From the Saltwater Bench

[fshng2 0]

This one is a full six inches and yes it did use a bunch of material.

Nice flies Saltybum, Fisherboy, and Ditz2.

Hook is Owner 3/0 Aki.

Fly @ 6 1/2 inch, will post SBS when I can.

[Saltybum 0]

Neat looking fly. Looking for ward to the SBS

[agn54 0]

Really like that fly, would love an SBS too

[Saltybum 0]

Snook season opens in 11 hours. Decide to tie some naturals after looking back at some of the nice deer hair things. 3/0 VMC.

I know there's more guys out there tying...come on, show us your work!

 

[JaxFlyTyer 0]

Nice looking flies, guys. I haven't been around these parts in quite a while but I've knocked the dust off the vise. I got revitalized getting ready for a trip to Idaho's mountain lakes and got busy on the saltwater flies when I got back to Florida.

 

Here's an effective flats pattern that's proven on flood tides.

 

 

[mikechell 0]

Jax ... good looking fly. What am I looking at for the weed guard? Is that tied on after the fly is finished?

[JaxFlyTyer 0]

Thanks. Yeah, I always put the guard on last and then whip finish. I'm working on a SBS if you're interested. Just have to go through the pics to make sure I like 'em.

 

ETA: Added a new SBS.

[agn54 0]

Here's a deceiver style with a fish skull. I've had lots of luck on these types for all sorts of species. The last clump is tied hallow style to give a better profile. Sorry for the crappy picture

[Mikec1231 0]

Hi All,

New to this forum today. Just moved to Florida (Ormond Beach) from Oregon. Have been a Steelhead, Salmon and trout guy for years. Now I am going to try my hand at salt tomorrow. I went down to the surf today and although blowing hard, the mullet are in and there were reds and some other fish jumping all over! Hopefully less wind tomorrow and that some of my Steelhead patterns will work. Many are very similar to what you all are posting here. Thanks for your sharing.

[FlaFly 0]

Welcome to Florida Mike. Florida is right on the line between the tropics and the temperate zone, and as a result has a huge variety of marine fish species, many of them really, really good eating. Conversely our freshwater habitats are limited mostly to LM Bass, bluegills & other breams, and black crappie. There's small pickerels if you don't want to eat your catch.

 

Many coastal counties have active fly fishing clubs, and lots of kayak fishing clubs to boot. And the best part is that you can fish most of the year 'round (if it isn't raining). :-)

 

Have fun!

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Hey FlaFly! I moved up here to ga after years of pickerel bring a trash fish, everyone here loves em! They are a delicacy, I found out that they are bony, but if you cut them right the grease dizzolves the bones! Tasty fish.

[FlaFly 0]

that's what I've heard too. Most higher (perciform) fish just have bones radiating either up or down from the spine. Pickerels and their kin also have lateral "floating" bones, so if one fillets them the fillets contain all those little bones. Or at least that's what I was told. I've tried most fish at least once, usually successfully (sail cats are great, but the other marine catfish we call "hardhead" are really gross). Pickerels in Fla are small and overlooked by anglers. Who can blame them when there's crappies to go for.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Small? I've caught them nearly 2 ft long! But up here I've yet to see one over 10in. Although the world record came from S. Ga.

[mikechell 0]

Chain Pickerel ... which live here in Florida, but are a bit more scarce than the other two species ... can get over 30 inches.

Grass Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel are both runts in the pickerel family. Neither of them get much larger than 12 inches or so.

 

The "bony" aspect of the pickerel fillet is actually just one row of "y" bones on each side. I've been told they make the lateral line much more sensitive.

There are several videos for cleaning pike and pickerel online.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

I beg to differ Mike. Chain pickerel are MUCH more common than grass or Redfin, at least in the ST John's river system, and Oclawaha river system! In my whole time in Fl I never caught one of the two smaller species, only saw a few, but caught more Chain Pickerel than you can imagine! I never caught a grass or Redfin til I moved up here to Ga and the little creeks are full of them in the spring. More chains on the rivers though.