How 2 Tuesdays - Fish Species 

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about permit, and it’s no secret that permit is my favorite fish. And there’s a reason for that. I was fortunate enough to start guiding in Key West, Florida which is the epicenter of permit fishing. So I found myself in a place where it was the best place to fish for permit but I did not know much about the species at the time.

Have you ever attempted to catch a Grand Slam? Do you want to in the future? Well I recently was filming an episode for Saltwater Experience and we set out to catch a Grand Slam (Permit, Tarpon and Bonefish). I realized that it would make a great How 2 Tuesday.

I was just down with my friends Captain Steve Rodger and Captain Scott Walker filming Into The Blue. One of the things we did was go out in the Gulf and look for permit in the wrecks. Typically we catch permit in the Florida Keys a lot - the flats fishermen catch them on the flats and also in the channels, there are certain times of there year where they collect out on the reef and then we like to catch them on the wrecks. However, on this particular day we had some rain and it was cloudy which provided a problem because we normally like to be able to see them first and then throw over there. But even with problems like bad weather you can still go get these permit offshore.

St. Croix Spinning Rod (Avid VIS70MHF Series) medium action 7ft rod - this one I feel like I can cast the most accurately with. I’ll pair that rod with the Daiwa 3000 Ballistic which can hold 20 pound J-Braid 320 yards of it. It is a very small and light reel with great drag, you can actually go down with it because it has good line capacity. I will tie 1.5 feet of fluorocarbon leader on the end of it which allows me to cast accurately so that the connection between the braid and the fluorocarbon is outside of the tip of the rod when I go to cast. If you have too much then you have to cast the knot (which is a Double Uni or J-Knot).

Whatever industry you may be in, it is common to hear of the legends.  Those people whose name continues to surface in conversations with other customers or competitors.  In the inshore fishing business, Capt Joe Gonzales is one of those people.  Despite working 150 miles away from one another, I heard Joe's name and stories on the regular.  His reputation precedes him as a professional who might actually have some Bonefish DNA mixed in with his.  

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about permit, and it’s no secret that permit is my favorite fish. And there’s a reason for that. I was fortunate enough to start guiding in Key West, Florida which is the epicenter of permit fishing. So I found myself in a place where it was the best place to fish for permit but I did not know much about the species at the time.

Have you ever caught a bonefish on a jig where you did not see the bone fish you were just blind casting? Well, a lot of people do that and it is a very, very, very effective way to add a few fish to your days total. I learned this from the king of blind casting for bonefish, Mitch Howell. He has won so many tournaments in the Florida Keys and has scored so many points by using this technique and it is very simple.

Have you ever attempted to catch a Grand Slam? Do you want to in the future? Well I recently was filming an episode for Saltwater Experience and we set out to catch a Grand Slam (Permit, Tarpon and Bonefish). I realized that it would make a great How 2 Tuesday.

One of my favorite things is sight casting - it’s all I did when I was first guiding. I never learned how to chum, it was not something I did when I was just starting out. However, eventually with fishing there are days where you just can’t sight fish (rainy or cloudy days). If you are a professional fishing guide you get put in this situation a lot, of days when you wouldn’t normally go fishing but because people have booked the trip you have to go and make the most of it. Chumming for bonefish is excellent for this situation.

When choosing a bonefish fly, it is important to keep in mind the shape, size, and sink rates. Depending where you are fishing, you will need to have a heavier or lighter weight bonefish fly. For instance, if you are fishing in shallow water, you don’t want to throw a heavier weight bonefish fly in, as it will scare the fish away. Instead, you will want to have a lighter fly that will sink towards the bottom without having a strong, heavy impact.

Lefty Kreh made the 50% rule for leaders and I use it all the time. A 9ft leader is kind of standard. There is a very simple formula, the one made by Lefty. 

We start with 50 and taper down to 15. We start 4ft of 50lb, 2ft of 30lb, 1ft of 25lb then double the last distance of 2ft of 15lb. 

Fishing for sharks can be like fishing for any other kind of fish, it can be easy if you know what to do, but at first glance it might not be as easy as you’d expect. Sharks have an incredible sense of smell that means if you use fresh chum you can attract a lot of them. I highly recommend fresh chum for sharks because sharks aren’t like vultures. They might eat something that has been dead for a while but they are far more likely to be attracted to fresh meat.

Captain Scott Walker and I talk about some of the do's and don'ts of reef fishing while we can tuna in his kitchen. The Florida Keys have reefs 4 miles out, easily accessible. Because they are easily accessible you need to be courteous because there will be many boats out there trying to fish. Charter boats are out there trying to make a living and you are out there to make your friends and family happy.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about permit, and it’s no secret that permit is my favorite fish. And there’s a reason for that. I was fortunate enough to start guiding in Key West, Florida which is the epicenter of permit fishing. So I found myself in a place where it was the best place to fish for permit but I did not know much about the species at the time.

