Anna Marie - Flats

[Hexagenia 0]

Travelling to Anna Marie Island end of March.  My kids are finally old enough that they don't want to hang with me.  I fly fish a lot in Northern Michigan.  I need some advice on accessible spots for a hard core, but new to salt, fly fisherman.  Reds and snook would be great.   I saw where I can rent a kayak sp happy to go that route as well, but would like to use it for transportation and then fish wading.

[Bimini15 0]

Do not know the area in detail, but I know that you can fly fish right off the beach and that I would not go without these...

[skeet3t 0]

Ye olde woolly bugger! Used one similar to catch a nice brown trout a few years ago. And where is Anna Marie island? New to me?

[mikemac1 0]

For someone new to the flats of the central Florida Gulf Coast, my recommendation would be to tote the kayak north to De Soto County Park on the Pinellas peninsula.  There’s some decent kayak access south of Anna Marie but nothing to compare with the wading opportunities at Fort De Soto.   Late March is a great time, especially for trout and snook which will be returning to the coast from their winter haunts.  PM me for more details.  Fish down there 3 or 4 times every year.

 

[Bimini15 0]

52 minutes ago, skeet3t said:

Ye olde woolly bugger!

Simpler than that. Sub chenille and hackle with estaz. The mighty schminnow.

[skeet3t 0]

Found AMI on Google Earth Pro.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Here's my version of Norm's Crystal Schminnow.... In the Everglades we use them a lot in size #4 (but will go down to #6 or up to #2 on occasion...) for baby tarpon and times when fish are feeding on glass minnows (bay anchovies).  We also change up the eyes from beadchain to lead or for a suspending version - mono eyes..

For beach fishing you can probably do without the weedguard (it's essential in mangrove jungle country...).

 

For additional info on the gulf coast fly scene go to Microskiff.com then to their fly fishing board and post your questions there.  Bunch of folks on that site work the beaches from Tampa south.  Right now they're getting a bit of red tide.... which can stop fishing along the coast cold when it's happening.  Go to myfwc.com for info about red tides and learn about the weekly report they generate (I'm on their mailing list and get it automatically... 

 

Hope this helps

[skeet3t 0]

Minnow, schminnow. Nice fly. Could easily be used for freshwater, too.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Oh yeah... In fact, along the Tamiami Trail (US 41 from Naples across to Miami) in winter the water is almost entirely fresh as it drains out of the sawgrass areas to the north.  The small canals that are only a few feet from the roadway on the north and south sides of the Trail are loaded with fish - bass, cichlids and other exotics on the north side along with snook, baby tarpon ,and others on the south side.... with a fair amount of intermingling at the small bridges that allow north to south water flow... Be very careful to park safely and be careful of your backcast since none of the fly tackle made will survive a snagged fly - on a passing car or truck at 70mph... 

Little flies like the Schminnow and others rule... A freshwater Muddler (or it's saltwater equivalent the Maribou Muddler) as well as small poppers and others are always good choices along the Trail...   Here's two patterns that I can recommend that will work in both worlds.. 

my own SpeedBug, with a soft foam Perfect Popper head on a Mustad #1 hook

my own Blacklight Special in size #2 (Mustad 34007), maribou tail over pearl Flashabou, body is palmered and clipped Dan Bailey's Body fur..

 

"Be a hero... take a kid fishing"