Bill Kiene semi-retired
04-25-2011, 09:18 AM
The first fly Charlie developed and had tied commercially by Umpqua Feather Merchants was his famous "Airhead".
http://www.umpqua.com/pc-1591-4-charlies-airhead-bisharats.aspx
This is one of the most unique flies I have seen come along in my 45 years in the fly fishing industry.
I had two very powerful experiences with this fly pattern:
1) I went on one of Jay Murakoshi's fantastic group trips to La Paz one spring and after a few days of little results with standard streamers on Roosterfish, at dinner I was given an "Airhead" pattern by saltwater veteran Jim Christensen. The result was me catching about 15 Roosterfish from 5 to 15 pounds, all on that one fly and it still looked like new. This was a powerful event for me and the "Airhead".
2) I was lucky enough to host a group trip to Brazil for Peacock Bass for Keith Kaneko's "Angling On The Fly" travel service. My cousin Steve Cotta went with me on this unbelievable trip of a lifetime. Steve was advised again by Jim Christensen and Andy Guibord to take some red and yellow Airheads along on our trip. Steve is mostly a hunter but wanted to see the amazon with me. He stayed with that Airhead for most of the trip with a 9 weight rod and Rio Outbound Short tropical floating line. Net result was that Steve landed several hundred fish and the biggest Peacock Bass of the trip, 19 pounds, and used only one or two Airheads to do it.
Naturally after that I am sold on the Airhead as is many of our local fly fishers.
Charlie Gonzales has been really successful with them the past few years for Stripers on the Lower American River too.
We also use them at Angler's Inn on Lake El Salto near Mazatlan, Mexico for Large Mouth Bass.
Over the next decade the popularity of the Airhead will keep growing as more and more fly fishers try them and see that they are not only unique in their action but also one of the most durable flies ever made.
PS: Thanks Charlie for tying at our Expo last Saturday.
.
http://www.umpqua.com/pc-1591-4-charlies-airhead-bisharats.aspx
This is one of the most unique flies I have seen come along in my 45 years in the fly fishing industry.
I had two very powerful experiences with this fly pattern:
1) I went on one of Jay Murakoshi's fantastic group trips to La Paz one spring and after a few days of little results with standard streamers on Roosterfish, at dinner I was given an "Airhead" pattern by saltwater veteran Jim Christensen. The result was me catching about 15 Roosterfish from 5 to 15 pounds, all on that one fly and it still looked like new. This was a powerful event for me and the "Airhead".
2) I was lucky enough to host a group trip to Brazil for Peacock Bass for Keith Kaneko's "Angling On The Fly" travel service. My cousin Steve Cotta went with me on this unbelievable trip of a lifetime. Steve was advised again by Jim Christensen and Andy Guibord to take some red and yellow Airheads along on our trip. Steve is mostly a hunter but wanted to see the amazon with me. He stayed with that Airhead for most of the trip with a 9 weight rod and Rio Outbound Short tropical floating line. Net result was that Steve landed several hundred fish and the biggest Peacock Bass of the trip, 19 pounds, and used only one or two Airheads to do it.
Naturally after that I am sold on the Airhead as is many of our local fly fishers.
Charlie Gonzales has been really successful with them the past few years for Stripers on the Lower American River too.
We also use them at Angler's Inn on Lake El Salto near Mazatlan, Mexico for Large Mouth Bass.
Over the next decade the popularity of the Airhead will keep growing as more and more fly fishers try them and see that they are not only unique in their action but also one of the most durable flies ever made.
PS: Thanks Charlie for tying at our Expo last Saturday.
.