When I do a product review, I like to remind everyone that I get absolutely zero money from it. In fact, I WILL NOT accept payment to review products. I do have some programs that I belong to with companies, where I obtain discounts for items I order, but I still pay for them. In those agreements, I also have an agreement with those companies that if they design a product and send it to me for review, they should be prepared for an honest review. If it is good, I'll let them know. If it is bad, I'll let them know. I never do reviews without giving all honest opinions on the product. In the last six months, I severed a connection with a company because they sent me products to test. When I tested them, I told them the good and the bad. They stated they didn't want any of the negative, and that I should just promote the good points. Nope, that's not how it works. So, that company is no longer one I represent. I'm letting you know this because I know "reviewers" that receive monetary compensation for their reviews and of course the reviews are always stellar for those products. It's like finding out that a government study for a "safe" product was paid for by the products owner and the study was also completed by the owner's company. OK, enough with that. Let's get on to why you clicked on this link in the first place; a review of the TFO Axiom II-X fly rod. Yes, the rod has been out for a couple of years now. Yes, there have been other reviews. Yes, I could have done the review earlier, since I've had the rods before they ever hit market. But I wanted the review to get past the initial time period that most rods get reviewed and give you a review of how the rods have performed over the last couple of years. Nothing gets me more than a review that only talks about a rod when it's new, but never gets into how the rod performs and stands up to abuse over years. That is what really matters to most people. Almost every rod out there looks good and performs well for a few days of testing or a quick trip to a destination. But what most reviews never cover is how does the rod stand up to daily abuse, year after year, how does it perform with someone other than the tester, and how does it look years later? This review is going to answer all of those questions and then some! I mentioned earlier that I have been in possession of this rod since before it hit the market. That's because I was on a team that tested the initial concept rods that were being developed by TFO and getting input on the rod from Flip Pallot and Blane Chocklett. Having a strong friendship with Flip has given me some opportunities that I probably would not have had without that friendship and getting to test new rods is one of them. During the testing phase, there were some tweaks made and there were some ideas given to TFO to improve the rod. I was allowed to give input and I had plenty of experience in what TFO did right and what they did wrong, as I had been selling their rods for a number of years at the fly shop. While most companies ignore the bad, TFO didn't. They took all of the input and actually implemented them all. What were the main changes? I'll start from the butt of the rod and work up. The first input we all gave them was the handle of the rod. For years, one of the largest complaints about TFO fly rods was their cork grip. To put it bluntly, they sucked. Sure, when you bought them new, they looked good and felt good. But, within months of heavy use, they started falling apart. If you are unfamiliar with cork grips, there are HUGE differences between cheap grips and expensive grips. No matter how much the grip cost, it is put together with rings. Those rings are glued together and then sanded into the shape on the finished grip. Cheap cork grips are built with cheap cork. That means there are large chunks that fall out and have to be filled. So, they use cork dust and glue and fill them in. Expensive grips don't lose those large chunks because they pay for high end cork rings. Initially, the filler works fine. But, as the rod gets worn, the action of the casting, and the oils from the hand, along with dirt and twisting and everything else that rod goes through on a normal day, the filler breaks down and falls out. Then, the entire grip starts falling apart. Pretty soon, it feels like a you are holding a rod with Legos being used to build the grip. This becomes even more noticeable at the ends of the grip, where the whole thing just starts falling apart. This was something we knew they could address and they did. The Axiom II-X replaced the cork rings at the ends of the grips with a synthetic cork ring. These synthetic cork rings keep the ends from chipping away and keep a large portion of the grip from breaking down. They also upgraded their cork rings and it has made a huge difference! These rods are my daily use rods in my guide service (I'll explain why a little later). They spend hundreds of days each year on the water, getting used by people of all casting styles and range of experience. To date, over two years later, I have not had a single grip break down. They look (except for the dirt and stains from use) and feel just like they did the day I unpackaged them. Typically, this only happens with rods that you spend large sums of money for. So, kudos to TFO for listening to us and making the change. Moving up the rod a bit, the next weak point of TFO fly rods was the stripping guides. The original guides on the rod were the typical stripper guides, with ceramic inserts. My complaint was the stripper guides they originally