It can be tied in countless color variations and weights to suit all water clarities and depths. The Electric Slider is another classic redfish pattern designed for muddy and stained water. Standard hues include gold, silver, copper, burnt orange, silver prismatic, pink-and-black and black prismatic. Longtime Georgia fly-fishing guide Larry Kennedy, owner of Bedford Sportsman Fly Shop (912-638-5454) on St. Simons Island, says that while a number of different flies work for Georgia redfish, his favorite is a small, all-black classic Wooly Bugger streamer. These are all suggestions and please wear what you feel comfortable in. Tailing fish set any anglers heart aflutter. Most times, anglers fish shallow water thats clear enough to spot a 30-pound red, but it can quickly become quite murky after a cold front. The author says many fly patterns tempt red drum, but he usually keeps a selection of bead-eye and lead-eye flies on hand. Galveston. Along with the flies you like most, give us the general location (not spots but east Coast of Florida, South Carolina or Texas etc. But if you've fished long enough, you've almost certainly experienced the times where they tend to focus on one prey type exclusively and seem to ignore every fly you tie on. I love nothing more than being out on the water chasing a few reds with friends. Texas claims two others, and North Carolina one. This Kwan pattern, or sometimes called the Redfish Toad, has a long history of proven success. Observe the size and type of baitfish that are up on the flats in high numbers and pick a fly that most closely resembles that. Read -> What is the Biggest Redfish Caught. Most of the fish weigh less than 15pounds, but every so often youll find a school of 20-pounders. In weedy water, the Sheka is tied with a monofilament-loop weed guard. This article will cover the flies that every fisherman should have in their box and the ones that work best when sight fishing to Redfish and Speckled Trout in the Gulf Coast region. Back in November, I made it down to the Texas Coast for a DIY saltwater trip with my buddy, Bryant. Sight fishing with a fly on the coast is one the most challenging types of fishing. A couple of small rubber legs are tied fore and aft of the Furry Foam body, which is then coated with a quick-drying two-part epoxy. Many anglers prefer an 8-weight fly rod for smaller redfish, but I usually throw big bushy redfish flies. From the gulf coast of Texas to Virginia, redfish can be found along nearly 2000 miles worth of coastline. Traditionally it's tied with two splayed hackles in the rear that act as claws, paired up with a wide profile body made of EP fibers intertwined with silicone legs that is shaped to match the natural profile of a crab, and topped off with some lead eyes to get it down to the bottom quick. I fell in love with the Spoonfly the first time I held one. The central-coast redfish waters include the jetties of Port OConnor and the grass flats of Rockport, all with shorelines similar to those in Louisiana. What are the top reasons to fly-fish at Bay Flats Lodge? While flies with bead chain eyes (or no eyes at all) are best in water depths of 1 foot or less when you want your fly to stay out of the grass and near the surface. Fly Fishing Laguna Madre on the Texas Coast - Flylords Mag It lands lightly, hangs in the water column, and when tied with a weed guard, it is the perfect fly to fish over grassy structures in shallow water. Crab flies are deadly for targeting Redfish and Sheepshead in the Gulf Coast region. Luckily, for coastal anglers in Virginia all the way to the southern tip of Texas, redfish, also commonly referred to as red drum, can be successfully targeted with a fly rod via kayak or stand-up paddle . Just deals and news! Starting at $6.16. Size #1 and #2 are best. Redfish are prevalent from the southeastern coast of the US to Texas. Seriously, it is less than 25 minute's total prep time! If needed contact info -, Snook, Reds and Tarpon can be found all over Florida. The most common color is reddish-bronze. Yet it has good fish-hooking capabilities. Bags and packs are entirely optional. It is very productive in a root beer color with gold tinsel and redhead profile. Most any color combination will work, but I like brown or white and hardly ever use anything else. If the precise concave shape isnt made, the spoon will plane to the surface during the retrieve