Top Four Saltwater Fishing Flies for Permit

 Most saltwater fly fishing guides will agree that the best saltwater flies for catching Permit are Crab Flies, Clouser’s minnows and Shrimp patterns.  I will also discuss a fly pattern that is not often mentioned but that I have great success with, the Lefty’s Deceiver.

First lets discuss crab patterns. There are many different types of crab patterns from crabs tied with yarn, feathers, feathers and yarn, and my favorite, crabs made with foam. Probably the best known crab pattern is the Merkin Crab. This crab is tied with a yarn body, feathers on the end, rubber legs, and dumbbell eyes. Because of the weighted eyes, this crab can be worked a little faster that many of the other crabs. The Merkin Crab is so well know among Permit fisherman that there are even permit tournaments named after it.  My favorite crabs are the ones made with a coated foam body, and either foam or rubber legs and claws. If you can find foam crabs make sure the colors are correct and there is enough flash in the body coating to give plenty of reflection and flash in the sunlight. Because the foam crabs are not weighted, you can either work them very slowly or you can add a split shot from five to twelve inches from the crab.  The shot will allow to strip your line to pull the crab under the water and then stop allowing the crab to float back to the surface. Great technique and you should give it a try.

The next saltwater flies are the Clouser’s Minnows. It seems that a lot of people do not have the patients to work their flies slowly. If you do not have the patience to work a fly slowly that the Clouser’s would be a good choice for you. Because of the dumbbell eyes the Clouser’s Minnow can be stripped fairly fast, but be careful not to strip too fast. I would suggest chartreuse and white, yellow and white, orange and white and orange and yellow. There have been many nice permit have been taken on the Clouser’s Minnow saltwater fishing flies.

The imitation shrimp fly patterns are flies that can also be very productive when Permit Fishing. Again there are many different ways of tying shrimp lies. I prefer the ones that are tied with the head of the shrimp at the back of the shrimp so that when you strip the fly it swims backwards like shrimp do. Also I look for a shrimp fly that has some type of coating on the back that will give the appearance of shell.  Always select lighter colors from light brown to white to even a light olive color.

My personal favorite permit flies are the Lefty’s Deceivers saltwater flies. The Lefty’s in many ways resembles the Clouser’s minnow with a few differences. The mail difference is that the Lefty’s is that it does not have the weighted eyes meaning that you can work this fly much slower than the Clouser’s. My colors of choice would be chartreuse and white, Yellow and white, green and white and orange and white.

Tight lines,

 Brian

SALTWATER FLY FISHING with SMALL CRABS

All species of saltwater fish that inhabit the sounds, bays and shallow flats will feed on small soft shell and small blue crabs.

My first time fly fishing when I was around seven years old with my uncle in the mountains of Virginia. When I was twenty three a friend took on my first saltwater fly fishing trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. That particular trip, like my first fly fishing trip with my uncle was one of my most memorable fly fishing trips ever. Partly because it was my first time fly fishing saltwater but mostly because the weather was great and the fish were everywhere. Now at sixty years old I cannot even count the number of times or all the places in the world I have been saltwater fly fishing and I always take an assortment of crab fly fishing flies with me. I am also blessed at my age to be in excellent health and very fit.

All species of soft shell crabs are born in the backwaters of sounds, bays and flats.. Migratory species and spawning species of saltwater fish often will either spawn in or enter the back bays, sounds or the calm water between a reef and the beach to feed. Some of these species include Redfish, Tarpon, Bluefish, Drum, False Albacore, Stripers, and more. As fish often do when caught, they will regurgitate whatever they have eaten recently. The first large Tarpon (91 lbs) I ever caught on a fly rod was in the Tampa Bay and it threw up one minnow and several crabs.

