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Saltwater Flyfishing

528,886 Views | 3116 Replies | Last: 28 days ago by Dogdoc
Salt of the water
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I'm new to the game and no where good enough of a caster to notice a big difference. The only rod I've thrown in both 2 and 4 was a st croix imperial. It wasn't noticeable at all to me but I'm sure a better caster could detect subtle differences.

I've heard one peice poon rods are ideal because of the removal of the weak points. Once you get a ferrule on there to make it a two peice I think you've lost that advantage.

For a rod that'll see significant flying time, I'd go 4 peice. In my mind, it'd be easier to pack multiple 4 peice rods than one 2 peice. And in Belize, I'd really want to have an 8wt or 9wt in addition to the 11wt because the bones and tarpon aren't generally monsters.
Ayto Siks
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rgarza35 said:



I will be chasing tarpon...10K Islands in Florida...


rather be fishing
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My last fly trip to Idaho I took a 9ft 2-piece rod in a metal tube as a carry on. It wouldn't fit in the overhead storage so the attendants stored it up front during the flight. No issues going through security.

Don't limit yourself because of airport security.
RickSawyer
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Finn Maccumhail said:


My go-to tarpon stick is a 12wt Hardy ProAxis and I think Rick Sawyer throws a Hardy Zephyrus (replaced the ProAxis line) in 11wt. I would highly recommend looking at the Hardy sticks in the 11-12wt category.

This is correct. I really do like the Hardy Z for heavy lifting.
Finn Maccumhail
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RickSawyer said:

Finn Maccumhail said:


My go-to tarpon stick is a 12wt Hardy ProAxis and I think Rick Sawyer throws a Hardy Zephyrus (replaced the ProAxis line) in 11wt. I would highly recommend looking at the Hardy sticks in the 11-12wt category.

This is correct. I really do like the Hardy Z for heavy lifting.

Also, I have a Tibor Gulfstream on my 12wt ProAxis and have found it to be a fantastic tarpon rig.

And I have the ProAxis in 8wt with a Tibor Everglades and that's my primary 8wt rig.
rgarza35
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Rick, do you have the 4 piece or 1 piece Hardy Zephrus SWS 11wt.?
RickSawyer
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I have the 4 piece for ease of travel but fish my friend's 1 piece any chance I get. I like the 1 piece a lot.
elnaco
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1 pieces are great for multiple reasons but realize a 9 foot rod case is a sumbeech to transport. Mine doesn't fit in the cab or bed of my truck. If you have an SUV or don't mind transporting your rods in your boat, this is a non-issue.

I was at Bayou City Angler today and it looked like they still had several Sage Salts for half price. You may want to give them a shout and see if they still have an 11wt in stock or...

Sage Salt 11wt
rgarza35
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Naco, thanks for the info. I will call Bayou City Angler. I am in DFW.
elnaco
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Another edition of tips from el naco.

If you get a wild hair and decide to do a reverse blind splice in 20lb micron backing, don't! Bimini's work just fine and you'll save yourself a lot of frustration and eye strain.


PetrolAg
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Picked up a new rig yesterday. Pretty excited to get out on the water with it.

elnaco
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Congrats on the new setup!

I guess I'll take this opportunity to also show off my new Tibor swag that I picked up last week. Going to try and get it broken in this weekend with the homie Salt of the Water



Went with black backing for now but may change it to something that pops more down the line.

I'd also love to find out if I can get someone to go back over the lettering on the reel and name plate and do it in a gloss black. Murder it out incognegro style. Anyone know if that would require laser engraving it or just painting over it?
Salt of the water
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"Sometimes you rise and grind, spend all day casting and poling and casting and poling, and go home skunked, wondering why you do it...

And then... there's days like today, that remind you exactly why you do it." -elnaco
rather be fishing
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First paragraph = Aggie football
Ayto Siks
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Where's the rest of the trip report?
rather be fishing
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Found a TFO Professional 8wt that's never been used for $75. Anyone have thoughts on this rod that is several years old and no longer made? Would strictly be a backup rod.
elnaco
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Salt and I reunited the band and hit the marsh Saturday. With both of our bhotes out of comish, our gracious buddy lent us his gheenoe while he was out of town. I'll go against my normal wordy TR format and just add some commentary to the pics we took. If I do a full write up of this trip it'd reach Encyclopedia Britannica status so here's the brief synopsis of our epic trip filled with feisty cold water reds.

'Twas a crisp morning and the tide was falling as a light fog hung over the water.


Per usual, Salt polled first so I took to the bow. We worked our way into a back creek and immediately started seeing activity. Swirl on bank + lucky backcast = hooked up! But it was cold and in my excitement that morning I didn't stretch my line before stripping it off my reel so I got a nasty knot in my fly line that worked it's way up into my guides as the fish made a run (lesson here, stretch your lines folks). No worries, as old classmates at TAMU and former coworkers Salt and I are no strangers to teamwork under pressure. He grabs my fly line and starts hand lining the fish whilst I start undoing the knot with the cold stumps I call my fingers. by some miracle, we get it worked out and land the first fish of the morning, thus officially christening my new reel.



