Blue Water Fly Fishing Is A Challenge

I am often asked, why saltwater fly fishing in tropical waters is so exciting? "Imagine feeling the sun on your back, then as you peer into the azure blue water, you spot a good fish. Pulling of some line from the reel you then make one false cast before dropping the fly a few feet in front of your target. Two quick retrieves, suddenly you have a hook up. Its often dramatic with line being ripped off the reel at a fast rate of knots. Often you get a rooster tail coming off the line as it zip's through the water". Its one of those great times in a fly fishers life.

During the past few weeks I have had several E-mail's seeking advice on the tackle needed when fishing tropical waters. "When I say you need fly lines designed for the tropics. Its because nothing else will work. I then get the odd reply saying. "I can't afford to buy a tropics line, so I will make do with my present tackle" Let me say now. If your hard pushed for cash, then don't think about going saltwater fly fishing in the tropics. Its a costly business especially if you plan to go afloat.

Don't think the tackle you use for catching stocked trout on stillwaters in the UK is good enough for tropical saltwater fly fishing. It isn't. This is a specialised branch of angling where you need the best. Though you can fish from the shoreline using lighter tackle for the smaller fish, you still need that specialist line in tropical conditions. In this short article I can only deal briefly with many of the things that go to make up bluewater fly fishing. If you have any specific questions please E-mail me [email protected]

When I first started to fish tropical waters very few anglers were doing so. The icon of my early days was Joe Brooks an American who through his writing got us all excited and encouraged us to give it ago. His book Saltwater Fly Fishing published in 1950 by Putnam which I still have on my bookshelf was probably the first book on the subject. He also gave us a lot of information. Today there are many great anglers who have pushed the boundaries of saltwater fly fishing. Randall Kaufmann, If its bonefish you seek Then his book simply titled 'Bonefishing' is the book for you. Anglers will say to one another in fifty years time "Have you read Randall Kaufmanns Bonefishing book". Its a must book for your bookshelf.

Billy Pate, Trey Combs, his book 'Bluewater Fly Fishing' is a book you should read, then we have Nick Curcion Chico Fernandez and Lefty Kreh just a few of the people who I owe a debt of gratitude for their unstinting help and advice. I have all Lefty's books including Lefty's little library. I suggest if your new to this branch of the sport or you are interested in trying the sport, then get hold of Lefty's book 'Fly Fishing In Saltwater' A must have book is 'Fly Patterns' of the Umpqua Feather Merchants By Randall Kaufmann. This book will help you understand saltwater flies a bit better and if you tie you own flies, it will give you the instructions needed to make the correct patterns. In freshwater fishing we match the hatch, in saltwater we match the bait fish.

Saltwater fly fishing can take place from the shoreline, rocky bays, headlands, jetty's, piers and the flats. You can of course go offshore for what I call Bluewater fly fishing for the ultimate challenge, trying to catch tuna,, wahoo, marlin, sailfish and dorado.I rate the latter fish one of the greatest fish in the ocean for the fly fisher. Sadly its rated as a great eating fish and far to many are being caught by nets and long liners. Governments must realise these fish are worth far more to the economy in tourism than dead in the fish market. I ask you all to use barbless hooks and return your fish alive to the ocean. In the 1970's and 80's the fishing was incredible for dorado in the Sea of Cortez Mexico. Sadly everything caught was killed. Today there is a three fish limit and the panga captains practise catch and release. Offshore boat fishing is tough on tackle and the angler. Boats and skippers have to be the best. Its not for the faint hearted. I have been offshore in the Pacific Ocean in fifteen foot waves. It can be scary at times. Hook a fifty pound yellow fin tuna on a 14-16 weight rod and your likely to have a scrap for perhaps three hours. In this sport you make sure you work out in the gym for a few weeks prior to a trip.

Fly lines come in different weights and sink rates

Getting started, Let's look at lines which I consider as important as the rod and reel. As previously stated. If your fishing tropical waters you need lines designed for that purpose. Don't try to use your cold water lines, they want work. Today we have some excellent lines appearing on the market, which have improved greatly over the past ten years with changes in tapers, finishes and core construction. I have used several makes both in cold water and the tropics. Scientific Anglers, Cortland, Rio, Teeny and Wulff Triangle Taper. Much of my fishing on the flats is done with the latter lines.

A useful line to have in your armoury is the Rio versi tip, they are designed for both cold water and the tropics. Its an interchangable-tip line which comes with four interchangeable sinking tips. Teeny lines come in grain weights, T300 this is suitable for rod weights 7, 8 and 9, T400 for 8, 9 and 10 while the T500 is ideal for rods. from 10 - 12 weights. These lines cast well and get a lot of use from me when boat fishing. I wouldn't want to be without them. If you plan to fish the New England States for stripers, blues and albacore I suggest you have a T400 line. If I am on a trip that might last several days, perhaps weeks. I will carry many lines from floating to very fast sink designed to match the rods in use. Its not uncommon for me to have a dozen boxed fly lines with me. Why spend money on flights, hotels, boats etc. and skimp on the tackle it doesn't make sense.