There are several species of saltwater fish that spend most if not all of their lives in the bays, sounds, flats and the protected areas between a reef and the shore. The most notable of these are the Bonefish, Snook and the Permit. A large portion of the Permits diet consists of small crabs and Bonefish will always feed on small crabs. I have also caught Pompano in the Florida Keys and in Belize that regurgitated crabs. In the southern waters of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Mexico the spotted sea trout are year round inhabitants that also often feed on small crabs.

 

There are many variations of saltwater fly fishing crabs available. Some are made of yarn, feathers, and coated foam. I personally think the coated foam crabs look more realistic and have found them to be most productive.

I do hope you find this information useful.  Please remember to check the local regulations on species, size or slot limits and bag limits when you go saltwater fly fishing.

Tight lines and clear water,

Brian

Saltwater Flies for Bass Fishing and Bass Flies for Saltwater Fishing

Saltwater Flies for Bass Fishing and Bass Flies for Saltwater Fishing

In my forty plus years of fly fishing I have discovered that some of my saltwater fishing flies work well in fresh water and that some of my bass fishing flies work well in saltwater.

I have caught trout, bass and pan fish on what are traditionally considered saltwater fishing flies. I now use several different saltwater fly patterns to catch freshwater fish. The Clouser’s minnow and Lefty’s deceiver minnows are a great choice when fishing for bass and in the smaller sizes large pan fish. I believe that both of these flies simulate small minnows that are prevalent in all environments where we fish. It is the color choice that is most important, and that choice will be dictated by the clarity of the water and the color of the natural minnows that exist where you are fishing. One of my favorite saltwater fishing flies for large pan fish is the bonefish special tied in a little smaller size. I have also caught large crappie bass using Crazy Charlie flies in yellow and chartreuse colors, and try red, yellow or pink Crazy Charlie flies for large pan fish. In cloudy water on a sunny day try a kryatal Flash Charlie for pan fish and a Kryatal flash for bass and crappie.

You can also catch saltwater species of fish with what are considered to be bass fishing flies. In a previous article I chronicle a trip to the N.C. coast when the fishing was unbelievable and I exhausted all of my saltwater fishing flies. I resorted to bass flies and continued to catch fish. I have caught saltwater trout, bluefish, tarpon, redfish and more with flies that are supposed to be for bass fishing. For tarpon, stripers, snook and bluefish try Rabbit Strip Divers, Mega Divers, Zonker and Bass Buggers. If you are after sea trout or redfish you might want to try Woolly Buggers in either a chartreuse or olive color. Again, I think color is very important and I recommend you try chartreuse, yellow or olive colors for redfish and trout. For stripers, and bluefish and tarpon just about any bright color with flash will work.

When fly fishing in saltwater and freshwater I suggest you take a large variety of both saltwater fishing flies and bass fishing flies with you and do not be afraid to experiment. You might be surprised.

Tight lines and clear water,

Brian

   

Large Flies for Large Trout

Large Flies for Large Trout

Are you get tired of catching average trout when fly fishing? Do you want to catch that trophy rainbow trout or brown trout? Then you need to try fishing with large fly fishing flies. You will not catch as many trout but you might just catch that trophy rainbow trout or brown trout that you dream of.

For trout to grow to a large size, they learn to sit in calmer water and take larger food. A large trout can actually expend more energy attempting to feed on small trout dry flies and nymph flies then it will gain. Large trout have learned to be great opportunists. By sitting in the deeper holes and slower water they expend very little energy and can much more easily take a larger meal.

Several years ago a friend and I went to Montana fly fishing. After a few days of great fly fishing on the Beaverhead and Big Hole rivers,  Terry asked out guide to tie some large crayfish flies. The next day I was catching several nice twelve to eighteen inch trout while Terry was catching nothing. About the time I was thinking his idea was not so great he hooked a very large trout. After about a thirty minute struggle with the large fish, he landed a brown trout that measured twenty seven inches and weighed over five pounds. Our guide who had been guiding for over twenty years on the Montana Rivers said it was the largest trout he had ever seen caught. The trout was caught on the large crayfish that were close to four inches long.

