Glad to see the fish are holding out there. I haven't had the boat in the water for a month!! Need some better weather to align with my schedule.
Saltwater Flyfishing
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Last: 25 days ago by TarponChaser
RickSawyer said:
Glad to see the fish are holding out there. I haven't had the boat in the water for a month!! Need some better weather to align with my schedule.
True statement. I got to fish some in mid-November but my boat hasn't seen water since late-October.
Anybody have any favorite flies for nearshore fishing in Texas? My box is very redfish oriented and I need to diversify before heading out the jetties this summer to chase jacks, kings, bonita, cobia, and maybe even the big silver mullet.
I have both front and stern mounted on two different boats.
I prefer the stern mount, but that boat is in Key West and is used in very specific ways....not holding an anchor point at the jetties. It is more of a super poling assist to catch up to Tarpon or permit especially if they get a little deep by crossing a channel.
The other one is set up on the front and gets pulled off for permit fishing and left on for tarpon. Just use a line lair hut or similar. It's just part of the deal and you get used to it. Definitely put it on the starboard side.
I prefer the stern mount, but that boat is in Key West and is used in very specific ways....not holding an anchor point at the jetties. It is more of a super poling assist to catch up to Tarpon or permit especially if they get a little deep by crossing a channel.
The other one is set up on the front and gets pulled off for permit fishing and left on for tarpon. Just use a line lair hut or similar. It's just part of the deal and you get used to it. Definitely put it on the starboard side.
Newoldarmy said:
I have both front and stern mounted on two different boats.
I prefer the stern mount, but that boat is in Key West and is used in very specific ways....not holding an anchor point at the jetties. It is more of a super poling assist to catch up to Tarpon or permit especially if they get a little deep by crossing a channel.
The other one is set up on the front and gets pulled off for permit fishing and left on for tarpon. Just use a line lair hut or similar. It's just part of the deal and you get used to it. Definitely put it on the starboard side.
Sounds like we need more of your posts on here regarding salt water fly fishing and the tarpon junkies thread.
And photos of your boat(s).
My nearshore fly fishing experience is pretty limited but from what I've experienced offshore fish, with maybe the exception of tarpon, aren't too picky. If it looks like a baitfish or big gulf shrimp they'll eat it. Surf candy, clousers, deceivers, VIP poppers, etc. all seem to get bit in the usual offshore colors like white, silver, green, yellow and blue. Ling can be a bit picky at times if they're not feeding, but it's not hard to work them up into a frenzy. The way I look at it is once you get into open water away from the obvious structure, it's like a desert so the fish are much more opportunistic and eat more readily.Salt of the water said:
Anybody have any favorite flies for nearshore fishing in Texas? My box is very redfish oriented and I need to diversify before heading out the jetties this summer to chase jacks, kings, bonita, cobia, and maybe even the big silver mullet.
For Ling I tied 2-0 to 3-0 Chartreuse Seaducers. The difference was I palmered chartreuse crosscut rabbit for the head and body...... killed them.
elnaco said:
I support a second mount on the stern. Always great to have options and it's not like weight is super critical for this boat. I too am a bit concerned about keeping the TM in the water on the bow so the stern mount may be a necessity sometimes. Idk how you'll plan on wiring that though. Will you run wiring to the stern as well that you can just put some caps on when not in use so all you have to move is the TM or move the batteries y todos every time you want relocate the TM?
Wasn't planning on running wires for the stern since I'm putting the batteries in the bow. Just thinking a second mounting plate away from all the bouncing could be handy. I'm thinking now that a hold down clamp to secure it better on the bow may be just as easy and cheaper.
Newoldarmy said:
I prefer the stern mount, but that boat is in Key West and is used in very specific ways....not holding an anchor point at the jetties. It is more of a super poling assist to catch up to Tarpon or permit especially if they get a little deep by crossing a channel.
I'm not fully locked in to bow mount because I haven't installed it yet but I'm really leaning that way because I'm already stern heavy on my boat. How does the stern mount track on your skiff? Do you use it for steerage at all or are you just using it for some extra speed and still steering with the push pole? What kind of skiff(s)?
I like chartreuse and the way rabbit breathes in the water. Sounds like a winner to me.
The stern mount is on a Chittum 12 degree and it tracks and steers fine. However, the anchor or hold function doesn't work and it struggles and corrects non stop with the transom mount. If you've fished Key West, you know those basins and beaches can get deep and it really works for that as your pole loses efficiency.Salt of the water said:elnaco said:
I support a second mount on the stern. Always great to have options and it's not like weight is super critical for this boat. I too am a bit concerned about keeping the TM in the water on the bow so the stern mount may be a necessity sometimes. Idk how you'll plan on wiring that though. Will you run wiring to the stern as well that you can just put some caps on when not in use so all you have to move is the TM or move the batteries y todos every time you want relocate the TM?