rather than wobble. One of the elements of fly fishing for reds that I enjoy so much is the variety of experiences it offers from one location to another. Id heard stories about redfish in the Biloxi Marsh, but on my first trip to Louisiana for monster drum in 2006, I saw a golden tail the size of a shovel break the surface 50 yards ahead. Fiddler crabs, shrimp, and baitfish are on the menu, so its essential to have flies that imitate them. REDFISH FLIES Red's Fly Shop They simply cannot resist the flicker and flutter as it moves through the water. Ponte Vedra Beach skiff guide Larry Miniard (904-285-7003) has a pet redfish fly he uses in this area called the Turkey in the Straw, which he and fishing pal Brent London devised. The Spoonfly is an epoxy creation of Capt. Great fly-rod redfishing in northeast Florida can be found in the creeks and bays off the Intracoastal Waterway just north and south of the St. Johns River. Calm conditions are best for spotting redfish in dark water, but sometimes during strong autumn noreasters great flats action can be had. Polling around on that flood tide is a special time to fish, and it should be cherished. Flies for Redfish. If youre fishing in one foot of water, you can opt for a fly tied with bead-chain eyes. For small stream trout, smaller fly fishing hook sizes like a 6 or 10 may be sufficient. Georgia also has vast areas of inshore spartina grass flats. The good news is that Redfish are highly aggressive feeders and are usually not too picky. They typically have heavy amounts of weight and little bulk to get the fly down to the sandy bottom fast. His favorite is the East-Cut Redfish Popper, made commercially by T.J. Neal of East Cut Saltwater Flies in Driftwood, Texas (512-461-4473). The water is air-clear. I like to think of it as the woolly bugger for reds. It can be tied in sizes 1/0 - 10. Tied on a #1 or 1/0 hook in the color that best covers your area. Cone-Head Wooly Bugger If youve fished for Redfish before or are researching Redfish flies, you will undoubtedly run across the Kwan fly. Learn More. He used Gartside's Super-Secret Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline's Ice Wing Fiber as a substitute. Fly Fisherman Magazine, 2015. Its tied on a size 1 through 2/0 Mustad 34007 hook, unweighted or with lead dumbbell eyes. The other captain stalked close to two big foraging reds and worked the fish with different flies for 10 minutes without a take. The Kwan fly is a great shrimp imitation as well. In Georgia the water is dark and turbid, and the tides run hard and high. This is a variation of a fly tied by Jim Misiura. All rights reserved. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Then one day I was casting a spoon-fly to redfish when I spotted a huge sheepie tailing on oysters. As you move south and west to the Venice and Grand Isle areas of Louisiana, the fishing changes a bit. Leaders can measure 9 to 12 feet, with a 40-pound butt section tapering to a 15- or 20-pound tippet. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. On warmer days, work a surface-popper or gurgler pattern in white or in dark colors such as black and purple. The Lower Laguna Madre is one of the finest spots to fly fish for red fish (red drum), black drum, speckled trout, flounder, tarpon, snook, sheepshead, and ladyfish. The lagoon runs from the southern tip of New Smyrna Beach to the north end of Merritt Island and encompasses more than 21,000 acres of shallow, clear flats with less than a foot of tidal flow. This is followed up with some flashing and then some buck tail tied towards the front of the hook on all sides that extends just beyond the hook bend. The Charleston, South Carolina, area has vast inshore areas offering fly rodders great opportunities for red-drum fishing. The fly body is black ice chenille wrapped Palmer-style with black hackles, and a black marabou tail. Short, quick, aggressive stripping will have the fly gurgling through the water and imitating a fleeing shrimp or wounded baitfish. It has a large head that pushes water and the head to tail contrast makes it highly visible and attractive to fish. The Clouser is a classic saltwater pattern for a variety of species, and for good reason. 