146 articles tagged with "Saltwater"
Caught near St. Simon Island, in South Georgia. This was my third trip looking for redfish, the prior 2 trips we didn’t so much a see a single fin, and the fish did not disappoint. Saltwater fly fishing is absurdly fun.
By Bruce Chard There's only one thing better than catching bonefish. Catching huge bonefish! It doesn't happen by accident, it's a cold-blooded calculation. Even if you have the perfect fly and can make the perfect presentation and even fight a perfect fight, you have to find that giant bonefish to have a shot.
No one grip is right for every casting situation. In general, there isn't enough said about grip in fly casting. I spent the first half of my life with a poor casting grip. I finally ran into a gentleman who helped me find a grip that worked for me but for years after that I never thought any more about it.
A good double haul is curtail wherever you're fishing. Never more than in salt water. A lot of anglers, however, find it mystifying. Here's Capt Joel Dickyto explain how you can have a great double haul.
By Louis Cahill What do you look for in a fishing partner? I get the opportunity to fish with anglers at all skill levels. Guys who are my mentors and are way better than I'll ever be, right down to guys who just picked up the rod. That's perfectly fine with me. I enjoy learning and teaching.
Found a little bream hole to bow and arrow cast too and my hopper dropper rig was attacked instantly 😂 Fought like a tarpon.I know, fish on the ground, I’m sorry. I couldn’t get them off otherwise…you may be able to imagine.
In this week’s “How to Tie” feature, Sam with House of Fly ties a tarpon toad variation created by the legendary angler and Olympic skier Andy Mill, the Millhouse Tarpon Toad.
Five destinations worth fishing for the Silver King.
Meredith McCord has caught just about everything you can hook on a fly rod. With 240 IGFA world records, three Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament wins, and a global reputation as one of saltwater fly fishing’s most accomplished anglers, McCord has spent years traveling the world to chase some incredible fish.
Our favorite tarpon reels, tested and reviewed.
A glimpse into the world of legendary Keys guide, Dustin Huff.
When fly-fishing means flying to fish, there are a few simple things that can make it a lot more enjoyable. Let’s face it, air travel is an ordeal these days. Even more so when it involves traveling with a bunch of fishing gear. I should know, I do it all the time.
Welcome back to Artist Spotlight, a Flylords original series where we dive into the artists that bring life to fly fishing off the water. In this installment, we sit down with renowned artist Paul Puckett. Paul’s work captures the moments and fleeting feelings we experience on the water through captivating paintings.
The issues Forward Facing Sonar presents to Everglades National Park and tarpon.
How Ted Juracsik changed tarpon fishing history.
Our Photographer Spotlight Series highlights the men and women behind the lens who capture the moments that define fly fishing—moments words simply can’t describe. In an effort to shed light on these talented individuals, we sit down to learn more about their story, passions, and journey into fly fishing.
How different states are protecting tarpon populations.
Caught a few nice rainbows and coastal cutthroat in the Willamette Valley
Fly fishing for tarpon means battling the sun, the wind, and the fish. Combine all three, and you’ve got a pursuit that can test even the most dedicated anglers. Fortunately, for us, advancements in modern gear can help minimize the strain of standing on a casting platform waiting for tarpon to show themselves.
How a tarpon made it on the most famous mural in the world.
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY. THERE ARE NO SMALL PERMS. Just perms, and big perms. Happy perms and happy clouds. If you can't catch perms, you can always drink.
Many of you have helped me out a ton on my last couple posts. Thank you all. Today I finally caught some trout. I got 3. 2 on a grub fly because I found a big grub under a rock (Id please idk what it’s called and I would love to buy more, and 1 on a tiny midge that a nice old man gave me under a pink egg.
By Louis Cahill The sun never rises. Not today, at least not here on the Deschutes River. The light is an eerie yellow-orange. The air is hot and dry, and the wind is howling. It’s unsettling. You’d expect it to feel like fog or overcast but it doesn’t. It’s almost the opposite.
Spent my birthday week with my wife camping In Yellowstone. Didn’t plan to go fishing, haven’t since we moved inland a year ago. But my wife convinced me to buy a rod and gear at the park when she caught me looking at the rods in the store.