Wasn't planning on running wires for the stern since I'm putting the batteries in the bow. Just thinking a second mounting plate away from all the bouncing could be handy. I'm thinking now that a hold down clamp to secure it better on the bow may be just as easy and cheaper.Newoldarmy said:
I prefer the stern mount, but that boat is in Key West and is used in very specific ways....not holding an anchor point at the jetties. It is more of a super poling assist to catch up to Tarpon or permit especially if they get a little deep by crossing a channel.
I'm not fully locked in to bow mount because I haven't installed it yet but I'm really leaning that way because I'm already stern heavy on my boat. How does the stern mount track on your skiff? Do you use it for steerage at all or are you just using it for some extra speed and still steering with the push pole? What kind of skiff(s)?
Ryan Erickson runs and guides that boat March to August and he likes it a lot. I used it some last year and have not mastered it yet. I'm at that age right now where the tech sh't is starting to be harder for me and that Ulterra or whatever is a little tricky. Put it on the stern, and it takes some practice.
The bow mounted one is on an older Marquesa I had redone at HB. It's in Holbox and I like it up front just because it's like I'm used to. It's the same set up Brett Martina uses in Apalachicola with a tarpon cage/line bucket and a towel. It's just another thing you get accustomed to and work around. I just got that boat down there in November and we're going over Spring Break for permit so I'll report on that. Darwin Vega runs it and a panga.
I'd put it up front for the ease of use and anchor function. When you don't want it in the way, those pucks allow you to pop it off in a minute.
I've been accumulating quite a few flies thanks to flyshack.com but I was wondering how many flies or fly boxes y'all have?
PalomaPachanga said:
I've been accumulating quite a few flies thanks to flyshack.com but I was wondering how many flies or fly boxes y'all have?
Way too many. Once I got the vice, it snowballed.
Not unlike rods,reels,rifles and shotguns there is no finite number!
I probably have 500 on the boat at any time. Is that too many? It's an illness
NW80
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Elnaco,
Have you sold your skiff yet? If not, I got some cash burning a hole in my pocket....
Have you sold your skiff yet? If not, I got some cash burning a hole in my pocket....
NW80 said:
Not unlike rods,reels,rifles and shotguns there is no finite number!
The correct answer is always N+1 where N = the number of rods, reels, flies, rifles, shotguns, etc that you own at that moment in time.
I have not.Agwinner03 said:
Elnaco,
Have you sold your skiff yet? If not, I got some cash burning a hole in my pocket....
Well put!
I know the term "epic" is pretty tired out but I'm struggling to find anything else to describe the trip to Louisiana I just got back from.
First, I was supposed to head over there with a partner from work on 2/8 and we were going to fish the 9th and 10th. Well that got all buggered up because of weather. Every damn forecast we saw had 60-80% chance of rain, zero sun, and just generally miserable conditions for sight-casting both the 9th & 10th so we decided to cancel. I spoke with our guide, Scott Null, and the only days he had left were 2/14 and 2/15. Evidently some WAGs frown on their men fishing on Valentine's Day because nobody I talked to could go. Maybe it's just that Mrs. Finn wanted time without me around or whatever. But, it ended up being a helluva gift from her as I flew solo and got all the bow time.
Day 1 was solid, 3 nice reds and one monster big ugly to hand. Ordinarily that's enough to be considered a great day. Especially battling some relatively high winds and playing hide & seek with the sun.
Day 2 started off great with a huge red but suddenly the winds kicked up so did a line of rain. And both Scott and I left our rain jackets at the house because there was zero rain forecast. Fortunately it passed quickly and we dried out. But the best part was that after the storm passed the wind dropped to nothing, things slicked out, and the skies cleared so we made a run to a flat out in the middle of the bay.
The result is that the best way to describe the fishing yesterday was just plum stupid. Easily 30 reds to hand in the 10-15# range and several pushing 20. We stopped taking pictures after a while because there were so many fish. When the wind really slicked out I dropped down to throwing a 6wt after the first few fish. But we even caught a few on poppers. On a several occasions other reds in a pod would swirl around and chase a hooked fish trying to take the fly from him and we doubled up on the reds.
First, I was supposed to head over there with a partner from work on 2/8 and we were going to fish the 9th and 10th. Well that got all buggered up because of weather. Every damn forecast we saw had 60-80% chance of rain, zero sun, and just generally miserable conditions for sight-casting both the 9th & 10th so we decided to cancel. I spoke with our guide, Scott Null, and the only days he had left were 2/14 and 2/15. Evidently some WAGs frown on their men fishing on Valentine's Day because nobody I talked to could go. Maybe it's just that Mrs. Finn wanted time without me around or whatever. But, it ended up being a helluva gift from her as I flew solo and got all the bow time.
Day 1 was solid, 3 nice reds and one monster big ugly to hand. Ordinarily that's enough to be considered a great day. Especially battling some relatively high winds and playing hide & seek with the sun.
