1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,062 Marvin Cash: Hey, folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the articulate fly. And we're 2 00:00:07,086 --> 00:00:09,822 back with another on the salt with Captain David Blinken. 3 00:00:09,886 --> 00:00:11,050 David, how are you? 4 00:00:11,830 --> 00:00:14,398 David Blinken: I'm good, Marvin. How are you doing this September 5 00:00:14,454 --> 00:00:15,054 evening? 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,902 Marvin Cash: Uh, just trying to stay out of trouble. We're actually getting a couple inches of 7 00:00:17,926 --> 00:00:20,822 rain out of this, uh, hurricane tropical depression that 8 00:00:20,846 --> 00:00:22,730 moved its way up the gulf last week. 9 00:00:23,510 --> 00:00:26,358 David Blinken: Yeah, that unnamed storm. I heard parts of the 10 00:00:26,374 --> 00:00:28,934 Carolinas got 20 inches in one day. 11 00:00:29,062 --> 00:00:30,290 Incredible. 12 00:00:32,130 --> 00:00:35,082 Marvin Cash: But it's kind of amazing. I mean, not as much as we got, I guess 13 00:00:35,106 --> 00:00:38,074 maybe six weeks ago with the other storm that came through and dumped like five 14 00:00:38,122 --> 00:00:41,042 inches. But interestingly enough for the trout people, if you're 15 00:00:41,066 --> 00:00:43,830 on the other side of the mountains in western north Carolina, 16 00:00:44,220 --> 00:00:46,770 uh, west of Asheville, they've gotten almost no rain in the last two 17 00:00:46,810 --> 00:00:47,390 months. 18 00:00:48,410 --> 00:00:51,346 David Blinken: Incredible. We've had a pretty good drought too in September. 19 00:00:51,418 --> 00:00:54,282 We're well below our normal. But, uh, all 20 00:00:54,306 --> 00:00:56,874 that's going to change. We're going to get the remnants of that 21 00:00:57,002 --> 00:00:59,754 Carolina storm on Wednesday, uh, through Friday. 22 00:00:59,842 --> 00:01:02,522 So it, uh, should be interesting. No one's going to be 23 00:01:02,546 --> 00:01:04,542 fishing for a few days. Tell you that. 24 00:01:04,646 --> 00:01:07,542 Marvin Cash: Yeah. Which kind of works out because you were telling me the false albacore haven't 25 00:01:07,566 --> 00:01:08,450 showed up yet. 26 00:01:09,310 --> 00:01:12,286 David Blinken: No, they really haven't. Um. Um. I know there have been 27 00:01:12,318 --> 00:01:15,014 some all through new. You know, up in eastern New England 28 00:01:15,102 --> 00:01:17,998 and some down on the Jersey shore. And 29 00:01:18,054 --> 00:01:20,862 um. Um. You know, if you go five 30 00:01:20,926 --> 00:01:23,814 to 10 miles out here, you can find a 31 00:01:23,822 --> 00:01:26,774 few mixed in with whales and bluefin tuna. But really 32 00:01:26,822 --> 00:01:29,494 they're. It's not the inshore fishing that we 33 00:01:29,542 --> 00:01:32,484 normally get. And, um. Um. The past two, three 34 00:01:32,532 --> 00:01:35,412 years they've been in early. But 35 00:01:35,436 --> 00:01:37,800 they haven't really stuck around. So I'm hoping 36 00:01:38,180 --> 00:01:41,036 after this full moon, which is another big 37 00:01:41,068 --> 00:01:43,684 fish mover, I hope, uh. Once the storm 38 00:01:43,732 --> 00:01:46,492 clears, we, uh, find false albacore in our water 39 00:01:46,556 --> 00:01:47,780 here. Hopefully. 40 00:01:47,940 --> 00:01:50,812 Marvin Cash: Yeah. And so, you know, to kind of get ready for false albacore, you know. 41 00:01:50,836 --> 00:01:53,788 What are your suggestions? Kind of on, uh, rod reel, 42 00:01:53,844 --> 00:01:55,560 terminal tackle and flies? 43 00:01:56,430 --> 00:01:59,286 David Blinken: Well, you know, um. Um. I think the 44 00:01:59,318 --> 00:02:01,958 ideal setup or the ideal rod for false 45 00:02:02,014 --> 00:02:04,942 albacore is ten weight. Uh. I don't like to go like eight or 46 00:02:04,966 --> 00:02:07,770 nine weight because they are tough fighting fish. And 47 00:02:08,110 --> 00:02:10,982 you know, it's kind of cruel to take a long time to bring 48 00:02:11,006 --> 00:02:13,680 them in. So I like a ten weight. And uh. Uh, 49 00:02:13,870 --> 00:02:16,782 my. My favorite line generally is a floating line because they 50 00:02:16,806 --> 00:02:19,718 are surface feeders. But, um. Um. But I don't have 51 