Joel Dickey is one of the most dynamic casters I've ever seen. One of the hallmarks of his dominating casting style is truly awesome line speed. It enables him to shoot massive amounts of line and hit distant targets with accuracy, even in high wind. In this video he explains how you can build your line speed.
In the couple seasons since I've started fishing for trout here in Montana, I've been fortunate to catch tons of good native cutthroat and plenty of rainbows. I've never caught a brown. They aren't super common in the rivers I fish from what I understand, but people catch them, and I can travel to other places they are more prevalent.
I was asked the other day what was my favorite species of fish. That's a really tough question for me. Sort of a Sophie's choice question. After thinking about it for a long time I answered trout, for a host of reasons, but I quickly added, "and bone fish"! For some odd reason I then felt like I had to defend that answer.
THE PALOLO WORM HATCH IN THE FLORIDA KEYS TRULY MUST BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED. Tarpon go completely crazy when these bright red worms pour out of the sand by the millions. The fish gorge themselves on worms and quite a few of those worms are cleverly tied imitations. It's the fishing opportunity of a lifetime.
Florida Sportsman is known well for featuring articles on all types of fishing, ranging from fly fishing and other types of inshore angling to fishing done in deeper ocean waters. These articles inform the magazines readers on what types of fish are in season…
The swell bobbed our skiff in a consistent rhythm, and the only thing that kept me awake was the occasional larger wave that sprayed over the gunwales. We’d awoken early, downed either Diet Coke or Red Bull, and left the relative safety of the backcountry for the oceanside flats of the Florida Keys.
Got into fly fishing a few months back and just made my first major upgrade, got the lamson liquid combo. It’s absolutely fabulous, the line seems to be the main thing I’ve noticed. I caught 23 smallies on my second trip out with it! Absolutely loving this new hobby, unfortunately I did lose my entire fly box last week…..
Hook:Mustad streamer hook, size 2Thread:120D olive (substituted for tan)Tail:Rust-brown marabou with gold FlashabouRattle:Small glass rattle secured along the hook shankBody:Tan Laser Dub spun in a dubbing loop and wrapped to form the body, then palmered with root beer cactus chenille and aggress...
My first fly tying vise arrived last week and bought materials. I been reading Ted Leesons The Fly Tiers Benchside Referance bc I saw someone on Reddit recommend it. Took me time this morning to understand using whip finish tool and tried my best to follow Blue wing olive tie on YouTube.
World Oceans Day is held annually on June 8th, celebrating our oceans, their habitat, and the creatures that call them home. Whether you’re fishing your local salt marsh or traveling across the world to far-off flats, healthy oceans are critical to supporting saltwater fly fishing.
First time saltwater fly fishing.I did not catch a thing but it was an experience, I did not think it was this hard throwing with waves.I really need to learn better casting.
I’m going to be bumming around the western us for a month or so fly fishing and camping. I generally fish western NC so I have mostly 2-4 wt click pawl setups. I just bought this battenkill disc 3 and a 9’ 6wt rod hoping this can handle any larger trout I encounter. I bought a floating line and sink tip.
Read more about EP PB Black and Purple Tarpon Fly.
Recently got gifted a left handed Renzetti Traveler.
So yall once again have helped me immensely in making a decision with the renzetti traveler. Now I have a few more questions. I want to be able to tie saltwater flies around 6/0 and maybe up to like 12" deep sea trolling flies.
By Justin Pickett "With an explosion, the water suddenly gave way to expose the shimmering scales and black fins of a perfect Everglades Silver King." The weeks of preparation, tying, and fantasizing had come to an absolute end as I found myself sitting in the backseat of a pickup truck that was ...
A Note from @maketimeforfishing: “I was kayaking a small creek in Charleston when it got too shallow, so I ditched the kayak and started wading. Around the next bend, I found fish tailing, waking, and blowing up on bait everywhere.
Sub-title- It’s Time to Give Carp Their Due Some time back—I believe 15-20 years ago—anglers in Traverse City, Michigan, began calling carp “Golden Bones,” and things haven’t been the same since. Traverse City is a big city/small town set at the end of the twin arms of Grand Traverse Bay.
There's definitely some strategy involved in tarpon fishing. Migrating tarpon offer the fly angler a great opportunity for a close in counter with the silver king, but you have to play your cards right.
