the menpachi (squirrel fish, soldier fish, or "memps" as i like to call them) is a popular food fish among locals here in the islands.  they are nocturnal and hide in caves during the day and come out at night to feed.  memps are pretty hard to find from shore on this island and even tougher to catch with a fly rod.  although the memps will eat flies readily, they tend to hang around really reefy, rocky, rough water type areas that are not very conducive to fly fishing.  there is only one place that i’ve found on this island where you can actually catch these fish on the fly, but it is not easy.  you need supreme line management.  the minute you loose control of your fly line, you’ll lose that eighty dollar line to the rocks.  i’ve lost numerous fly lines chasing this little red fish.  getting to the place i used to fish is a beast as well.  the last time i went there maybe thirteen years ago, i fell, cracked my head open, and ended up spending the night in the emergency room.  needless to say it’s a young man’s game.  these days to me, it’s just another blast from the past.

well it’s been a little rainy and windy around here, still fishing for whatever reason remains good both in the salt and up at the lake.  i took matt up to the lake for one more hit this week before he returns to college and his studies.  despite the high water level the lake fished very well.  there were lots of small peacocks that were great fun on my 4 wt. bamboo rod.  devils are present in good numbers for those, like myself, who are into chasing those things.  we doubled up several times throughout the day which is always a good thing.  i even got my first lake grandslam plus one of 2014.  i got the devil, peacock, largemouth, and a cat to boot.