Discover the Allure of Saltwater Flats Fly Fishing
Fly fishing for many begins with trout on a fly and then perhaps a step up to salmon fishing for those looking to challenge themselves with a potentially larger, more powerful quarry. As fly fishermen, we are always on the look out for that next challenge, and for this I give you saltwater fly fishing. This can take on many guises, from chasing mullet and bass around the coast of the UK, to throwing six inch flies for marlin and sailfish. In this instance I am going to focus on saltwater flats fishing. I define that as shallow areas of anything from three inches to four feet in depth that can either be accessed by wading or drifting over in a shallow draft flats skiff (shallow hulled boat) and generally in the tropics.
The reasons for venturing into the salt are varied and if it is something you have never considered, then I would strongly urge you to try it. The first thing I truly love about fishing in saltwater is the visual element. Sight fishing for species has always been a great motivator, and watching a bonefish you have cast to hunt down your fly and then tail on it will have your heart in your mouth. The whole scene almost slows down as you watch the panorama unfold before you. Targeting individual fish and fooling them with your offering never gets old, and that hunting element of fly fishing is extremely prevalent in this discipline.
The power of saltwater species needs to be experienced by every fly fisherman. Even a small bonefish will head off across the flat at up to 30 mph (whereas a trout or salmon swims at 6 mph) and will have your adrenalin pumping and your reel screaming. As you become more experienced and step up your game to larger species such as permit, tarpon or giant trevally, this power expands tenfold and you are going to have a physical battle on your hands that you need to be both mentally and physically prepared for. On a recent trip one of the fishermen I was with was yanked physically off the coral head he was standing on by a bluefin trevally to land face first in the water.
Then there is species variation. On the salt flats there are an ever-growing number of species to target on a fly. As the tide comes onto a flat, so do the fish looking to feed. As the depth increases, so do the size of fish. You may begin with emperors or schools of bonefish trickling onto the flats looking for shrimps and crustaceans to feed on, their backs barely covered as they fin about knowing that they are relatively safe in the skinny water. As the depth increases, the larger species and predators begin to push their way up to feed on the smaller fish species. From a fly fisherman’s perspective, it means you never know what might swim around the corner and what opportunities that might bring, which in itself brings different challenges in techniques.
In some instances, the excitement is tangible. It is hard to describe the blood pounding through your veins as you spy the black forked tail of a permit, or the waving flag of a trigger fish tail as it flicks about. The feeling you get as you try to slide quietly, but quickly, across the flats towards a gliding bonefish, your breathing coming in starts in the heat. For me there is nothing like the physical full blown charge in thigh depth water, as you run towards a GT tailing on a ray, ripping off line as you go, starting your cast as you run, until you finally heave the fly across the flats and there is an explosion in the water as the fish whirls round and smashes it. There is nothing in freshwater that makes me feel the same, not even the excitement of a rising trout or the tightening of the line as a salmon takes.
Saltwater flats fishing occurs in the tropics, so this can make an extremely pleasant change to donning waders and jumping into a cold river. There is something remarkably relaxing about wading around in a pair of shorts and light shirt with the sun beating down on your back, crouching down and casting at a target as the sun lights up the vista like HD. It certainly can make the winter months a little more bearable with a break to the sun. This kind of trip can often be combined with somewhere nice to take the other half or family as well, giving you the best of both worlds.
There are many areas of the tropics that offer this style of fishing, perhaps the more well known being Mexico, Belize, Bahamas, Cuba, Venezuela and the Seychelles. All of these tropical paradises bring something different to the table, either in species or environment to target them. I would highly recommend looking at Mexico or Belize for a first-time saltwater experience as the operations on the Caribbean side of these countries offer a great mix of species at a very reasonable price and will teach you the skill sets, species and varied flats environments to hunt them in.
So what kit do you need to make foray into this side of fly fishing? In terms of rods, reels and lines I am afraid there is no “one rod to rule them all” and like many sports, several different setups can help you target different species. For bonefish, a heavy still water 9’ 7# trout rig will suffice for most situations, but you need to consider that you about to enter one of the most hostile environments for equipment that exists – saltwater. A freshwater reel will not cut it and ideally, a fly rod with saltwater fittings is better for the task as it won’t corrode. Stepping up to permit, triggerfish or bumphead parrotfish then a 9’ 9# is an ideal compromise between a light presentation and the power to fight a big fish. For baby tarpon of between 8 – 60lb a 9’ 10# will be you go to, and once you move into the arena of big tarpon and giant trevally then an 11 or a 12# is going to be needed to have enough power not to break under the pressure these fish can exert.