Beuno bye!



I then pry the push pole from Salt's hands and he hops on the bow. We work our way further into the creek and he sees a fish push off the bank and drops his fly right into its wheelhouse. I don't think he stripped the fly, just let the craft fur do it's thang and the fish obliged.



Huzzah!


I convinced Salt to stay on the bow since I think he was only on the bow for about 5 minutes before catching that fish. We eased up into an creek crossing where the current was moving pretty good and Salt laid a cast into one of the eddies. He was rewarded with a raton



Back on the bow, I hooked a really solid red right next to the boat. He was so close I had to trout set him and as he ran, I tried hitting him a couple more times to make sure the hook was set in there good, but I guess I did so a little too hard and broke my leader right above the tippet knot. I then proceeded to blow a strip set on a fish working along a grass bank that came up and sipped my fly near the surface, awesome eat though. The next fish we saw was up working in the grass up close. I tried my best Cajun plop but ended up making abad cast and the fish spooked out. Luckily though, he was aggressive and impervious to my screw ups so I was able to feed him as he was running away.



If you like the manthigh seen here, you're in luck there's more to come.


Salt hopped back on the bow and we decided to move back towards the front of the marsh to a bigger pond, figuring the fish would be moving out with the falling tide. Our guess was correct bc not long into out track, we see a school of around 10 fish pushing down a bank. After settling down from some buck fever and a slight miscue on my part that got Salt's fly wrapped around the push pole, Salt hooked up noting how much harder the fish fought in that big open pond vs the tight back creeks.



We farted around that lake, chasing schools and picking off singles along the way. At one point we ended up pulling the hook and losing like 3 fish in a row before realizing that the hook was beaked over. We caught fish though and had some awesome eats.

Fatty




Face full


Mas man thigh


Corner pocket and shameless plug for my Muy Wow Crustacean fly.


We ended up moving and as we were working our way out we came across some really picky reds working around some shell patches that wouldn't touch a shrimp fly. I'm guessing we could've probably tied on a crab fly and started hooking up but we were both satisfied and decided to just call it since we were on someone else's boat and dodging the shell became priority.

All in all it was an awesome day. Fish were caught, $100 conversations were had, laughs were aplenty and the beers flowed. I gotta mention that I've fished with Salt several times and for whatever reason, I've always had bad luck when it came to reds. Pulled hooks, picky fish, broken lines and blown shots have plagued me so it felt good to shake the monkey off my back on this trip even though at times it looked like that trend would continue. I credit us being on a neutral boat but mostly I credit it to my decision the night before to shave what I have dubbed "The Marshstache" that you see in the pics. Sometimes you just gotta shake things up and create your own luck.

Damnit, this post still ended up pretty long, but there were just so many noteworthy moments so suck it.
Ayto Siks
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Nice! I saw Salt's update on IG and wanted to get the full story. Looks like an incredible day. Bonus points for awesome pics, too. I'm tired of suspending fish vertically or laying 'em in the grass to snap photos.

Which leads me to...

Drove home from the Keys today and kept glancing in the canal looking for rollers. There was something about the sunset and calm water that made me feel the jr tarpon calling me.

I pulled over and scanned the calm surface for signs of disturbance. Finally saw a roller, then another one. Before I could assemble a rod, another roller slid right in front of me. Left my wife in the car, tied on a toad, and started walking to the widest section of roadside bliss.

Bombed as much line as possible and started a quick retrieve through the zone of juvis. Saw the chrome flash and boil, but didn't connect. Recast, and quickly had a whipper jumping and shaking his head with fury. Took a terrible shot of the fish laying next to my plastic fly reel:



Didn't take long to get another, so I switched things up and got a vertical shot of this really small tarpon:



I didn't plan on pulling over to fish, so I was wearing flip flops and shorts and didn't have bug spray. Bugs became a problem, so I had to leave the rest of the whippers alone. On the way out, I saw a wide bodied poon slowly roll half her back out of the water. Gonna have to go back for that one. And take a better pic.

Rather be fishing: I like TFOs, and regularly use a TFO pro series II 7wt. I have the cheapest gear on this thread, so ymmv.
Finn Maccumhail
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Excellent fishing. Weak staches.

I give this TR an 8.5/10. Would have been a 10 but for the staches. And you didn't mention anything about trains, or prison, or getting drunk.
rather be fishing
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Ayto Siks said:

Rather be fishing: I like TFOs, and regularly use a TFO pro series II 7wt. I have the cheapest gear on this thread, so ymmv.
I went and looked at my rod inventory and decided I didn't need to spend money on a rod that I would probably never use.
Salt of the water
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I ain't no Steve Goodman but I'll take a crack at it.

