For those of you who have not hidden the fly rods this winter, I must say to you - how smart thou art! One of my new year resolutions this year was to NEVER put the fly fishing equipment up (unless it turns bitterly cold for more than a week). I am receiving numerous fishing reports every week from the coastal rivers and creeks to the fresh water inner lakes and streams. Let me pass some information on to you!

The Econfina, Aucilla, and St. Marks Rivers are teaming with hungry redfish and trout. The little bit of cold weather and cooler waters have pushed these fish up the rivers and into the deeper holes, around the bars, and near the creek entrances located from the bay to the boat landing areas. I would put your boat in at the landings and start fishing right away (especially in the Aucilla and Econfina Rivers). Use your weight-forward sinking line or full sinking line along with a Clouser Minnow and a Deceiver Minnow type fly. Keep the fly down deep and work it really slow (inch stripping along the bottom, around a bar, or across the mouth of any creeks).

Lake Talquin is really coming on strong for bream after the draw down last year. You can go out there almost any time, with a floating fly line and some "bream" flies, for some fast action along the edges in any of the coves or grassy areas near the bank. Try a few of the poppers during the day and don't forget to put some weighted "trout" flies down under for a really kicked up catching action!

Those ponds out in the National Forest I told you about in my column last year are still teaming with bream and bass action. I've been out there all hunting season long pestering fish and it's been fun and simple pleasure. Refer to my article on which flies to use and get some! Also, another fine lake to bang out some patterns on would be Seminole, either on the Georgia or Florida sides. This time of year, with our warming weather trend, you can fish it like Lake Talquin style and catch plenty of bream, some bass, with an occasional crappie or hybrid thrown in the mix.

Then there is always Dr. Galt's Trout Pond. You really need to get out there and experience "trout" fishing, southern style, without the 400 miles trip to the mountains! Where else can we, as fly fisher-persons, go and catch some big 'ole rainbow trouts! The methods and flies are quite simple and these big old trout will run some line off your reels.