So one of the questions I got when I went live on Instagram was how to catch snappers offshore. Of course, I am an inshore guy but I have had some chances to learn from some very talented offshore fishermen. I've gotten to fish with Captains Scott Walker and Steven Rodger from Into The Blue TV and learn how they catch really big snappers. One of the key factors you need to pay attention to is the chum.

Cooking snapper on the Half Shell
1. one stick butter
2. one large onion, chopped
3. two cups Italian salad dressing
4. one tsp. garlic powder
5. three tsp. worchestershire
6. one tsp. Tabasco or Tiger Sauce

“What is the best landing net for saltwater fishing?” And “DO I even need a landing net for saltwater fishing?” I got both of these questions recently so I thought I’d dedicate todays episode to giving my 2 cents. Today we start part 1 of a 2 part series on landing nets. First, I am going to go over the attributes of a landing net that are important to me and why those same attributes may be things you want to consider. With this in mind, I describe and even say by name the net I consider to be the perfect landing net for me.

This week I had the chance to sit down with Ryan Nitz and talk to him about public land hunting in Florida. Ryan is an avid hunter and has spent a TON of time hunting on public land. He has a ton of good advice for anything from gear all the way down to specific techniques that will grant you the most success with hunting public land. We also talk about public land etiquette, rules and regulations, and things to avoid when you are out there. Be sure to follow Ryan on Instagram @ryannitz to see how his hunting season is going this year, and to reach out to him with any additional questions you may have.

Last week we discussed the best all-around fly rod. Today, we discuss the best all-around spinning rod for inshore fishing. If I had to pick one, I would go with a 7 foot, 8-17 pound rod with a moderate tip flex. For me, the go-to is the St. Croix Mojo Inshore. I would pair this with a 4000 size spinning rod. This setup is perfect for all around inshore fishing. Obviously different rod lengths and actions can be better for specific situations, but if you only want to get one rod for fishing inshore, this is what I would go with. It will help you land a number of different fish species, and can handle a variety of different situations. What else would you like to hear about for How 2 Tuesday? Send me an email at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com with your ideas!

In this week’s How 2 Tuesday, we talk about a question that I get very often, how to pick your first fly rod. I would divide this into two categories based on if you are fishing in freshwater or saltwater. If it’s freshwater. I would say to go with a 5wt. If you fish more saltwater, I would suggest a 9 or 10wt. In this episode we go into the reasoning behind that, so be sure to check it out! As always email me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com or tag me on Instagram @tom_rowland with any How 2 Tuesday questions you may have, and I will try my best to answer them!

Fish live in the shade and around structure so they can ambush prey and also hide from other predators. Skipping lures under docks, mangroves or any type of structure and can be very effective and every good fisherman should be well practiced at this and be able to do it. There are some things that will make anyone better at it immediately. Your choice of bait, rod, reel, line, leader will make as much difference as a ton of practice but the practice is equally important.

We go over every part of a good skipping setup and then talk about where and how to practice this technique before getting out on the water.

Big fish live in hard to fish areas. Learn how to skip a lure waaaaaaaaayyyy back in the bushes.

This week, we unbox and spool up the Daiwa Certate 4000 for a brand new Permit reel. I use a professional line winder to spool my reels. I know that not everybody has one of these, but I go over some of the reasons why it may be worth a few bucks to get your local tackle shop to spool yours up for you. We also go through using mono as backing (Why would you do that?) and attaching it to the braid to avoid any slipping. If you have any special tricks that you use when lining a new reel, be sure to tag me on Instagram @tom_rowland or @tom_rowland_podcast or email them to me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com

This week I answer another great question from Instagram, this time coming from @codyrubner. Cody asks, “what pieces of gear should upcoming guides always have in their boat?” In this episode I dig into some of the things that are crucial to preventing a day of guiding from going wrong. We talk about many different items that you can use as a backup when something goes wrong, whether that be a dead battery, a missing drain plug, a dead cell phone, and much more.

@spookyskiff asks about solo fishing setups in a skiff on the flats.

I have spent a lot of time fishing by myself in a skiff. It is challenging and highly unproductive at times, but with the right apraoch, equipment and some patience fish can be caught. Check out this episode and share with a friend who may enjoy it as well.

