Mar 4 – March Meeting – Fly-Fishing in NE Florida Surf – Captain John Bottko

We have a last-minute change in next Monday’s Speaker, due to an unexpected conflict, but it is a fantastic one, Captain John Bottko.

We have the pleasure of welcoming a charter member of the First Coast Fly Fishers back to the Club. John and several other local fly fishermen started the FCFF over 25 years ago and was also a past President. Capt. John Bottko was a co-host on the Florida Sportsman Radio Network in Jacksonville. He has guided NE Florida for 20 years. John and his wife Nancy owned and operated a The Salty Feather fly shop from 1994 to 2011. John has created numerous saltwater fly patterns, five of which appear in the book and CD ROM, Flies for Saltwater (Stewart and Allen). John demonstrates fly tying in A.J. McClane’s New Standard Fishing Encyclopedia CD. He taught fly fishing at Jacksonville University. He also holds a Fly Fishers International casting instructor certificate. John has been hosting exotic fly-fishing trips around the world: Argentina, Chili, Russia, Amazon, Venezuela, Bahamas, Scotland, Mexico, Central America, Alaska, Cuba, Belize, Manitoba, Labrador, and Maine. The summer of 2012 he guided in Alaska for three and half months.  He worked for Black Fly Outfitters as a consultant.  He’s one of the most knowledgeable fresh and saltwater fly-fishing guides.

In July of 2018 John moved to Mississippi. Shortly after he joined Hoss Fly and started to enjoy the fantastic Gulf Coast fishery.   The last ten years he’s been spending two months in Wyoming guiding groups to back country trout fishing.

John will be speaking on Fly-Fishing the surf in NE Florida. Imagine the thrill of catching a big red while walking the beach. The best time of year for surf fly-fishing is coming up, so join us to learn all about how to sight cast to reds in the surf.