Read more about the article Fly Casting Fundamentals
The best place to practice is on grass but real world experience is as close as the beach on a calm summer day. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Fly Casting Fundamentals

Teaching fly casting has taught me some valuable lessons. Chief among them is the fact that it’s most often easier to learn from scratch using the fundamentals (physics) of the cast than it is to correct bad habits that have been developed over time. This isn’t bad news for longtime casters who have been using improper techniques but points out the necessity of practice to “reteach” the brain how to move the rod.

Continue ReadingFly Casting Fundamentals
Read more about the article The Stunning Benefits of Saving Orange Hammock Ranch
Brice Claypoole

The Stunning Benefits of Saving Orange Hammock Ranch

Gulf Coast Community Foundation President Christine Johnson put it well: , “Saving Orange Hammock Ranch has been a conservation priority for our community for decades! This property is a breathtaking slice of old Florida and holds the trifecta of land conservation benefits – protecting drinking water, preserving wildlife habitat, and providing exceptional public access.”

Continue ReadingThe Stunning Benefits of Saving Orange Hammock Ranch
Read more about the article The Quality of Our Fishing Future
Algae clogs an inlet to Robinson Preserve. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The Quality of Our Fishing Future

Fishing and the outdoors experiences have played a pivotal role in my life for almost seven decades and made me passionate about working to protect the natural world. That’s why I keep coming back to what I think is a crucial responsibility: being aware of how elected officials voted when it comes to the quality of the air I breathe, the water I drink, and the water that the fish I love to pursue swim in. It’s become painfully apparent to me that the politicians we elect all too often have a different agenda. That’s why I have decided I’m not a Republican or a Democrat. What I am is an environmental voter.

Continue ReadingThe Quality of Our Fishing Future
Read more about the article Get in Some Great Fishing and a Bike Ride, Too
I like to bike and I love to fish. It occurred to me a long time ago that I might be able to access some great fishing spots by bike. More often than not though, my fishing adventures involved a boat. That is until I started pedaling to Longboat Pass to fish from the bridge and to the bay to explore local public docks. What I discovered was a way to get in some excellent fishing without having to do the work to get a boat in and out of the water, with all that’s involved.

Get in Some Great Fishing and a Bike Ride, Too

I like to bike and I love to fish, and it occurred to me a long time ago that I might be able to access some great fishing spots by bike. What I discovered was a way to get in some excellent fishing without having to do the work to get a boat in and out of the water, with all that’s involved. It opened up a new avenue for getting my fishing fix and a bike ride, too.

Continue ReadingGet in Some Great Fishing and a Bike Ride, Too
Read more about the article Clear Water Hides Looming Problem
White Pelicans glide past an old stilt ice house in the bay by the Village of Cortez.

Clear Water Hides Looming Problem

While it’s true that the water in the bay is crystal clear, and my experience over the last few weeks has been discouraging. There are signs of recovery, as bait enters the bay and mullet are again starting to make an appearance. Still, I believe this is one of the slowest recoveries I can remember since the early 80s.

Continue ReadingClear Water Hides Looming Problem