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beninfl

Backcountry Snook Flies

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Merry Christmas!

 

I'm in Florida (Sarasota) for the holidays and was wondering if anyone had recommendations for backcountry snook flies. Particularly, I'll be fishing the rivers of the area. I checked out an older post, which had lots of info on general patterns, but no specific info on the backcountry.

 

I'm particularly interested in colors and sizes, as well as patterns. Thanks!

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beninfl,

 

The water is a little cold right now, high 60's on the flats, so snook fishing is a little tough. We usually find them up on the edges of flats laying in the sun but they are hard to approach and even harder to get to eat. I use a 3" Puglisi type pinfish for them.

Now redfishing is a different story, here in Tampa Bay we have a lot of them on the flats on a good moving tide in real shallow water. Our redfish are famously spooky but they'll eat a pinfish, Kwan or a Borski slider. Again lining up good tides with good light is the key.

 

Enjoy Florida, Mel

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For back country snook, a good place to start is an all white polar fiber minnow. Also, chartreuse over white, or brown over white, closers and EP flies in various colors depending on water color. For dark water, purple and black or all black is a good choice, but I have always done well on all white flies no matter what the water color is. May be just personal preference I guess. For mangrove shores, bendbacks are great because you can sling them in there and not get hung up as often. I like green over yellow pinfish style flies with mallard flanks for cheeks. I also like them with Icelandic sheep hair for the wings. When in doubt, seaducer style flies with or without bead chain eyes always work well pretty much anywhere in the salt

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Take into consideration that Snook season is also closed at the time of your visit. Srickly catch and release; if you are fortunate to get one when the water is this cold. It cooled down quickly this year and as Capt. Mel stated they are extremely finicky.

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Capt. Bob LeMay is our resident back country snook expert. If you search his posts, I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for.

 

Sorry guys - I should have said Bob is "ONE of our resident" experts. Obviously, we have many. No slight intended - Capt. Bob was just the first name that popped into my head.

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Thanks Guys. I ended up having one of my best days of saltwater fishing yesterday, which included a backcountry slam!

 

I'm planning on doing some tying before my next trip down - for very dark tannic water, do you guys prefer black/purple over shades of brown?

 

@Peter what's Bob LeMay's username? I couldn't find it...

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His user name is Capt Bob LeMay. And PJ was spot on, the guy really knows his stuff. For dark water, black and purple is a favorite, but brown could work as well. Also, all black can be really effective. Try them all and see what works

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Merry Christmas!

 

I'm in Florida (Sarasota) for the holidays and was wondering if anyone had recommendations for backcountry snook flies. Particularly, I'll be fishing the rivers of the area. I checked out an older post, which had lots of info on general patterns, but no specific info on the backcountry.

 

I'm particularly interested in colors and sizes, as well as patterns. Thanks!

Not sure what rivers you're fishing in Sarasota as the intercoastal waterway was never described as such, but here's a few links for info : http://mangrovecoastflyfishers.com/ & http://www.fishermanscoast.com/ & http://chff.us/ anything like a schminnow with plastic &/or lead eyes on #1, 2 or 4's

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I have to agree, Polar Fiber minnow is the first thing that hits the water when Im snook fishing in Naples, FL. Its all back country by me too, but def. tidal based. Fish will eat those mangrove bait fish colored EP flies and polar minnows on that clear incoming tides. When its outgoing stained water I like using the dark colored fox fur clouser patterns in Brown or dark green. If you fish for any cruising snook along the beaches I have had killer luck with finger mullte patterns Brown on top White on the bottom. Good luck and fish those snook hard- it will pay off

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