11 Best Flies for Redfish (Plus Fishing Tips) - Guide Recommended It retrieves through pencil reeds, spartina grass, over rocks, oysters and through brush as well as any weedless lure. Thanks to its heavy lead eyes, it drops like a crab, but its movement is more shrimp-like. Trinity Bay and East Bay. What makes the fly different from other crab and glue-body designs, however, is that its extremely weedless. Fishing For Texas Redfish - Salty Scales We spent 3 days exploring the area in search of Redfish. And Id bet striped bass and salmon would go bonkers for em too. Let a good casts worth of line drag behind you and start wading in about a foot of water. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us. Weed guards are beneficial when targeting reds in shallow and marshy water. But for Bill Harvey, a biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Aquatic Resource Protection . The 8 Best Redfish Flies - Trident Fly Fishing On the inshore saltwater scene the Spoonfly has few peers. Table of Contents show. The lakes, ponds and coves in these areas prove deeper, so you wont see too many tailing fish. But, thanks in large part to the Coastal Conservation Association that day is long gone. Guide Tip: My buddies Kevin and Steve run Indigo Guide Service, theyre proving out to be some of the best redfish guides on the Louisiana Coast. If youre going to have an arsenal of Redfish flies at your disposal, then you need to cover the entire depth of the water column, and that includes topwater! Use a smaller hook in seasons with small game in great numbers, such as the Spring and Summer. Keep your leader short and straightforward. True trophy fish can mean being in the right place, with the right flies, setup for success. A Bonnier LLC Company. Ten of the other 14 fly-tippet-class records came from Louisiana. Chartreuse is a favorite color for warm-water predatory fish. You still must put the fly in the right place, but you definitely need a 10-weight rod and a really big fly. Hook Sizes for Redfish Flies? - TexasKayakFisherman.com This fly was designed for Bonefish in the Florida Keys, but with some slight modifications it is perfect for Redfish and Trout here in the Gulf Coast inshore waters. As you move farther north in the redfish's range, you may have to wait until later in the year to find reds in the surf. Plus, we've also written about the best fly reel for Reds and the best fly line for Reds. Redfish Flies - Texas Flyfishers of Houston The cost is $11.00 per person per day. We could fill a whole book with discussions of what Redfish eat in any given situation, but when deciding which fly to tie on,start with "matching the hatch". Factors that affect casting, such as wind and bushy flies, also affect rod choice. (Editors note: Wherever you plan to fish, check that states redfish regulations for licensing, season and bag-limit information.). There are many variants of topwater flies, the classic Gurgleris just one example. The flats-fishing techniques and tackle for Texas mimic those elsewhere. It's a great pattern for sight fishing. The deer hair body gives it the topwater element, and I love throwing these flies at cruising redfish trackers as they are often called. Tackle choices aside, the size of your fly can be the most important . In fall and winter months, the Biloxi Marsh and the coast of Louisiana can properly boast the best redfishing in the world. Texas Saltwater Fly Fishing - Texas Fishing Guide If all goes as planned, hooking reds well over 30 pounds is the welldeserved reward.. It has a unique wobbling action when retrieved thats identical to a Johnson wobbling spoon. The pattern excels in stained/murky water thats very common along the Texas and Louisiana coast. Having the right fly for these conditions is essential. How to Tie the Crappie Killer Fly Pattern, How to Tie the Film Critic Emerger Fly Pattern, How to Tie the Puterbaugh Foam Caddis Fly Pattern, How to Choose the Best Fly Rod for Bonefish, Sage R8 Core Fly Rod Series Review: Model-By-Model, How to Tie the Golden Retriever Fly Pattern. Give us a call here at the shop at (888) 413-5211 or email us anytime at[emailprotected]. Redfish, big ones, are abundant, with fish in the 20- to 30-pound class available at times on barrier-island shoals that kiss the entire coastline of the Peach State. With that said, I will break down my favorite redfish flies and explain why and when I fish them. When poling in the marsh, anglers look for wakes, tails and bodies near oyster bars and mud flats. Chasing Redfish Off the South Texas Gulf Coast With all these factors in mind, lets go over five of the top producing Redfish fly patterns that every angler needs in their box. Best Time: Fall months: late August through November. 