WFS 289 – Top Saltwater Fly Fishing Destinations with Joe Ballarini from Tail Magazine

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/289

Presented By: Fly Fishing Film Tours, Trxstle, Dette Flies, Togens Fly Shop

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors

Joe Ballarini, the headman at Tail Magazine and Strung Magazine shares the story of why he created one of the only print magazines in salt and how it all came to be. He describes what it’s like working as a full time ER doctor, being the Editor in Chief of two magazines, and a dad at the same time. Joe also mentions some saltwater fly fishing trips that we can take part in this year along with the Tail crew and the things you need to prepare for. 

Discover the Top 5 Saltwater Fly Fishing Destinations that should be added to our bucket-list!

Top Saltwater Fishing Destination Show Notes with Joe Ballarini

5:58 – Joe has been living in Miami Florida, on and off for 30 years – bought a place there in 2009

6:34 – Joe noticed that there was always a lot of trash in the fisheries – he’d pick up everything he’d see

7:21 – Joe started a website called Fly Fish Bonehead – an informational website about saltwater fly fishing and conservation

7:47 – Tail Fly Fishing Magazine came about so that people would visit the website about conservation messages for free – in 2 years they had about 36,000 digital readers

08:23 – Six months after Tail was launched, Fly Fishing and Salt Waters Magazine, one of the dominant magazines at the time closed up shops – then their audience found Tail

9:30 – Tail took off when the print magazine started

10:52 – Orvis and Thomas & Thomas were supporters early on

11:46 – Tail Fly Fishing Magazine is a bi-monthly publication, 100-120 pages, 80% content and 20% ads

12:52 – Tail Magazine is made out of thick high-grade paper and it’s waterproof – Joe describes what it looks like

13:10 – Joe mentions some of the Tail Editors and Contributors – click here to see the whole roster

14:57 – Strung Magazine was born on Dec 2018 – about bird hunting, duck hunting, big game, fly fishing, food, and travel (often compared to Gray’s Sporting Journal)

16:23 – Joe works full time as an ER doctor

18:08 – Aside from Tail, there’s another saltwater fly fishing magazine in Australia

21:03 – The travel section in the back of Tail Magazine has a variety of trips you can take part in

21:15 – Tail is hosting a permit fishing tournament in Punta Allen in conjunction with Punta Allen Fishing Club and the Grand Slam Fishing Lodge – to raise funds for the school of Punta Allen

24:14 – The Tail crew are going back to El Pescador on April 24 to 30

29:25 – Joe puts in 8 to 10 hours a day for Tails whether or not he works 12 hours shift in the ER

31:54 – Joe describes his Maldives trip experience and notes it as one of his favorites

35:12 – You can catch Tarpon, Permit, Bonefish, and Snook in Mexico and Belize

38:20 – Joe discovered a great Tarpon fishing spot in Turtoguero, Costa Rica

39:54 – Joe and Chico are going to Flamingo (they might have gone already as you read this)

40:10 – The guys from Thomas & Thomas are going to Key West Florida and Joe is joining them in March – Joe mentioned some more Tail hosted trips this year

43:55 – Joe’s advice for people joining their trips is.. “don’t overpack”. A 7 and a 10 weight rod is good enough

46:44 – Tail is hosting another trip to Bahamas in November this year which will be led by George V. Roberts Jr – George is the author of Master the Cast and a student of Joan Wulff

50:57 – Tail is has a good relationship with Deneki

58:52 – Bob Branham is one of the legendary guides in Keys

1:02:40 – Check out the Perfectionist Leaders by Tail Magazine here

1:03:49 – The Razor Scissors

Saltwater Fly Fishing Conclusion with Joe Ballarini

Joe Ballarini, founder of Tail Magazine and Strung Magazine shared the story of why he created one of the only print magazines in salt and how it all came to be. He described what it’s like working as a full time ER doctor, being the Editor in Chief of two magazines, and a dad at the same time. Joe also mentioned some saltwater fly fishing trips that we can take part in this year along with the Tail crew and the things you need to prepare for. 

We discovered the Top 5 Saltwater Fly Fishing Destinations that should be added to our bucket list!

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/289