Trip to the Keys

[Chefben4 0]

Hello Everyone!

 

Hoping for some guidance here... I will be heading down to the keys for my very first saltwater fly fishing trip in the beginning of Feb. I am an avid fly tyer and will tie just about anything. I do lots of reading so I have a few saltwater flies in recent months. However, most of the flies I have tied are for Permit and Bonefish which (if I am understanding correctly) aren't really around in numbers that time of year.

 

Two questions..

 

Can someone point me in the direction of a guide you have expierince with? I have contacted a few about trips but am curious if anyone has expierience with any. (If it helps, I am staying in Islamorada)

 

Second question is about flys. Any tips on what to tie? I have a small selection of bonefish and permit flys as I mentioned (gotchas, crazy charlies, a few merkins..) From what I read Trout, Reds, Jacks, Barracuda, and Shark will be plentyfull.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks! Ben (Chefben4)

 

thanks!

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Ben, you ought to send a PM to the forum member, Capt Bob LeMay. Also, maybe Tailin Jax would have a suggestion, I think he fishes down there from time to time.

I would say to hold off on the fly making until you talk to your guide. Guides often have favorite flies to fish with, often variations of known patterns, usually for reasons of adapting to specific local conditions.

 

Kirk

[Tailn'Jax 0]

Check out Paul Fisicaro's website, he's a guide out of Marathon. He's pretty much a fly fishing guide, he would be my suggestion. His business is called Strip Strike Charters.

http://www.stripstrikecharters.com/

He has lots of good fly patterns on there that not only work in the Keys but all over. I use several of them in my area. He's a great guy, book a trip with him and he will help you with whatever you need or want to do down there. He has permit on fly locked down.....good luck!

 

Small baitfish and shrimp patterns will catch all kinds of fish down there, from pinfish to sharks. There's lots of places to fish from the road, if it looks good, stop and fish it. There are usually some good mangrove snappers around most mangroves, docks and bridges that are more than willing to attack a fly. Long Key State park is a nice area to get out and wade/kayak fish. There's bones, jacks, sharks, and assorted other fish available here. Further south is an area I have not explored much, but there is some really nice looking water just north of Key West in the Saddle Bunch Keys and around Big Pine. Bones, Permit, and Tarpon are best done with a guide though. These guys make their money knowing where and how to catch these fish, and you'll be happy you went with a pro chasing them, they are by no means easy fish to catch, even with a knowledgable guide.

[Chefben4 0]

Check out Paul Fisicaro's website, he's a guide out of Marathon. He's pretty much a fly fishing guide, he would be my suggestion. His business is called Strip Strike Charters.

http://www.stripstrikecharters.com/

He has lots of good fly patterns on there that not only work in the Keys but all over. I use several of them in my area. He's a great guy, book a trip with him and he will help you with whatever you need or want to do down there. He has permit on fly locked down.....good luck!

 

Small baitfish and shrimp patterns will catch all kinds of fish down there, from pinfish to sharks. There's lots of places to fish from the road, if it looks good, stop and fish it. There are usually some good mangrove snappers around most mangroves, docks and bridges that are more than willing to attack a fly. Long Key State park is a nice area to get out and wade/kayak fish. There's bones, jacks, sharks, and assorted other fish available here. Further south is an area I have not explored much, but there is some really nice looking water just north of Key West in the Saddle Bunch Keys and around Big Pine. Bones, Permit, and Tarpon are best done with a guide though. These guys make their money knowing where and how to catch these fish, and you'll be happy you went with a pro chasing them, they are by no means easy fish to catch, even with a knowledgable guide.

 

Thanks for the response Tailn'! I have had his page bookmarked already because of his fly patterns! I just followed up with a guide that Capt. Bob LeMay reccommended and if that doesn't pan out Ill give Paul a call.

 

I have tied quite a few shrimp patterns that will hopefully work for something!

 

Ben (Chefben4)

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Tough to recommend flies for a trip anywhere since you just can't predict the conditions and actual situation you'll find when you go. There are a few patterns though that are almost universal and will catch fish in a wide variety of places, situations, etc. Here'a few pics of bugs I'd always bring for anywhere.... Not surprisingly the shop I tie for orders these (and a few others) over and over again...

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

 

Bonefish clouser- #4, Whitewater clouser- 2/0, Speedbug popper- #1, Seaducer- #2, Silhouette- 2/0 (Owner Aki hook), Crystal Schminnow- #2

 

The Whitewater clouser, Speedbug, and Silhouette are my own original work (the Whitewater, of course is just a variant of Bob Clouser's famous pattern.

[Chefben4 0]

Capt Bob!

 

I attempted to make poppers like yours. They came out pretty good!

 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

those will work... You'll want to move the hackle portion as close to the popper head as possible and keep the tail feathers short as well since that will make them bug less likely to foul (feathers that wrap around the hook after a cast or two are a pain). When you're fishing these kind of bugs, make a point of keeping the tip of your rod actually in the water and pointing directly at the popper as you strip the bug in very short (no more than six to ten inches each time) strips. The idea is to keep if talking softly (it should just 'blip, blip along' with each short strip).... With poppers used like that usually you can count on the first pass from a fish to miss the bug... if you keep it talking and moving at a very modest speed the second hit won't miss at all.... Strip strikes with bugs work very well - trying to hook a fish with a rod strike doesn't....

