Best of all, redfish love it. Follow Texas Flyfishers of Houston on WordPress.com Search TFF . Getting down quickly also avoids the albies, which grab the lighter offerings, she says. The fly body is black ice chenille wrapped Palmer-style with black hackles, and a black marabou tail. When handling and releasing any fish, particularly the larger bull reds, remember to hold them horizontally to support their internal organs. About the Author: Now a retired Miami attorney, Pat Ford spends his time taking photos and writing about fishing destinations around the world. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Each area offers something to the fly fisherman. My idea of a nice red was a 7-pounder in Floridas Everglades National Park. The current Texas record is 59 1/2 pounds. Furthermore, be aware of the water clarity as this will factor into the colors of flies that will tend to be more effective. It can be tied in sizes 10 - 20. Anywhere you can flats-fish for Texas reds, youll find that sensory overload. Redfish are opportunistic feeders and often forage in shallow mudflats with their noses stuck to the bottom, where they mainly feed on crustaceans. 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. All of these flies are absolutely deadly for Redfish and big Trout up on the flats. Redfish are predominantly found in shallow waters, so a floating line will be just fine. Traveling pro angler Pat Ford offers tips on tackle, flies and hot spots. My favorite colors are blue over white and chartreuse over white. Equip your fly line with cast foam poppers, deer-hair bugs or shrimp and baitfish patterns for the classic approach to Snook fly fishing. 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. The customary natural colors of brown, tan, orange, and white are a very popular choice among saltwater fly fishermen. Fly fishing has been my passion and pursuit for the past 20 years. They succeeded by producing a smaller, thumb-size fly version of the Johnson lure that every inshore saltwater angler worth his skiff owns. It reminds me of a Perdigon, and that makes it ok for me to fish because I am a huge Perdi fan. Most reds top 20 pounds, and again, if they see your fly, theyll eat it. Ive caught a lot of big fish in my day, but nothing like this. Much like other flies designed for the flats, it lands soft and quiet, sinks slow, and when tied with a weed guard can be used in the skinniest of water. What makes the fly different from other crab and glue-body designs, however, is that its extremely weedless. But because tides run so strong, flats fishing can be difficult, more difficult than that found elsewhere in the Southeast, even in areas as close as Florida and South Carolina. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. As we mentioned above, you can keep one Redfish measuring over 28 inches per year with your Red Drum Tag. All rights reserved. . 2 stainless Tiemco hook and keeps the Zap-A-Crab glue body well away from the hook point to improve the flys ability to hook reds. Anglers may choose to light-tackle rods or fly gear to fish the expansive, shallow-water flats of the 100 square mile Baffin Bay . Almost any fly that imitates such forage works well. Many tyers will add in some small bead chain or lead eyes depending on the depth of water you intend to fish and additions such as silicone legs and/or mono-eyes into the tail section will give the fly a buggy look that Redfish cannot resist. 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 perfect to use right up against a grassy shoreline where shrimp are plentiful. Suppose you arent accustomed to casting the heavier rods its best to practice on the grass and get more confident. This has all the characteristics of the Seaducer yet adds more of a shrimp look. Additional tail materials can consist of marabou, bucktail, calf tail or Krystal Flash. Leaving them with the "shell" on makes the filets look amazing too. 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 . Flies with lead eyes are going to sink fast and are best used in water depths of 2+ feet or when you want to crawl your fly along a sandy bottom. The setup you choose to use depends entirely on your ability as a fly fisher. When the pelicans, gannets and larger gull species start wheeling around in open water, dont hesitate to investigate, Gardner says. Often this sound carries across the marsh from two or three coves over. An oversized head with a long tail made of saddle hackles. Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. They are superb at grabbing the attention of fish and will trigger a natural reaction bite that Redfish can simply not resist. It is a mix of a number of different patterns and works great as a shrimp, crab or even a baitfish. As with all flats-fishing, you look for wakes, tails and bodies. However, the Electric Slider's dark coloration, coupled with the intelligent use of ingredients, gives it great movement, making it the perfect choice for the marsh. My choice would be a medium to fast action rod with some backbone to roll over the larger patterns. Redfish are generally in the surf when the water temperatures reach the mid-70s. Because reds often cruise in murky water, anglers must throw a big enough fly for them to see. Sneaky speckled trout can also be caught year-round moreover the seatrout here grow to trophy proportions like in the Laguna Madre. I fell in love with the Spoonfly the first time I held one. Some popular patterns include the Merkin, KungFu, Contraband, Flexo, Fleeing Crabs, and many more. Sheka Shrimp come in weighted and unweighted versions, with or without weed guards. From throwing flies to tailing fish in the marshes to chasing large bulls in the surf, there is a place in the Lone Star State for everything. Pair the rod with a smooth drag reel and a floating line, and you are good to go. For a slow-sink fly, a bucktail tail is good. 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. Fools Gold Fly - a favorite for Redfish. Redfish will chase this fly from a mile away, so be ready. This brute weighed more than 30 pounds. Bags and packs are entirely optional. Texas Fly Caster Location: Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX Waters: Lake Ray Roberts, Lewisville Lake, Trinity River, Other Local Waters Fish: Bass, Carp . Gardner always keeps two rods rigged and ready. If you find schools of glass minnows, tie on a Clouser and youll find the fish. Red drum is a fast growing fish reaching approximately 11 inches and one pound in its first year, 17-22 inches and 3 1/2 pounds in two years, and 22-24 inches and 6-8 pounds in three years. 2. This recipe is extremely fast and easy! No spam. Call Captain Kenjo direct ASAP 361-500-2552 or BOOK NOW online! Like Charleston, certain parts in the South have what we call a flood tide. Possibly the most unique redfish destination is Mosquito Lagoon in east central Florida. If fishing for tailing reds, a crab pattern or spoon fly will do the job. Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | About | Contact | The Team | Advertise with Guide Recommended, Disclosure: "This site is owned and operated by River Traditions LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Michigan, USA. The water systems in the South are rich in food sources, and this is where the redfish concentrate. Calm conditions are best for spotting redfish in dark water, but sometimes during strong autumn noreasters great flats action can be had. Therefore, tackle choices revolve more around casting and presentation ease than on fighting the fish. Thanks for signing up! All five of the flies featured in this article are available in the Sight Cast Redfish Pack and are designed to target Redfish in the Gulf Coast region. With excellent year-round populations of Redfish, Speckled Trout and Black Drum. Chasing Redfish Off the South Texas Gulf Coast. Stretching 367 miles from the Sabine River at the Louisiana border to the Rio Grande on the Mexican border, the Texas coast is a varied and unique fishery that is relatively unnoticed on the national level. One variation of this pattern is the Redfish Cracklin, it adds in tons of movement with legs in the tail and a super buggy brush head. Silver Krystal Flash is used liberally on many patterns, snce its a long-range attractant in clear water. These fish fight strongly and stubbornly, but they dont make long runs and theyre usually caught in shallow water. The most common color is reddish-bronze. We respect your privacy. Saltwater fly fishing is another craze that has taken root from Texas to Florida, and for good reason. 1. 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. The Kwan fly is a great shrimp imitation as well. A small orange grizzly feather is tied in at the head to look like a fiddler-crab claw, with a single stiff mono weed guard positioned from the head toward the hook point. The kinky muddler is excellent for these summer conditions. Microscopic Monsters of the Ocean: King Mackerel, Protect the Blue Key West: Remote Control. This Kwan pattern, or sometimes called the Redfish Toad, has a long history of proven success. Normally, youll scout reds in less than 2 feet of water by looking for wakes, tails and bodies. But this doesnt always mean you will be successful. There are various signs to look for to help us decide how to fish for them. The straight style, like the Straight-Shooter Crab pictured, has the hook shank positioned perpendicular to the crab body. The water is air-clear. Creating high quality flies made for those that live and breathe the shallow flats and backwater marshes is our main focus. Scientists have documented this redfish population as the first ever known to spawn in an estuary (versus offshore). That expert also comes with a trained pair of eyes to help spot the fish before they spot you. Saltwater fly fishing for redfish is a lot of fun! The Deceiver is another famous pattern known by many fly fishermen. Chasing schools of bull reds offshore is an entirely different operation than flats-, channel and surf fishing, but that spectacular scene happens from North Carolina through northeast Florida and in the Gulf from Floridas panhandle past Louisiana. 