Getting ready for a fishing trip back to south florida soon and decided to check out the FloridaFishingForum, this morning. I'd been on it once before (2018) just looking around and realized not much going on in it. Noticed a lot more posts this time and didn't even realize there was a kayak fishing forum until today. To my surprise I came across a post from my old friend Cordell Baum (the bonefishwhisperer) from 2007, titled "anybody out there" .

Cordell passed away about a year and half ago.. from cancer at a very young age.. I would guess his mid to late 40's. We met by accident on the water one day.. got to talking and quickly became good friends. Sat on a flat near Coral Gables on Biscayne Bay talking about bone fish. We knew each other from a forum we both were on and had common friends we had fished with. He showed me how its done with a fly rod that day. I showed him later why I use a spinning rods, baitcasters, and a kayak when its blowing 20+ mph every day during the spring time. He was guiding folks out of a friking canoe at the time.

From his website to potential clients: …to put it bluntly I consider loaning my rods the same as loaning my toothbrush so come prepared!

Make no mistake this is HIGH RISK-HIGH REWARD flyfishing and if successful separates you from all others, there are no accidental catches. I am easy to fish with and not a screamer or ill tempered, its YOUR time on the water and you are paying but don’t expect a trophy for participation. I am your best shot at landing a true trophy of a lifetime on fly and I want customers that want to be the best. If you are THAT person, I am your guy.

https://flafishingforum.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/738/anybody-out-there#





Good memories ... his first day fishing from a kayak. He had just become pro staff for Freedom Hawk kayaks and asked me to join him.

You can meet some really good dudes through fishing!

Fishing brings good people together and friendships are made. Nice post. Lifetime Memories also made.

Cordell was a character.. he was a fishing guide in Alaska, where he grew up, before moving to Miami. In the pictures above he was wearing a bear skin or raccoon skin hoody type cap.. kinda like the one worn by the guy below.


I thought of Cordell when I first saw this guy's picture.

Didn’t know him personally, but followed him through his website. It was amazing the bones, permit, & tarpon he’d catch and put clients on with those bright, gaudy flies! He passed way too young.

He gave me one of his Electric Dreads, caught a snapper on it first time using it (on a spinning rod) and put it away.


The thing had eyes on both ends. 🤪

I pulled this picture from his website... One of the secrets/rumors about Biscayne Bay was of this one school of breeder redfish that stayed inshore almost year round. You'd always hear of the oldtimers talking about them. I think they had been stocked originally near Turkey Point Nuclear Plant. I went looking for them once, got run off by security at the plant and never returned. Cordell not only found them, but caught a few of them. He told me it was really hard to get them to bite a fly. All about the size of the one above and most of them didn't have a single spot. He had other flyfishermen following him everywhere. I didn't even fish that side of the bay to keep from ever being accused of stealing his spots.

He had a clientele that guides would die for... from all over the world.