Pictures of the Day: Who says you need an 8-weight for redfish?

Written by: John Van Vleet

Redfish 1

Most folks consider it a trout rod, but guide John Davidson uses his Streamline
for redfish and does extremely well.

photo courtesy Jason Davidson

Jason Davidson, a veteran hunting and fishing guide on the Gulf coast of Texas, recently got into fly-fishing after receiving an 8-foot, 6-inch 5-weight Orvis Streamline fly rod as a gift. I actually used to work with Jason when I guided in Texas, and successfully bribed him with Blue Bell ice cream until he showed me some of his secret redfish spots. Before I left guiding to move up to Vermont, we went kayaking one morning in a back bay that was unbelievably full of fish. He broke out his new Streamline and caught several reds before I could get even my kayak facing the right direction. He caught fish all day; I just spooked them. Several weeks ago, he took another fellow guide out kayaking, and the results were identical:

“I took one of our new guides kayaking today in Christmas Bay,” he told me. “I got two and he didn’t catch anything. Gotta keep the streak alive.”

Maybe some more Blue Bell is in order?

John Van Vleet is an outdoors copywriter at Orvis and the former managing editor of Fish & Fly Magazine.

Redfish 2

Jason Davidson with one of his two redfish caught on a 5-weight along the Gulf coast of Texas.

photo courtesy Jason Davidson/span>

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