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. During the full-moon periods both months, anglers anchor along the edges of the channel between Blount Island and Mayport. Colors I do not leave home without are: Black/Purple, and Brown/Tan. If you're not a Texas resident you need to purchase a non-resident one-day all water fishing license (code 214). Days a . 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. The middle Texas coast can offer world class sight-fishing opportunities for Redfish, Black Drum and Trout. Plan a winter fly-fishing trip around an afternoon rising tide. It has a deer hair head thats designed to push water and has a perfect baitfish profile that fish find hard to resist. A 6-10wt setup will work just fine. Crab flies are deadly for targeting Redfish and Sheepshead in the Gulf Coast region. Fly fishing in Texas doesn't get the credit it deserves, and we're here to change that. Redfish weighing less than 15 pounds can be landed using most any fly rod. Youll end up tying this fly on very often because once you get that rush of adrenaline watching Redfish and Trout blow it up out of the water, you'll be addicted. Candy Corn Crawler is a great choice when targeting redfish. 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. Strip this fly slow and with short pauses to allow it time to shimmer down into the water column. What the hell. The Redfish tend to like its smaller profiling in the colder months, especially on the clearer days. For larger species, you might try a 2/0 to 4/0. Colors run the gamut too, from pink to orange, and from yellow to hot green. Image hooking into a red weighting over 50lbs. The bull reds are singular fish, generally a lot bigger, and are more specific in what they eat. Fish this fly slow and allow it to sink,then with very small, crawling strips you will mimic the movement of a defensive crab. The basic shape of the fly tends to replicate many sources of the Redfishs diet, such as shrimp, small baitfish, and crabs. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Use larger hook sizes in Fall and Winter months as you prepare to hunt down larger redfish game. Kennedy nicknamed this all-black cone-headed Wooly Bugger the American Express Fly because he never leaves home without it. The Mangrove Baitfish is great for Florida and Lowcountry redfish thanks to its wide profile and snag-resistant design. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. 1 artificial lure of all time for redfish. The other captain stalked close to two big foraging reds and worked the fish with different flies for 10 minutes without a take. Retrieve this fly with steady, slow strips and it will mimic the movement of a fleeing crab. Snook thrive in water temperatures 70 degrees and above, so they'll be more easily spotted in the flats year-round or around coastal bays and beaches by late spring. In the coastal waters off North Carolina, captains have found enormous schools of redfish in 20 to 60 feet of water. 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. Some of the most consistent saltwater fly fishing available today can be found on the grass flats of any number of states in the Southeast, where anglers by the thousands search every day for telltale tails rising above the surface. Miniard adds that when a red takes the fly and crushes down on it with its mouth, it feels the hard Furry Foam body coated with epoxy. Low summer tides mean baitfish being flushed into the shallows and the reds having a field day. What a rush. 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 bead-chain or lead eyes. 7. Its for this style of hunt-and-cast redfishing that guide Ben Alderman (843-906-3630) devised his favorite redfish fly, the Zap-A-Crab. If needed contact info -, Snook, Reds and Tarpon can be found all over Florida. Redfish are very forgiving in that they will eat again on a second attempt and often follow anything that looks like food. The fly is finished by tying in three dark but iridescent wild-turkey breast feathers that splay outward from the head over the hook point and bend, which makes it look very crab-like. Most guides say the best fly rod for redfish is a 9-foot, 8- or 9-weight rod paired to most any brand of saltwater reel and spooled with a warm-water, weight-forward floating line. The Kwan fly is a great fly for sight fishing to Redfish in a few inches of water because its light weight allows it to land softly on the water, is easy to cast far distances, and has a slow sink rate that suspends with great movement. This is a variation of a fly tied by Jim Misiura. Of course, flats-fishing requires some level of experience and the ability to cast 50feet accurately regardless of weather conditions. For deeper redfishing, Sheka includes lead under the chenille or substitutes lead eyes for nylon ones, and he ties it large to be a more visible target, usually with a marabou tail that absorbs water to help it get down. Winter Redfish are often larger, especially Bull Redfish, and typically are fished with flies in the 1/0 - 2/0 size range. Raz Reed, who created the fly, also uses it for bass, something I havent tried yet but plan on tying up a few for my