Deepwater Black Death Tarpon Fly

[Mudskimmer 0]

So, I tried to dig up some fly patterns that may have been used years ago for tarpon in places like Casa Mar on the Rio Colorado in Costa Rica where there are deep swift and turbid waters. These jungle rivers have some similarities to where I fish except ofcourse we have no monkeys on the ES of VA. Plenty of other colorful fauna though! Found some whistler-like and seaducer-like patterns so I came up with the following. I lack the artistry of others that frequent this site but nothing ventured nothing gained. My primary goal was to get something dark, with some bulk, that could pulsate and push some water. Couldnt decide on what to use for the collar (hackle, maribou, or rabbit) so i used all three.

 

BTW, anyone know how the color red became so prominent in some of these patterns (especially red and black and red and white) since red is the first color to fade with increasing depth? Early on in my fish bio career we used red scuba tanks so fish wouldnt notice us!! Maybe its because after a few feet it looks black which every fish seems to like.

[Peterjay 0]

That's a great looking tie Skimmer, don't underestimate yourself. I've been thinking along similar lines - this ain't exactly the Florida keys when it comes to water clarity. I've wondered about the red also. There's no doubt that red and orange are effective though. I'm thinking about some big, dark baitfish streamers, maybe wig hair or something like that. Here it is February, and I'm already getting antsy. Saw a big flock of robins yesterday, so it won't be too long now. BTW - there used to be monkeys on the Shore, but the green heads were too much for them, so they all moved to Michigan. Most of them have family out there.

[Panama Red 0]

That is a sweet looking tie! Full up artistry from what I can see, ought to catch you plenty of fish.

 

As for monkeys, BEWARE!

[Woodinfliezz 0]

lol love the video Dave. i wonder if they can do the same thing for boats boat monkey when you find someone on your spot unleash the monkey! any ways back to the OP really nice fly man dig it.

[Mudskimmer 0]

Thanks Guys.

 

PJ, that rookie tarpon thread sure seemed to wake folks up around here, me included. Nice to get back to some tieing even if these offspring wont see the water for another 5 months.

[Peterjay 0]

Yeah, I figured these jokers needed an incentive to get them out of the end-of-winter doldrums. Nothing stirs up a little action around here like an opportunity to lie and cheat.

 

Re the video - hey Dave: I realize Ben is fair game, but there's no reason to involve his relatives in this. We've gotta draw the line somewhere. (although I'm not sure why exactly)

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Mud.. that's a great Costa Rica fly and it will work on deepwater tarpon here as well. Those big, bulky Costa Rica patterns (for Rio Colorado and similar places) were my starting point years and years ago (mid eighties) when I was asked to come up with a "big black tarpon fly" for a shop I was tying for. The guide who wanted the pattern was the shop owner -Capt Randy Towe and the shop was the old World Class Outfitters (long gone now...). In that era he was one of the top tournament guys. They never sold that pattern to anyone and I was asked to keep it secret. It was used when nothing else would work and it was always fished deep -across local channels or as far away as the Shark River (a fifty mile run from Islamorada). Randy would never even tell me how he was using it -that, I had to figure out on my own years later when I came back to guiding...

 

At any rate, one of the variations on that big, black fly is a big, red and black fly... Here's a pic or two -it's called the Tarpon Snake and it's still my go to fly for big tarpon in places like Whitewater Bay and nearby rivers out of Flamingo....

[Panama Red 0]

Capt B, when you say fished deep, is it fished on a full sink line?

 

Thanks…dave

[Mudskimmer 0]

Capt. Bob, thanks for the encouraging words. If I can ever convince the wife that the real magic kingdom lies well south of Orlando you will be getting a call from me. Everglades tarpon are No. 1 on my bucket list. Oh, I definitely have a few of those tarpon snake flies in the arsenal.

 

Red, Capt B can certainly speak for himself on the fly line issue. I have posted before on that topic and I am pretty sure he uses full intermediate lines. My problem where I fish is that the poon holes are 10 to 40 feet deep and by the time you count down an intermediate sink (1.5-2.5 ips) to get close to the bottom your line is straight out behind you due to the swift current. I am usually on anchor in these spots, cast across the tidal flow and basically slow strip as the fly swings through the hole. What has worked best for me so far is a faster sinking line (maybe 4-5 ips) (I currently have a density compensated wonderline). I am still trying to figure out the best approach. Hope we hear back from Bob on this.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Mud has it right. We use a full intermediate and count it down to where we need it. In some rivers that's nearly ten feet - in other places you might want the fly only two or three feet deep. Whether it's a 10 wt or all the way up to a 12wt or heavier all of my fly lines are rigged with a heavy butt section permanently attached to the fly line. Intermediates (like the old monocore or "slime line") all are tough to splice a butt section to (knots tend to slip under pressure). As a result all of them utilize two nail knots one half inch apart and that connection will outlast the fly line.... For a 10wt it's five feet of 50lb mono, for an 11 or 12 it's six feet of 60lb, etc. Each butt section ends in a surgeon's loop that will be used to attach leader with shock tippet.

 

In places with current we use several different tactics - the first is to anchor or stake out then cast across and up-current -then allow the line with fly to sink as it swings toward where the fish are holding. If you have it right the fly slows, then swings across right in front of fish holding on the bottom - very effective!

 

In places where the current is too strong or we're not able to work from an anchored position the cast is made as the boat drifts... and once again you're allowing everything to sink as you drift down toward your target area. With this technique you have longer to sink and can actually start stripping with the fly much deeper than you could from an anchored vessel -even though you're using a relatively slow sinking intermediate line.

 

For those that have never done any dredging you're going to be stripping as slowly as possible with long strips (at least two feet per strip - and I like a sharp twitch with the wrist at the end of every strip...). I tell my anglers that once they start stripping they have to keep it going and they should just ignore any bumps or taps entirely. That way if a big fish takes and keeps moving toward you (pretty common with big tarps) you'll actually be in a position to hook one when things come tight.

Mostly you never feel a strike - your fly just stops as though you hit a log... then the fun begins. Lastly you can't afford any "give" at all if you're going to properly stick a big fish. You want to have your rod tip pointed directly at your fly at all times and it's best if the tip of the rod is actually in the water a few inches while you're stripping..... Almost everyone will try to use the rod to strike a fish - even though I tell them not to... (we all do it...). If you can keep from striking with the rod until after the fish is actually hooked and on the reel your hookup ratio will be amazing. Many days we'll hook 8 out of 10 bites while dredging.... Notice I didn't say we'd be successful after that - but it sure is fun trying...

[Panama Red 0]

Thanks for the explanation guys. Took me a couple of times reading through it (We Californians are slow), to me, it's sounds a lot like nymph fishing back home. Which probably explains my never ending desire to trout set.

 

I picked up a 12wt this last summer and this will be my first attempt at tarpon fishing. Having watched them pass through the panhandle for many years I figured I'd gather as much information as possible and see what happens. At the very least I can get some go pro footage and go for the best comedy oscar…

 

You guys provided some great information, thanks…dave

[Saltybum 0]

Makes me want to tie one up like that for Cobia.