Question for all saltwater fly tiers out there.

[agn54 0]

For colors it's hard to beat chartreuse. One of my favorites is electric chicken (chartreuse and pink). I also like all white, white with a redhead, pink over white, grey or dun over white (mullet colors), chartreuse over white or yellow, and olive over white or yellow. All black crab patterns can work well around oyster bars s do good shrimp patterns with tan craft fur and rootbeer estaz

 

Right on! That is exactly the kind of information I was seeking! Thank you very much! I have rootbeer cactus chenille, will that do the job well enough or do you recommend that I get the estaz? Also, do you prefer kinky fiber or EP?

 

 

I agree with the others on congo hair instead of EP fibres. Lately I have been using a lot more of Flash Blend, which is slinky fiber and angel hair. I tend to use more natural materials though, especially arctic fox, finn raccoon (like arctic fox on steroids), fox, rabbit, icelandic sheep and goat. As for hooks, I use a lot of Mustad hooks, mostly 3407 #4-1/0 and 34011 #2-1/0 (long shank hooks for bendbacks, etc) and have never really had problems with them (just sharpen them). I also really like the C70S (heavy hooks) and Gamakatsu SC17 and SC15. For EP style flies and polar fibre minnows I really like Owner Mosquito hooks as well as Owner 5115 #2 or #1. My overall favorite size hook is #2 for a lot of my patterns for the flats

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

You've gotten some great advice here so far. I'll just add that it is important to have dark and light colored flies and as Tidewater so wisely commented, don't complicate things. Pick either black, brown, or olive for your dark flies and white, chartreuse, yellow, or pink for your light colored flies or of course a combination but don't make to many different combinations.

It is almost if not more important to find the fish - if you find the fish they will likely eat and it will be either light or dark they want.

As I've said before, that is in Louisiana, it may be different in Florida; we do tend to have a lot more fish over here so maybe they are just more competitive for the bait??

I don't know if poppers were mentioned but you may want to tie up a few of those with either soft foam or hard foam. For my hard foam poppers, I use cigar shaped Comel perch floats cut in half, slit and CA glued to a hook with a little hair and flash for a tail. Size four on the small end and a size 1/0 for the large end. Again a black and either a gold or chartreuse or white will work.

Good luck,

Kirk

[Terry Dunford 0]

Yes, excellent advice. Thank you all for your contributions to my questions. You guys have saved me a lot of time, otherwise I would have had to spend a lot of time doing the necessary research, so thank you all very much!

[Terry Dunford 0]

Yes, excellent advice. Thank you all for your contributions to my questions. You guys have saved me a lot of time, otherwise I would have had to spend a lot of time doing the necessary research, so thank you all very much!

 

Any of you saltwater enthusiasts ever fly fish with one of those new Orvis Mirage reels? I just got one for my 9wt and I can't wait to use it! I saw a video of guy on the flats catching a shark with it and I was sold, especially after seeing one because that is one good looking reel! If there's anything I should know about it, such as using a special type of line or anything, then I would appreciate some tips. Thanks. Here's a photo of my real, I have the gold one:

 

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

[if there's anything I should know about it, such as using a special type of line or anything, then I would appreciate some tips. Thanks. Here's a photo of my real, I have the gold one:

 

That is a beautiful reel! To utilize a really good reel's drag and slow a strong fish down, you have to have properly tied strong knots in your leader system.

 

Kirk

[tidewaterfly 0]

Terry, that is a fine looking reel! I'm not a big fan of Orvis, but they have always had some pretty good rods & reels. I own several lines, but use a floating line the most. Where I fish the most, it does the job just fine because the water is relatively shallow, with only moderate current. I have had a few occasions to use a full sinking line & sink tips, but not as many times compared to the floating. What you need will primarily depend on the water depth & current you'll encounter. Also wind conditions can have an affect on the line choice too. Without knowing what those conditions may be, it's hard to make recommendations for lines.

 

I have a couple of sinking lines, and each has a different sink rate. I purchased them, because at the time I got a good deal & anticipated that at some point they would prove worthwhile to have. So far they've just sit in my bag, except I did get the chance to use one of them this past fall. The tidal currents I encountered were very strong, with extremely high tides. The only way I could get a fly anywhere in those condition was to use a sinking line with an extremely fast sink rate. However, fact is I can't tell you what I have. The boxes the lines came in are buried in my basement somewhere, so I would have to dig them out to get the info. I'm also not that selective about brands. Some of them are Orvis, some are Cortland and some are Scientific Anglers. I know there are folks who will argue that one is better than the other, but so far I've not been that particular.