2. Thanks for signing up! We promise we won't spam your inbox with stuff you don't care about. Because reds often cruise in murky water, anglers must throw a big enough fly for them to see. All of these flies are absolutely deadly for Redfish up on the shallow flats of Gulf Coast fisheries. Saltwater Flies - Fly Fish Rockport They are known as bull reds. 1.1 1. What a rush. This recipe is extremely fast and easy! Guide Tip: Redfish grow to true trophy sizes. Reds there are primarily crab eaters, especially little oyster crabs and fiddler crabs, and the Turkey in the Straw is dead ringer for a little crab. The basic shape of the fly tends to replicate many sources of the Redfishs diet, such as shrimp and crabs, and can be tied in countless color variations to suit all water clarities. Its time Florida starts similar program.Snook Galveston is one of the best places to target redfish in Texas and its surrounding areas. Outdoors Digest - Herald Democrat The carnage happens fast. 1 Where to Catch Redfish in Texas. I am a South African based fly fisherman who loves nothing more than spending a day on the water. However, if you venture out in the summer evenings, youll quickly understand how the area acquired its name. All of these flies are absolutely deadly for Redfish and big Trout up on the flats. His favorite is the East-Cut Redfish Popper, made commercially by T.J. Neal of East Cut Saltwater Flies in Driftwood, Texas (512-461-4473). 3. Redfish are predominantly found in shallow waters, so a floating line will be just fine. Anglers who dont know the areas can find a lot of trouble very quickly, but the fishing is amazing. These fish, without a doubt, make for an incredibly memorable fly fishing trip. They get a lot bigger. Dont try to feed a redfish a bonefish-size gotcha. This fish is looking for a meal, and it will eat just about anything it thinks it can fit in its mouth. Follow up question to types of flies for redfish - I am in the process of converting from conventional setups to fly fishing and am doing so on my own - w/o a friend to show me the ropes. However, the Electric Sliders dark coloration, coupled with the intelligent use of ingredients, gives it great movement, making it the perfect choice for the marsh. The Redfish will follow this fly until it commits. You can keep a maximum of 3 fish per angler per day. The best description I have heard for a redfish is a Clumsy confident fly eating machine. Texas-Most Popular Flies - Big Y Fly Co. Inc. The Kwan is a hybrid pattern and imitates shrimp, crab, and baitfish. An oversized head with a long tail made of saddle hackles. For larger species, you might try a 2/0 to 4/0. How To Catch A Redfish: The Many Ways To Catch A Red Drum In Texas In fall and winter, the Biloxi Marsh comes alive for fly anglers targeting big bull reds that cruise the ponds and channels. For information, visit . Mens and womens redfish fly records top out with the 43-pounder caught by Greg Braunstein on 16-pound tippet in 1995 out of the Banana River Lagoon in Florida. Fly Fishing in Texas: The Complete Guide - FishingBooker Blog Unless you know the area and own a flats boat, youll need a guide. The Baffin Blue Crab fly pictured is just one example of how you can modify this pattern to fit your target species. Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. Clouser Minnow needs no introductions or explanations! Eric Glass, @captainericg, 956-434-1422; Galveston Bay: Capt. Its tied in a size 2 hook, with a dark Furry Foam diamond-shaped body and lead eyes tied on the shank top, just forward of the hook bend. The original was white and silver but the color combinations and sizes are infinite. Candy Corn Crawler is a great choice when targeting redfish. No matter if you are chasing them in the muddy mangroves or off a pier amongst some weed banks, if you find the fish feeding, you should be able to hook one. This brute weighed more than 30 pounds. Kwan is the fly to have for those quiet, cold winter days on the water. Texas Sporting Journal, "Light Tackling Tarpon", May 2015. Short, quick, aggressive stripping will have the fly gurgling through the water and will trigger a natural reflex that makes fish want to eat. The bull reds, on average, top the 20-pound mark, and they seem to number in the thousands. Those are the good days. Sheka Shrimps tied in subtle browns and cream colors perform best in stained water. 