For flats fishing I always carry a couple of floating lines, then should I get cut off on the coral all is not lost. When I purchase a new fly line, I break the plastic spool in half, put a dab of super glue on the two half's, before fitting them together again. They want come apart when you next spool the line. Not my tip, it comes from Trey Combs. For flats and inshore fishing with single digit line weight rods I will have 200 yards of 20lb Dacron backing on my reels, for offshore work I will have between 300 and 500 yards of 30lb Dacron backing.

Its most important to clean your lines

All lines should be cleaned immediately on your return from a fishing trip, from many years of guiding this job is usually neglected by most anglers. In saltwater its most important you wash and polish your lines. The first thing I do when I return from a day's fishing, is wash the used lines in warm soapy water, then rinse them off in clean cold water. Having dried the line or lines I then give them a polish with one of the propriety line cleaning products from your tackle shop. I then wash and dry my rods and reels. This should be your first job when arriving home or back at the fishing lodge or hotel. Don't leave it until the next day, you will regret it. Don't do what some have done, dip your gear into the ocean thinking its been cleaned. Never use a hose pipe to wash down your rods and reels. All you do is force grit, salt, algae etc into the reel parts and reel fittings. Don't forget to wash and dry your flies, during the day they will be soaked in saltwater, get chewed up and covered in slime. I use a hair drier to put the finishing touch to my flies which leaves them looking like new.

Rods and Reels - I buy the best.

All my saltwater fly rods are Thomas and Thomas Horizon and Helix models in 4 pieces. In my book they are the best rods on the market, they haven't ever let me down. Even the reel fitting is made by Thomas and Thomas engineers. All the rods are made in their Greenfield Massachusetts factory by a dedicated staff who want, and do make, the best rods available on the market today. All rod tying's are done correctly ensuring the guides want break loose. From one of today's top rod designers to the receptionist everyone is working to ensure you have a top quality product when you purchase a Thomas and Thomas fly rod with its lifetime guarantee. Remember if you buy a cheap product your more likely to be purchasing trouble. Imagine being twenty miles offshore your fighting a big fish, then your reel works loose through an inferior reel fitting. Suddenly the fish is lost. I have often seen it happen. I repeat don't skimp on tackle buy the best.

I carry a selection of reels

Having just one reel doesn't work, you need a few to get the best from the sport. I have various models. Tibor Everglades, Riptide, Gulfstreams and Pacific. An Abel Super 8 limited edition model, also a Super 14. For much of my bonefishing, I use my handmade Richard Carter reel, which he personally made for my 60th birthday. My 2 Aaron reels made in California have been well and truly tested offshore with sharks to 150lbs plus on the fly.

My Loop large arbour reels, have worked well for bluefish, stripers and albacore. My two Ross Canyon models haven't yet been tested, my Gilmore reels have proved excellent. They are probably used more than any other reel these days for inshore work and offshore work. All my reels when not in use are kept in a glass fronted cabinet. I also make sure they are regularly serviced by the manufacturer. Top quality saltwater fly reels are crafted by quality engineers from the best materials available. When I am away on a trip all the reels are kept in neoprene bags, this also applies when the reels are on the rods waiting to be used. They cost a lot of money, and as such need looking after.

Some very useful bits of equipment

There are certain bits of equipment I wouldn't want to be without. A good pair of pliers are essential, there are several models to choose from I use the Able pliers, machined from high tensile strength aluminium, these are a hard working tool designed for rigging leaders. They will cut 60 pound wire and 6lb leaders. Should the jaws get damaged these can be replaced quite easily. I purchased mine complete with leather case and lanyard. A hook sharpener is a must I have a file and a wet stone. Both do the job of keeping my hooks needle sharp. A good pair of nippers and a tie-fast tool are useful items. The latter certainly helps in making leaders.
I would never want to go afloat without a good peak cap, also a top class pair of polarised glasses. In my case I have several pairs with my prescription lens in various lens colours. The best I have used are Optilabs. Don't forget some good sunscreen. I also carry a Nikon digital SLR camera with several lenses and filters. When your bluewater fishing you often get the chance to shoot some good photographs of trophy fish and the action. A good source for quality equipment is Kaufmann Streamborn e-mail [email protected]. Who offer an excellent service. There are 2 spare places for a ten day trip with me to Moxey's bonefish lodge in the Bahamas in late February and again in April of 2006. Any reader interested please E-mail [email protected]