The month of July has been very hot and full of afternoon siestas, sunsets on the malecon in Ezperanza and mornings at the bakery with all those sunburned faces, mine included. Yep... it is summer, for sure. To top it off a group of my friends from Ft.Collins, Co came down for a summer get away and we have spent a great time enjoying the festivities,Beaches food and lots of laughs...Oh yeah fishing was having a hard time working itself into the rotation but one night dancing the night away to salsa with so many familiar faces in th new town square listening to a famous band calle El Gran Combo and they played one incredible song after another and everyone knew the words...even me. I had to get my old fishing friend Jason Slaughter (aka Peewee..he will explain the nickname) out to one of my favorite spots to paddle the kayaks stake off and start hooking fish that run faster than anything I have ever been tied to, including cars... So after a couple deafining exchanges at close range trying to hear each other over the blarring salsa , it was on.................. The following morning at 5:30am I pulled up to the big old house on the hill in Ezperanza to get an old fishing buddy on his first Bone fish. We squeaked and rattled down the road to the last stop on the USFW access and began to get the kayaks off "little blue" my 1993 Chevy s-10 and it has the nickname because there is very little blue left on her, but that little truck has been hauling gear and people all over this island for years and not once left me stranded. It didn't take but a couple of minutes and I could feel the wind speed increasing and the white caps on the horizon were beginning to multiply. I looked over at my fishing buddy and began to explain the finer points of paddling his Tarpon 12o Kayak through waves and wind, PW and I had fished in tons of wind in our adventures of old which took us into the Colorado Rockies, the plains and Parks of Wyoming and into a group of lakes at around 8500ft called the Delaney Buttes and we were tortured up there in the elements for the fish we would break morning ice with our 8ft pontoon boats on the lakes trying to catch the big morning bows cruising the shore looking for a few good crawfish, 10lb 25in my personal best on those lakes .....so I knew PW was up to this 1.5mile paddle straight into the wind and waves. 84degree water, piece of cake and we were going to the promise land.....Ensonada Honda and I am not talking about just the flats, but the whole bay holds a huge array of life, both above and below the surface. the paddle out was a challenge and with a little cadence and lots of patience our Kayaks sliced through the waves and wind. We had arrived at the protected coves this great piece of water offers variety in species and techniques, sure EH is know for it's great Bone fish, Tarpon and Permit opportunities but it is so much more. On a well equipped Fishing kayak you can see and get on water so thin you almost feel funny being in a kayak, but you glide over silent and touching nothing. The traditional antiquated gasoline pollution and sonic noise pollution are motivation for me to promote a greener alternative with less overall eco-disturbance. When using Kayaks...I am challenging anglers to go greener, I am challenging them physically, Mentally. The rewards are obvious and the experience is truely personal. It is a movement catching on all over the world and what a better time than now to begin to change our lifestyles to a healthier and greener way that will foster obvious benefits.

Labels: Ensonada Honda, Fly-Fishing, Jason Slaughter, Olympus Stylus 1030, Orvis Zero Gravity, Vieques Adventure Company, Vieques Kayak Fishing, Wilderness Kayaks

It was just another one of those gorgeous mornings in Vieques, there was a slight wind, the sky was blue and I was on my way to a very public yet unknown shallow water fishery which has treated me well from the day I lay eyes on her. As I rounded the corner there was a car parked in that spot, you know the favorite fishing hole parking spot. I get out walk down the beach to investigate and it's two guys walking all over the little coral heads and chucking gulp minnows as if they were at the lake or something. Now do not get me wrong this resource is here for everyone to use , but not abuse. These guys probably did not know the damage they were doing with every step, but they were still hurting the flat and that was a problem. We got to talking after they had come in, they were not even sure of the name of the beach but SOMEONE told them to go down there and fish and so they did did the best they could with what they knew about their new environment. But unfortunately every time a Bonefish, Permit, Ray, Shark or any other aquatic inhabitant of the flat has a traumatic exchange with the human world we make it harder to get close to these creatures. The fish on other flats on the island get far more pressure and there learning curve are much higher. The recent influx of fisherman on this incredible little flat is evidence they are becoming human savvy and it's because of our bad angling habits. This flat is tucked away on the north side of the island is a little piece of heaven and well, world-class would be the only way to describe it. Now like any good thing , it won't last and because of that we must all do our part when it comes to keeping the habitat intact and fish with a conscience.
Take a morning lesson and you will be able to walk onto a flat with much more confidence. learn the methods of fly-fishing for Bone fish and Permit. Learn fly selection, approach, presentation the hookup and finally the release after a great picture. With just about 2yrs of experience fishing the waters of Vieques, I am the first to say I have lots to learn and that's the best part of this lifetime sport. I have been allowed to fly back in time to a place that has not yet seen the pressures of many more popular and historical fishing locations around the world. Which in turn allows me shots at fish that have otherwise disappeared from the landscape of other once famous flats. There is no substitute for time invested in learning a piece of water, spending as much time on the water as humanly possible teaching and orienting new anglers to what works and when. I have fished almost every flat with in a 6mile round trip in my Tarpon120 Wilderness Systems Kayaks. You pull up to a flat mostly invisible, stake off the boats and you look for your first target, it is a real simplistic way of getting to your preferred fishing location as well as giving a more intimate experience as you paddle to your next destination.
So at the end of all these metaphorical comparatives and strong opinions. I just want to say this island is for everyone to experience and cherish. I do not know another place in the world I can do the things I love everyday with some of the most interesting people you could meet anywhere. Outdoor Adventurers and fly-fishing fanatics are finding this place weaving a network with common threads that will keep these flats fishing for many generations to come.
That little piece of heaven on the North side is where I caught my first Bone and it still keeps me coming back looking to finally land that monster I have seen many days before. Tomorrow feels like a good day to make a little history. If you are looking to make a little history of your own take a look at http://www.viequesadventures.com/. and tell us how we can help. Happy adventures and tread lightly to preserve this one of a kind Island we call home.

Labels: Bonefish, Flats Fishing, Fly-Fishing, Permit, Vieques kayaks, WalkWade