Take for example, the Shrimpadillo fly, its a combination of a crab fly, shrimp fly, and a spoon fly thats guaranteed to get engulfed by a hungry Redfish. Thats when Alderman became a believer in rattling redfish flies. This gives the Redfish a feeding zone they cant get on other occasions. Big Carolina bull reds can weigh up to 80 pounds (the all-tackle world-record redfish a 94-plus-pounder was caught in 1984 out of Avon, North Carolina), so obviously they prefer larger bait, such as smelt, bunker and croaker, which also attract bigger birds. Southwest Fly Fishing Magazine, "Exposure" Photo Essay, April 2015. But a fishing trip can also go terribly wrong without the right gear. 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. 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. This one-two punch is a tried and true classic for catching reds. No top ten list can be without the most used and prolific fly in the world, the classic Clouser Minnow pattern. The dumbbell eyes can vary from tungsten to bead chain for weight changes. Almost every saltwater fly shop will have a selection of spoons available and if you pay close attention and compare different patterns you will notice slight differences. These 2hours are golden and what every redfish angler dreams of. Gardner always keeps two rods rigged and ready. 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. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. There's probably no reason to use larger than a size 2 hook on a redfish fly (I've caught kings on size 2 fly), and my go-to is size 6 for small shrimp and dock-fishing-size minnows. He used Gartside's Super-Secret Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline's Ice Wing Fiber as a substitute. 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. 1. Most of them imitate the crabs, shrimp, and baitfish that make up the majority of the redfish diet. Jim Dupre (352-371-6153), a Gainesville, Florida, fishing guide who, with his father A.J., spent countless hours testing and perfecting a fly-rod lure that had the same fish-attracting action as the venerable Johnson Weedless Minnow. Fly Fishing Laguna Madre on the Texas Coast. If needed contact info - HERE, Disclosure: "This site is owned and operated by River Traditions LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Michigan, USA. 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. I like the fly in the mud crab color of dark brown /green in size #2. So our guides have begun to compile a collection of our favorite patterns here, for all to see. That means using stout tackle for casting: Try a 9-weight for fish to 20 pounds and a 10-weight for heavier bulls. 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. The Charleston, South Carolina, area has vast inshore areas offering fly rodders great opportunities for red-drum fishing. Often this sound carries across the marsh from two or three coves over. Unless you know the area and own a flats boat, youll need a guide. It can be tied in countless color variations and weights to suit all water clarities and depths. I think the craft fur body profile moves so well and has all the triggers. Best of all, redfish love it. Redfish fishing tips for fly anglers should include examples of the right gear for the job. Strip this fly slow and with short pauses to allow it time to shimmer down into the water column. It has a large head that pushes water and the head to tail contrast makes it highly visible and attractive to fish. I use large, black bead eyes most of the time, but always tie some flies with lead eyes for deeper water. If you're not a Texas resident you need to purchase a non-resident one-day all water fishing license (code 214). It's an extremely beautiful river filled with large and catchable bass. A Bonnier LLC Company. Back in November, I made it down to the Texas Coast for a DIY saltwater trip with my buddy, Bryant. Light tackle and fly fishing charters for redfish are world renowned on these inshore flats for because of the crystal clear water and numerous shots . The straight style, like the Straight-Shooter Crab pictured, has the hook shank positioned perpendicular to the crab body. The main exception exists in the rugged beauty of the south Texas, Port Mansfield and South Padre areas. Kwan is the fly to have for those quiet, cold winter days on the water. It has a deer hair head thats designed to push water and has a perfect baitfish profile that fish find hard to resist. Leaders can measure 9 to 12 feet, with a 40-pound butt section tapering to a 15- or 20-pound tippet. As a general rule,the darker/muddier the water, the darker the fly should be; and, when the water is gin-clear you should pick flies that are more of a natural color such as tans, whites, and browns. They can be in water from 6 inches to 3feet, based on varying conditions of tide and temperature. The EP Baitfish is a Gurgler-like pattern that moves water and pops on the surface to trigger an aggressive Redfish eat. 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. The best is to get the fish to see the fly, and you will generally hook them. This simple fly has heavy eyes and sinks quickly. 2. There are so many fish feeding its actually ridiculous. Guiderecommended.com and River Traditions LLC participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and others, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and other companies." These are all suggestions and please wear what you feel comfortable in. All rights reserved. SUMMARY. Seven hot flies for chasing red drum throughout the coastal south. 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. 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. 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. Tie it on a 1/0 hook and use bead eyes, even though its a shallow-water fly. The EP fibers really changed how we could tie baitfish patterns, and the advancements are spectacular. 