Fly Fishing - Tips

jeremy · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:38 am Post subject: Tips - Saltwater Fly Fishing

I just thought it would be cool to do a post on general tips for fly fishing in saltwater ... whether you are a hard core saltwater fly fisherman or only been a couple times .. share some tips that you have learned that might help others .. there is no wrong/right ... only tips .. I'll start

1. sinking line is deadly in many instances .. don't forget just cuz it's sinking line doesn't mean you have to fish it on the bottom .. i think of it like this .. you can fish a sinking line deep or higher in the water column by slowing down or speeding up your stripping .. a floating line .. well, it ONLY floats ..

2. always have white deceivers on hand

3. you don't need tappered leader and tippet for salt .. for many species, straight fluorocarbon will do just fine

4. stripers - always have black clousers on hand .. (and sinking line) .. i have found the floating line with a clouser gives a hinge effect .. where as sinking line with a clouser gives a more even and natural presentation ..

5. throw away the modular sink tips that you add to floating line .. no good ... either floating, intermediate or sinking .. i like to have 1 reel with 3 spools ...

6. check into featherwing patterns for fishing stripers off the ledges

7. stripping basket - a must -- even if i go on someones boat i bring it .. cuz then i am totally self sufficient ..

8. double handed strip = good for fast fish like tuna

9. learn to strip set (can be a hard habit to break if your a trout/salmon/steelhead fisherman)

10. learn to cast far ... distance does matter in the salt water .. a few more feet can and often does make all the difference in the world. .. oh ya, far without any false casting ... water load and shoot the line .. false casting is ... many times inefficient and labor intensive and ironically doesn't produce the desired effect ... hauling and shooting the line is key.

again -- these are just tips that others might find useful, some might find offensive Very Happy

and others just totally disagree with .. it's all good .. just tips .. take them for what they are worth (nothing) ... look forward to hearing some other tips that everyone has picked up along the way .. so i can add them to my knowledge bank. thanks.

ChrisR · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:54 am Post subject:

I'll add a couple being a newb to the salt game.

1) Make sure you have water in your striping basket.

2) Learn the double haul. I watched an instructional vid on youtube to get the basics. But I highly recommend watching archived flies and fins salt vids to see how it looks while actually fishing. Then practice it in your backyard or where ever. Instructional vids will make it seem like it is as simple as following their exact steps. It's not. Certain rods want to be cast certain ways. And to me they have varied rod to rod. Also try different methods that feel better to you. As with everything you have to mold the cast to your style.

3) Have lots of gel spun backing.

Piscineidiot · Newbie Joined: Feb 01, 2007 Posts: 8

1) Learn to be patient: It's easy to see fish a LONG way away in saltwater. Wait for the opportune shot.

2) Don't try too hard to cast the bigger/heavier flies with high density lines. It ends in pain and frustration.

3) It's OK to palm the reel. Give them EVERYTHING so long as they're well hooked on a fair sized hook.

4) Keep the rod low and loaded. No real need to protect a tippet (bonefish might be an exception...)

5) Generally, slightly larger flies might be called for. Won't need to drop any further than a No. 4 most of the time (at least here in tropical Australia, anyway...)

6) Vary your retrieves. I know nothing about trout fishing, but in the salt, sometimes it pays to speed up, slow down, or sharpen your retrieve. Regardless of the species.

7) STRIP STRIKE

I'm still learning at this point since I'm fairly new to the business, but I can offer that much thus far...