The Mangrove Diaries

This striking new and colorful fly-fishing instructional manual is unlike any other in print: a lavishly illustrated how-to guide directed at helping the average freshwater trout angler who is tired of crowded waters and is looking for a new challenge.

Welcome to the world of bonefish, tarpon, snook and permit. That’s how author Mike Watt, a retired American orthopedic surgeon, introduces his readers to the exciting species that live in and around the magic of equatorial mangrove forests—thus the clever title.

Dr. Watt has spent many years voraciously fishing the flats of Belize, Christmas Island, Cuba and the Yucatán. He has learned a lot. He wants you, first, to know your quarry. He crisply outlines the basics of where bonefish, tarpon, snook and permit live, how they behave and what they eat. Each species is depicted in stunning original color paintings by Florida artist Shea Monahan.

Mike Watt’s next step is to teach you to refine your casting for the salt, beginning with simply getting ready. Then he demonstrates the double haul, the side-arm, the backhand release and the oval casts. In straightforward language and clear step-by-step drawings, he shows how to retrieve the fly, the essential strip-setting that vexes so many beginners new to the flats, and, finally, playing and releasing your prized quarry.

There is useful advice on choosing your fly rod for the flats and setting up your saltwater reel, as well as a handy list of gear and accessories that his practical experience has taught him to bring along on the skiff.

Above all, the author recommends, is to leave home with an ability to tie knots consistently, quickly and well on the water—as critical to your success as knowing how to cast fast and accurately.

“The problem with knots,” says the author, “is that they are weak even when tied well.” Dr. Watt has made a meticulous study of knots—all the basic knots you should know for salt water are graphically diagramed in detail over multiple pages. And he shares revelations that will surprise even many “experts.”

For example, the famous Bimini loop when tied in good old-fashioned Dacron backing is close to 100 percent breaking strength, but the same knot in gel-spun is only 50 percent.

“Tippet-to-fly knots decrease the breaking strength of your leader by 10 to 30 percent. Surprised? Even worse, leader-to-tippet knots decrease the breaking strength of your leader by 30 to 50 percent!”

The solution? Use stronger leader material and fewer knots.

The Mangrove Diaries discusses the advantages and disadvantages of nylon versus fluorocarbon leaders. If you’re spending $5,000 to $10,000 on your next flats trip, this discussion alone is worth the relative pittance of just under fifty bucks for a copy of this valuable new Wild River Press treasure chest of angling advice.

SPECIAL: Flat cover for framing (minus the UPC symbol on the rear portion) on quality paper stock. Dimension: 30 x 8.5 inches. Comes in heavy mailing tube. $19.95. [ ORDER COVER ]