Couple nice coastal cutthroat for the opener. The airborne fish is a screenshot from video I got of it eating a mayfly before it even touches the water. Super cool. Only got 4 or 5 good fish to net, and quick released that many more. All in all, not a ton of fish but had a great time.
Looking at getting into fly tying as a hobby. I know that a good vise is necessary but what else would you consider "essential" right from the start. I intend to tie flys like mayfly, wooly bear caterpillars, maybe some coastal shrimp flys, or crayfish for catfish. Looking for something a little less space consuming vs woodworking.
Tied up a classic Red/white deceiver for an upcoming saltwater trip. What color should I tie next? Targeting tarpon, Jacks, and anything else that swims.
Did a DIY mission in Puerto Rico, managed to get this guy after about a day of watching them off the beaches.Already dialed in to get another one, this time at home in Florida...
I want to catch one of these big Florida grass carp on the fly so I bought some dog biscuit flies, but I wasn’t feeling good about trying to land a 15-40lb grass carp on those tiny ahh hooks. So I tried to tie one up on a sz 6 mustad tarpon streamer hook. I think it turned out alright. Just trimmed it up with my regular straight tying scissors.
Hi guys,I’m hoping to get some advice on alternative lures to the megabass range. The reason I want alternatives is solely price, they look incredible but are very expensive. No doubt they are worth the money but I just don’t have that kind of cashflow at the moment unfortunately.
IT'S HARD TO OVERSTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFIDENCE IN FLY FISHING. IT'S OFTEN THE SPECIAL SAUCE ON SUCCESS. I squint into the sun. My eyes burn from sweat and sun screen. I take a few deep breaths and puff them back out. I stretch my neck side to side, it pops and cracks.
All Pollock from different saltwater fjords from our road trip. Caught fish at all locations, started small but finally got into some bigger ones as the trip went on. 8wt echo blue boost with 8wt Rio fathom line full sink 7ips. 9ft tapered 20lb fluoro leader with 16lb tippet.
Hi there, my 16 year old daughter and I are new to fly fishing over the past several years… we will be headed south on 395 from Oregon to visit our family ranch near Lone Pine and the golden trout wilderness. My daughter would love to do some fly fishing in meadows, around big boulders, smaller creeks and pocket waters.
By Owen Plair What makes the winter fishing for redfish so special? There are not many fisheries that have a winter time season, due to migratory fish, cold temps, snow, and ice. One of the many great things about the Lowcountry is that it is a year round fishery for Redfish.
Hopedale, Louisiana6wt Scott Centric (fun fight)Fly - Convict Killer (purple and black, self tied)Guide - Gabe Lambouhttps://www.instagram.com/gabelambou?igsh=bnN6aGJnaWUxdWk4
We tested the best saltwater wading boots for saltwater fly fishing.
A Note from Nick (@sandbar_flies): “I wanted to tie a match the hatch style squid fly with wings that imitate a real squid. I named this fly the Love Machine because when put in front of a fish they can’t resist. This particular trip i was able to test it out on redfish from the […]
Lionfish may be the mother of all invasive species. Take a moment to think about this: a lionfish (native to the Indo-Pacific) has no natural predators in the Atlantic ocean. It can live up to fifteen years, reaching sexual maturity in less than a year. Once mature, a pair can spawn as often as every four days.
Hey everyone,Been debating getting into tying. Doing a lot of trout fishing recently and with it comes a lot of donations to the trees. But I do a ton of saltwater fly fishing as well. So I think the next evolution I fear will be getting into tying to learn more about rivers and when to throw what, especially for trout.
By Louis Cahill Concentration, Relaxation and Communication. I wish I could claim those words. I'm quoting Jose Sands, bonefish guide at Andros South Bonefish Lodge. That was his answer when I asked what he thought was the key to successful bonefishing. As usual, he nailed it. Plenty of anglers are frustrated or intimidated by bonefish.
Project Healing Waters (PHW) has teamed up with the family of legendary saltwater fly tier Bob Popovics for a memorial auction. The auction’s proceeds will benefit PHW’s mission of supporting veterans through fly fishing. The auction starts May 11 at 10am Eastern, and will close on May 16 at 10pm Eastern.