[Chefben4 0]

Ok! I have some more at home ready to be tied up. I will move everything forward a bit! Do you coat your poppers with epoxy? Or leave them as is?

[tidewaterfly 0]

Chefben, one suggestion on the poppers, and Capt Bob may also have some input on this. Looks like you're only using a single pair of hackles for the tail. When I tie poppers of any type with a hackle tail, I like to have at least 3 pairs. This is done for two reasons, 1) they tend to slim down a lot when wet, and 3 pairs has a better profile & 2) if some of the feathers get torn off, the fly is still usually fishable. With a single pair, once you lose one side, they're usually not very effective & they may even spin when casting.

 

Also, when I pair hackle, if I find any that have a more pronounced curvature, or a stouter stem, I like to place them on the inside. This helps keep them splayed out, and they're less likely to foul.

 

It looks like Capt. Bob is using wide neck hackle on his poppers, something I also use a lot of, (strung) neck hackle. If you're using a saddle, (not strung)the spade shaped hackles at the base also make excellent popper tails, particularly when you want them short as Capt Bob has suggested.

[Chefben4 0]

Being somewhat of a beginner working with feathers and understanding the use of each type has been difficult. I for sure can see what you mean with the tail. I only used 1 pair as you mentioned so I will go with more. I was using strung saddle hackle which sounds like it wasn't the best choice for this fly! When I buy hackle for tails such as these I should be looking for neck hackle from what it sounds like?

 

Always appreciate the tips. Helps me become a better tyer thats for sure.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Tide is right on the money.... I forget at times that what I take for granted may not be very apparent in a photo... so here's a quick recipe... The first step is to wind on a single layer of thread, slightly smaller than the area of the slot on the popper head, you then work the slot onto the hook and with a Krazy Glue tube, lay a small bead of super glue on the slot so that it enters the slot and is soaked into the thread, then position the hook, and squeeze the slot closed and hold for 15 to 20 seconds until it sets up. This is how this pattern got the name "Speed Bug"... With the head glued on you're ready to tie the tail...

 

 

Hook, #1 Mustad 34007

 

Head, Wapsi Perfect Popper in soft foam, pre-shaped, cupped and slotted

 

Tail, Six neck hackles with the curve outward, three on a side, between 1.25 and 1.5 inches long, feathers married then paired three on

a side with tips even, then cut as a single unit and tied in place without stripping any fibers away from the feather shafts (this

will keep them in place when tying....).

 

Flash, A single long strand of pearl Flashabou, doubled and re-doubled with ends staggered then folded around the tying bobbin and slid

into place on top of the hook then pulled between the tail feathers.

 

Collar, A single wide, webby saddle hackle is palmered into place using as much of the "fluff" as possible to give a "maribou" effect.

 

Thread, Danville's flat waxed in color of choice, cemented in place with just a trace of super glue (no other finish at all)...

 

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

[Chefben4 0]

Thanks for the recipe! I tried just going from your photo so that will help for sure. Back to the vise I go!

 

I know Ive already asked you alot.. but do you mind giving me a quick recipe for your whitewater clouser? Looks like bead chain eyes, white/chartruese buck tail, pearl flashabou maybe?, and not sure what the red portion is. Hopefully im close!!

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

This is very much a "guide's fly" since it's very quick to tie and meant to get torn up very quickly.. Here's the recipe

 

Hook: Mustad 34007, 2/0, barb flattened, hook sharpened

 

Eyes: Largest bead chain - in hardware store ask for "plumber's chain" - it's also the size usually used for opening and closing

large vertical blinds

 

Thread: Two different threads are used in this bug, the first is Danville's flat waxed, fl. fire orange, started where the eye will go

then wound smoothly to the rear for at least 1/2" then back forward to the starting point, then tie the eyes in place (a full

eye width back from the hook eye... When done lay a slight bead of super glue along the thread and let it dry. The next

thread will be used to tie in wing and form head, it's also Danville's flat waxed, fl. green.

 

Weedguard: Number five trolling wire bent into a hairpin end, tied in on the hook shank before tying in the wing.... (see attached

pic of weedguards readied for use. After the weedguard is tied in place you'll complete the fly with the weedguard

sticking straight out toward your bobbin hand (and you'll probably need a bandaid or two until you learn to deal with it)

 

Wing: Bleached white bucktail under fl. green or fl. chartreuse, roughly twice the hook length

 

 

 

Flash: three strands of pearl Flashabou, doubled, then re-doubled with ends staggered then folded over the barrel of the bobbin and

slid into place after the white bucktail, but before the Fl green....

 

Head: Built up thread, super glued... when dry the wire weedguard is bent into position, trimmed just short of the barb on the hook

then has a final small bend to finish it.

 

note: as this bug gets chewed up the fish eat it even quicker until there's hardly any wing left at all...

 

Here's a pic of weedguards ready to tie in as just one more component during the tying process...