used never lasted. They were too cheap and the foot of the guides would start rusting within a year. Usually before the end of year two, they would need to be replaced. Sure, TFO warranties the rods for life, and they replaced the guides without an issue, but they replaced them with the same crappy guides. Flip was even more adamant that they not use the ceramic insert guides because of travel problems. His point: you travel to a destination for the trip of a lifetime, pull out the rod, and the insert has been knocked out or broken because of the travel process. Now your trip is ruined. If you've traveled, you've probably experienced this or something similar: flattened stripper guide, whole guide knocked off, the list goes on. There was a simple solution: Titanium Recoil Guides. Recoil guides neve rust, they don't break, and they allow line to shoot like a missile. I happened to have a connection with the company that provides them and I connected them all together and we made it happen. The Axiom II-X fly rod uses Recoil stripper guides. These guides are basically indestructible. They can get flattened, banged around, and they bounce right back. G-Loomis used to be the only fly rod company using these guides, but not anymore. In fact, I don't know why every rod manufacturer isn't using them; except they are kind of a pain to wrap on. There is only one drawback to Recoil guides; they are noisier than ceramic inserts. I don't care about the noise as it has no effect on the fish. But I said I would give the good and bad. I will take the noise all day long as the benefits far outweigh the negative of the noise. In fact, unless you are absolutely silent on the boat, you will never notice the noise. Now we can discuss the entire rod. The last major change is something that a lot of people will probably not understand. It deals with how the carbon fiber is laid during the building process. Years ago, when rods were built, the carbon fiber would twist as the rod was tapered from the butt to the tip. This happened on all rod designs, including fly, spinning, bait casting, etc. The longer the rod, the more the twist happened. Sage fly rods then developed technology that kept the fibers perfectly aligned as the taper took place. It was a huge leap forward in the market. This allowed the rod to be more sensitive and kept the spline of the rod in alignment from butt to tip. The casting difference, for those with enough experience, was huge. Well, like all technology, other companies figured it out and TFO did too. The Axiom II-X fly rod is kept in perfect alignment during the tapering process. It is one of the reasons people were so amazed at the feel of the rod when it first hit the market. In the long-term use of the rod, this new way of laying the carbon fiber keeps everything in alignment for the life of the rod. While this may not be as noticeable on a multi-piece fly rod, it is definitely easy to see on one-piece rods, where guides can continue to twist out of alignment over the years with old technology. There's the low down on what went into building the Axiom II-X fly rod and the tweaks we inspired to make the rod better. After two years of use, all of these changes have made this rod a wonderful addition to my arsenal. No longer do I have to worry about having the rod fixed or replaced every couple of years. No longer do I have to worry about how the rod is going to look or function, because of hardware on the road. Nope, those issues are a thing of the past. Still, there is one remaining question that we need to discuss. How does the rod cast and fish? I separate the two points of how a rod cast and how a rod fishes. I'll quickly explain what I mean by both. How a rod cast is just that. How does it load, how long of a cast can you make, how much line can the rod support, how accurate is the rod. Basically, anything that has to do with the actual casting of the rod. How the rod fishes is all about how it performs on the water. Sometimes these questions parallel each other and information can be transferred from one question to the other. Most times, they do not. I've picked up plenty of rods that I loved how they cast, but I didn't like how they actually fished and I've had the opposite happen too. Casting the Axiom II-X fly rod is a dream. TFO will say the rod is a fast-action fly rod. If you are not familiar, the action relates to how far the rod bends from the tip toward the butt section, during the casting stroke and in relation, how long it takes for that bend to recover. The faster the rod, the less it flexes toward the butt section and the faster the recovery period. The designation given by the builder of the rod is completely dependent on the manufacturer and what they consider slow, moderate, fast, or any other designation. It also typically only considers the rods that the particular manufacturer makes. So, if a manufacturer is known for slow action rods, their fast may not be what you would consider fast, but compared to their other rods, it is. With that said, I consider the TFO Axiom II-X fly rod to be moderate-fast action. The rod flexes down into the lower section of the tip section of the rod, instead of within the first three guides of the tip; which is where I consider fast action rods to flex to. Personally, I prefer the moderate-fast action rods now. But this will be personal choice for each and every angler out there. I prefer the moderate-fast action rod for a few reasons: 1) They are more accepting of various casting styles, so more clients can use them 2) They are more