From that day on I have often used larger flies with some great results.  When I go trout fishing now I always carry several large crayfish flies, woolly buggers, woolly worms, and hand tied imitations of frogs, tadpoles and even small mouse flies. Large size wet flies will also take larger trout. I tie several of these myself but you can find many of these by shopping for bass fishing flies.

Also try large trout flies when you are fly fishing on ponds and lakes for trout. I am not sure why, but trout in ponds and lakes are accustom to feeding on larger prey.   

Please catch and release,

Brian

Fly Fishing for Trout with Black Ant and Black Gnat Flies

Fly Fishing for Trout with Black Ant and Black Gnat Flies

A recent Fish and Wildlife study found that over 95% of rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout caught during the summer month had black ants or black gnats in their digestive systems.  That study alone is reason enough to always carry a few black ant and black gnat dry and wet flies with you. During the summer months when fly fishing for trout and there are no hatches on the water I have caught many nice trout using black ant and black gnat fly fishing flies. If you pay attention to what flies and insects are on the water, you will often see ants and gnats on the water.  

 I will always have black ant and black gnat dry flies is sizes 14, 16, and 18 with me. I carry then in both standard dry flies and parachute dry flies. If you will work the ant and gnat flies under any overhanging trees, branches and brush you will be surprised at the number of trout you will catch. Along with the dry flies I also carry an assortment of black ant and black gnat wet flies with me. The wet fly sizes I carry are size 10, 12, and 14. If you cannot coax trout to take the flies off the surface of the water than switch to a wet black ant or wet black gnat and again work them under overhanging trees and branches. Also try working the dry flies around rocks being sure to mend your line properly to insure your fly floats naturally with the water and not across or against the current. Mending your line is a skill every fly fisherman should perfect and practice. If especially a dry fly does float naturally with the current most trout will not take it. Often time I will weight a black ant or black gnat wet fly with a little split shot to insure it works a little deeper.

 In the warmer summer months when the trout are not feeding on your assortment of traditional dry flies, give a few black ant and few black gnat dry and wet flies a try. If ants and gnats are a major part of a trout’s diet in the summer than offer them some lunch.       

Tight Lines,

Brian

 

New License and Limits for Saltwater Fly Fishing

New License and Limits for Saltwater Fly Fishing  

Most of the Eastern United States along the Coast has implemented saltwater license requirements for both residents and non-residents. Every state also revises their slot, size, and bag limits every year and some states twice a year. Since I love to take my fly rod and a bunch of saltwater fishing flies and go to the coast, I will direct this mainly to fly fisherman.  

I will talk about the Florida and North Carolina regulations but I would recommend that if you are going saltwater fly fishing you check the regulations in the state that you will be fishing.

January 1, 2007 North Carolina enacted regulations that require both residents and non-residents to purchase and possess a saltwater fishing license. Also, North Carolina updates the size limits, slot limits and numbers of saltwater fish species that you can keep annually and these vary every year because of increasing and decreasing populations of certain species. These regulations can also be acquired at a local coastal bait shop. The fines for violating some of these regulations in North Carolina can result in fines up to $10,000. I advise you to have your license and understand the species, size and numbers of fish you keep in N.C.  You can find all of these regulations on line by going to the N.C. Fish and Wildlife website.

In Florida the regulations are very similar. You can purchase a non-resident saltwater fishing license for $17.00 for three days and for $30.00 for a seven day license. Most states license fees are much less for non-resident licenses and considerably less for resident licenses. You can also fine all the information you will need by going to the Florida Fish and Wildlife website.

To understand how important it is to be familiar with species, limits, and sizes, here are a few examples that you can keep when fly fishing.

Tarpon: one per day.

Redfish, Channel Bass, Puppy Drum:   length, 18” to 27”, bag limit one per person.

Spotted trout: length, 12”, bag limit 10 per day per person.

