How Many Flies?

[FlatsRoamer 0]

This July I will be traveling to the Cayman Islands and doing some diy fly fishing for bonefish and 3-20lb tarpon in the canals. For 10 days , how many flies should I be taking and any recommendation for a fly is welcome, thank u!

[Fish For Life 0]

As many as you can carry... dont want to get there and realize you have the wrong fly, color, or size. Better safe than sorry. Im in the same situation right know, preparing for a trip out east to Ontario this summer where ill be fishing fishing for bass. Trying to cover as many situations as i can, so many different flys in different sizes and different colors.

[utyer 0]

Better too many than too few. Crazy Charlies, Gotchas, and variations for bones. Clousers and other bait fish patterns for the tarpon. Tarpon in canals will hit surface flies like a Gurgler, that's what works for me. Take at least twice what you think you need. I wouldn't go with less than 60 or so. You can't fish with flies you don't take.

 

Here are some of mine.

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Awesome flies ! Do the 4th and 5th flies make noise or do they slide under?

[zip 0]

Can never go wrong with some shrimp and crab patterns as well!

[utyer 0]

The fourth and fifth are sub surface flies, the only floater is the last one, but on a steady retrieve, it is a diver, and it wiggles when stripped. Then it floats up to the surface. Salt water fish for the most part feed on three things, shrimp, crabs and other fish. Imitations of those items will be the basis if any good salt water fly box.

[mikechell 0]

Is this a trip ONLY for fishing? Or are you traveling with family and will need to hang with the parents at least SOME of the time?

 

The reason I ask ... I did a trip to Hawaii for work a couple of Summer's ago. I expected to fish every day after work, but alas, I only got a couple of days each week and one weekend (Wife came for the second weekend and we went sight seeing). So, figure you'll lose at least one fly each hour (if the fish are hitting, more than 1 an hour), figure how many hours you'll actually get to fish while you're there, then take that many of each fly you think you'll use plus 5 to 10 on the safe side.

 

OR ... pack your tying gear and the materials for the flies you're taking. Only take about 10 of each fly, and if one of them is the main fish catching fly, you can tie as many of those as you need in the hotel each evening.

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Yes EVENTUALLY I will be forced to be with my family, but i would say 75% of the time I will be on the flats or biking to a canal for tarpon.

[Dave G. 0]

When I fish away from home I do a modified thing of the second part Mike mentioned. I bring the tying case but I only tie, at most, half dozen of what I think I need before I leave. And if I'm really unsure of what they might be on then maybe even only two of each. Then I tie as go on the trip. Generally mid trip things change up too, so I don't tie a million flies in advance. I still have flies in my case that I over did the quantity on before a trip, probably 15 years ago now ! I suppose I should strip those hooks and tie something useful on them one of these days.