forgiving of mistakes; which is a big thing for new fly anglers 3) For me personally, they are more relaxing to cast during an all-day fishing trip 4) They provide plenty of ability to make long casts, short casts, and every other cast there is The most important aspect of the TFO Axiom II-X fly rod casting ability, for me, is that I have yet to find a client that can't cast it. My rods have been used by hundreds of anglers, with all experience levels out there, and every casting style I can think of. The Axiom II-X fly rod handles them all. That isn't to say that someone may prefer another rod, faster or slower, than this rod, but it does mean they can cast it and catch fish with. In fact, I can honestly say that I haven't experienced a single angler that has anything bad to say about the casting of the rod. I may have to get them to tweak their casting a hair, by either having them slow down or speed up, but it is minimal and to date, no one has failed to adjust. The accuracy of the rod is phenomenal too. Placing the cast where it needs to be, when are fish are tailing or cruising, is paramount to success on the flats. You rarely have time to make multiple attempts, so the rod's ability to deliver and accurate cast is paramount. Of course, this has to do with angler ability, but the rod must be able to keep a fly on target when the angler does what they need to. The Axiom II-X does that as well as any rod on the market. In fact, I don't think there is a rod out there that is more accurate in the short and medium casting distances than this one. What about long casts? This is where some may argue there are more accurate rods out there. But I will say that it just depends on the angler's ability. The Axiom II-X will require you to be accurate in your shooting line ability, instead of trying to carry 80-90 feet of line on a false cast. There are some rods that I can carry that distance of line (if I have the proper fly line for carrying it), but the Axiom II-X is not one of those. Instead, you make those long cast, you will shoot the line, which this rod does quite well. Still, I can't recall the last time I made a cast that far in a fishing situation. If you are into distance casting competitions, then it might not be the rod for you. Let's talk about how this rod fishes! I will put it simple and just say that I haven't found a fishing situation in over two years of use that this rod has failed at. I have the Axiom II-X fly rod in 5-8 weights. They have taken on every single fish I target and then some: redfish, seatrout, snook, tarpon, largemouth bass, shad, black drum, snapper, the list goes on. They are my go-to rods on the boat. I own rods by Sage, Redington, T&T, G-Loomis, and others. But for my everyday use, and especially with clients, the Axiom II-X is my go-to rod. There is only one other rod I choose before these, and it is my 11-weight Loomis Pro 1, for large tarpon fishing; that's for another discussion. The Axiom II-X provides the casting ability, accuracy and power needed for every angling situation I face on daily basis. They were designed for fishing, by people that know what fishing is, and they have never failed me. They have been been high-sticked, banged around on the deck, bounced around in rod holders, dragged through sand and surf, and they have still performed like the day I got them. Yes, I am praising them a lot, but I really believe TFO deserves the praise for this rod. Is there anything the rod doesn't do well? There is; the rod was designed to work best with a shorter, 1/2-line weight heavier fly line (which most fly lines are at least a 1/2-line weight heavier nowadays). Because of that, the rod doesn't carry a ton of line and will not pick up a ton of line off the water. This has less to do with the rod and much more to do with the fly line. Usually, the running line will not support the head of the fly line being carried or picked up for long distances. Still, a faster rod, like some of the Sage technical rods, can allow you to carry and pick up more fly line. With that said, it rarely transfers into the fishing world, as there are very few situations that require this. The only people that I know that have issues with Axiom II-X's abilities are those that overline their fly rods on a regular basis. Since most fly lines are already about a 1/2 weight heavier than the label, I find overlining a rod to be the most overused, useless thing anglers can do. Of course, you can feel the rod load better, on short cast, because you are now almost 2-line weights heavier than the rod was designed for. To solve the issue, learn to cast properly. There's my review for the TFO Axiom II-X fly rod. After two years, I still consider it one of the best rods on the market. No, I don't believe in their stupid saying, "One of the best rods for the money"; in fact, I LOATHE that saying of theirs. it is just one of the best rods on the market, period! If you are looking for a dependable, easy to cast rod, that is functioning as good or better than the rest, give this rod a try. Go to a fly rod dealer, and test it against any other rod out there. I don't think you will be disappointed. I haven't been and neither have any of my clients that have used it. If yo uwant to see photos of the rod in use, there are plenty of them on the photo page and the YouTube channel. Check them out. Captain John Tarr

