Fly Fishing the Crystal Coast: A Guide’s Passion for Redfish
With: Capt John Mauser
We recently caught up with Capt. John Mauser to talk about what’s next for him in the world of fly fishing. From expanding his guiding services to diving deeper into conservation and storytelling, Capt. Mauser shares his passion for variety and the moments that make guiding unforgettable.
What makes the Crystal Coast such a special destination for targeting redfish on the fly?
I've been pursuing Redfish on fly for almost 2 decades here in the Crystal Coast. I've also had the opportunity to fish for them all the way to Louisiana. All of the fisheries for Redfish are unique and fun, but I really love what I have here in my back yard. We have opportunities to sight fish for Redfish here 12 months a year, and the approach is different each season. You could fish here each season, and have a totally different experience.
As I type this, it's winter and December through March can be some of the best sight fishing of the year for these fish. In the winter our water turns crystal clear, and the fish gather in large schools in the marsh. Groups of 10-100 fish is the norm, but its not unusual to find groups of several hundred fish on one flat or in a single creek.
When they are gathered up like that, in shallow water, you can see them ripple the surface from a hundred yards away on a calm day. These fish are more weary due to the clarity of water, so you have to take your time and plan your attack. Long casts and gentle presentations are key. The coolest thing is you can see the fish break off the school, pursue and inhale your fly as if you are watching it on high def TV.
Sometime around April the water colors up again and the schools break up. In the summer, we are mainly fishing singles or small groups of fish. The water can often be stained or dirty so Redfish can easily sneek up to you in less than a foot of water. It's not unusual to have Redfish appear under your rod tip, 10ft off the bow of the skiff, giving you mere seconds to make a presentation before they spook.
It can be challenging, but very exciting at the same time. If the water is too high or dirty to sightfish, we can get Redfish to eat poppers and other surface flies. One of the highlights of summer for me on the Crystal Coast, is the big flood tides from May through September. This is the time when the Reds move into the flooded Spartina Grass and tail on fiddler crabs.
Once we move into fall, the fish start to group up again and gorge themselves on schools of baitfish and shrimp as they prepare for winter. Seperate from our awesome inshore fishery for Reds, we have the big Bull Reds, or Old Drum as they are called here in NC. With a little work, we can locate schools of 40-50" adult Reds in the ocean from October through March. It's pretty hard for your brain to process hundreds of giant Redfish blitzing on the surface right off your bow, eating everything in sight.
What are 3 tips you would give to anglers looking to improve their chances of landing a redfish on fly?
1) Practice your cast
It's one of the biggest mysteries to a fly fishing guide. Why an angler will spend weeks or months preparing for a trip, buy expensive gear, pay lots of money for travel, lodging and a guide...and show up with a terrible cast.
It hurts me so bad to see an angler make poor casts and know that the chance of them successfully hooking a Redfish is slim to none. Whether you are traveling across the country to pursue Redfish, or just fishing in your own back yard, being a proficient caster is important. You don't have to be Lefty Kreh or Flip Pallot, but you should have a decent grasp on the principles of the cast. Exceleration to a stop, straight line paths, an understanding of casting angles and casting stroke lengths for different scenarios.
The more comfortable you are with your cast, the more you can focus on that Redfish in front of you. Practice tighting up your loops, practice with weighted flies, practice casting into the breeze and practice your double haul. Spend a few bucks on a lesson, from an instructor who has saltwater experience (that part is important), and you will be so much more at ease chasing these fish.
2) Be efficient
This is so key. There are so many little 1% things you can do on the water that greatly increase your odds of success. Here are a few examples. Being in ready position, having your line in a nice pile, with enough fly line out your rod tip to start a cast, and your fly in your hand, not dragging in the water covered in algae. Not wasting time when you see a fish.
Every Redfish is a ticking time bomb, at some point they are going to sense you and spook. If you don't have a good shot, wait...but the second you have a good shot, take it! Keep your line tight and free of slack, both in your cast and as you lay the line down on the water. Create slack in your cast, and you lose energy. Create slack in your line across the water, and you waste time stripping slack before you actually get the fly moving.
Think about this for a second. Why do some anglers make their cast, and let the fly line go, only to take their eyes off of the fish, and reach down to grab the line again? How much more efficient would it be to shoot the line through your fingers, never letting go of the line, and never taking your eyes off of the fish?
3) Presentation
is important, but probably not the way you think it is - Most Redfish are lazy. If the fly is not in an area the size of a dinner plate, they will often not move off their path to come eat it. (If you live somewhere where the Redfish run 10ft to eat your fly, God Bless you!) Our fish can spook easily if we plop a weighted fly 12 inches in front of their nose. I tell my clients that however far they think they need to lead the fish, double that amount. It's better to pause a second to let the fish catch up than to spook it.
Not only do we lead the fish, but I want you to cast beyond them. Throwing a fly a few feet on the far side of them, not only helps reduce the chance of them spooking, but it also gives the fish a chance to see the fly coming as you cross their path. So the accuracy part of presenting a fly is not in where the cast lands, but in timing your strip so that you cross the fish's path in a way that it looks like an easy meal.
4) Communication
Bonus tip. Whether you are fishing with a buddy or with a guide, communication is vital. If the other guy calls out a fish at a clock direction and distance, and you don't see it, let them know. Point your rod where you think it is and let them guide you until you see it. If you are tracking the fish during a cast and lose sight of it, let the other person know.
They might still be watching the fish, but they can't help you if you don't say something. Listening is just as important. Don't get so zoned in that you aren't processing what the other person is saying. I can't tell you how many people on the bow of my skiff continue to stare off at 3 o'clock as I say, "9 o'clock, other side of the boat, turn around, behind you...nevermind!"
What's next for you, Capt John Mauser, and what are you most excited about in the future of your guiding career?
I just want to continue to branch out and expand my roots in the fly fishing community. I'd like to continue to grow all of the things I'm currently involved in, fly fishing schools, building fly rods, conservation initiatives, etc. In the past few years I've tried to expand my offerings on the water, with things like one-on-one canoe fly fishing trips, and spring Shad fishing trips. I really enjoy the variety. I also love photography and writing and will be working on ways to get those images and stories in front of more people.
What am I most excited about in the future?
I think I'm most excited about the fact that every day is different, and you never know when you are going to experience something really special. I've taken people on their first fishing trip. I've taken people on their final fishing trip. I've helped anglers catch fish that they've dreamed about.
I've seen the spark in the eyes of the next generation when they catch their first big fish. I just want more of that, that's the good stuff!