 

I certainly agree with Kirk! The whole thing is only as good as the weakest link!

 

 

[Terry Dunford 0]

Terry, that is a fine looking reel! I'm not a big fan of Orvis, but they have always had some pretty good rods & reels. I own several lines, but use a floating line the most. Where I fish the most, it does the job just fine because the water is relatively shallow, with only moderate current. I have had a few occasions to use a full sinking line & sink tips, but not as many times compared to the floating. What you need will primarily depend on the water depth & current you'll encounter. Also wind conditions can have an affect on the line choice too. Without knowing what those conditions may be, it's hard to make recommendations for lines.

 

I have a couple of sinking lines, and each has a different sink rate. I purchased them, because at the time I got a good deal & anticipated that at some point they would prove worthwhile to have. So far they've just sit in my bag, except I did get the chance to use one of them this past fall. The tidal currents I encountered were very strong, with extremely high tides. The only way I could get a fly anywhere in those condition was to use a sinking line with an extremely fast sink rate. However, fact is I can't tell you what I have. The boxes the lines came in are buried in my basement somewhere, so I would have to dig them out to get the info. I'm also not that selective about brands. Some of them are Orvis, some are Cortland and some are Scientific Anglers. I know there are folks who will argue that one is better than the other, but so far I've not been that particular.

 

I certainly agree with Kirk! The whole thing is only as good as the weakest link!

 

Thank you. I wasn't a big fan of Orvis's reels either until I seen this one. Yes, I agree about the knots. I've been doing my own hand-tied leaders for awhile now and actually like it. It keeps the experience more "true". Still undecided on the floating line. That reel will be going on my St. Croix Legend Ultra 9wt. I'm thinking that a 9wt will handle all the fish around Florida, and I know that reel has a good drag, so hopefully should be good. I've never caught a tarpon before but certainly plan on it. I recently bought 2 Colorado 9' pontoons each with trolling motors, one for me and one for my wife. I haven't really seen many people on pontoons on the flats of Florida but I don't foresee any problems with it; however, if there's something I need to know, then please tell. Thanks again for the great info.

 

Here's that video of the reel:

 

I don't see how a video ad for a fly reel could get any better than that! That was a seller. that guy has the black one though. I don't know why anyone would want the black one over the gold one. Major difference in looks in my opinion.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Terry, I've tied my own leaders too, and have some that I've bought. But the best one I've tried has been a furled leader. ( I buy them, I haven't tried making them!) I really like them for fishing large surface lures. For subsurface, they work well too with a floating line, but when I go to sinking lines I usually just go with a short single strand of something heavy, generally 3 to 5 ft long. I've been using Yozuri Hybrid a lot for leaders & tippets, I really like it!

[Terry Dunford 0]

Terry, I've tied my own leaders too, and have some that I've bought. But the best one I've tried has been a furled leader. ( I buy them, I haven't tried making them!) I really like them for fishing large surface lures. For subsurface, they work well too with a floating line, but when I go to sinking lines I usually just go with a short single strand of something heavy, generally 3 to 5 ft long. I've been using Yozuri Hybrid a lot for leaders & tippets, I really like it!

 

Thank you. I'll have to check out the furled leaders. I know about them, but have never tried them. Guess I've been too caught up in making my own. I'll give 'em a try though, thanks.

[agn54 0]

Terry, for the flats here in Florida I only use a floating weight forward line. Especially for the west coast of Florida, it is all I have ever needed. You will usually be fishing in water only a few feet deep, but even on deeper flats up to 6 feet the current is usually not too strong so a weighted fly can get down. During the months you will be here the fish will be in shallower in the creek mouths and then up in the creeks and rivers as the winter approaches. If you go further south where there are snook, a sinking tip or full sinking line is good for targeting snook on the beach, but the snook are only on the beaches during the late Spring and Summer, not really during the time you will be here. The same applies for the inlets, a sinking line is good for the heavy currents but the snook don't really move in until the warmer months, but there are many other species available so having a sinking tip line handy may be helpful. I also like to use some sort of tropical line like Rio tropical or other brand since I have had issues with m line getting sticky in the heat, but since you won't be here in the summer that will not be a problem. I am sure others will have other opinions on floating or sinking line. Also, 8 and 9 wt are really the perfect all around lines for down here.