While I am going to write this forum from a fly fishing perspective, the same can be said for conventional gear too. Like most avid anglers and professional guides, I am on quite a few fishing forums throughout the internet. I believe these forums are a great way to share information, get some tips, and meet like minded people. In my business, it is also a great way to meet potential clients and a "must do" in order to appear in internet search engines. In almost every forum, the same questions always get asked: what rod should I buy, what reel should I buy, what line should I use? These may be the most popular questions in the fly fishing forums, right after, "Where should I fish?". After the question is asked, there comes an outpouring of information that can be very confusing and downright intimidating. While I have no doubt that every answer is an honest opinion by the writer, I do have a problem with 99% of the answers. Simply put, the answers are usually nothing more than an opinion from someone who likes a certain product. While that in and of itself isn't an issue (everybody has an opinion) it doesn't help the individual asking the question. What am I talking about? How can it not answer the question if you give them an honest opinion? Simply put, you don't have enough information to answer the question. Your answer could be 100% on track, or it could be be 1000% wrong. If you are wrong, which there is a really good chance you will be, it could hinder and frustrate the person asking the question. How? Well, let's just look at an easy example. What rod should I buy for chasing redfish? This question appears to be a simple one. However, I can guarantee there will be 100 different answers from 120 people asked. Sage, Loomis, St Croix, Temple Fork, Thomas and Thomas, Orvis, Redington, Uncle Bob's Custom Rods, the list will go on. Each person giving the answer actually believes they are giving the best answer, based on their experience. However, none of them bother to ask some basic questions before answering: what casting style do you have (fast, moderate-fast, moderate, slow, rocket-like), where will you be fishing for redfish (Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi or even more specific locations), what type of budget are you looking at, do you care if it is made overseas or the US, will you be traveling with it, do you want it for redfish only, the list could go on, but you get the idea. While most of these questions may seem like they are too specific to worry about, they must all be taken into consideration when you want to give an educated answer. The rod that I use to catch redfish in Mosquito Lagoon, during winter, is not the same rod I would take to Louisiana, or the same one that I would take to North Carolina. Perhaps the most important question, that needs to be answered though, is what the individual's casting style is like. Here's the problem: without knowing them and seeing them cast, it is still an educated guess at best. I consider my casting style to be moderate to moderate-fast. However, some consider it to be super fast and others consider it slow. To make it more difficult, my casting style, like most, will dramatically change based on the needs. So how do you answer it? Simple, I give them the same advice I give to everyone that has the ability. Go to a local professional fly shop and test cast rods. Any shop worth anything will allow you test cast all of the rods, before making a decision. When I had my shop, I would select every rod in the weight they were looking for, and told them to cast them. I told them not to look at the price tag, just cast each one a couple of times and see which one felt right. This was easier for experienced anglers than beginners. For beginners, I watched their casting stroke and helped point them in the right direction. Everyone has a natural casting stroke speed, so it isn't that hard. Yes, they'll still have to learn a proper stroke, but at least they will have a rod that matches their speed. The same thing can be said for reels. Where will it be used, budget constraints, and most important, what balances the rod? These issues need to be known before you can tell someone which reel to purchase. Most people overlook the balance issue and then wonder why they get tired after casting for 10 or 15 minutes. A properly balanced outfit will allow you to cast all day without wrist strain, elbow strain, and arm fatigue. As for lines, it only gets more complicated. Here, you need to know the rod, the style of fishing, where they are fishing, when are they fishing, and more. Sure, there are lines that will do most things relatively well. But, that doesn't necessarily make it the right line for the person asking the question. I have too many stories about people's trips being ruined because of the wrong line or worse yet, total frustration that made them give up, simply because they had the wrong line on the wrong rod. What if you don't have a professional shop near you? Reach out to some fly instructors in your area. I'm always happy to let people try all of the rods I have. In fact, when I have a new client that I am teaching, I take them all, so I can point them in the right direction. This is where having over 30 years of fly fishing and being a certified casting instructor comes into play; we know what to look for and how to identify certain aspects and mistakes. So, before you just ask a question on the forum or answer a question on a forum, take a little more in depth look. Make sure the advice you are giving is based on known information. If not, ask for more details. If they provide them, you may be able to answer. If they don't then I would avoid answering them. Then they cannot blame you for giving them bad information.

