Everglades Special
-by Dick Davis

Hook: Tiemco 811 S Sizes 1-4
Thread: Danville 6/0 pre-waxed Cream color
Tail: White Sculpin wool
Head: Tan or light Brown Sculpin wool
Eyes: Puglisi Plastic Eyes
Marker: Brown and Black prismatic color marker

One of the most creative saltwater tiers to date, Enrico Puglisi, has generated many baitfish imitations that truly catch fish. Enrico’s patterns (www.epflies.com) are a combination of sleek sultry synthetic materials and aerodynamic design. The Everglades special is one of Enrico’s patterns that is not a specific imitation of one food source for a target species, but rather a general baitfish clone to fool the many species that inhabit these waters (see Tier 3 bait fish in the food chain from the front page article).

The Everglades as a whole are a vast and rich diverse fishery. In a single outing, anglers can expect to have an opportunity to catch: bass in the freshwater, Snook in the backcountry, tarpon in the rivers, and redfish on the beaches, trout on the flats, as well as, permit and cobia on the nearby shore structure. With so many opportunities to catch fish it would seem almost impossible not to be successful on your next trip, but don’t be fooled, these weary predators don’t just take any fly slung out onto the water. Come prepared with a few different sizes of the Puglisi Everglades Special and a stiff shock tippet or two. As you head out for your trip you won’t be able to help being taken aback by the raw beauty of the Everglades, and the feeling that you are traveling through a place untouched by time. As good as the scenery is here, the fly fishing is even better. Keep a keen eye on the water and an irregular strip retrieve with the Everglade special and the action will be hot for hours on end.