Casting Clinics -- We conduct free casting clinics once a month. The clinics are conducted by Norm and his colleague, Federation of Fly Fishers certified casting instructor Joe Mahler from Fort Myers, FL. The next free clinic will be on Sunday, February 21. Please check with us for other free clinic dates.
Joe is also available for private lessons at $50 per hour.
Fly Tying Courses -- We will hold a series of weekly fly tying classes beginning Thursday, February 18, 2010 6-7:30 p.m. Follow-up classes will be held on Thursdays, except on the first Thursday of the month, when the Sanibel Fly Fishers meeting is held. The classes will start with the basic techniques and flies for beginners and progress over six weeks to more esoteric and complicated patterns as the course continues. Participants may attend as many or as few classes as they would like.
The cost of the course will be $10 per class plus materials. We will offer small reasonably priced packets of supplies necessary (hair, feathers, hooks, synthetics, etc.) to tie the flies featured at each class. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own vises and tools but we will have a limited number of these items available for those who do not have their own. We also offer excellent buys on vises (starting at $19.95) and complete tool sets ($21.95). Anyone may also bring his or her fly tying materials.
Special Events -- Throughout the year we will host free special events, including book signings, appearances by noted fly fishers, and discount/sale periods on certain products.
Springfest/Snookfest -- We are planning to hold an event titled Springfest/Snookfest Sunday, March 21, 2010. Proceeds from the festivities will benefit two conservation organizations: the Sanibel-Captive Conservation Foundation and the Coastal Conservation Association.
Activities at the fest will include a traditional "shrimp boil," casting clinic and casting games. We will also host some well-known names in the world of fly fishing. Stay tuned for further updates. The date is contingent on obtaining approval from the City of Sanibel, so please check back.
Additionally, in the coming months we will feature Jerry Kustich, noted fly fishing author and co-president of the Sweetgrass Bamboo Rod Company, which produces some of the top bamboo rods in the world. Jerry will conduct a fly fishing presentation and introduce Sweetgrass' new line of saltwater bamboo rods, which hark back to the golden era of Ted Williams, Joe Brooks and other pioneers of saltwater fly fishing with bamboo.
We will also host Jay Nichols, former editor of Fly Fisherman magazine and now the president of Headwater Books. Jay has written and edited a number of fly fishing books and will be signing them during his visit.
News -- February/March 2010. Hysterical accounts on the internet about last month's cold snap have little relation to the reality of the fishing quality. Here are the facts:
Researchers at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute report that the snook population in west Florida is still approximately 1.2 million. Yes, it was distressing to see snook floating belly up, but one researcher emphasized that there are still "many, many" snook. He also explained that the population has a compensatory mechanism -- going on right now -- to make up for the loss of about 10 to15 percent of its numbers. With fewer fish competing for the same amount of food the snook will grow faster this year. Also, spawning fecundity will increase dramatically.
In short, we are expecting another excellent snook fishing season along the Gulf shoreline of Sanibel, with even more large fish (more than 30 inches) than last year. Peak season is May 15-October 15.
Come on down and experience this unforgettable sight-fishing opportunity for one of the world's great game fish.
