Tomorrow I be gurgling

[DaveR]

Conditions look fair for some sight fishin tommorow am. Gonna start out with a gurgler to see if I can get em to look up. My pets have been spooky lately so it may be a mistake but I have visions of that take. Maybe I have been watch too much trout fishing on WFN.
I'm thinking white with a chartreuse ass.

[DaveR]

The day started out promising albeit the water level was higher than preferred and tide and time were were conspiring to do away with sight fishing opportunities.

Yard after yard of shoreline was scouted with nary a ripple noticed to give away the presence of today's quarry.

Then there it was. A small disturbance in the water. Finally, after more than an hours search with the unrelenting tide reclaiming it's muddy boundries, perhaps a chance to test the gurgler's allure.

Upon closer examination it turned outto be a happy family of cow nosed rays doing whatever it is they do.
The water has by now risen to a level that prohibits any chance of seeing all but the most flamboyant of redfish. After some blind casting , and I hate blind casting a fly rod, a snooklet answered my question as to whether or not my conglomeration of foam and deer tail could fool a fish.

The long rod now set aside till next time and the tried and true silver minnow found it's mark on a few small redfish.

So, a morning with questionable tidal conditions kept my theories honest and produced nary a sign of mudders. Dialed in it is to within a .2 foot variance. Next time I see that the tide is just a bit too high, or a bit too low, again I'll pay it no mind and just go fishin.

[AndrewP]

Dave: good at cha' for throwing the top-water. Here on the East Coast we have lots of trout up in the shallows right now. They're spooky as all get-out when it's light, so the best time to throw the popper is pre-dawn. Got two on Sunday -- one was a legit 24" -- on an all-white foam popper with a little rabbit tail. Once it got light and I could see tails, I switched (I did try the popper and it was ignored or they spooked) and got two reds to take a shrimpy-like fly.

Popper looks like this ...



Want to get back out even earlier to see if they won't hit the popper in the pitch-dark .....


AP

[Dustin]

Nothing wrong with that gurgler. That is without a doubt my favorite fly. IMO, there is nothing better for baby tarpon. I've also caught a pile of reds and big trout on them up here on the Big Bend.

[John]

I must be holding my mouth wrong I just aint had much with the gurgler and I have thrown them a lot, how are you guys working them?

Straight strip or a twitch and strip?

[Dustin]

I usually give a short, sharp strip to generate a "gurgle" and then pause. Most of the strikes seem to come on the pause.

[John]

hmm, I just don't seem to get much of a gurgle out of mine, going home tonight to practice more!!!

[Evan]

If your gurglers aren't gurgling, or if the front lip gets soggy and folds back, try adding a small folded piece of foam to the "joint" just behind the front lip (sorry I don't have my own pics handy, this Chernobyl Ant photo I stole from the web will have to do).



Also, if you use a hook with a heavier shank (ex: Gamu SL-12) for your gurglers it will help to "keel" them and keep them right side up. Sometimes they stop gurgling because they are actually riding on their side.

[dunfly]

Hey Evan. Haven't heard from you in a while.

You going to the Fly Fishing Film Tour this year?

[Evan]

Wouldn't miss it! Always a good time...

[John]

Thanks guys, didn't make it out last night but will be on the water this evening with the long rod hopefully, either fresh or salt.

I'm making a commitment to fly fishing this year I want to get proficient with it, got some good trips in the planning stages and I want to be able to fish them on fly.