Saltwater

Virginia and Maryland's Chesapeake Bay is famous for some exciting gamefish — red drum, black drum, cobia and striped bass to name a few. But one of the most appealing species to many anglers is the humble flounder.

Though the barracuda is not a member of the flat's "Big Three," an elite group consisting of bonefish, tarpon and permit, it undeniably deserves unique status on a shallow water totem extending from Florida's Miami to the Marquesas Keys, as well as the skinny waters of the vast Bahamas.

My first experience with Charlotte Harbor showed me what truly immense Florida marine habitat looks like — I simply was not used to losing sight of two opposite enclosing shoreli

I thought it would be a good idea to help everybody fill their tackle boxes with the right stuff to catch fish on the gulf side of Florida, in the

Another way fly line can become tangled is if it has become twisted.  Remove the fly and drag the entire fly line behind the boat.  Twisted fly lines are unruly and difficult to fish with.   The tangles result in missed opportunities and lost fish.

To straighten heavy monofilament for tarpon leaders, cut a 25 inch piece of 1/4 inch PVC pipe and install a cap on both ends.  Cut the mono to length and put as many pieces as you can in the tube.  Over the sink, pour boiling hot water into the tube with a cap on one end.  The mono will straighten immediately.  Allow to cool and cap the other end. 

Practice fly fishing casting technique, loop shape.  Stand in the yard and aerialize 40 feet of line.  Using the double haul, experiment with how a harder or longer haul effects loop shape.  The double haul is not only effective for line speed but can also significantly decrease loop shape.  Gain control of your cast by continually practicing and learning how to throw large loops and small loops.  Use a firm stop on the forward cast and a sharp haul

For millions of American fisherman,

Channel bass -- or red fish, as we like to call them -- offer the most exciting

Even though it would take another month to complete the angling portion of my Florida's Space Coast expedition, the results could not have been any better.