1.3 3. Copyright 2023 Sport Fishing Magazine. As far as fly anglers are concerned, it is primarily a super-shallow water redfish destination . Fly Fishing the texas coast. A 6-10wt setup will work just fine. Additional tail materials can consist of marabou, bucktail, calf tail or Krystal Flash. Victor Browning Lake and Calaveras Lake. Equip your fly line with cast foam poppers, deer-hair bugs or shrimp and baitfish patterns for the classic approach to Snook fly fishing. The fools gold pattern is ideal for this as it sinks fast and has excellent movement in the water. Caudal and dorsal fins poking above the surface usually give away the fishs presence. Next the tubing is poked at liberally with a needle or ice pick to unfurl the mylar, giving it a frizzy appearance. 9 Best Places to Fly Fish in Texas (Maps, Flies and More) 5 Best Flies for Redfish Fly Fishing - The Fly Crate Traditionally it is tied with a Craft Fur tail, a little flash, a small attractor/egg hot spot, a palmered hackle collar, segmented sections of yarn or EP fibers, and some beadchain or lead eyes. Its an excellent pattern for the muddier waters where some surface movement is needed to grab the fishs attention. The grass beds of South Florida waters (above) attract school-size reds in great numbers. For a slow-sink fly, a bucktail tail is good. Of course, flats-fishing requires some level of experience and the ability to cast 50feet accurately regardless of weather conditions. Use larger hook sizes in Fall and Winter months as you prepare to hunt down larger redfish game. Recommended Guide/Charter Service: Bones Fishing Guide Service (San Antonio, Calaveras Lake) This is one of the best guide services operating on Calaveras Lake for big redfish and catfish. Most have been well tested via the school of hard fishing knocks endorsed by the anglers who cast them and the redfish that eat them. Travel pristine Matagorda Island as you stalk redfish along 38 miles of uninhabited shorelines teaming with hundreds of species of birds, alligators, deer, and various other Saltwater fish hatchery in Fl. Florida Sportsman I'll gladly give up February or August to expand the finest month on the calendar along the Texas coast. While I tend to agree in most aspects, I know this pattern catches fish. . Port O' Connor. My choice would be a medium to fast action rod with some backbone to roll over the larger patterns. While it was initially intended to target Redfish, it does equally as well for large Speckled Trout up on the flats. Ive also caught flounder, ladyfish, bluefish, jacks, Spanish mackerel and snook on Spoonflies. Texas Redfish: An Angler's Guide (Updated 2023) - FishingBooker Blog When the cork pops in the water it creates a slurping sound, and this gets the fish interested. With all the grass around, a weed guard is a must to be in with a shot at hooking a Red. Need something interesting to read, so post up your favorite redfish flies. Best of all, redfish love it. Blue-Collar Bonefish: Wading the Texas Coast for Reds Video: Fly Fishing for Redfish on the Texas Coast Redfish are big crab and shrimp eaters, and the Ragin Craven does a great job of imitating both. Fishing for redfish in the surf | Hatch Magazine - Fly Fishing, etc. Getting the fly to drop deep gains more bites. Blackened Redfish. This is where the high tide pushes an extra few feet, flooding the muddy grass banks. When redfish are tailing on the flats and are cruising super skinny, placing a popper or streamer quietly in its path may be the only way to catch them. Offshore, in the surf, or next to deep channels are the ideal locations to use this fly. The fishing for trophy trout and redfish on Texas' Baffin Bay is nothing short of spectacular and our experienced guides can't wait to show you our neck of the woods. We are not a blog or a review site. The wind did what it usually does to a spoon-fly and sailed it several feet off target. March 14: Exec Mtg - ZOOM March 10-12: Bolivar Marshes March 24-26: Harmon Creek Outing March 28: Monthly Mtg. Redfish are resourceful and feed on a variety of crabs, shrimp, and baitfish. Umpqua Signature Tyer Bob Quigley designed the Film Critic to match mayflies at their most vulnerable stage of the hatch while emerging from nymph to dun.