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. Silver Krystal Flash is used liberally on many patterns, snce its a long-range attractant in clear water. Yet it has good fish-hooking capabilities. He wants the fly right on the bottom, where a redfish can find it. A tailing red may be one of the easiest reds to catch, but they can be very particular at times as well. Read about the BIGGEST Caught >, Casting a Fly to Snook is amazing. They are superb at grabbing the attention of fish from a distance, in murky water, or when the visibility is low. Polling around on that flood tide is a special time to fish, and it should be cherished. Read about, Both Tarpon and Redfish can haunt the same waters. Let a good casts worth of line drag behind you and start wading in about a foot of water. Fly fishing trips are limited to two anglers per boat. If fishing for tailing reds, a crab pattern or spoon fly will do the job. Redfish are opportunistic feeders and often forage in shallow mudflats with their noses stuck to the bottom, where they mainly feed on crustaceans. The Texas coast between Port O'Conner and Rockport offers excellent opportunities to sight cast for redfish, as well as occasional shots at black drum, speckled trout, and sheepshead. The colors can be mixed and matched in an endless array, but here on the Texas Coast a blend of natural browns with orange flare seems to be a winning combination. The flashing and the low frequency vibration sounds it emits when being stripped excels in murkier waters. 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. The water is air-clear. He guides when not teaching and devised the Gold Frizzy for redfish because it does a good job of imitating a gold, flashing and wobbling spoon likely the No. This allows the crab to stand upright in a defensive posture with claws dancing in the current when resting on the bottom. Thanks for signing up! 2. Its perfect to use right up against a grassy shoreline where shrimp are plentiful. The shrimp-tipped jig is the icing on the cake, and the redfish can't resist the smell. Electric Slider Fly. Gold Frizzy There are various signs to look for to help us decide how to fish for them. However, if you venture out in the summer evenings, youll quickly understand how the area acquired its name. Try a white or chartreuse pattern, and if that doesnt work, switch to something dark in black or purple. Spoonfly 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. 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. I like to think of it as the woolly bugger for reds. Additional tail materials can consist of marabou, bucktail, calf tail or Krystal Flash. 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. Most reds top 20 pounds, and again, if they see your fly, theyll eat it. These are the times when having an arsenal of flies that resembles all the prevalent bait fish in your particular location is a must. 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. It can be tied in sizes 10 - 20. Sheka ties them on a size 2 to 1/0 Mustad hook. The marsh features a series of shallow ponds connected by channels, all of which come lined with even shallower oyster bars and mud flats. Swan Point Landing Fly Shop Location: Rockport, TX Waters: Texas Coast Fish: Redfish Website. The result is a fly that is sleek and has little air-resistance during the back cast, but in the water it swims well with a blooming action. . Because of the guttural drumming sound they can make, the term "drum" was a given name. 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. Sometimes the bite is on and game fish will aggressively smack anything thats thrown in front of them. We are lucky in that Redfish tell us how they are feeding. For food and shelter, they seek out sea-grass beds, mangroves, marshes, oyster bars, mud and sand flats and beaches. Yes, there are a few minor differences, but they feed and act in the same way for the most part. Tackle choices aside, the size of your fly can be the most important factor. Its simple design is very deadly for many species, especially Redfish. Sheka Shrimp The Redfish Crack fly is a proven and very successful fly increasing in popularity in the Texas and Louisiana fisheries. We use giant Clouser flies teamed with super-fast-sinking fly lines that range from 450 to 700 grains. For more about chasing redfish with a fly rod, find Chico Fernandezs book Fly Fishing for Redfish. But this doesnt always mean you will be successful. With that said, I will break down my favorite redfish flies and explain why and when I fish them. Use a smaller hook in seasons with small game in great numbers, such as the Spring and Summer. Jim West, 409-996-3054 All you need is a nine foot long 7 or 8 weight rod matched with a floating line and a fly reel that can carry 150 yards of backing. Captain Jeff offers fantastic half day, full day, and multi day trips fly fishing for redfish along the Texas Coastal Bend. The record red drum was 94 pounds and was caught on the East coast. Youll definitely need 10-weight rods and 400-plus-grain sink-tip lines with big lead-eye flies. Fish this fly slow and allow it to sink,then with very small, crawling strips you will mimic the movement of a defensive crab. Whether stalking some grass flats, making your way through the Everglades, or heading to the marsh to try and land that big bull red, make sure your fly box is properly stocked. The original was white and silver but the color combinations and sizes are infinite. That expert also comes with a trained pair of eyes to help spot the fish before they spot you. These patters offer a solid profile and tied with the right materials and weight move beautifully throught the water. Read where to go in this article > Where to Fly Fish in Florida, How big do Tarpon, Redfish and Snook get? If the fish arent committing fully to the fly, it doesnt mean they arent interested in it, and it could mean its a little big or isnt swimming correctly. View the Candy Corn Crawler pattern on our Online Fly Shop. These omnivores, with their underslung mouths, scour the grass and mud for prey. Furthermore, be aware of the water clarity as this will factor into the colors of flies that will tend to be more effective. If the precise concave shape isnt made, the spoon will plane to the surface during the retrieve rather than wobble. Weed guards are beneficial when targeting reds in shallow and marshy water. Aransas Pass Fly Fishing. The cost is $16.00 per person per day. Weighted Gold Frizzies are very popular in Alabama, according to Wesley Parks of McCoy Outdoors Fly Shop (334-432-3006) in Mobile. Redfish Backstory Back in the 1970s, red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus (aka redfish, reds, or puppy drum) were rare as rocking horse teeth due to unsustainable harvests. This recipe is extremely fast and easy! The fools gold pattern is ideal for this as it sinks fast and has excellent movement in the water. A Redfish is a Redfish, no matter if you are in Texas, Florida, or Virginia. Texas Sporting Journal, "The Real Laguna Madre", July 2013 Caudal and dorsal fins poking above the surface usually give away the fishs presence. For medium-sized species such as salmon or redfish, you might use a size 4, 2 or 1/0. Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for hungry trout. The cost is $11.00 per person per day. If needed contact info -, Snook, Reds and Tarpon can be found all over Florida. Quickly toss the fly in front of the fish before it heads back out to sea. Dustin's Destroyer, Bluegill. Montgomery designed the fly for chasing world-record-size reds around the clear waters of the Chandeleur Islands in Louisiana, which he does with client Robert Cunningham Jr., who has boated several potential record fish wit this streamer. As much as I love wading the south Texas flats, redfish in the Laguna Madre are smallpuppy drum, in local parlancethat rarely weigh more than 6 or 7 pounds. The basic design is made with four to six saddle hackles tied near the back at the bend of the hook. They eat with ease and love to chase the fly. Reds customarily feed on small crabs, shrimp and baitfish, such as mullet and mud minnows. The lakes, ponds and coves in these areas prove deeper, so you wont see too many tailing fish. Fools Gold crab pattern is my first choice for tailing Redfish. The fly is only available in one size, but colors are almost limitless. This is my summer flats first choice in the colors closet to the mullet in your areatans and beige with whites and black markings. For a slow-sink fly, a bucktail tail is good. You need a set of flies in your arsenal that covers the entire water column, from topwater, to bottom crawling, and everything in between. 1 artificial lure of all time for redfish. It has a large head that pushes water and the head to tail contrast makes it highly visible and attractive to fish. 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. You can keep a maximum of 3 fish per angler per day. It all depends on the flies you are using and what depth of water you are fishing in. Parks fishes the vast marshes around the town of Chalmette, Louisiana and uses a couple of poppers he says redfish go absolutely bonkers over. This is where the high tide pushes an extra few feet, flooding the muddy grass banks. Also, take note of the depth of the water and the type of bottom (grass, sand, etc)you are fishing in. For small redfish, we suggest that you use a #2, #1, or a 1/0 circle hook. Days a . For small stream trout, smaller fly fishing hook sizes like a 6 or 10 may be sufficient. Fly Fishing for Texas Redfish: Dolphin and Redfish photo by Marjie Glodberg: We're a big fan of awesome photos showing action and drama! We are not a blog or a review site. No spam. 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 Chornobyl Crab is similar to the Ragin' Craven, with a deer hair body that traps air bubbles and makes a commotion in the water. Saltwater fly fishing for redfish is a lot of fun! The Mangrove Baitfish is great for Florida and Lowcountry redfish thanks to its wide profile and snag-resistant design. The deer hair body gives it the topwater element, and I love throwing these flies at cruising redfish trackers as they are often called. I like it in the colors of tans, beiges, and reds with some crystal flash and legs. Fished in the Gulf Coast region, you cant go wrong with a chartreuse and white color that has a large eye. Usually a wake is seen, or a small part of the fish is spotted breaking the waters surface. This fly has a slow sink rate and suspends just below the surface of the water making this a great choice when sight fishing on the shallow flats. A popping cork is ideal when the fish are acting particularly lethargic. Baitfish, crab, and shrimp patterns are . Most of them are caught in the marshes and coastal waters, but a few are targeted offshore. The fishing is good, but different, and the type of fly required to dupe reds is different too. 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. 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. 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. 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. The flats-fishing techniques and tackle for Texas mimic those elsewhere. Tailing fish set any anglers heart aflutter. Everglades National Park offers prime redfish habitat with miles of flats. Most gurglers are built with a foam body with an aggressive front head and have a marabou, buck tail, or synthetic fiber tail. When handling and releasing any fish, particularly the larger bull reds, remember to hold them horizontally to support their internal organs. Check this first and try again. 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. Marsh grasses remain a favorite destination for anglers hoping to hook reds. Crab flies are deadly for targeting Redfish and Sheepshead in the Gulf Coast region. Ford is a founding member of the conservation group Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, has held multiple IGFA world records and published two books on fly-fishing destinations. For large redfish, you will want to employ a 3/0, 4/0, or 5/0 circle hook. To find the best guides, contact a local fly shop. . Fly-fishing, Light Tackle, Sight Casting, Shallow Water Fishing Charters in The Lower Laguna Madre in South . With all the grass around, a weed guard is a must to be in with a shot at hooking a Red. All the way from Florida to Texas anglers and tyers are hard at work designing patterns to fool redfish. Consequently, those are the best hues for Aldermans Zap-A-Crab. At the eye a few turns of crystal-red chenille are wound on to produce a head. 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. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. In Texas,the redfish population was going into a serious decline in the80's..So with help of CCA one was started with later help of a $10mil.grant from Federal fish and wildlife.Now every year,they put 10-20 millions redfish fingerlings back into the water.