00:02:19,734 --> 00:02:22,620 a floating line. Um. Um, I'll, I'll usually use, uh, uh, 52 00:02:22,822 --> 00:02:25,130 like a sink tip, like a royal wolfen, 53 00:02:25,130 --> 00:02:27,972 um, uh, uh, lost tip. And for my 54 00:02:27,996 --> 00:02:30,532 floating line, it would be a royal wolf Bermuda short 55 00:02:30,596 --> 00:02:33,444 because just want to be able to load the line quick 56 00:02:33,492 --> 00:02:36,428 and, and, uh, uh, and get it out there. You don't always 57 00:02:36,484 --> 00:02:39,396 have a lot of time when the fast alba cords are feeding. They're, 58 00:02:39,428 --> 00:02:41,600 they're explosive and they're quick. 59 00:02:42,020 --> 00:02:44,956 So, um, um, a line you can count on to load the rod 60 00:02:44,988 --> 00:02:47,524 and shoot the line fast is, is pretty 61 00:02:47,572 --> 00:02:49,590 ideal. And, um, um, 62 00:02:50,260 --> 00:02:52,776 leader wise, I usually, I'm 63 00:02:52,808 --> 00:02:55,610 usually either 20 or 25 pound, 64 00:02:55,610 --> 00:02:58,336 uh, for my tippet. Um, they're not. 65 00:02:58,448 --> 00:03:01,424 Albees are not particularly picky. I mean, 66 00:03:01,472 --> 00:03:04,240 you do have those moments when they are. And maybe I'll drop down to 67 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,800 20. But, um, for the most 68 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,632 part, uh, you know, I'm fishing nine to ten foot leaders 69 00:03:09,736 --> 00:03:12,720 and, uh, usually terminating at 70 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:14,060 20 or 25. 71 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,624 Marvin Cash: Got it. And then, you know, fishing what, poppers, 72 00:03:17,712 --> 00:03:20,180 game changers, deceivers, things like that. 73 00:03:20,580 --> 00:03:23,276 David Blinken: Well, yeah, um, a lot of people really dig 74 00:03:23,308 --> 00:03:25,932 epoxy flies. I'm using, uh, I'm using 75 00:03:25,996 --> 00:03:28,840 acrylic that you dry with uv, 76 00:03:29,020 --> 00:03:31,516 uh, lights and or blue light. 77 00:03:31,588 --> 00:03:34,340 And, um, you know, other things. Uh, 78 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,740 um, um, um. Johnny King's who 79 00:03:37,780 --> 00:03:40,348 fly is really great. And I type why I called the 80 00:03:40,364 --> 00:03:43,364 jellyfish that I tied a masters of the fly a few 81 00:03:43,412 --> 00:03:45,360 seasons ago that you can look at. 82 00:03:46,340 --> 00:03:49,266 The small, uh, klausiers are great bunny 83 00:03:49,298 --> 00:03:52,010 flies. I mean, there's a lot, um, you know, 84 00:03:52,050 --> 00:03:55,000 sometimes the albies will eat bigger things, um, 85 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,938 and sometimes lead smaller. I know people who only fish for them 86 00:03:57,954 --> 00:04:00,394 with chartreuse deceivers, but probably smaller 87 00:04:00,442 --> 00:04:03,418 ones. Um, but I like, 88 00:04:03,514 --> 00:04:06,510 you know, slightly off white things like, uh, 89 00:04:06,522 --> 00:04:09,122 creamy color or kind 90 00:04:09,146 --> 00:04:11,360 of tan with maybe, uh, 91 00:04:11,970 --> 00:04:14,954 a little bit of peacock curl down the back or just 92 00:04:15,042 --> 00:04:17,270 a, uh, you know, little dark green flash. 93 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,626 Um, and uh, and uh, I like 94 00:04:20,658 --> 00:04:23,610 splayed feathers on my flies a lot, especially for albies, 95 00:04:23,730 --> 00:04:26,570 as opposed to feathers that are mended together as 96 00:04:26,610 --> 00:04:28,470 a traditional, uh, deceivers. Uh, 97 00:04:29,050 --> 00:04:31,220 have. And, um. 98 00:04:32,170 --> 00:04:34,870 That's it. You don't need a lot. And occasionally, 99 00:04:35,430 --> 00:04:38,410 um, you can get them on white or chartreuse, 100 00:04:38,410 --> 00:04:41,390 uh, gurglers, which is a huge amount of fun. 101 00:04:41,710 --> 00:04:44,466 Uh, one of my most favorite ways to get them when they're, 102 00:04:44,578 --> 00:04:47,498 when they're looking up top, you know, throwing a gurgler 103 00:04:47,554 --> 00:04:50,442 is a blast. And they'll, they hit them so hard, they come right 104 00:04:50,466 --> 00:04:52,030 out of the water. It's