A Note from Alexander Gomez (@silverkinggomez): “That day we were fishing for resident tarpon. We happened to hit the mother load on a super calm day. Literally the perfect tarpon day multiple eats and landed a couple. I’m a third generation flyfishing guide.
I’m pretty new to fly fishing and just purchased these. I’m wondering if they’re as high quality as I was told. I fish off the beach primarily.
THE STASH IS BACK! Rob "The Stash" Smith is back to share one of his favorite redfish flies with us. The Rusty Enema is a proven producer anywhere redfish are found. It's a great attractor pattern that pushes a lot of water, which is like ringing the dinner bell for redfish in dirty water.
Hey yall, just got into tying, I now have a Renzetti saltwater traveler, a bunch of tools, resins, materials, and I need a good bag/case to organize it all for storage and travel! I did score that little bass pro bait binder which is great for the materials that come in smaller bags, but not so m...
"THIS IS THE KIND OF BONEFISHING THAT RUINS YOU. THE KIND OF FISHING THAT IMPAIRS YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS." The sky is a perfect robin's egg blue. Reflections of the morning sun dance on the underside on the mangroves giving the bright green leaves an unnatural glow.
The bow of the skiff rises and falls under my feet as my eyes scan the vast expanse of blue and green. We call this riding the bull. Balancing on a casting platform as the boat bobs and shifts in the surf. Out on the ocean side, that’s where you find migrating tarpon. These big fish push past in schools, often single file.
Florida Sportsman is known well for featuring articles on all types of fishing, ranging from fly fishing and other types of inshore angling to fishing done in deeper ocean waters. These articles inform the magazines readers on what types of fish are in season…
Max Pressure Photo by Louis Cahill MY GOOD FRIEND JOEL DICKEY WAS NOT RAISED BY WOLVES, BUT YOU MIGHT NOT BELIEVE IT IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN HIM ANGRY.
Is there a link between vinyl records and fly fishing? I'm prepared to make a completely unreasonable argument. Whether or not you agree with it, it might actually help you catch more fish. If not, it will absolutely make for a better music listening experience.
By Louis Cahill This easy fishing knot will help you catch more fish. I learned the Double Figure 8 Loop Knot when I started getting serious about tarpon fishing. It quickly became the go-to knot for all of my saltwater and streamer fishing. I even use it to attach nymphs from time to time.
- - -Fishing apparel mentioned: A tarpon-wear shirt Old bib-front overalls Bow ties and club blazers Jean shorts - - -It will come as no surprise to longtime readers of Thomas McGuane’s work that while I was spea…
We loved our trip to Belize last spring so much we are thinking about returning for Christmas.
Recently bought some Hareline small plastic rattles for fly tying, but haven’t seen much info on them or patterns that incorporate them. Wanted to see if anyone else ties with rattles and if they see success with them? Also would love any other general feedback.
Grew up fishing in Florida, so 90% of my tying has been big saltwater/bass bugs. Going to Montana this summer and had to start learning how to actually tie bugs. How am I doing? Any advice on how to improve or must have patterns? What do you wish someone told you when you started tying trout bugs?
Nice little resident cutty on my local water. Mostly small guys this time of year but managed a few 14”s. BWOs out in serious numbers with the odd caddis, but caught this one on a blowtorch variant. Gotta love the warmer weather.
It's your lucky day. You've somehow managed to get away from your busy work schedule and find time to spend a few days fly fishing for beautiful cutthroat trout out west. You've brought several trout to hand fishing a series of S-bends, and you feel like a hero.
The trout season here in Scotland has already begun.
https://youtu.be/UevFAKWBhek?si=kiDnPZ8JuI762 U9An older pattern nowadays, certainly underrated. Trout to tarpon eat these and everything in between. They're durable, easy to tie and 100% foul proof if tied right.
Made a dumb mistake replacing a 5wt trout setup with an 8wt and didn’t switch the reel out. Bought it cause I liked the but had the cork on it. Have a new 5wt coming so what reel should I buy
Landed this beauty on Exuma. 9’ 8wt with 9wt line and on an ugly little fly I tied before the trip. 4th bonefish I’ve ever caught and god damn do they put up an amazing fight. Exuma Point Beach around 5:30 for anyone on the island 🤘
Hi all!today is the first day of the fishing season in Nova Scotia and I was hoping to get some tips for a trout newbie.I usually fish Williams Lake (Herring Cove Area) and Grand Lake (Sambro Area) as well as their rivers and streams. I have been told by acquaintances that they hold trout but i have yet to catch one.