There's an old quote by Henry David Thoreau that says, "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after". When I was a kid, I could never understand what that quote meant. I fished to catch fish. Heck, as a kid, I hated slow days or those days when you didn't catch anything. I spent most of my developmental fishing days with my grandfather. He was beyond an avid angler. His passion had started as a way to provide food for a family, like so many others that group up during that time. Then, his passion turned into a business, when he started Strike King Fishing Lures in his garage. Yes, my grandfather was the original owner of Strike King, the multi-million dollar, world-wide company. It started in a small garage in Memphis, Tennessee. He started that lure company making handmade spinner baits that he and my grandmother would form by hand, pour lead by hand, and then paint with an airbrush. Why? Simple, he couldn't find what he wanted, so he made it. That same man was also responsible for teaching many of the BASS anglers how to fish, including legendary Bill Dance. I used to sit around with all of these people, never understanding who they were, other than fisherman. I did know one thing: they all listened to my grandfather and held him with high regard in the bass fishing world. Later, when we moved to Florida, I spent every day with my grandfather. I spent that time learning how to cast a baitcaster, perfect my angling skills, locate fish, select the right lure, and everything else associated with fishing. The days I got to spend with him, on the water, were the best in the world. He taught me how to operate a boat properly, with respect for the environment and other anglers. I owe the vast majority of my angling knowledge to him. Yes, I learned some techniques on my own, including fly fishing and fly tying, but in the beginning, it was him that provided me those opportunities and supported my new adventures. Then, like most older teenagers, our time together became less and less; school, work, and life just seemed to get in the way. I still saw him every day, but our time on the water was much less than it had been. Fast forward a few years and I got married, moved out and had a son. My grandfather loved that boy. He would hold him in his arms, like a gentle giant protecting him. They got to spend some very special moments together and we really enjoyed the time. I was hoping he would be able to teach my son everything he had taught me. Unfortunately, God had other plans. My grandfather was taken from us, after a brief battle with lung cancer. That morning still plays in my head, like it was just yesterday. I kissed him on his cheek, as he laid in bed, looking at the river. Then, I went to work. When I arrived, my boss told me that my wife had called and my grandfather had passed away; in a mere 30 minute drive, he was gone. I was devastated, even though I knew it was coming. For almost two years, I gave up fishing. I tried going a couple of times, but I just couldn't enjoy it. Many of my grandfather's best friends, who fished with him weekly, were the same way. As time passed, the pain eased, and I found myself being drawn to the water again. This time, I didn't have the need to go out and catch a bunch of fish. Now, I finally understood that quote! The water became a place where I could travel, alone, and relax, enjoy nature, and remember all of the great times with my grandfather. As more time passed, I had chances to introduce all of my kids to fishing, spending some great times with them and making memories that I will always carry with me. More time passed, and I started guiding, giving me even more opportunities to share my passion and knowledge, and make more memories with other great people. Each of those people came to water for different reason, but very few ever came the sole task of catching fish; even if they did, they learned that the catching was really secondary to what they were really doing: creating lifetime memories with special people. Yes, if you stay in the fishing game long enough, you will learn that catching fish actually has very little to do with fishing. It is a way to open your eyes, your soul, your brain, your heart, and share it all with very special people. TIGHT LINES and SCERAMING DRAGS -Captain John Tarr