fun. 105 00:04:52,330 --> 00:04:55,322 Marvin Cash: Very, ah, neat. And, you know, it's funny, you were talking about looking for lines 106 00:04:55,346 --> 00:04:57,994 that allow you to, uh, uh, to load and cast 107 00:04:58,042 --> 00:05:00,938 quickly. You know, it is really kind of run and gun fishing and 108 00:05:00,954 --> 00:05:03,786 kind of a slightly different amount of time pressure, uh, uh, than 109 00:05:03,858 --> 00:05:06,818 some folks are probably used to, you know. Any tips for people to 110 00:05:06,834 --> 00:05:09,634 kind of get that timing down to not false cast 20 times 111 00:05:09,682 --> 00:05:11,182 before they get the fly out there? 112 00:05:11,346 --> 00:05:14,190 David Blinken: Well, here's the thing. Try not 113 00:05:14,230 --> 00:05:16,690 to run and gun, because 114 00:05:17,190 --> 00:05:20,030 run and gun means your line gets tangled 115 00:05:20,070 --> 00:05:23,062 up on the deck from the breeze of running and gunning. Try to 116 00:05:23,086 --> 00:05:25,910 get an area where they keep coming up and 117 00:05:25,990 --> 00:05:28,614 just set yourself up, up in a long 118 00:05:28,662 --> 00:05:31,534 drift and wait till you can see the fish 119 00:05:31,662 --> 00:05:34,614 starting to pop or wait till a group of them come up. 120 00:05:34,742 --> 00:05:37,726 These false albums like Bonito, they. They're not up and 121 00:05:37,758 --> 00:05:40,524 down. No, though they'll feed along certain 122 00:05:40,572 --> 00:05:42,988 alleyways, especially if the bait's there, 123 00:05:43,124 --> 00:05:45,996 and take your time with the cast. I mean, 124 00:05:46,028 --> 00:05:48,924 when they are up, they're quick. But, but 125 00:05:49,052 --> 00:05:52,036 you can. You can get yourself set up in a drift. I mean, 126 00:05:52,068 --> 00:05:55,004 sometimes you're gonna have to move here and there. But I wouldn't, 127 00:05:55,052 --> 00:05:57,920 I wouldn't run a gun. I might more, 128 00:05:58,310 --> 00:06:00,360 uh, appropriately call it putter. 129 00:06:01,140 --> 00:06:03,692 You know, putter around. And. And 130 00:06:03,796 --> 00:06:06,666 then when you see a group of fish, you know, just 131 00:06:06,698 --> 00:06:09,642 shut down and start casting. I think that's the 132 00:06:09,666 --> 00:06:12,210 best way to do it. And, and, uh, I fish 133 00:06:12,290 --> 00:06:15,082 albee's a couple different ways. I'll fish them very often out of my 134 00:06:15,106 --> 00:06:18,106 skiff where we might pull around shallow water for 135 00:06:18,138 --> 00:06:21,098 striper in the middle of the day. And then at the early part 136 00:06:21,114 --> 00:06:24,114 of the day and the late part of the day, we'll, we'll alpi fish when. When 137 00:06:24,162 --> 00:06:26,670 the light is no good. Um, um, 138 00:06:27,258 --> 00:06:30,250 and fishing them out of the skiff is very nice because I'm fishing them 139 00:06:30,290 --> 00:06:33,282 usually in the western bays where there's not a lot of 140 00:06:33,306 --> 00:06:36,290 boats, so we can just take our time. And other times, I'm 141 00:06:36,410 --> 00:06:39,126 fishing out of my larger boat out in the ocean. 142 00:06:39,318 --> 00:06:42,182 And, um, you just. You go in areas where 143 00:06:42,206 --> 00:06:45,150 you keep seeing these big schools, maybe rushing bait 144 00:06:45,190 --> 00:06:47,886 or you look for baitball and just kind of hang around 145 00:06:47,958 --> 00:06:50,678 and, you know, hope the, the albies will come up 146 00:06:50,694 --> 00:06:53,582 through. And that's sort of my, 147 00:06:53,646 --> 00:06:55,310 my basic set of tactics. 148 00:06:55,430 --> 00:06:57,950 Marvin Cash: Yeah. So we'll say running, uh, gun, but with a zen 149 00:06:57,990 --> 00:06:58,650 flare. 