(cue melody)
Well, a friend of mine named elnaco wrote that report
And I told him it was damn near the perfect report
But Finn wrote him back a letter and told him it was NOT the perfect report because he hadn't said anything about barges, or skiffs, or gettin' drunk.
Well, I sat down and wrote another paragraph to that report. And I felt obliged to include it
on this thread. The last paragraph goes like this here:


Well, I was drunk the day my my skiff got outta the shop.
And I went to launch her in the intercoastal waterway.
But, before I could get to the lot in my pickup truck
She got runned over by a damned barge underway.

So I'll fish as long as the wife'll let me
And I never minded pushin' skiffs in the marsh.
No, you don't have to let me catch you, redfish,
You never even let me catch, I wonder why you don't let me catch,
Why don't you ever let me catch you redfish.
Salt of the water
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Ayto Siks said:

I have the cheapest gear on this thread, so ymmv.


You're probably catching more tarpon than the rest of us combined... I'd take that kind of mileage!
Finn Maccumhail
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Gold dude. Solid gold.
elnaco
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Finn Maccumhail said:

Excellent fishing. Weak staches.

I give this TR an 8.5/10. Would have been a 10 but for the staches. And you didn't mention anything about trains, or prison, or getting drunk.
Fair enough. I'll take an 8.5/10 for the TR bc of the Marshstache if said stache brings me 10/10 fishing luck.

As for Salts addition


elnaco
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Ayto Siks said:

I'm tired of suspending fish vertically or laying 'em in the grass to snap photos.
http://a.co/15qE0ZY

I use that when I'm fishing solo and either use the timer on my iphone or camera. May not be the best way to do it but it works. I haven't tried setting up the bluetooth remote to take pictures but you could also try that.

Awesome job on the juvis. I had to chuckle to myself when I thought the summary of your report is basically "I stopped on the side of the road and left my wife in the car to go chase poon in a ditch"
Finn Maccumhail
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If you're gonna grow a stache, go all-in...

elnaco
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I'm actually half asian so unfortunately it'd probably end up looking more like this

elnaco
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Well boys. Looks like I'm going to be putting my beloved La Chancla on the market. Looking to get $3K for the boat, motor, trailer, aluminum casting platform and push pole. She's near and dear to me and has more than surprised me with her capabilities. If you know anyone that may be interested please let me know.

RickSawyer
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elnaco said:

Well boys. Looks like I'm going to be putting my beloved La Chancla on the market. Looking to get $3K for the boat, motor, trailer, aluminum casting platform and push pole. She's near and dear to me and has more than surprised me with her capabilities. If you know anyone that may be interested please let me know.


What is the replacement???
Finn Maccumhail
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FYI y'all; this is the mustache of a real fly fisherman.

AggieArcher17
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https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2913501

Started a thread about my trip to Cancun this coming weekend. Anybody here ever done DIY down there? I can't afford to charter a boat but I'd love to mess with some fish in the surf or find some jetties to throw the buggy whip.
rather be fishing
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AggieArcher17 said:

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2913501

Started a thread about my trip to Cancun this coming weekend. Anybody here ever done DIY down there? I can't afford to charter a boat but I'd love to mess with some fish in the surf or find some jetties to throw the buggy whip.
Had some decent success throwing clousers in the surf when we were in Destin earlier this year. Wade out to a sand bar and cast and strip horizontally down the dropsoffs.
Salt of the water
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Looks like the Hyatt juts out on a beachhead. I'd fish those points North and South of the resort if they let you. Surf fishing is hit or miss so I'd focus on structure. It looks like the Southern end of the Hyatt beachhead has a jetty. The cove on the west side looks pretty sheltered and may be decent fishing.

I've heard they discourage you from fishing the tourist beaches while people are out sunning, but I had no issues going for an early morning walk with a rod in my hand.

I stayed in a hotel down at the South end of the hotel zone. Had some luck catching jacks on spoons (conventional gear) off the jetties by the club med while I was killing some time early one morning.

The pass near grand oasis plam looks promising and the beachfront looks decent there too if you're up for the walk.

They say that there's good action fishing the pass at punta nizuc. That's not really walkable for you, but maybe you could catch a bus down there.

The real advice though... Punta Allen. You're only a couple hours away. It's permit fishing mecca. If you can slip away for a full day, GO. It'd be a long day but you would not regret it. Boca paila if you can't get a guide.
elnaco
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Decision is pending but it'll be another microskiff, just trying to upgrade to something a little larger that'll fish 2 grown adults.
Finn Maccumhail
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elnaco said:

Decision is pending but it'll be another microskiff, just trying to upgrade to something a little larger that'll fish 2 grown adults.

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/2006-east-cape-gladesmen-fs-8-000.48794/

https://houston.craigslist.org/boa/d/poling-skiff-by-skinny-water/6374960882.html

https://houston.craigslist.org/boa/d/dolphin-renegade-poling-skiff/6367471118.html

https://galveston.craigslist.org/boa/d/boatflats-boat/6374525432.html

https://daytona.craigslist.org/boa/d/for-sale-or-tradeipb-skiff/6397853501.html

 
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