Because of the ocean's expanse and diverse currents, saltwater line mends tend to be greater than they are in freshwater. A longer, more supple rod can mend short amounts of line when necessary but really excels when lifting long lengths of line in the bigger environment of saltponds, on-shore bars and beachfronts, or in rock gardens, rips, or ledges.

While the current trend among most rod manufacturers is toward shorter, higher modulus rods, Abrames has created The Stick, a rod tailored to his fishing style. Al Fuller from North Attleborough, Massachusetts, helped Abrames construct the 101/2 foot, slow action, 42-million-modulus rod. As with big-river salmon and steelhead fishing, Abrames favors a longer rod for the ocean, and the combination of length and softness enables it to load deep into the butt section, allowing him to mend greater lengths of line.

"While flatwings catch fish with any technique, they excel when they are combined with dead-drifts and mends that allow the feathers to undulate in the water like a living organism."

Abrames favors a floating line to help combat drag and maintain control of his fly. It is difficult to mend and control a sinking line, and if he needs to get deeper than he can by simply mending, Abrames uses split-shot or a modified sinking-tip constructed by fusing lead-core line (Cortland LC-13 or equivalent) to his floating line with a section of braided tubing (available from Gudebrod). He creates short, medium, and long sections for the different depths he wants his fly to sink. The longest section of lead core that Abrames uses is 12 feet.

Abrames always fishes dropper rigs. He uses a Gudebrod 35-pound-test braided-butt section and then attaches a straight section of 20- to 30-pound-test tippet with a loop-to-loop connection.

The number of flies in the rig determines the length of tippet. Attach the first fly 2 feet from the braided butt and then tie on each additional fly 18 inches from the next. Abrames uses a five-turn surgeon's knot to tie his droppers because the fly lays flat next to the leader and won't foul as much during a cast. The monofilament for the droppers is between 21/2 to 31/2 inches long, and he attaches the tippet to the fly with an improved clinch knot. He attaches his point fly with a Duncan loop.

Abrames always fishes a Clam Worm or a Ruthless (a clam worm imitation) as the first dropper. He insists clam worms are more common than most anglers realize. For the second dropper, he adds smaller flatwings or bucktails such as a Ray's Fly Flatwing, Ray's Fly, Eelie, or a Change Up. Abrames usually ties on a larger flatwing such as a Razzle Dazzle, a Striper Moon, or a Squidazzle for the point fly.

I've fished three flies at one time, but Abrames frequently fishes with five. By fishing with droppers, you can determine if the fish prefer one fly to another and often catch more than one fish, and occasionally different species.

Abrames (above) is a native Rhode Islander who comes from a long line of Yankee fishermen. He is an artist, writer, fly designer, and a retired charter boat captain who knows the importance of understanding fish and baitfish patterns. He is also one of the early members of the Rhody Fly Rodders, a fly-fishing group formed in Rhode Island in the early 1960s.

When he has determined bait are holding high in the water column, Abrames uses strike indicators to suspend the flies at a specific depth. He pre-rigs them with 10 inches of 40-pound monofilament. He uses a loop-to-loop connection and places the strike indicator in between his braided butt and his tippet. If you need split-shot, add it above the surgeon's knot on the dropper so that it won't slide down.

The next time you fish the Northeast salt, remember its long and distinguished history. Many techniques and flies that are commonly used when fly fishing for trout, salmon, or steelhead will increase your success in the salt.