table that folds right out from the center console. You can have dinner just like eating at your table.”

Powering Chief Klein’s skiff is a 50 h.p. Honda. “It sips gas,” he said. “And it gets me anywhere I want to go at 25-30 knots.” One of the things he enjoys about the boat is the attention. “Every time you launch it, it turns heads. Someone always comes up to me and says, ‘That’s the most beautiful boat I’ve ever seen.’”

The affection Chief Klein has for his Caribiana Sea Skiff is shared by most other owners. The Chief declares, “It’s the last boat I’ll ever own.” That’s a good thing and a bad thing for Curt Morse. Why? Lack of repeat sales. That’s the price you pay when you build something beautiful that lasts.

Curt Morse, owner, Caribiana Sea Skiffs, PO Box 2128, Pensacola, FL 32513

Telephone:  (850) 287-4546, Toll-Free:  (888) 203-4883, Fax: (866) 876-6445

Website: www.caribiana.com, e-mail: info@caribiana.com

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

There is a wonderful and very natural relationship between fly fishing and boats.  We use boats to get us to places where we can find fish and then, from them, we are able to stalk fish and cast to them.  In the interior on lakes and streams, float tubes, canoes, and kayaks are widely used for fly fishing because of their convenience, practicality, and functionality.  The relatively placid waters in rivers and on lakes lend themselves to fishing from these small self-propelled craft made of rubber, plastic, Kevlar, or fiberglass.  These craft allow controlled positioning for casting, a stable platform to allow us to cast, and a stealthy approach to the fish.

On or near the Gulf Coast, using a float tube might be like trolling for sharks or gators, so their use is limited.  Here on the Coast, where distances can be huge, winds are ever present, and water turbulence is greater, kayaks especially shine as personal fly fishing craft.  Canoes or even surfboards are used too, but the stability, speed, safety, and diversity of the kayak buoys it to the head of the class. You are able to sail, paddle, and/or peddle today’s kayaks.  Peddling allows hands free operation of the craft with only minor adjustments of the rudder while casting.

Today we generally sit upon kayaks and not “in” them.  Kayaks today are usually molded bubbles of plastic allowing us a seating position several inches above the water. This means you don’t need to modify your casting style as you would if your craft put your seat near or even below the water level as in a canoe.  Imagine sitting on the ground with your legs straight out – now cast – a tough job at best.  Sitting even a few inches above the water with your legs slightly bent makes casting much easier and allows a more natural, strong,  and normal casting stroke. The plastic of kayaks also allows you to add rod holders, anchor line brackets, sea anchor attachment points, and much more simply by drilling holes through the plastic and using screws or bolts to attach accessories.  The storage holds in most kayaks have water tight lids and allow packing for overnight trips or extended stays.  There are usually flat areas on the kayak (usually behind the seat) with stretchy, tied down elastic lines where our modified milk crates with rod holders attached, battery powered live wells, or clothing stuffed waterproof bags may be stowed in security and where they will be out of your way when casting.

Catching fish in saltwater from a kayak is especially fun because even small fish are able to pull the boat around.  Hooking into a big red, jack, or small shark might get you towed for several minutes and many yards.  There are tales of being towed for hours and miles if large sharks, tuna or bill fish are hooked, so bring a lunch and plenty of water.

On the Gulf Coast, a lot of fly fishing is done from “bay boats”, “flats boats”, and other small craft.  There are obvious advantages over self-propelled craft using these boats.  First and foremost is the increased range possibilities and that you get to where you’re going quickly.  The ability to store and carry large quantities gear and high numbers of accessories is very appealing.

When fly fishing from larger boats, there are some important things to consider though.  Since we have yards of line and a fly with a hook in the air both behind and in front of us for every cast, we need plenty of unobstructed space around us.  While casting on salt, there is ALWAYS wind too.  I have banged my fly rod on antennas, poling platforms, guides and friends.  You will also snag yourself and those around you with the hook, or whip yourself and everybody else with the line.

So, think about obstructions around you on the boat, which direction the wind is blowing and how to adjust your cast to compensate for it, and who can be injured by the cast. If you are casting from a platform on the front of one of these boats, take a good look at that platform before you step up there.  Once you step up, note how slippery it is and if it is bowed to shed water or will water pool at your feet and make it slippery.  How much deck do I have to move around on?  Are there any things the fly line might get hung up on or wrap around (if so, the line will find them – I guarantee it)?

If I fall off the platform, do I just get wet or will I land on bad things in the bottom of the boat?  Is the platform big enough to accommodate a 5-gallon bucket to act as a stripping basket?  Am I standing on the line I stripped off the reel to make a long cast?  To avoid standing on the line at your feet, go bare foot whenever possible so you are able to feel the line beneath your feet! There is little need for specialized rods or lines if you fish from a boat.  The same rods etc. work well for both wading and casting from the boat.  Only if you fish deep water where you need a heavily weighted fly or sinking line do you need to bring any extra equipment.

At this point I feel a note on safety is appropriate.  Never never go out without wearing your life preserver and having your other required safety equipment aboard.  I have lost two friends to boating or rafting related accidents, and several friends have had close to death near misses on the water.  I have personally been aboard boats that sunk out from under me, kayaks that have overturned, canoes that have flipped, and I have been swept off my feet or tripped while wading in rivers and while fishing in the surf.  I hope you get the message that safety is paramount!

The resort was started in 1990 by owner and developer Dean Fowler, with the purpose of capturing the Old Florida feel of the area. Today, sixty-six Victorian and Florida Cracker style tin-roofed houses populate the narrow, twisting streets of the naturally landscaped and oak covered 35 acres that comprise the resort.

For those looking to fish, you’ve come to the right place. “The only reason Steinhatchee exists is fishing and scalloping,” said Dean. It’s a quick three mile jaunt down the river to the Gulf, where fly fishing for spotted trout is prime sport. Throw in some redfish, tarpon, mackerel and cobia, and the flats fishing is top notch.

If you happen to be at the Lodge between July 1 and September 10, you’re in store for a treat. That’s scallop season, and Steinhatchee is Florida’s scallop capitol. The normally sleepy town gets crowded as people come to catch the tasty mollusk. “It’s like an Easter Egg hunt under water,” said Dean. Scallop hunting usually takes place from a boat, but a snorkel and mask, fins and a mesh bag are all the gear required to stalk the creatures. “They’re normally found among the sea grass. You have to look and grab them. They’ll move and run from you,” explained Dean.

The Lodge has docking for up to 15 boats, and many anglers bring their own, Dean said. Local guides can also be arranged through the Lodge. The restaurants in town will cook your fish if you so choose. The Lodge also offers catering. There are plenty of other amenities for fly fishermen who bring the family, including tennis, basketball, croquet, ping pong, swimming, volleyball, cycling, archery and a children’s playground. Canoes and kayak are available for rent, and a pontoon boat that holds up to 12 people can be chartered for river or Gulf trips.

Along the paths that run through the property, you’ll find wooden bridges that cross a picturesque tidal creek, picket fences, gazebos and swings, a vegetable, herb and spice garden, croquet lawn and a petting zoo. And occasionally, you’ll even find amorous manatees. “We had several manatees come up the creek to mate a couple of years ago,” Dean related. Those aren’t the only animals that can be seen in the area. Wild turkeys, foxes and deer are regular visitors.

No matter if you’re a solo fly fisher, a group of friends or a large family, the Steinhatchee Landing Resort has a lot to offer . . . games, wildlife, good food and, of course, lots of great fishing!