Profile: Bruce Marino/ BMAR Flies

I first met Bruce Marino a number of years back at the Somerset New Jersey Fly Fishing Show. Bruce was one of the show’s featured fly tyers. I was at first struck by both the artfulness and originality of his signature BMAR Wounded Baitfish flies. Equally impressive were throngs of onlookers watching to see how he tied his creations. Since that first meeting I have come to know that the Wounded Baitfish series is a very effective collection of flies for an ever-expanding range of game fish species. These flies have garnered international acclaim and are widely used by fly anglers and guides alike.

Bruce has been at the game of fly fishing and fly tying for over thirty-five years and has traveled to many destinations to fish for both freshwater and saltwater species. Along the path of his travels some of Bruce’s flies have become staples in the arsenals of the local area guides –many consider the Wounded Baitfish as a “go-to” pattern. A number of places have adopted Bruce’s flies including Cooper's Minipi Camps in Labrador where they employ the BMAR Norway Rat, Hex and Stonefly patterns. Guides at Crocodile Bay Lodge in Costa Rica use several of the BMAR Wounded Baitfish patterns as well, where they are used to catch both offshore and inshore species.

Bruce is also an accomplished guide on the crown jewel of Connecticut, the Farmington River, and as a shore guide along the Connecticut coastline. He shares his knowledge and expertise as a writer and in the capacity of fly tying editor for Fly Fishing New England and Fly Fishing the Mid Atlantic States magazines. Bruce is also a March Brown travel fly rods endorsed pro. Among some of the of the projects that he has recently completed is one where he ties flies on circle fly hooks for a study being conducted by Left Kreh along with many working captains in the Northeast. In the past, Bruce was on the research and development team for D.H. Thompson Cobra Vise and he is one of the lead designers for Pacific Fly Group; they have mass-produced many of Bruce’s innovative patterns that are sold worldwide. Bruce will tell you that guiding on the crown jewel of Connecticut, the Farmington River and shore guiding the coastline of Connecticut are now his passions. He is also currently promoting his DVD, "Fly Fishing for Mako Sharks" and completing a second DVD on "Fly Fishing the Farmington River". I was so impressed initially with the BMAR WoundedBaitfish that I included the entire series in my recently fly pattern book, Saltwater Flies of the Northeast. If you would like more information about Bruce’s flies or his guiding operation you can contact him at BMARflies@aol.com

Casting the Whole Chicken

A couple years ago at an Eastern Flyrodders of Long Island meeting I watched world renowned fly casting expert Mark Sedotti toss a 20-inch, large bodied Slammer Fly – (the size of a full grown oven-roaster)one-hundred-twenty feet with a six weight fly rod. The audience didn’t believe what they had witnessed, so to convince them Mark did it again. This time the fly sailed the same distance and with pinpoint accuracy almost landed in the cup of a practice hole at Indian Island Country Club in Riverhead. I also witnessed Mark do the same thing at the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset NJ, only that time he knocked down the backboard as the cast’s finale! My first thought was Annie Oakley, for this just had to be a trick cast. Mark is a very gifted and athletic caster and a topnotch angler as well. I equate his casting abilities to those of a baseball pitcher. A lot of folks can throw strikes but only a handful can do so at 95 miles an hour! To do so takes an extra special genetic makeup. I mentioned that to Mark and added that only he and a handful of other casters I know could do what he does with a fly rod and big flies. After all, his casting seemed to defy the rules of physics. Mark response to that, “Anyone can do it.” OK, I’ll bite - what’s the trick? “No trick,” Mark shot back. “The secret is a ‘weight-balanced’ fly. My first thought was, I don’t care how weight-balanced a fly is, throwing a chicken on a six-weight is just not possible, even though I had seen him do it.
After the Eastern exhibition the group withdrew to the clubhouse and Mark explained his fly tying and fly casting theories. Simply put, add enough balanced weight to a fly in the form of a keel, allowing the fly to overcome air resistance and drag, and casting really big flies is a breeze. Simple? Yes! Does it work? Yes! It still takes honed casting skills to toss a fly like Mark, but his approach teaches us an even more important fly-fishing lesson - think outside the fly box and don’t always subscribe to conventional wisdom or theory. That is how the sport of fly fishing advances and how we enhance out own abilities. By the way, if the opportunity ever presents itself, take a fly-cast lesson with Mark. Even if you are an accomplished caster, his tips and techniques will make you better.