Last weekend went on a tarpon trip ended up with Redfish and snook started the trip out with Captin Taylor Schaeffer ran outside. We posted it up with his mourning bouy , but the water was too cold. Tarpon were acting weird. I was hoping to use the new one piece Hardy I picked up from Ole Florida Fly Shop but unfortunately nothing wanted to play.
This post is long overdue. This was the weekend of February 21. But just wanted to share some of the awesome photos we got and the fish we were able to jump. I was with the boys from the Ole Florida fly shop in Boca Raton, Florida. We got lucky because the wind knocked down, and it wasn’t awfully cold. We ate well, drank well.
A Note from Ross Curington (@rosscuringtonart): “I’m a big supporter of the Coastal Conservation Association. Their largest fundraising event is held in Bradenton, Florida, an area renowned for its tarpon fishery. Inspired by this event, I decided to carve a fish and donate it to be auctioned off in front of 1,300 anglers.
"Yamame" is a dwarf riverine form of cherry salmon/masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou). Almost all Yamame are males, and they participate in spawning with sea-run females.On Sakhalin, we call them "podkamenka" (literally "under the rocks"). They inhabit mountain rivers in large numbers and bite well on all types of lures.
Due to unfortunate events fishing on my lunch break today, I find myself in need of a new spinning rod. More often than not I fish BFS but today decide to try the spinning rig, and the top half of my rod went down the river. So now I’m shopping.
Tarpon rolled all around me, while a bull shark cruised off to my right. Further up the shore, a pair of dolphins slammed mullet into the bank. A half-hour before, a manatee floated close enough I could have reached out and touched it. This was about as far as I could get from my trout […]
Fish for your attention. Im considering an 8wt rod for steelhead and some ocean beach casting. Im thinking tfo nxt, tfo ntr3, cortland sl 444, two aventik 8wt sink lines and a cheap aventik reel for poverty level ocean beach casting.I am spending more on steelhead, but would like the option of some beach casting if i end up over there.
By Louis Cahill How do you connect your leader to fly line when the pressure is really on? This is sure to be a lively topic. I wasn’t aware this was such a hot button topic until I published an article by Devin Olsen titled, “Making The Connection,” and watched the comment section light up.
I'm going on a trip to Kauai, Hawaii at the end of April and looking to fish Anini beach and maybe another flat.I don't have experience fly fishing fishing saltwater, but I'm a fairly experienced in trout waters.
Read more about Finally got a shanty and a finder. We were fortunate enough to have some good ice this year. Out of all the fish I went after, I have to say that I liked fishing for lake trout the most.
Hit the Everglades for the first time and ended the day with a couple of these guys and a snook. The first one in the photo was a freaking rocket, it must have jumped 6ft in the air and almost landed in the boat twice. First tarpon I ever casted at was 80+ and I ripped the fly right out of his mouth.
Hi!I recently got a Maxcatch Gold 7wt floating line. Mostly for testing, but also for trying trout fishing in rivers/small lakes. I'm not rich, so splurging for a 4 or 5wt kit is not an option yet, considering how I 90% of the time fish in saltwaters. But the end goal is to buy a 5wt rod. My question is...
So I love bonefish I love all the saltwater flats fish but I live in Cali so I don’t think there’s any flats near me but lots of lakes whats the equivalent to flats in freshwater?
Tucker, named after the Tuckaseegee River in western North Carolina, floated many streams and kissed many fishes in his 12 years with me. He’s seen everything from tailing redfish in South Carolina, smallmouth in Ohio, tiger trout in Utah, brown trout in Montana, even the elusive bull trout in Oregon.
My 8wt unfortunately had it's tip amputated by my car window.Getting a replacement tip in 1 week, but in the mean time should I use my5wt Orvis Encounteror my really9wt Cabelas Fish Eagle PT?The steelhead I catch here usually are 18-25", but occasionally get bigger.
Woodworking has taught me a few things about fly fishing. Before Gink and Gasoline I was, for a time, very involved in the world of woodworking. I was fortunate to photograph and spend time working with some of the most talented folks in the field, many of them are still great friends.