I had the chance to cast the new TFO Mangrove Coast rod yesterday. Personally, I fell in love with it. Now, I have to admit that I find very few bad fly rods in the world and I have the ability to adapt my casting style to meet the rod action. However, this rod felt wonderful from the start. First, this rod was developed by my good friend Flip Pallot. He wanted a rod that was moderately fast, but allowed the caster to feel the rod load and unload. This is important, as it allows the caster to actually feel the cast and become a better caster. The rod is designed for a longer casting stroke, not those short, quick strokes that many of today's super-fast rods are designed for. The slower speed and longer casting arc also enables new casters to have some room for error, while allowing expert casters to use the rod to its full potential. The Mangrove Coast is a re-design of the original Mangrove series It is lighter, absolutely stunning to look at, and has the TFO designed handle marks that tell you the rod weight. While it doesn't have Recoil stripper guides, it does have better stripper guides than the original TFO rods. These rods also have a lot of power in the butt section. This will enable anglers to put the pressure on fish and end battles quickly. It will also enable you to put enough pressure on fish to pull them away from mangroves, docks, oysters, or other structure they may try to get to. The trick here is to use the rod as it is designed and really put that bend at a low angle, getting it back into the butt section; this is not a rod to "tip" fight with. As far as fly lines go, I would suggest a longer taper than many of the "newer" short, over-weighted tapers. Look for a conventional saltwater taper, bonefish taper or similar fly line. Also, make sure it is a true to weight fly line and DO NOT overline this rod. If you want something that will handle that, look at the Axiom II-X; this is not the rod for that. This rod is smooth and relaxing to cast. It will definitely be a rod that you can comfortably cast all day without wearing yourself out. Whether you are chasing redfish, bonefish, snook, tarpon, permit, or seatrout, this rod will allow you to fish all day and enjoy it. They are made from a 6-weight to a 12-weight, so there is a rod in this family for the majority of your fishing needs. While I love my Axiom II-X rods, I will definitely be adding these rods to my quiver too. Honestly, you can never have too many rods. Check one out at your local TFO dealer and I think you will be as impressed as I was.

I have been fishing for as long as I can remember. I have old, family photos showing me with a rod in my hand at the age of 3 and every year after that. I took up saltwater flats fishing when we moved to Florida when I was eight years old. Geez, 39 years later, I still love it. When I was 15, I took up saltwater fly fishing. It turned from a new challenge to a passion and later to a career. I have been blessed in my career and had the opportunity to learn from Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez and many people that are not as "famous" as those; in fact, I really cannot think of anyone that I haven't learned from (sometimes it is learning what not to do, but it is still learning). I have also taught hundreds of people how to fly fish and tie flies. I say this, to say that I am quite confident in my fishing abilities. I say that to say this: no matter how confident you are, there are times when the fish will reach right up and smack your ego in the nose, laugh at you, and humble you so bad that you may even consider giving the sport up. While I didn't think about giving up the sport, I did have one of those days last week. I'm sharing this story so that everyone knows they happen to all of us (I've seen it with the finest anglers in the world, including some of those mentioned above). I will say that I take it to a whole new level though; I find new, artistic ways to have these types of days. Last Thursday was one of those days that should have been stellar. I launched the boat on a day that there was little traffic, plenty of sun, and although a decent breeze was blowing, it was from a good direction. I really didn't have a plan, I just wanted to be on the water after not being for almost a week, due to weather and commitments. I wasn't worried if I got to catch anything, I just wanted the peace and tranquility that the water brings. The morning run was beautiful: the light breeze across the face, the warmth of the rising sun against the skin, and nature providing sights that only she can provide. As I ran the boat I headed to the tidal waters, to see if the tides were returning to normal after some passing storms. I found them to be perfect for sight fishing. My first spot was a bust. Something wasn't quite right and the fish were not showing themselves. Still, it felt good to be standing on the poling platform and hunting. So, I headed to my second spot. Here, everything was