Frequent Fly Fishing Fix

If you enjoy some of the postings on this forum please give my other blogs and sites a try as well. Each appeals to a different aspect of fly fishing and the outdoors in general. Thanks for stopping by. AP

wwww.apflyfishingjournal.blogspot.com
www.anglingexplorations.blogspot.com
www.angelopeluso.com
www.twitter.com/fishlongisland

Hosted Alaska Fly Fishing Trips

Alaska is one of the finest fly-fishing destinations on earth. I took my first trip in 1989 and have been on many annual trips since, fishing for king salmon, silver salmon, chums, sockeye and pinks, as well an indigenous species - char, graying, dollies and magnificent rainbow trout. I have a unique opportunity to host a small groups of fly anglers at several remote lodges during the 2010 season. Good fishing in Alaska requires advance preparation to ensure prime weeks for the targeted species. You would be surprised at how many anglers make the mistake of selecting the wrong times for the species they would like to catch and end up verky disapponted. My experiences can help you avoid those costly mistakes that can ruin the trip of a lifetime. If you are interested please reposnd to me at apdotcominfo@aol.com for further details. Thank you. AP

Fly Fishing Instruction

Fundamentals of Fly-Fishing the Surf

Join Angelo Peluso for a unique fly-fishing class. Instruction will take place at selected beach locations where the fundamentals of fly-fishing will be taught in an informal and conversational setting. The basic program is geared for the new or intermediate fly angler with customized sessions available for more experienced anglers. With more than thirty-five years of fly-fishing experience under his wading belt, Angelo has accumulated a wealth of information to share with the students attending his classes.

Topics covered will include:

Casting
Retrieves
Line Selection
Leaders/Knots
Fly Selection
Essential Gear
Reading Water
Tactical Wading
Elements of Structure
Tactics for local game fish
Beach Safety
Individual and group sessions (up to four participants) are available, and can be structured to meet any specific needs or interests. The full program runs three hours. Specialized hourly classes can also be arranged to meet specific needs, interests or time constraints.

Classes are scheduled throughout the entire year. Some light beach walking required for the full program.

Contact: Apdotcominfo@aol.com for rates and scheduling

Patterns for Success - Part 2

Captain John Haag - Haag Hair and a Devil’s Sauce
The fly fishing community lost a remarkable fly tier and human being a couple of years ago with the passing of John Haag. But John has left his indelible mark on the sport of fly fishing and the art of fly tying, and greatly influenced the saltwater fly fishing scene on Long Island. I recently finished work on a fly-fishing related book project and had the opportunity to talk with some of the best fly tiers and fly fishermen up and down the entire length of the east coast. Many each either knew John personally or knew of his fly tying. Equally as impressive were the positive comments that all made regarding John’s contributions to the sport. His legacy is that of a man who willingly shared all that he knew about fishing to anyone who was interested. In my opinion, he was and still is the example of the consummate student of fly tying. He studied the work of classic tiers and embraced the innovations of his contemporaries. His own tying style was quite visionary and his use of modern materials resulted in very unique and effective patterns both for freshwater and salt. His “discovery” of a product that he called Haag Hair helped to create larger profile flies with minimal bulk. His use of this material and his own style of tying enabled him to create and entire series of Haag Hair Glimmer Fish, replicating just about every significant baitfish that swims in the waters of Long Island, bunker, mullet, spearing, anchovies, pinfish, mummichogs, sand eels and the list goes on. His patterns are versatile and easily adapted to most all fly fishing situations. John also developed an adhesive setting material called Devil Sauce that he used to give his flies body and form. This liquid material was typically applied to the layers of materials to add structure and durability to the fly.
Above all else, John’s flies caught fish, but he will best be remember for his eternal enthusiasm. I am sure he is still tying.

Patterns for Success -Part 1

Made on Long Island

Captain Joe Blados and The Crease Fly
As a native of Long Island, Joe Blados has had a life long love affair with salt water as a captain and prominent saltwater fly fishing guide out on the East End of the North Fork. Joe is also an accomplished fly tier whose style, technique and creativity are exemplified in the design of his world-famous Crease Fly, one of the most original flies ever created.

While all tiers strive to produce flies that are new and different, in reality, most typically craft designs that represent modifications or variations of existing and proven patterns. With the exception of the discovery and utilization of new materials and alternative tying techniques, most new flies introduced into the contemporary market are functional variations of already successful patterns.

That approach is the very foundation upon which the tying art is built. But every once in a long while we witness true innovation in the art of fly tying – a fly design or technique that is so unique it changes the way we fish and changes the sport. One such design and technique lead Joe Blados to the creation of the “Crease Fly”, a pattern intended to mimic the profile of the prolific bunker. While originally conceived for the inshore fishery of the North Fork of Long Island, this fly has an established track record and devotees wherever it is has been fished. It has become a staple in the fly box of anglers pursuing striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and bonito, and is in demand worldwide. I have witnessed the range of the Crease Fly’s effectiveness from silver salmon in Alaska to the surface-feeding game fish of the Yucatan Peninsula and all stops in between, both in saltwater and fresh. It is also a very effective offshore pattern for tuna and other large game fish. It is truly a remarkably designed fly, with a touch of an artist’s creativity. If you are interested in acquiring a Crease Fly Tying Kit, contact Joe at: jblados@optonline.net