next bass mission. Galveston is one of the best places to target redfish in Texas and its surrounding areas. Here are our favorite flies for Redfish. Sheka ties them on a size 2 to 1/0 Mustad hook. Leaders can measure 9 to 12 feet, with a 40-pound butt section tapering to a 15- or 20-pound tippet. Read about the BIGGEST Caught >, Casting a Fly to Snook is amazing. Waders and boots are great to have. By the time you're done reading this, you'll be ready to head to Texas to . . Fly Fisherman Magazine, 2015. Imagine the crystal-clear waters of Mexico and the Caribbean, and then add in the bright copper of redfish cruising the white-sand flats and brilliantyellow grass beds. Captain Jeff offers fantastic half day, full day, and multi day trips fly fishing for redfish along the Texas Coastal Bend. Usually a wake is seen, or a small part of the fish is spotted breaking the waters surface. 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. The redfish run from average, 4 to 7 pounds, to big, 12 to 15 pounds. Here is a list of the best nine places to fly fish in Texas: 1. The Redfish Crack fly, or maybe youve heard of the variations Redfish Cracklin, Redfish Meth or Redfish Ritalin, is another fly with a proven track record. Texas Sporting Journal, "The Real Laguna Madre", July 2013 From the gulf coast of Texas to Virginia, redfish can be found along nearly 2000 miles worth of coastline. This allows the crab to stand upright in a defensive posture with claws dancing in the current when resting on the bottom. The saltwater flats near Aransas Pass and Port Aranasas are a mecca for flyanglers hoping to hook redfish or speckled trout. Thanks for signing up! When you want a good all-around fly that will catch any game fish you can see, tie on one of the most well-known saltwater flies, the Kwan fly. If needed contact info - HERE, Disclosure: "This site is owned and operated by River Traditions LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Michigan, USA. Weed guards are beneficial when targeting reds in shallow and marshy water. Rick Hartman, an expert fly fisherman and guide, poles a skiff in the Lower Laguna Madre while a friend casts for redfish. Eric Glass, @captainericg, 956-434-1422; Galveston Bay: Capt. On the northern coast, the greenish, dark marsh waters of Sabine Pass gradually give way to the tinted shallow oceanfront bays and lagoons filled with oyster beds and a variety of marsh grasses. This Louisiana classic is an easy and delicious way to serve redfish. Let a good casts worth of line drag behind you and start wading in about a foot of water. For food and shelter, they seek out sea-grass beds, mangroves, marshes, oyster bars, mud and sand flats and beaches. Seriously, it is less than 25 minute's total prep time! Fishalicious, is another baitfish pattern worthy of the fly box. Because of the guttural drumming sound they can make, the term "drum" was a given name. Reds can spot a bright Sheka Shrimp fly from a long distance and can be counted on to home in quickly for a fast meal. Crab flies mainly fall into two different categories and can be fished a few different ways. 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. Because redfish usually feed in grass and often cruise in murky water, fly anglers must throw something the fish can see. On a calm day, you can see spinner sharks launch out of the water from a mile away. In the summer, mullet start to move through the surf, and that signals game on for fly fishermen. Most guides say the best fly rod for redfish is a 9-foot, 8- or 9-weight rod paired to most any brand of saltwater reel and spooled with a warm-water, weight-forward floating line. Its a great pattern that has worked on many species for years now. 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. Parks fishes the vast marshes around the town of Chalmette, Louisiana and uses a couple of poppers he says redfish go absolutely bonkers over. When you select Wyld on the Fly as your guide for your next adventure, you can expect the . While these large flies are still useful to have during the summer . Trinity Bay and East Bay. Guide Tip: Redfish grow to true trophy sizes. Getting the fly deep gets more bites, even when the reds are busting on top. No top ten list can be without the most used and prolific fly in the world, the classic Clouser Minnow pattern. 1 Where to Catch Redfish in Texas. It retrieves through pencil reeds, spartina grass, over rocks, oysters and through brush as well as any weedless lure. Earth-tone colors seem to work best, a sandy brown head paired with a striped light beige body that resembles the pattern of a shrimp. View the Candy Corn Crawler pattern on our Online Fly Shop. That allows her to keep an eye on the fast-moving schools instead of focusing on tying knots and digging for tackle. It is tied in in smaller sizes, so it doesnt make much disturbance when it lands. It can be tied in sizes 1/0 - 10. 1.1 1. Tackle choices aside, the size of your fly can be the most important . Texas Redfish Limits. The Everglades Special is one of those baitfish patterns that will just about catch any predatory fish.