150 00:06:59,670 --> 00:07:02,530 David Blinken: Yeah, yeah. And I got to tell you, a lot of. 151 00:07:03,030 --> 00:07:05,916 I understand, um, um, how 152 00:07:05,948 --> 00:07:08,892 the weaker warriors are. They want to get to the albees. First, they only have 153 00:07:08,916 --> 00:07:11,604 a couple days a week to fish, and they run and come. But 154 00:07:11,732 --> 00:07:14,580 it's, in a way, with all due respect to them, 155 00:07:14,620 --> 00:07:17,588 and I respect the fact that they want to be out there fishing, 156 00:07:17,724 --> 00:07:20,604 it can put the fish down running and cunning. It's 157 00:07:20,652 --> 00:07:23,396 better if you just, you know, get to the fish 158 00:07:23,588 --> 00:07:26,516 slowly and. And. And kind of 159 00:07:26,548 --> 00:07:29,420 study the area. You're fishing really methodically, so you can 160 00:07:29,460 --> 00:07:32,154 get to a group of albies and. And have them stay 161 00:07:32,202 --> 00:07:35,066 up. You know, you might not be the first one there, 162 00:07:35,138 --> 00:07:37,946 but, you know, you'll. You're gonna. You'll get your 163 00:07:37,978 --> 00:07:40,898 shots, and if you don't run and gun, you have 164 00:07:40,914 --> 00:07:43,546 a better chance of them staying up, you know, feeding, 165 00:07:43,618 --> 00:07:46,506 feeding nicely on the bait, and it'll 166 00:07:46,538 --> 00:07:49,218 give you a chance to get to them without having to 167 00:07:49,354 --> 00:07:51,890 really rush your cast, so to speak. 168 00:07:51,910 --> 00:07:54,746 Marvin Cash: Ah, got it. And, you know, folks, we love questions at the articulate 169 00:07:54,778 --> 00:07:57,442 fly. You can email me or dm me on social media. 170 00:07:57,546 --> 00:08:00,458 And actually, if you go to, uh, my Instagram profile, I 171 00:08:00,474 --> 00:08:03,288 just added a link where you can actually records your question. 172 00:08:03,344 --> 00:08:06,312 And we may actually play it, uh, on the 173 00:08:06,336 --> 00:08:09,224 phishing report. Um, but we love questions. And 174 00:08:09,232 --> 00:08:12,144 if we use your question, I will send you some articulate fly swag. And 175 00:08:12,152 --> 00:08:14,760 they're going to enter a drawing for a royal wolf line of your choice. 176 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,688 And, uh, David, before I let you go, you want to let folks 177 00:08:17,744 --> 00:08:20,504 know, uh, where they can catch up with you if they want to get on your boat. 178 00:08:20,552 --> 00:08:23,400 Or you may. I can't remember if you've got any open 179 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,168 slots in any of your trips, uh, kind of this late fall 180 00:08:26,224 --> 00:08:28,380 winter, but let folks know about those, too. 181 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,696 David Blinken: I have one open slot for a Mexico trip 182 00:08:31,768 --> 00:08:34,696 leaving on November 9 for Tarpon. It's a four 183 00:08:34,728 --> 00:08:37,688 day tarpon trip in compee, and it's a 184 00:08:37,704 --> 00:08:40,616 great time here to go. We start seeing slightly larger 185 00:08:40,648 --> 00:08:43,568 fish. Then, um, and people can reach me. They 186 00:08:43,584 --> 00:08:45,576 could just go to my website at david 187 00:08:45,608 --> 00:08:48,576 blanket.com, and, uh, my phone 188 00:08:48,608 --> 00:08:51,496 number will be there. Or they could just email me at david 189 00:08:51,528 --> 00:08:54,240 blanketmail.com dot. And, 190 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,110 uh, and, you know, we can. We'll try to slip 191 00:08:57,150 --> 00:08:58,890 you in, and, uh, 192 00:08:59,910 --> 00:09:02,822 that's the easiest way to, uh, get in touch with me. 193 00:09:02,926 --> 00:09:05,862 Marvin Cash: Yeah. And then, you know, for folks that don't know, you're an Eagles fan, so 194 00:09:05,886 --> 00:09:06,610 who knew? 195 00:09:08,470 --> 00:09:11,350 David Blinken: Don't care. For us giants 196 00:09:11,390 --> 00:09:13,222 fans take homage to that. 197 00:09:13,326 --> 00:09:14,010 Marvin Cash: Yeah. 198 00:09:15,830 --> 00:09:18,814 David Blinken: I don't know. Might have to. Might have to come down there and make fun of 199 00:09:18,822 --> 00:09:19,486 your panthers. 200 00:09:19,598 --> 00:09:22,530 Marvin Cash: Oh, well, I'm not a Panthers fan. I never have been. 201 00:09:22,540 --> 00:09:25,462 Uh, but the, uh. That's a topic for the next 202 00:09:25,486 --> 00:09:28,458 time. Time. Uh, but, folks, as I always 203 00:09:28,514 --> 00:09:31,354 say, you owe it to yourself to get out there and catch a few. Tight 204 00:09:31,402 --> 00:09:32,762 lines, everybody. Tight lines. 205 00:09:32,786 --> 00:09:34,650 David Blinken: David, tight lines. Marvin.