These are just a few of the limits that N.C. has put on saltwater species of fish that you can keep each day. All states have similar regulations.

Remember when you saltwater fly fishing to have your saltwater fishing flies and license with you and obey the regulations.

Clear water and tight lines,

Brian

 

 

WHY TROUT FISH WITH YELLOW FLY FISHING FLIES

I came about this belief by accident a few years ago. Now I never go trout fly fishing without a bunch of yellow dry flies and nymph flies.

I believe in the matching the hatch and for the most part agree with it. However at times I step that concept and offer the trout what might seem like a complete contradiction to that rule. Have you ever been on a stream or river and watched a huge hatch on the water with only a few trout feeding. With thousands of flies on the water and only a few trout feeding on them what are your chances that one will choose your fly? A few years ago I watched a large hatch and did not have the right fly with me. Instead used Female Adams dry flies that were a little similar to the flies that was hatching except that the female Adams trout dry fly is tied with a little yellow at the tail end of the body that simulates an egg sack. With my female Adams I caught three nice rainbow trout before my friend caught his first. Since then I have tried female Adams flies, yellow Humpy Deerhair flies, yellow Dun flies, Sulphur Dun flies, and even Yellow Sally flies with amazing results.

Another time I will use on a yellow fly is when there are no hatches and nothing seems to be working. When this happens, try using a few yellow dry flies. The yellow color seems to stimulate fish that are not actively feeding to strike. If you can’t coax a fish to the surface to take a yellow dry fly than try a yellow or olive nymph fly. The yellow dry flies and nymph flies also seem to work well when the water is stained and a little muddy.

I want to talk more about the female Adams dry flies again. The Adams dry fly resembles many other fly hatches. The female Adams with the yellow egg sack is probably the deadliest fly you can have with you. When I expect to catch trout feeding on dry flies I always have at least a dozen female Adams flies with me in various sizes and it is always the first fly I tie on my line.

Tight lines and clear water,

Brian

 

EASTERN U.S. BLUEFISH ON A FLY ROD

EASTERN U.S. BLUEFISH ON A FLY ROD

Over thirty years ago I had my first experience with saltwater fly fishing.  A friend took me to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He had a small boat that was well suited for fly fishing in the bays and sounds of North Carolina. What I experienced in the next few days hooked me on saltwater fly fishing. That was many years ago and the large bluefish schools disappeared over the years until a few years ago. The bluefish populations are making a big comeback now on the eastern United States, but I want to tell you about this trip.

Our first day of fishing was spent fly fishing the flats and areas where rivers and streams fed into the sound. We managed to catch a few nice drum and trout with our fly rods.  Later that day we stopped by a bait shop and one of the local watering holes. Everyone was talking about the large schools of bluefish that were entering the sound at the point at Cape Hatteras.

The next morning we anchored the boat just inside the entrance to the sound at the point and waited. Before long  I witnessed something that I will never forget. What the water appeared to start boiling. The area was larger than the size of a football field and was coming within fly rod reach of us. On my first cast I hooked a twelve pound bluefish and was amazed at the power of the fish I had hooked. After I landed the fish, my friend said, a small one. It was the largest fish I had ever caught fly fishing. I would soon find out what he was talking about. On my very next cast I hooked a twenty two pound bluefish. For the next two hours we followed the school and caught fish on just about every cast. By the time the school disappeared, my arms, hands shoulders and back ached.

The next day I was sore all over and suggested we opted of a little calmer type of fly fishing. We again revisited the flats and caught some redfish and trout. On our third we revisited the inlet and again experienced the amazing bluefish run two days earlier.

Bluefish will attack just about any saltwater flies with a little color and flash to it. That morning I caught fish on Clouser’s Minnows and Lefty’s Deceivers. Since that day the Clouser’s Minnow and Lefty’s Deceiver have become my favorite flies, and I have caught bluefish, snook, redfish, tarpon, stripers, drum, false albacore and other species.