Your reel is perhaps the most important piece of tackle. This needs to be saltwater proof, have a very strong smooth disc drag, and in an ideal world a larger arbor, as this gives a much faster rate of retrieve – this can be a god send if a big fish decides to run towards you. Low start up inertia is vital as when these fish take off, an abrupt motion as the line hits the reel can easily snap tippets or cause tackle failures. In some instances I have seen fly lines go off like a gunshot as they part which can sometime take guides on the rod with it.
If you can’t see the fish, then you are immediately at a huge disadvantage. Really good polarized sunglasses are therefore absolutely necessary. The best all round lens is an amber or copper based lens which will work pretty well in very strong light as well as over cast conditions. Being the kit fiend that I am who firmly believes that he who dies with the most toys wins, I carry three pairs. I have a grey based blue mirror lens for very bright conditions that prevents headaches when the sun is really bright. I then have a green mirror copper based lens for normal conditions and then finally, I have my “Happy Glasses”. These are a sunrise yellow that can turn even the darkest day into a ray of sunshine and enable me to pick out fish even in terrible conditions.
Some of these destinations run close to the equator and as such are hot.. really hot. When you factor in the glare bouncing off the water as you scan continuously, someone of my vague Scottish extraction needs to be very careful. My days of trying to return from a trip as some kind of brown adonis are long gone, if they ever existed, so now I cover up from head to toe resembling some kind crap flats pirate, but it is effective. Starting from the feet, hard soled flats boots that drain water are the order of the day, and I wear a neoprene wet wading sock with built in gravel guards. As many of the saltwater destination I visit are mainly wade destinations, I wear full length SPF50 lycra swimming tights under my shorts. These protect my legs entirely, prevent the dreaded chafe, and also hide me from sharks.. at least I tell myself that. Loose fitting, quick drying shorts that can take a belt come next. When it comes to flats shirts this is down to personal preference and style… something I certainly don’t have. My preference is for the long sleeved T-shirt style with built in hood and mine also have a built in sun balaclava underneath stitched into the neckline. No gaps and chance of the dreaded red V associated with normal style shirts. On top of this, I like a wide brimmed floppy hat that protects the neck and ears. Lastly, sun gloves with leather palms complete the ensemble. I told you, crap pirate..
To put kit in, I have moved from a full waterproof backpack to a waterproof sling pack. In the days of serious saltwater exploration when we waded a long way from the boat I would carry water and numerous other things, but these days I am never too far away from the boat. In my pack I bring a spare fly line in case I am cut on coral, braided loop kit, a couple of fly boxes of a few of my favourite patterns and fly wallet constructed from zip lock bags. This houses my big flies, and you can pack far more into one than any fly box. Some spools of tippet material, a couple of spare leaders, and a packable jacket are complete my pack. The last tool that any saltwater fly fishermen requires is a pair of saltwater pliers. These are invaluable for tying thick shock tippet leader, pulling knots tight and also removing hooks from toothy fish.
Although I have waded many flats in many areas of the globe in search of silver tails, there is one instance that I think encapsulates what it’s all about. On the flats of Providence Atoll in the Seychelles back in March 2017 the stars aligned, the tide gods looked down favourably, and we hit one huge sand flats just as the water began to drop over the apex from the ocean side. With it came bonefish… big bonefish, sliding through the clear water hunting this way and that. Most of these fish were between 5 – 8 lb. As we peeled off and began to stalk, I saw one hove into view. As they had come off the turtle grass and across the lagoon picking up their last mouthfuls on the dropping tide, they could be spotted easily as an iridescent green colour clearly contrasted against the white sand.
I went down onto my knees to lower my profile and try not to spook it, took the shrimp pattern off the eye of my rod and without stripping any line cast the leader at the fish. The fly landed, I twitched the fly and the bone pounced. The fish tore off across the flats, the line making that satisfying tearing noise as it ripped through the surface film and disappeared off in a puff of sandy water, my reel singing its tune as it went. Fly line vanished in a few seconds, closely followed by a large proportion of my backing. The fish was splashing in the distance and further up the flat, the line still trying to catch up as I grinned. Slowly I began to regain some line and some sense of control and foot by foot back towards my location. With bonefish you normally get up to three long runs and this fish stuck by that, tearing out another epic run in the shallow water.
Having fished for GTs for most of the week you do have to change your mindset a little a realise you can’t just horse a big bonefish in. A game of cat and mouse ensued before I finally managed to bring it to hand and pop the barbless shrimp out. It was a stunning fish, thick across the back, a solid silver torpedo and had led me a merry dance. I slid him gently back into the water and watched him swim away. I have always loved fishing for bonefish, what you see is what you get and if you make the right cast with the right fly they will most likely take it. As fishing for salmon becomes increasingly hard, for those who have never experienced the blistering runs of a bonefish you have a treat in store. Watching the expressions on fishermen’s faces as they experience it for the first time never gets old.
