Behold the buckle. We recently added a collection of hand-made belt buckles created by - get this - an honest-to-goodness, latter-day blacksmith. That’s right, an old-world craftsman, complete with forge, anvil and red-hot poker. These belts have a rough-hewn but polished quality that is undeniably masculine. Click image to see the complete collection.

If you plan on using live bait to catch game fish, a cast net is a must. And when selecting a net, two basic rules apply: 1) use smaller mesh for smaller fish and 2) the smaller the mesh, the slower the sink rate. So, it follows that you’ll want to use a smallish mesh for baits like pilchards and finger mullet that are usually in four feet or less of water, and a larger mesh for baits like big mullet or beefy menheden that are often found in deeper water. Most shallow-water anglers prefer a 3/8 or 1/2-inch mesh. Contact manufacturers for their advice when selecting a net, and be sure to do some research on state and/or local diameter restrictions.

• Used trailer that required considerable re-work to be useful, and a brief foray into a life of crime to pay for: $1000

• Carbs cleaned, plugs changed, new trim switches installed, closing costs on home mortgaged to pay bill: $320

• Two new (pro-rated) deep cycle marine batteries purchased after one imploded and filled house with toxic hydrogen gas that has left entire family addled and torpid: $120

• One new charger to replace version that led to imploding battery: free (unless you count the high price of donor’s cackling amusement)

• Three separate and utterly inept attempts to reconfigure new trailer by non-trailer-fixing (insert plural version of colorful noun): $360 Read the rest of this entry »

By now most spin and baitcast anglers have learned the virtues of braided line, including its memory-free makeup and the distance it adds to the average cast. But “braid” takes some getting used to, and must be in a different manner than monofilament line. One tip that makes a big difference: instead of adding braid directly to your spool, start with 50 yards or so of mono. This “backing” offers several advantages: 1) it’s easier to tie to the spool, since slick braid makes knot-tying a challenge, 2) it limits the amount of expensive braid you’ll use with each re-spool and 3) it prevents line that’s under pressure from slipping on the spool. For best results, use a uni-knot to attach the two lines.

Click image to see our wonderful collection of angling art

Our online gallery is now open, and features an eclectic mix of art inspired by shallow-water angling. The primary emphasis is on “skinny” saltwater, but freshwater and even offshore anglers will find plenty of gift items that cater to their focus. And we’re just getting started. Over the next few months, we’ll continue to add new and interesting pieces from some of the world’s most talented and accomplished artist-anglers. Check back with us often to see what’s new, and consider joining our email list for regular updates.

Here’s a new image just off the easel of one of our talented artists — a wonderful depiction of a bonefish that includes a great level of detail. It’s just one of the many fantastic pieces of art we’ll soon offer in our new online gallery, and we’re adding more gifted artists at a steady pace. Our “go live” date is in late October. Check back to see the new shop. Once it’s open, I’ll also resume our regularly scheduled blog postings. My apologies to the folks who’ve written asking why we stopped posting the cartoons, articles, tips, etc.  We’ll remedy that soon.

This past Friday Joe and I head down into the Glades for the first time since May. A steady breeze kept the oppressive heat at bay, and made for a glorious late-summer trip. There were a number of memorable moments. A big gator tried to swallow a snook I was releasing, and had Joe not hollered he may have swallowed far more. Deep in a backwater creek Joe hooked a dark snook that had a large crawdad stuck in its, well, craw, and then it spit up half of a digested water moccasin along with his lure. But the story of the day was my lesson in humility. We’re seldom competitive, but we did spark up a good-humored competition to keep things interesting. He switched from plugs to a jig early, and I scoffed at his choice like a smug dry fly angler disdaining the use of a nymph. Wrong move. Read the rest of this entry »

A year or so ago a photo of a python that ate a gator down in the Everglades - and apparently exploded a day or so later from a serious case of indigestion - was all over the Internet. What some may not know is that, primarily due to limp-brains who have released exotic snakes into the wild, pythons now pose a serious threat to endangered species such as native mangrove fox squirrels and wood storks. A recent article in the St. Pete Times claims that experts believe “tens of thousands” of the big snakes are now found throughout the Park. Not sure if I agree with that estimate - over the years I’ve seen many moccasins and rattlesnakes and even a few coral snakes, but no pythons. But it’s clear that they are a prolific species we need to contend with. This excerpt from the article grabbed my attention: Read the rest of this entry »