Little Rivers

When I really sit down and think about it, the majority of my childhood fishing was done in canals of some type. We called them "little rivers," and that's really what they were. Bodies of water that connect to larger bodies of water, lakes or reservoirs connected to Lagoons that connect to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. At least that's the way it works here in Florida. The entire state is crisscrossed with hundreds of these types of canals. Originally dug to drain what was swamp land into what would become fertile ground for citrus, sugar cane and cattle. Millions of acres were drained for these purposes, at the time it seemed like a great idea. Florida and the U.S. Government are now paying a high price for this foolishness, billions of dollars to clean up the Everglades, Florida Bay, Tampa Bay, the Indian River Lagoon and many other bodies of water here in Florida. At the time however Florida was just a piece of land where people could come and rape a fortune from it and then quietly move back to their homes in the Hamptons, leaving the rest of us here to suffer the consequences.

These canals "little rivers" also held fish, lots of them. Granted they didn't hold Rainbow and Brown Trout. You'll also never find a Brookie or a Muskie in any of them, but they do hold fish. The ones I grew up around held catfish and any number of species of panfish. The catfish were ugly, mean and the best fighters. The bluegills were the more attractive, neither however were as elusive nor as sought after as the turtles. Sure catfish and bluegills are fine species but nothing exuded manliness like catching a giant turtle. Big box turtles, box because that's what we carried them home in to show our Mothers who then promptly made us free the reptiles.

Clik Here for The Entire Story.

Separated At Birth?

Separated At Birth?

Outdoorsman brings home deer with fishing rod

HENDERSON, Ky. - It's not exactly a big fish story, but technically, he did reel in the big one.

Henderson County resident Dan Phillips used a little ingenuity to bring home a 120-pound doe during a hunting expedition in early November.

Positioned in his deer stand, Phillips said he'd only been waiting about 30 minutes when he spotted a doe.

"This one presented itself as a good shot," he said.

And sure enough, when Phillips shot the arrow, it passed all the way through the doe. He found the arrow while tracking the deer.

"I waited about an hour and started tracking her," he said. "When I started tracking, I noticed she was headed for the Tradewater River. And that's not a good sign. I was afraid it would be in the water and that's a whole new problem."

Phillips said he's been in a situation before where he shot a deer that wandered into the water so he was hoping this wouldn't be a repeat performance.

It was.

"When I got to the river, (the deer) was deceased on the other side," he said, noting that the river is about 30 yards wide.

"I've done this before," Phillips said. "I had to swim to get a deer before."

Looking at the situation, Phillips thought, "I'm too old for this. And I wanted to keep my clothes on because it's November."

Not willing to walk away from the kill, Phillips said he first tried a rope that he attached to a metal hook.

He said the apparatus would not reach far enough.

After his arm grew tired, Phillips said he remembered his fishing pole with an 8-pound test line that he keeps in his truck "just in case I ever want to stop and go fishing," he said.

"I took the same arrow (he used to kill the deer) attached it to the rod, shot the deer again and started reeling it in," Phillips said.

The deer was hung on some debris, so Phillips said he walked up down and the bank to dislodge the deer.

"When I walked up stream, I was able to free it. So I reeled it in without breaking the line. That's what shocked me that the line didn't break."

Phillips said he got the idea to use the fishing pole because "I'd run out of ideas."

"I think I got a state record with an 8-pound tester pulling in a 120-pound deer."

Kindness and Generosity

There are certain noises in this world that one never gets accustomed to, like that of a Carrier window unit air conditioner. The sound is unique unto itself, disturbing, irksome to say the least, even more so at four o'clock in the morning. The constant drone of the device is enough to make you want to tear it from the window. You know this is possible because the only thing holding it in place outside are two brittle old pieces of 2X4. One good push from the inside and it's history. While lying there I could almost hear the constant drip of the condensation draining from the valve outside the house. By now the St. Augustine grass underneath has given way from the constant torture of relentless water leaving only a large patch of bear muddy earth.

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The Last Photo I Ever Took #3

FORE!!!!!!!!!!!

The Last Photo I Ever Took #2

The Last Photo I Ever Took.

Here is the first in a series of photos entitled
"The Last Photo I Ever Took". More to come.

Shallow Minded

I had the nose my skiff as far onto the flat as she would go. It would have floated further if it had not been for the turtle grass that turned the surface of the water into a slick, mirrored finish. I had been polling the boat for almost 75 yards or so when something suddenly caught my eye. I checked my watch, a habit I've acquired over time, I made a mental note of the time versus the tide and if it was a flood or an ebb, it read 7:45 AM with a falling tide. I'd noticed a small shimmering, a flickering of light, perhaps a flash of life on a flat I've pushed across countless times. A section of water that I know like the back of my hand, if something unusual stood out I would certainly see it.

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Dogs Best Friend?

I have been on the water for a great part of my life and have had numerous encounters with dolphins, but I have never seen anything like what's pictured in this photo. It doesn't surprise me, both the dog and the dolphin have to be two of the smartest animals on Earth. It's also times like this when you can't help but wonder what the two might have been thinking at that exact moment.