 

As far as the pontoons go, if they are inflatable, be VERY careful of oyster bars, they will rip a whole in rubber or vinyl floats. Especially at Cedar Key, there are tons of them and that's where the reds tend to be so you will want to maneuver around them. The water can tend to be dark and murky around them so be aware of the bottom. My advise is to go out at dead low tide even if on foot from the edge of the water, and look around to get an idea of where the bars and structure will be once the tide comes in.

Hope this helps,

 

Andy

[Terry Dunford 0]

Terry, for the flats here in Florida I only use a floating weight forward line. Especially for the west coast of Florida, it is all I have ever needed. You will usually be fishing in water only a few feet deep, but even on deeper flats up to 6 feet the current is usually not too strong so a weighted fly can get down. During the months you will be here the fish will be in shallower in the creek mouths and then up in the creeks and rivers as the winter approaches. If you go further south where there are snook, a sinking tip or full sinking line is good for targeting snook on the beach, but the snook are only on the beaches during the late Spring and Summer, not really during the time you will be here. The same applies for the inlets, a sinking line is good for the heavy currents but the snook don't really move in until the warmer months, but there are many other species available so having a sinking tip line handy may be helpful. I also like to use some sort of tropical line like Rio tropical or other brand since I have had issues with m line getting sticky in the heat, but since you won't be here in the summer that will not be a problem. I am sure others will have other opinions on floating or sinking line. Also, 8 and 9 wt are really the perfect all around lines for down here.

 

As far as the pontoons go, if they are inflatable, be VERY careful of oyster bars, they will rip a whole in rubber or vinyl floats. Especially at Cedar Key, there are tons of them and that's where the reds tend to be so you will want to maneuver around them. The water can tend to be dark and murky around them so be aware of the bottom. My advise is to go out at dead low tide even if on foot from the edge of the water, and look around to get an idea of where the bars and structure will be once the tide comes in.

Hope this helps,

 

Andy

 

Hello, Andy. Thank you for that great information. I was hoping to find a Florida flats fly fisherman to give that exact kind of tips, so thank you for that. I've been talking to a friend and he says that I should really be using a kayak on the flats because I can get around faster. I told him that I have trolling motors on my pontoons and will probably have 2 large batteries on board. I was checking online and I see some really good, affordable inflatable kayaks. Kayaks will probably be a lot harder to rip, right? I'm sure you're going to recommend a non-inflatable or rent one which is probably what I'll do. I've never fly fished from a kayak. I have a lot of friends that do, but I've never tried it. It's not hard at all on my pontoon, but your a lot higher off the water and I have a line basket on the pontoon, plus I really like the trolling motor. I've been on lakes with it for 3 to 4 hours and the battery lasted fine. I'll just have to see how it goes. I do have a good pair of waders and boots and can always do that. Will it be difficult to wade out near Cedar Key because of the oyster bars or will there be noticeable sand/grass fingers that I could navigate through?

 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Just found this thread (this time of year I'm booked and not doing much tying or computer work). I tie many of the bugs sold at the Ft. Lauderdale Fly Shop and you might be interested in my hook selections.... For most inshore stuff I'm still using Mustad 34007 from #6 all the way up to 3/0 (buying hooks by 1000 per size). If you exclude bonefish stuff, most of my patterns for inshore range from #4 (things like Crystal Schminnows, Peacock Clousers) up to 2/0 and that size range will cover 90% of what you'll be needing if you don't count tarpon flies. A word about light or standard wire premium hooks that are so sharp and well made.... they're also a bit brittle at times. If you go the premium route keep a close eye on your flies - particularly after contact with anything like oysters, and if the fly has been used previously and shows any signs of rust where the body ends.... discard it. More than one great bite has been missed on my skiff when the premium light wire hook broke on the strike or was already broken and never noticed by my angler (in some cases I was the angler...). As already mentioned the Owner Aki is a standard for heavy wire premium hooks (many prefer Tiemco, Gamakatsu, Varivas, or other super premium hooks which are comparable, but the Owners at 1000 per size is what I've been stocking for a few years now. If your patterns will allow it, try to do as many as possible with weedguards. If they're not needed you can clip them away but you'll be hard pressed if they're needed and not there...