That was the first time I had ever gone saltwater fly fishing but it was surely the last. Since that trip I have been many times but few trips will top this first experience.  

Thanks,

Brian     

SPRING AND SUMMER FLY FISHING FOR BASS

 SPRING AND SUMMER FLY FISHING FOR BASS

I have spent most of my life fly fishing with trout flies and saltwater flies. A few years ago when I could not get away a friend asked me to go with him bass fly fishing. I was hooked.

First you need a lake or farm pond you can fish.  Most lakes have enough cleared areas that you can easily use a fly rod. Farm ponds can actually be a great place to catch large bass especially If  have a float tube or small boat. If you approach the owners of farm ponds and politely ask permission to fish there ponds and explain to them that you will release the fish you catch and take care of their property you will be surprised how many will give you permission. I always take a trash bag with me and pick up any trash I  see and when I leave I stop by the house and ask if I can put the trash in their cans. If you do this you will always be welcome on their land.

Next you need to choose your bass flies. In mid spring to early summer I prefer to use dry flies, working them along the banks and any obstructions and cove I can find. Along brush piles or logs in the water often hold large bass. Any tree limbs or brush over hanging the pond or lake will also hold bass. The bass flies I take with me will always include; bass popping bugs, rabbit strip divers, deer hair bass bugs and some mouse rats. Chartreuse, olive, yellow, purple and red are probably the beat colors to have with you. The mouse rats, of course, will be brown or black.  I also always have a wooly worm assortment with me. If you are not having any luck with the bass you can always switch to small woolly worms and have a lot of fun catching large brim.

As the weather gets and the water warms many large bass will go to deeper cooler water. When that happens I will use bass flies that do not float. My three favorite flies for this are bead head woolly bugger flies, weighted zonker flies and leaches. Again I like to have a woolly worm assortment with me and catch some brim when the bass are not biting.

I hope this information will help you catch more fish. Remember treat the lake or pond you are fly fishing like is was yours. When fishing someone else’s pond always share with them what you have learned the fish populations on their pond. Many farm ponds will become over populated with small fish and at times will need to be thinned out. Likewise they can also be overfished. The owner will appreciate the fact that you are interested in helping him maintain a healthy fish population.

Thanks,

Brian           

BRIM, BLUE GILL AND SUNFISH ON A FLY ROD

 BRIM, BLUE GILL AND SUNFISH ON A FLY ROD

Often times in the early summer when the weather warms you can’t seem to catch big fish, so I love to go fly fishing for bedding Brim, Blue Gill and other species of sunfish. My rod of choice is a six and a half foot, two weight light fly rod. Thought Brim and Blue Gill are relatively small fish, they are tough fighting fish for their size. I have always said it’s not the size of the fish that matters; it is the size of the rod that counts.

Brim and Blue Gill, when bedding will feed on just about anything with a little color that invades their bedding area. Small popping bugs with either some red or yellow will work well. Brim and Blue Gill will take these off the top of the water about as fast as you can put it over the beds. My other favorite fly fishing flies are Woolly Worms and Woolly Buggers. Yellow or orange Woolly Worms will catch fish all day long. Most of you will think that my next suggestions are mainly trout flies but I always take some Montana Stone Nymph Flies with me. The colors of choice are either green or yellow. Strip all of these flies with short fairly quick strips.

Early summer fly fishing for Brim and Blue Gill  is actually about my favorite type of fly fishing. I can  fish that fight hard and feel like a big fish with a light fly rod on just about every cast. Once you try this you will not believe how much fun you will have. Also, since these fish will tend to over populate a pond you can probably take a few home for dinner, but do not over do it. It is important to properly manage a pond. You need to know when to take fish out and when not to. For those of you that have never tasted Blur Gill you are missing a great tasting fish.

Remember, don’t over fish.

Tight Lines and Clear Water,

Thanks,

Brian