Great Bonefish Fly

One of the most asked questions on message boards is, "what is a good Bonefish fly for the Keys?" We'll I've thrown handreds of flies in the Keys but the one that I've had the most success with is this one. I call it the Flash N Shrimp. It can be tied in three basic color patterns, tan as shown, olive or white. Patterned after famous bonefish flys from the Keys, this fly utilizes Shrimp colored Flash N Slinky instead of craft fur and the back is coated with Softex for added durability. The small barbell eyes get this great fly down to where the fish are fast.

Disastrous Red Tide Attacks West Coast

Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and other stretches of peninsular west Florida experienced massive fish kills this summer during blooms of Karenia brevis, the planktonic critter that causes red tide.

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Python Eats A 13 Foot Aligator—No Survivors

A 13-foot Burmese python recently burst after it apparently tried to swallow a live, six-foot alligator whole, authorities said.

The incident has heightened biologists' fears that the nonnative snakes could threaten a host of other animal species in the Everglades.

"It means nothing in the Everglades is safe from pythons, a top-down predator," said Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor.

Over the years, many pythons have been abandoned in the Everglades by pet owners.

The gory evidence of the latest gator-python encounter - the fourth documented in the past three years - was discovered and photographed last week by a helicopter pilot and wildlife researcher.

The snake was found with the gator's hindquarters protruding from its midsection. Mazzotti said the alligator may have clawed at the python's stomach as the snake tried to digest it.

Mazzotti went on to state that the pythons last thought before it died was that the gator taste just like chicken.

Online Magazine

This is a pretty nice online magazine that was created by Game and Fish. Click here for the Florida version.

Maverick Boats Acquires Cobia Boats

Maverick boat company based in Fort Pierce Florida acquired Cobia Boats

I must admit I've never been a Cobia fan, but I am a Maverick, Hewes, Pathfinder fan. I've owned a Maverick since 1997 and have been more than happy with this great fishing skiff. Scott Deal the President of Maverick Boats is a neighbor and friend of mine, and I can attest to his desire to build only the best possible boats available. So now it's time to take a look at Cobia again for the first time. The organization is first class and their sales and service are equally impressive.

This should be a huge boost for Cobia, especially here in Florida.

My Favorite Saltwater Fly

A friend asked me the other day what my favorite saltwater fly pattern was and I told him that without a doubt it was the Pola Fibre Minnow. Now the key to his question was the word pattern, not just fly. There are very few saltwater fish that will not eat a PF Minnow. I personally know people who have caught Permit with this fly. Agreed they were reef permit who probably would have eaten a shoelace that particular day, but regardless it did work.

The only fish that I know of that has not eaten this pattern is a bonefish. This is not the type of pattern that you would necessarily throw in super skinny water with lots of grass. But still I wonder that if presented to a bonefish in deep water, it may just work.

Click here for more info on this pattern.

First Giant Squid Captured in Wild (on Film, That Is)

For the first time, a team of Japanese scientists has captured on film one of the most mysterious creatures of the deep-sea in its natural habitat. During an attack last fall, the aggressive squid wrapped its two long tentacles like a ball around bait, calling into question the image of the animal as lethargic and slow moving.

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Shallow Water Fishing Expo

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about shallow water and light tackle fishing. Learn from celebrity experts and guides, sit in on informational seminars, and browse name brands from hundreds of manufacturers.
It's all in one place...at one time.

Action Optics Photo Contest

Want to win some awesome sunglasses and gear from Smith Action Optics? All you need to do is submit a photo, either by mail or e-mail. Readers vote on the images they like the best, and the winning photographer will receive a prize package that includes a pair of Action Optics sunglasses, a hat and a shirt! Winners will be chosen every other month beginning in March. Click here for info.

Florida Sportsman Show This Weekend!

When: Sat. and Sun., Sept. 10-11
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat., 10. a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun.
Where: South Florida Fairgrounds
9067 Southern Blvd.
6 miles west of I-95
Admission: $7 adults, children 12 and under with parent free. Look for $2 off coupon in Florida Sportsman Magazine and a $1 off coupon below.

Click here for more information.

Katrina photos, Are these real?

Here are a couple of photos of hurricane Katrina coming ashore near New Orleans. A friend of mine sent these to me. I don't know who the photographer was and am not 100% sure if they are real. Here are two of seven that I got. They are all as impressive as these two. I'm just not sure if they are real.

Welcome

My name is Mark Ballard I am a native of Florida and have been fishing these waters all of my life. During this time I have also fished the waters of Key West, Islamorada, the Exumas, Abaco, Walkers Cay, Flamingo, Captiva, Boca Grande, the 10,000 Islands, and both inshore and offshore the Indian River Lagoon in Florida. My experiences have also taken me to Central and South America as well as the trout streams of Colorado, the northeast and the Carolina's.

I am also a member of the Old Florida Fly Reels Pro-Staff. I will be posting fishing stories on this blog. Specifically stories about my fishing experiences. I hope you enjoy them and welcome you to comment any time.