As far as tarpon flies go, if you can, tie your patterns in two sizes, 3/0 and 1/0, or 4/0 and 2/0. Many times a refusal or disinterest can be cured wth a smaller bug in the same pattern coupled with a longer leader with a lighter shock tippet.... (particularly where fish are heavily pressured like the Keys...).

 

Hope this helps.

[60mikes 0]

man,a lot of SW tyers out there.I tie a lot of Mustads,3407{?}.Also use for

Fl flies gamakatsu Mosquitos #4&2.IMO they are tops for EP flies.On my trip to Marathon last April orange was the thing.eg:Cravens redfish fly in

any combo of red,yellow& orange.Tied these on 1/0 Mustads.

All the other flies mentioned above will also do the trick.And work well in NC.Oh yeah,if you are not shy tie or buy spoon flies.Usually hard to keep

those finny things off the hook

[Terry Dunford 0]

Just found this thread (this time of year I'm booked and not doing much tying or computer work). I tie many of the bugs sold at the Ft. Lauderdale Fly Shop and you might be interested in my hook selections.... For most inshore stuff I'm still using Mustad 34007 from #6 all the way up to 3/0 (buying hooks by 1000 per size). If you exclude bonefish stuff, most of my patterns for inshore range from #4 (things like Crystal Schminnows, Peacock Clousers) up to 2/0 and that size range will cover 90% of what you'll be needing if you don't count tarpon flies. A word about light or standard wire premium hooks that are so sharp and well made.... they're also a bit brittle at times. If you go the premium route keep a close eye on your flies - particularly after contact with anything like oysters, and if the fly has been used previously and shows any signs of rust where the body ends.... discard it. More than one great bite has been missed on my skiff when the premium light wire hook broke on the strike or was already broken and never noticed by my angler (in some cases I was the angler...). As already mentioned the Owner Aki is a standard for heavy wire premium hooks (many prefer Tiemco, Gamakatsu, Varivas, or other super premium hooks which are comparable, but the Owners at 1000 per size is what I've been stocking for a few years now. If your patterns will allow it, try to do as many as possible with weedguards. If they're not needed you can clip them away but you'll be hard pressed if they're needed and not there...

As far as tarpon flies go, if you can, tie your patterns in two sizes, 3/0 and 1/0, or 4/0 and 2/0. Many times a refusal or disinterest can be cured wth a smaller bug in the same pattern coupled with a longer leader with a lighter shock tippet.... (particularly where fish are heavily pressured like the Keys...).

 

Hope this helps.

 

Yes, that helped very much. Thank you Capt. Bob. I've just about acquired all the different hook recommendations that you guys have been recommending and the rest are on the way! Now it will be time to prepare and will be tying some flies. I also am about to order a full supply of Congo Hair and his Water Silk. I think I have all the supplies I'm going to need. Just got my Fish Skulls in today the large ones for size 2/0 and 3/0 hooks. Any of you had any bad experiences with them?

 

Hey Capt. Bob. Question for you since you've got the time. As mentioned earlier, I'll be spending a month or so on Cedar Key, and just found out that I'll probably be travelling with our new RV the whole length even near Miami. What are your 5 top Florida fishing destinations, both saltwater and freshwater as I have pontoons and love fly fishin' for bass and panfish? And, what do you think would be the best producing fly pattern for redfish on Cedar Key in October? Thanks again for all your help and everyone else's too!

[Terry Dunford 0]

man,a lot of SW tyers out there.I tie a lot of Mustads,3407{?}.Also use for

Fl flies gamakatsu Mosquitos #4&2.IMO they are tops for EP flies.On my trip to Marathon last April orange was the thing.eg:Cravens redfish fly in

any combo of red,yellow& orange.Tied these on 1/0 Mustads.

All the other flies mentioned above will also do the trick.And work well in NC.Oh yeah,if you are not shy tie or buy spoon flies.Usually hard to keep

those finny things off the hook

 

Hey 60mikes, thanks for the info. If I were to get some of those Mosquito hooks, what size and what fly pattern(s) would you recommend that I tie for Fall/Winter Florida flats fishing, especially redfish and spotted sea trout near Cedar Key?