Permit are described as the hardest fish to catch on the flats. They are my favorite fish to catch and I fish for them more than any other fish. Im not sure that I agree that they are the hardest fish to catch after spending so much time with them. The most effective way to catch permit is with a live crab on spinning gear. The choice of hooks and how to hook the crab to keep it alive the longest can make a huge difference in how many fish you catch. On today’s show, I am on the water with my friend Capt Scott Brown and I show you exactly what hook to use, exactly how to hook the crab and exactly what rig I use. To show that it really works, I was able to catch one and release it too. These tips will help you catch more, I promise. Let me know if these tips help you by emailing me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com or leaving a comment below.

For this week’s How 2 Tuesday, we talk with Captain Brandon Simmons about how to make the most out of your deep drops. We cover reading transducers, looking for humps and depth changes on the bottom, what species options you have, rigging for these depths, and much more. Brandon operates the Into The Blue boat out of Hawks Cay, and has a lot of experience deep dropping. Be sure to follow Brandon on Instagram at @capt_brando to keep up with his fishing adventures!

Captain Brandon Simmons recently was part of a team that set the Florida Keys All Time One Day Record for Sailfish at 76! He obviously knows a thing or two about how to find these fish, so he breaks down current, wind, and locations for having the most success in a day of targeting sailfish. We also break down rigging rods, having the proper gear ready ahead of time, and some other tricks to have you making the most of your day. Take the tips and techniques used to catch the record number of fish and apply them to your fishing for more success.

For How 2 Tuesday this week, we sit down with Capt. Scott Brown of Hooked on Family to discuss taking your kid on a guided trip. Scott has a ton of experience fishing with kids and knows what to look for in a guide to have the most success with your kids on a guided trip. We discuss the right questions to ask when searching for a guide, what types of fish are the best for kids to target, and much more. Follow Scott at @hookedonfamily for more content on fishing with your kids.

Marking your fly line is a simple trick that can make your life so much easier. Once you start accumulating a number of different lines, it can be easy to get mixed up on which one is which. Some lines now come pre-marked, but a lot still do not. Brian Butts from 239 Flies shows us his simple method to make sure you don’t get your lines mixed up again. This seems like a simple trick, but can save you a lot of time and frustration when you’re organizing your fly lines.

This week on How 2 Tuesday, we talk about the easiest way to catch dolphin with Capt. Brandon Simmons. Brandon is the captain of the Into The Blue boat at Hawks Cay, and has lots of experience with mahi. He talks about tackle, location, and some specific strategies for keeping the school of fish happy. This will result in a lot more catches, so be sure to listen in for your best chance at having a high-number day out on the water.

Fishing with kids can be difficult, frustrating and a real test of your patience. However, if you can successfully get your child or grandchild into the sport you will have a fishing buddy for life. I fished with my kids when they were all very young. In fact, my oldest was on the boat strapped into a car seat while I was jumping tarpon on fly. His career progressed from there and all my children developed a love of the water and the fishing lifestyle. Today, my children are 16, 20 and 22.

The Everglades National Park is home to a wide variety of species. One of the most popular is the Snook. Capt Anthony Vargas runs the Saltwater Experience boat out of Hawks Cay Marina and targets the snook often with anglers of all skill levels. Anthony goes over everything from A-Z on how he targets, locates and catches Snook on his charters. Knowledge is dropped on this one and you can take it and find some snook of your own!

There are 42 bridges in the Florida Keys and most of them will hold tarpon at some time. Capt Anthony Vargas runs the Saltwater Experience boat out of Hawks Cay and fishes the bridges for tarpon often; sometimes triple half days. He has to know how to find the fish fast, get rigged up, and instruct his anglers very efficiently to catch fish on a short time schedule.

There are 42 bridges in the Florida Keys and most of them will hold tarpon at some time. Capt Anthony Vargas runs the Saltwater Experience boat out of Hawks Cay and fishes the bridges for tarpon often; sometimes triple half days. He has to know how to find the fish fast, get rigged up, and instruct his anglers very efficiently to catch fish on a short time schedule.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about permit, and it’s no secret that permit is my favorite fish. And there’s a reason for that. I was fortunate enough to start guiding in Key West, Florida which is the epicenter of permit fishing. So I found myself in a place where it was the best place to fish for permit but I did not know much about the species at the time.

Occasionally you get in a situation when you need to tie two dissimilar pieces of monofilament or fluorocarbon together. By dissimilar I mean 20 lb to 10 lb or in trout fishing it could be 2x to 4x. One might be much larger, and you could step down but you don’t have the right size. Or in tarpon fishing you might have a 10 pound line and want to put a 25 pound shock-tippet on there.

Have you ever attempted to catch a Grand Slam? Do you want to in the future? Well I recently was filming an episode for Saltwater Experience and we set out to catch a Grand Slam (Permit, Tarpon and Bonefish). I realized that it would make a great How 2 Tuesday.