Tag: saltwater

Salt. Water. Quality

It's a bright Florida day as Captain Gabrielle Mercado reverses her Lady Luck Adventure charter boat out of the slip and motors towards the Choctawhatchee Bay. The emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico are just over the dunes in the intracoastal waterway, and she keeps a close eye on her GPS as she moves against the waves. Every month Captain Mercado collects water quality data and samples for local nonprofit Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA). CBA staff use the data to inform the public

11/10/2019•Erika Zambello

The Life and Times of Diane Pallot

Where do you call home? Right here in Mims, Florida. No restaurants, no main street, no quaint shopping stores. Boring beyond belief however no traffic, no over population, every pit bull dog is friendly, and so are their owners. How did you get into fly fishing? I think I sort of morphed into it. Flip never forced the idea nor did he pressure me. After fishing with him for a few years with spin tackle, I decided one afternoon to ask him for a casting lesson. He was more than accommodating and

5/13/2019•Dun Magazine

Embrace the Suck

Part of running a charter boat is knowing when to cancel trips because of weather, but last summer the tables were turned on us just hours before the trip of a lifetime. Sometimes Mother Nature makes it easy to cancel with vivid reds, yellows, and even purples showing on the radar map for everyone to see and understand. Other times, my smartphone radar app feels like a magic 8-ball that I’ve already shaken three times and gotten three different answers before the 4:30 am pot has finished brewing

5/13/2019•Sarah Gardner

Red Fishing in Rockport, Texas

Redfish are all the rage and one of the best places to catch them is the Texas coast. In Rockport, you sight fish over grass, sand, mud, and oyster shell flats. These redfish are here year round, so if you need a break from the cold head on down. Hire:  Kacee Bones Stay:  Casa Pequeña Lodge Eat:  Mom's Shrimp at GLOW Drink:  Lone Star - The National Beer of Texas at Pop's Thunderhead Duffel By Fishpond USA MSRP - $299.95 photo courtesy of - Fishpond USA Keep Everything Safe Every day o

12/2/2018•Dun Magazine

Stripers on Martha's Vineyard

Those who have fished for striper know how addictive this species can be. This 90 square mile island off the coast of Massachusetts is known to be one of the best places to catch striped bass in the country. Martha's Vineyard combines great fishing with amazing food, shopping, and night life. What more do you need? Hire:  Abbie Schuster with Kismet Outfitters Stay:  Edgartown Inn Eat:  Lobster Rolls at Larsen's Fish Market Drink:  Cappuccino at Rosewater Vintage Town Beanie By Patagonia

12/2/2018•Dun Magazine

Why It's Worth It Fall 2018

7 nights/6 days guided fishing By Copal Tree Lodge package price - 9,275.00 photo courtesy of - Copal Tree Lodge Copal Tree Lodge is our favorite place to stay in Belize. The lodge is committed to conservation, local economic development, and actively engages in practices to minimize their carbon footprint.  From the moment you arrive, the extra effort the staff puts in is why this lodge is worth it. From the handwritten welcome notes, to the luxurious accommodations, and pristine natural su

11/5/2018•Dun Magazine

Calm out of Chaos

This is not an action-packed fly fishing story. It has no plot progression that leaps into a thrashing battle between man versus beast, nor does it wrap up nicely with a tired smile and wet hands wrapped around The Fish of My Dreams. This is not a story about wrangling The White Whale—so please, don’t call me Ishmael. I’m not sure why I expected the 1992 Buick from Bargain Auto Rental to have an aux cord. I scan every FM radio station twice through and hear nothing but static, so I wipe the swe

11/5/2018•Alex Anne Matthews

Nags Head, North Carolina, US

Nags Head is located on the Outerbanks. The Outerbanks consist of a string of barrier islands protecting North Carolina from the Atlantic Ocean and is home to the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, the largest and most modern charter boat fishing fleet on the eastern seaboard. Step on to the deck of the Fly Girl and let world-class guide Captain Sara Gardner take you on the trip of a lifetime. Fish for everything that swims in the Mid Atlantic including cobia, blue fish, false albacore, sharks and mor

7/20/2018•Dun Magazine

Albies & More

Anyone with a keen interest in saltwater fly fishing will likely find their Facebook news feeds loaded with captivating images of glamorous flats trophies such as bonefish, permit, tarpon, and the occasional redfish. While angling for the species is some of my favorite fishing, there is so much more to saltwater fly fishing. If there’s one reason people write off saltwater fly fishing, it’s because flats fishing looks too expensive, time-consuming, and difficult. As a Mid-Atlantic saltwater gui

7/20/2018•Sarah Gardner

Abbie Schuster

DUN: So, Abbie, Martha’s Vineyard. Tell me about fly fishing at Martha’s Vineyard. Abbie Schuster: Martha’s Vineyard is a fisherman’s paradise. The season runs May-November and is chock full of fish the whole time, except for a minor lull in the heat of  August when the fish go to deeper, cooler waters. In June and early July, it is hard to tell if you are in Belize or on Martha’s Vineyard. The flats are sandy, the water is gin-clear, and you are sight casting for big, beautiful stripers. The se

7/20/2018•Dun Magazine

Gradual Untangling

Fly Tying? You want me to tie a fly? No way. I can’t even darn socks. I knew I had enrolled in a fly fishing school, but I never thought about the fly tying aspect that would accompany my studies. School started and there I was, my instructor persuading me to give it a try. Reluctantly I went to the tying area. With a heavy heart, I tried my hand at tying my first fly, and managed to make a large and splendid bug. That disheveled fly went on to startle many fish, but one showed interest; all was

7/20/2018•Mari Kitagawa

Reading Between the Saltwater Line

We’ve all experienced it.  You put a new line on your favorite fly rod and, just like that, your cast falls apart.  It’s not you, necessarily.  It’s the line.  Pairing the right line to the setup is key.  Pairing the right line to the conditions – also key.  Let’s talk saltwater fly lines. It might seem like a no-brainer, but the fly line is arguably the most important part of the system. Without the line, it’s just not fly fishing (sorry, Nome).  Recently, fly line manufacturers have inundated

4/28/2018•Dun Magazine