Alex Suescun

Getting out on the water frequently to gain experience is fundamental, but there are other things you must do to improve your overall saltwater skills. Here are the most likely to shorten your learning curve and turn you into a complete and accomplished saltwater fly angler. Find a Mentor Whether you are a newbie or seasoned, salty fly rodder, you can...

Have you experienced bonefishing at its finest? No, not plucking two- to four-pounders nonstop from massive schools you can spot from a mile away. I mean stalking hogs—cruise missiles of eight, 10 pounds or better, the sort that usually travels alone or accompanied by an equally gargantuan sidekick. If your answer is "no,"then you probably haven’t yet...

The aerial ballet performed by a group of spinner dolphins had us all mesmerized when a warning from the bridge alerted everyone to assume battle stations. “Left rigger, left rigger!” shouted Capt. Chico Alvarenga. From his vantage point, he was the first to spot the shadow lurking behind the bait. An instant later, the dorsal of a big Pacific sailfish...

It was a May Saturday morning in Big Pine Key, and tarpon were our intended target. As anyone who has chased silver kings in the Florida Keys during peak season would imagine, we were not alone. Five other skiffs were keeping us company on the same oceanside flat hoping for a score. And the start of the daily jet ski hatch, which inevitably happens shortly...

1. Understand the Target Learn your intended target species’ range and its high and low temperature tolerance limits. Study its preferred habitats (including favored structures and depths) and forage, as well as the seasonal movements of both the fish and its prevalent prey, to figure out where to focus your efforts. Also study the likely telltale signs...