I hope you were able to ease into the new year your way. Quiet contemplation is good for some folks while others are looking for some revelry with a few friends and maybe some shenanigans.
I always plan to do better for the new year; eat healthier, do more, lose some bad habits, catch bigger fish, yes it usually comes down to the fly fishing. One of the first things I do for the new year is to examine the new year tide calendar for the Upper Sea of Cortez. This handy calendar lets me know what the tides are going to be and when for the whole year. It makes it easier to plan a fishing trip if you don’t have to worry about a huge tide washing you out of the estuary.
New equipment. Last year I picked up a ten-foot six weight fly rod and it has been an important part of my fishing gear for Puerto Peñasco. The standard nine-foot eight weight fly rod is still quite useful, but I am thinking of adding a ten-foot eight weight. The longer length can improve casting. Especially if your boat is a kayak or pontoon boat. Both set low in the water, and that extra foot gets more line off of the water.
The extra length is also good when you are hooked up to a fish. Manufacturers of 10-foot fly rods make the two sections above the cork grip beefier, you have a better chance to land the fish successfully. The fly rod acts like a big shock absorber you can use a smaller weight fly rod to land a larger fish.
Fishing is a bit slow during January and February but soon things will begin to warm up, bait will be abundant, and the new fishing season will get going in March and continue to get better. Hope to see you on the water soon.
Vince Deadmond The Retired Fly Fishing Hardware Guy can be reached at vddeadmond@msn.com and (480) 818-1796.