perfect. As I approached an oyster bar, I saw two tailing redfish. I wasn't within casting range, so i continued easing toward them. They disappeared, dropping off the oyster bar, only to reappear right in front of the boat and spook off. I'm not sure why this always seems to be the case; when a fish disappears, they seem attracted to the bow of the boat. at least I knew there were fish in the area. A few moments later, I had a single fish cruising the mangrove roots and heading my direction. I prepared to make my cast and staked the skiff out. He was 50 feet out, cruising left to right, back exposed, and right up against the mangrove roots. These are the shots I dream of. I made two false casts and sent the fly in his direction. 50 feet and three inches later, the fly landed on an overhanging mangrove branch, two inches above the water. I tried to gently ease the fly off the branch and it immediately plopped into the water, right on top of the fish's head. Needless to say, he did not appreciate this and the last I saw of him was a mud puff and a shadow fleeing at about Mach 2. Before I could bring the Powerpole up and begin poling again, I saw a second fish. This one crashed something along the shoreline, about 100 feet in front of the boat. Again, the perfect target in the way he was coming. I eased within range and made my cast. Two twitches of the fly and I had a hook-up! I landed that fish, took a quick photo, and felt redemption. My confidence was back and I had a feeling this was going to be a banner day. Well, I won't bore you with blow-by-blow details on the next ten fish, over the next hour. I will suffice to say that each one was a perfect target, providing plenty of opportunity. I didn't hook another fish. Instead, I found new ways to completely blow these shots. Mangrove stems and roots ate two flies; literally, they were swallowed into the labyrinth of these trees, never to be seen again. Then there were shots so far off target that I had a better chance of catching the moon than the fish. Others were so accurate that they surprised the fish and caused them to run for other countries. With each fish and mistake, I grew more upset with myself. My clients will tell you that I NEVER get upset when they miss a shot; we simply gather ourselves and prepare for the next shot. I cannot say the same thing about myself. In fact, my wife laughs, saying she has never heard anyone else call themselves a moron, an idiot, or worse. She laughs, reminds me I am human, and that I always tell her that anyone can have these days. Yes, going 1 for 12 on fish that are giving you perfect opportunities is frustrating so say the least. But, you can still learn from it. I reminded myself that fish eat with their mouths, not their butts (I already knew this, but confirmed it several times). I also reminded myself that you look where you want the cast to go, not at the fish. There were numerous reminders of what not to do that day; but in the end, you know what stuck in my head? That second fish! The way the cast landed perfectly, the way he lit up when he saw the fly twitch, the excitement as he rushed forward, opened his mouth, and swallowed the fly. That is the whole reason we keep coming back, no matter how much our ego suffers from the other fish. I write this as a reminder to all, that no matter how much experience, knowledge, and ability you have, everyone can have one of those days. It is also why I NEVER get upset when clients make mistakes. I hear about other guides that scream and cuss when an angler misses a shot. I've never been able to understand that. I know these guides and I know, because I have witnessed many of them in person, they blow shots too. So keep that ego in check, or nature has a way of putting it in check for you! If you are new to the sport, don't let those bad days get to you! They happen! Instead, look at the things that went right, even if you don't catch a single fish, you were out there, enjoying the outdoors and not in some office building, traffic jam, or stuck in line at a store. When you are having those days, here's a tip. Stop what you are doing. Put the rod down, grab a drink and just take a few moments to take in the natural world around you. Watch a crab swim by, maybe a a bird overhead looking for dinner, and take a deep breath. Then, get back up there and go again. Many times that brief moment can re-set everything for you and get you back on track. Sometimes, you just go 0 for the next 6. Either way, you're out enjoying the water and that's not a bad thing! Have a tip for those bad days, or want to share a similar story? Post it, I would love to hear it!