Day 2 started off great with a huge red but suddenly the winds kicked up so did a line of rain. And both Scott and I left our rain jackets at the house because there was zero rain forecast. Fortunately it passed quickly and we dried out. But the best part was that after the storm passed the wind dropped to nothing, things slicked out, and the skies cleared so we made a run to a flat out in the middle of the bay.
The result is that the best way to describe the fishing yesterday was just plum stupid. Easily 30 reds to hand in the 10-15# range and several pushing 20. We stopped taking pictures after a while because there were so many fish. When the wind really slicked out I dropped down to throwing a 6wt after the first few fish. But we even caught a few on poppers. On a several occasions other reds in a pod would swirl around and chase a hooked fish trying to take the fly from him and we doubled up on the reds.
Excellent work! Definitely making me regret bankrolling my brownie points for tarpon season.
Did you give it a Valentine's day kiss?
Finn Maccumhail said:
Did you give it a Valentine's day kiss?
Salt of the water said:
Excellent work! Definitely making me regret bankrolling my brownie points for tarpon season.Finn Maccumhail said:
Did you give it a Valentine's day kiss?
Umm, no.
That was a heavy sumbeech, notice I'm holding it away from my body to minimize the transfer of drum funk. And fortunately he didn't **** all over me when we landed him.
This thread was overdue for a trip report - excellent work!
Very nice "slim!"
Heading to Belize for a week. Some jungle fun followed by two days on a skiff (Ambergris Caye). Pics to come after trip!
Anybody have experience with Arroyo City Lodge in Rio Hondo and/or some guides down there?
The big lodge down there has changed hands a few times I think. Not sure who's running it now.
Ben Paschal is an Ag and I've heard great things from people who've fished with him. He's got a house set up for customers to rent according to his website.
http://lagunamadreoutfitters.com/fly-fishing-laguna-madre/
If you don't need lodging, a friend of mine, Roy Lopez just broke out on his own. He fishes an older hpxt but knows the area very well.
https://www.shallowateradventures.com
Grab a burger at Chili Willie's while you're down there.
Ben Paschal is an Ag and I've heard great things from people who've fished with him. He's got a house set up for customers to rent according to his website.
http://lagunamadreoutfitters.com/fly-fishing-laguna-madre/
If you don't need lodging, a friend of mine, Roy Lopez just broke out on his own. He fishes an older hpxt but knows the area very well.
https://www.shallowateradventures.com
Grab a burger at Chili Willie's while you're down there.
A mere shadow of your self!!!!
Thanks Salt!
Roy is one of the guides on the Arroyo City Fly Fishing website. We'll check him out.
Roy is one of the guides on the Arroyo City Fly Fishing website. We'll check him out.
Any of you fellas going to F3T tomorrow?
texican08 said:
Any of you fellas going to F3T tomorrow?
I was planning on going but I'm going to be coaching up a goat-rope of 6 & 7-year olds playing baseball. Bummed because I missed last year too.
I'm not going, not because it won't be fun, but more because I can't stand even moderately crowded events and prefer to wait for it to come available to download where I can watch in comfortably in solitude without a bunch of neck beard dorks breathing on me.texican08 said:
Any of you fellas going to F3T tomorrow?
No offense to neck beard fly fisherman.
RickSawyer said:I'm not going, not because it won't be fun, but more because I can't stand even moderately crowded events and prefer to wait for it to come available to download where I can watch in comfortably in solitude without a bunch of neck beard dorks breathing on me.texican08 said:
Any of you fellas going to F3T tomorrow?
No offense to neck beard fly fisherman.
<insert LOLcry>
The problem is that the ability to download or purchase the videos seems pretty hit & miss because not all of the stuff is for sale on the F3T website or elsewhere.
But I'm with you on the crowd and the neck-beards.
Had the pleasure of fishing with reddog90 Saturday morning. We were really lucky to get some light winds and clear water. Unfortunately, the sun must have been fighting a hangover because he didn't show up to the party.
The lack of light made for tough sight fishing. We contemplated working some deeper dingier water with better bait activity, but the lure of the clear shallow flats were too strong.
I think all told we positive ID'd 2 or 3 redfish and a sheepshead. Reddog made a nice cast at one of the reds, it turned on his fly, and then just disappeared. Poof! No boil, no wake, no mud puff. Houdini would have been proud.
Even though the fishing was rough, it was a good morning on the water with great company. Another lesson on learning to enjoy not catching fish - courtesy of fly fishing.
The lack of light made for tough sight fishing. We contemplated working some deeper dingier water with better bait activity, but the lure of the clear shallow flats were too strong.
I think all told we positive ID'd 2 or 3 redfish and a sheepshead. Reddog made a nice cast at one of the reds, it turned on his fly, and then just disappeared. Poof! No boil, no wake, no mud puff. Houdini would have been proud.
Even though the fishing was rough, it was a good morning on the water with great company. Another lesson on learning to enjoy not catching fish - courtesy of fly fishing.
Ahh I was wondering whose panga he was out on. Reddog is good company
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