Intracoastal

Ok you got it xp800! PM on the way

For sale I have a lightly used Orvis wading jacket size Medium. This thing has a ton of pockets between the inside and out. Zippered fleece lined handwarmer pockets double as storage, 2 small interior zippered pockets hold small phone, licenses, money, keys, etc, a large pocket on the back holds an extra layer, sandwich & a beer. Cuffs are dolphin skin type with velcro to tighten, all covered by self-fabric so fly line doesn’t snag. There is some pulling/scuffing to the nylon exterior in higher wear areas, but it’s not bad and just cosmetic. Gasket behind zipper helps keep water out, and elastic drawstring at waist for fit. Too bad I cant wear a medium anymore! Was $300 new, Asking $60 shipped to lower 48

I might have some to part with. You looking for streamers to swing (w/ stinger loop) or nymphs & eggs?

Look up John Skinner’s book and YouTube channel. Tons of content on them. If you like YouTube SeaMoneyFishing also has a lot of good fluke vids but is less intentionally instructional. Still entertaining. Milt Rosko also has some helpful fluke rigs and tips in his book Fishing The Big Four. Good luck

Thanks. Yea, Lake Michigan has some great sight fishing opportunities. I haven't been to Beaver Island proper but fished a ton of flats around Traverse City and those peninsulas. That can be amazing, seeing carp as flats fish in a clear, beautiful environment--really elevates them from their stereotypes. The window up there is narrow, with fish on the flats pre- and post spawn, which is from Mid-May to Mid July. Basically the flats are narrow and drop off to a hundred feet deep or more, so the fish appear and disappear quick, both seasonally and sometimes just while you're fishing them. You can get in and wade for miles, but it has become more difficult the past few years since Lake Michigan has risen about 30-36" (yes, nearly 3 feet) since its 2012 levels, so it has given the flats a steeper slope feeling and killed much of the marsh that held a lot of fish (lively grass edges are now brown underwater mass). The smallmouth fishing is great during this same period, but they are far more camouflage. Casting to any dark spot (usually a rock) usually results in a smallie attacking your fly. In the city (Chicago) by contrast, we do our sight fishing along the seawalls that line the entire city (13 miles North to South, but lots of curvature and one of the largest marina systems anywhere. The harbors have their own populations of fish and different dynamics. Some have diverse habitat from deep weedbeds to shallower rocky shoals, and some are just deep featureless coves. The huge water level rise, while threatening the city's infrastructure, has in some ways helped and in other ways hurt our sight fishing. The pros are that (a) laid up or cruising fish are vertically closer to us; (b) allows for smoother presentation than being vertically above fish by 3'; and (c) netting fish or lifting fish is way easier. The big con is, it's already deep so a bottom presentation (like crayfish patterns) takes forever to get down. There are some beaches in and near the city where you can wade and cast to cruising pods of carp, but most is done from a seawall which is reinforced with giant rock. The fish often come up on these rocks to feed. Another favorite of mine to sight fish is the freshwater drum (looks like a black drum). They are more aggressive and also get large. Sight fishing for carp & drum usually gets better as water warms until late September. We also sight fish smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and pike, although you are much more likely to get the smallmouth on a blind cast around structure or under bait.

Sight fishing season is on in Lake Michigan

Yea, maybe that was it. Like you said, it still seems unlikely and difficult, but I suppose those were one set of conditions that tested the limit. If I venture to use one on fly, I will double check I have it in the right direction.

I gave a few TA clips to a friend for a 3 day musky trip. We were throwing tandem/articulated 5/0 flies pounding the banks from a drift boat. He lost 3 flies due to the clips. I’m still baffled, but I saw it happen. Maybe because fly casting involves false casting, and that’s more back-and-forth and potential for slack than the TA inventors intended with surf plugging.

Some Memorial Day weekend fun in spring creek trout country (Driftless region)

Ok, thread closed. Items off to be sold elsewhere. Thanks Tim, SOL, and the folks that participated

Bump. Lines 4, 5, and 7 still available, $8 off original list price

Not really. I’m sure I’m missing some of the sarcasm or humor in your tone, as you are probably missing mine. Nice stump tho 10/10

A few mixed size bass from a recent outing

Agreed, but why are we doing any of this forum stuff anyway? Maybe we should stick to sharing pics. Perhaps that’s why Instagram is increasingly popular with fishermen now

From your report, it sounds like your casting is sufficient; it's your strip set that needs work Nice jack and good job feeding the tarpon some feathers!