I'm wanting to get into fly fishing, as I'm going to the Smoky Mountains by Cosby Creek in Tennessee. I'm just uncertain whether I should get a 4 or 5wt rod for trout and panfish.
SLACK IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. When fly fishing in saltwater, keeping the slack out of the system is job one. Slack can cause missed fish, long distance release and even refusals. A tight line is key at every stage of the process, but many anglers overlook the initial presentation.
Howdy yall. After a push from the might-as-well-be-brother-in-law (I need to pop the question), I got some gear using my pro discount from Far Bank.
By Chris Dore So we don’t have any Sea Trout here in New Zealand as many would know them, but we have some great sea run brown trout fishing. Our 'Sea Runners' are just your standard, wild brown trout simply exercising their efficient feeding patterns: they follow the food into and out of the salt as availability determines.
I was not expecting to catch anything close to this size as the fish i usually catch out of this creek max out at a foot length. Had a pretty intense fight with it since i was using ultra light and netting it was a whole other task.
I’m headed to the island of Eleuthera, Bahamas in about 2 weeks. I’m a novice fly fisherman. I’ve been working on my casting up at my cabin for a couple summers and would say I’m a C+ to B-. I’ll be staying right on the ocean, Atlantic side near Governors Harbour.
I want to go to baja to fly fish for marlin, tunas, dorados, roosterfish, etc.Where do you buy gear for thiskind of fishing? Cabela’s and bass pro rarely has any wt 11/12 rods. What is the right setup for rod, line, etc for this?
By Jason Tucker I could not have been more shocked to find myself in the Bahamas than if my spaceship had crashed there. The call came on Thursday. “Can you go to the Bahamas for a week?” “When?” “We leave Saturday.” I checked with my employer, girlfriend and bank account. For once in my life the answer was yes.
Roosterfish(pez gallo) in my opinion, are by far one the hardest fighting and elusive fish that can be pursued with a fly rod.
I was looking through old pictures from when I was guiding from a mothership in Oman. We would get schools of fish hanging out in our lights at night, and I figured out I could drift little flies to them in the tidal current.Pictured are a Lunar Fusilier, a black tip trevally, a striped fusilier, a flagtail, a wave Garrick/dart.
I’ll be in the Destin, FL area this June and would love the chance to target tarpon on the fly. So far, I’ve only found one charter that specifically offers tarpon fly fishing trips.
Planning a trip this spring/summer and trying to figure out the best bang for my buck.
We live in WNC and typically can’t fish to much this time of year. But the fishing down in Florida when we went down there for the holidays was great! Caught this one on a really small ep bait fish pattern. Looked like an Everglades special.
Weekend project. My best friend since childhood recently got into slow pitch jigging in saltwater. He asked if I could make him a sand eel imitating fly to replace the basic mylar teasers on his rig. Was excited to try because whatever fly I’d develop for myself should slay for his purposes.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) is leading the charge in terms of warm water flats fishing conservation. Since its inception, BTT has been at the forefront of conservation, new research, and habitat restoration, all to benefit tarpon, bonefish, and permit.
Florida Sportsman is known well for featuring articles on all types of fishing, ranging from fly fishing and other types of inshore angling to fishing done in deeper ocean waters. These articles inform the magazines readers on what types of fish are in season…
Just came back from La Paz BCS. Hired a guide in Ensenada de Muertos for some fishing. We trolled lures for a few hours then Capt said change of plan and we hit the beach inside the lighthouse. He threw live sardines to get them frenzied and I cast into the fray, tuck the rod under my arm and two hand retrieve fast.
Got my birthday present a little early. Headed out to the beach today. Make no mistake, I am as newbie as they come but I just couldn’t stay out of the water. 9ft rod, 9line, rio saltwater leader…just used the chartreuse fly today. Looked like a fool for the first 30 mins, but got to feeling it after that. Had one hit and miss but that feeling.
The three-model collection pays tribute to the legendary saltwater "Grand Slam"—the rare feat of landing a bonefish, permit, and tarpon in a single day.
Did you know you can catch trout and tarpon in the same trip, along with exotic jungle species? I didn't either, but Kevin Jackson [42:22] of Fly Fish Costa Rica shares...