PLEASE NOTE: In order to post on the Board you need to have registered. To register please email paul@sexyloops.com including your real name and username. Registration takes less than 24hrs, unless Paul is fishing deep in the jungle!

Florida Fly Fishing Trip

Moderators: Sudesh Pursad, Morsie

Tommy
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:57 am
Answers: 0
Location: Northern Michigan

Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#1

Post by Tommy »

I'll be in Florida the second week of October and I plan to do some saltwater fishing. Most of my experience fly fishing is with trout and salmon with 1 day spent fishing for Redfish in Mosquito Lagoon. I think I will be headed to the keys this trip but I would be open to fishing pretty much anywhere in the state. I would appreciate tips for any of the experienced saltwater anglers about preparation for the trip and any specifics about Florida. I am bringing out my 8wt and 10wt rods on the lawn to get used to casting them and I am practicing the quick cast, but any tips besides those would be appreciated. I will document the preparation and fishing and post it here for anyone new to saltwater fly fishing interested in a similar trip.
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#2

Post by Paul Arden »

Are you going with a guide, Tommy? I spent about a month there many years ago. Was lucky to fish with three or four excellent guides on my trip, which certainly makes a difference. I had a solid introduction to Tarpon with Gordy Hill and Tom White in particular. I also fished using a sit-on-top kayak on my own, which was less successful!

If you are wading on your own, I would think it would be quite hit and miss. Just finding yourself on the right flat at the right time is the first challenge. That sort of knowledge can take a long time to accumulate (and of course is in a large part what fishing is about!). I have to say though, wading a SW flat in the middle of nowhere, is one of the most enjoyable ways of fishing. I’ve had great times doing just this in Australia.

What I’ve always looked for is channels and gullies. When the water floods it often follows depressions and often fish come in using these routes. Trying to figure out currents I think is one key to being successful in the Salt (and also to an extent in Stillwaters too).

Fly section is easy. I fish a white & green Clouser in various sizes, a Crab pattern, or a Popper. I’m told a Deceiver can be handy as well :)

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Lou Bruno
Posts: 425
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 12:16 pm
Answers: 0

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#3

Post by Lou Bruno »

Tommy

I live on the gulf side of Florida, so there's a slight difference.
FYI, a fishing friend just returned from mosquito lagoon. Told me there was a noticeable change in turtle grass degradation.
Be prepared to fish in the wind. Use only floating line. Keep your leaders simple, one section or two. If your not fishing for IGFA records. Get a guide for at least one day. Keep flies to a minimum, vary the colors. Learn to fish different tides and different structure.
Fish the 3P's...points, pockets, and passes. Downsize your hook size, consider thinner hook wire gauge. Use a stripping basket or line tamer of some sort. keep your line clean and lubricated.
Check your leader often for abrasions. Remember etiquette. Wear foot protection when wading. Have an extra reel or rod handy in case. Learn how much pressure you can apply with various drag settings... IMPORTANT. Learn to keep the rod lower, and fight fish from a lower horizontal position. Learn the strip hook set.
Bring lots of water, keep hydrated. Bug protection, sun protection.
Learn to either watch the fly or fly line, depending on conditions. It's hard at times to actually see your fly. Bring good pliers, hat, sunglasses. Oh, watch for sharks when wading, a good slap of the rod on the water usually gets them turning.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck.
Lou
George C
Posts: 342
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:30 am
Answers: 0

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#4

Post by George C »

If this is a do it yourself trip then you would be well served to seek out a copy of “Do it yourself bonefishing” by Rod Hamilton. It has a 20 page chapter on the Florida keys. A search on the microskiff website would also be helpful. I’ve not fished there but I believe weed guards are often necessary.
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#5

Post by Paul Arden »

Some great advice there! I think I need to include the thumbs up ability on this Board. I’ll have a look into that this week. 👍
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Tommy
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:57 am
Answers: 0
Location: Northern Michigan

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#6

Post by Tommy »

Thanks for the advice everyone. I do have a guide for most of the days I'm down there but I will be DIY a few days. I ordered the book and will read it before I go. I did do some fishing in the Puget Sound looking for similar structure but I always felt like I only managed to catch fish because of the hours I put in. In the Sound tides are very important and were something I never quite figured out. I am not sure if they matter so much in Southern Florida. On the fly selection front today I went to the three fly shops in the area and none of them had any saltwater hooks other than circle hooks in stock so I ordered some Gamakatsu SL12S online. I didn't really see any saltwater hooks that specifically mention being light wire but those looked the thinnest.
George C
Posts: 342
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:30 am
Answers: 0

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#7

Post by George C »

The Gamis are fine but expensive and eventually rust. TMC 811s are stainless and good. Mustard 34007 are inexpensive, stainless, and have been then standard for decades. You need to sharpen them, however.

Tides are crucial while flats fishing, which makes the diy learning curve steep, particularly when you lack the mobility of a boat.

Chico Fernandez’s book “Fly-Fishing for Bonefish” , Dick Brown’s book by the same name (but without the hyphen), and Randall Kaufmann’s somewhat older “Bonefishing with a Fly” are all packed with excellent information. Fernandez’s is the most current. All these books also have short sections on other flats species. If you are interested in Tarpon or Permit there are other better sources.
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#8

Post by Paul Arden »

Tides vary and I think that’s where the local knowledge comes in. Some places fish best on the flood, others best on the out. But that alone isn’t enough. Because big tides can create too much water movement or result in water too deep for certain flats to fish well – but can be perfect for other areas which only fish when there is a lot of water pushing through. I’ve also fished low water places that are only accessible when the tide is way out! And I’ve been caught on flats that have seen me swimming :D

And then other places fish best when the tide is dropping in the days following a full moon, for example in Darwin, when approaching full moon, each tide gets progressively higher and so the water leaving the mangroves is dirty. After the full moon the high tide is lesser each day and the water runs out clean, until eventually there is little moment and no fish. However when I was in Exmouth for six weeks, my favourite flat of the trip fished best on the run up to Full Moon – but not the last days when the water was too deep to see the fish tail!

The problem is of course often the only way to know for sure is to be there, and if the fish are not there on that tide, then while it’s an interesting piece to the puzzle, it’s probably not the piece you wanted to learn on a short trip!

I would think that tides are the most significant factor in SWFF.

Anyway you’ve got a guide so that will solve that particular problem and I’m sure he’ll help with some advice on where to try solo. :cool: You’re going to have a blast I’m sure!!

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Mangrove Cuckoo
Posts: 1038
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:51 am
Answers: 0

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#9

Post by Mangrove Cuckoo »

Tommy

Be sure to investigate *current* environmental conditions and recent fishing reports on the areas you are considering in Florida. There are some problems, especially in nearshore waters like the Mosquito Lagoon, that have drastically altered the fishing quality.
With appreciation and apologies to Ray Charles…

“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
Tommy
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:57 am
Answers: 0
Location: Northern Michigan

Re: Florida Fly Fishing Trip

#10

Post by Tommy »

I will be fishing in the Keys and I have checked with some guides and conditions should be pretty good. I did get the DIY bone fishing book delivered and it was helpful(it mentions which tides to fish and where you can access). I have some spots from the book that I will try. I have flies tied up based on the recommendations above and info from guides. All that’s left is the actual fishing which I will do over the next week and a half.
Post Reply

Return to “Saltwater”