[RouseD]

Just wondering what some of the favorite inshore salt water flies would be. Also, what sizes and colors for specks flounder, drum, etc.
Seems I have come down to using Clousers, and Deceivers. Haven't done much of it yet. I mostly fly fish fresh water.

 

[RouseD]

Doesn't seem to be many inshore/salt fly fishermen, but I know there are a few.

 

[Chiefly Fly'n]

It's kinda hard to beat the Clouser minnow and I find myself using that on a regular basis when I get to go to the coast. Chartreuse and White is perhaps the #1 color combo with flashabou or krystal flash etc. added for some sparkle. However, I probably pick Chartreuse and pink more. Often referred to as "tutti fruiti." Usually 2-3 inches in length with small or extra small dumbell eyes (easier to cast and less likely to "ding" your rod or your head on the way by...) Other colors choices have been black and gold; brown and rust etc.

There's also a fly that is often called a "schminnow." Just a white marabou tail and a body of Extaz or Christal Chenille...with either lead dumbell eyes or eyes made from melting the end of 80# mono. That pretty popular in parts of the SE and Florida...but also seems to be a good smallmouth fly.

I also see some of the redfish guys using something that resembles a shaggy wooly bugger tied in tans and browns, with some rubber legs mixed in with the tail.

Crab patterns are good producers....maybe a litte more challenging getting use to tying a flat body...but not too tough. Some of the crab patterns are actually pretty simple to tie (and you can get pre-shaped flat bodies can glue them together on either side of the hook shank.

 

[RouseD]

Thanks Richard. Sounds like great advice. I have a few Clousers tied up, but got into Deceivers a bit more lately. I have some in the colors you mentioned. Ever add beads in front of the fly to help with the weight in case you want to fish the surf or water with current, or to get the fly down a bit deeper?
I'll look up the "schminnow" on youtube, but think I can tie one without that, using your description.

 

[Chiefly Fly'n]

I think you'll find the schminnow or Norm's Schminnow with no problem.

I have added either a bead or a cone head for weight....and I've used lead wire around the hook shank to weight the fly (if you are using white or tan materials....coat the lead wire with head cement so it doesn't "bleed" thru and stain your light colors.) But I usually prefer lead eyes...for weight. Some folks think the appearance of eyes are important.

Rather than a heavy fly, my preference is to use a sink tip fly line or a sinking head line or intermediate fly line, with about 3' of leader, to get the fly down....or add a section of sinking line to a floating line. The sinking head or intermediate line will be more efficient for getting flies deeper, especially in the surf...and better in the wind.

 

[mhcflyfisher]

Hey MR. RouseD,

1) Clouser
2) Deceiver
3) Half-n-Half
(Boring list I suppose, but effective!)

I agree that a Clouser is hard to beat. Period. I use it probably 90% of the time in Salt and Brackish water.

Most all of my flies are tied on a #2 Mustad 34007 hook. While not the sharpest hook out of the box, this hook is cheap, stainless steel (won't rust), readily available and has just the right amount of hook shank to tie in the dumbbell eyes without overlapping the buck tail into the hook eye.

Go-to colors are tutti-fruitti, chartreuse/white, pink/white (all these with pearl Flashabou or pearl Krystal Flash) and, of course, all white with gold flash. I also have some of the more natural colors in lesser numbers: gray/white, tan/white and olive/white (I guess for my more subdued side, hee, hee- and just in case none of the other 4 colors are working!).

This time of the year I'm throwing deceivers because I want something to just hover in the strike zone for the trout. My Clousers will sink too fast. The trout are not moving fast in this cold water and the bait shouldn't be zipping along either. Since I'm usually fishing creeks with very little current, I use an intermediate fly line with 4' of fluoro leader and just count the fly down to the depth I want. For example, yesterday I fished in about 4-5' foot of water and counted down the fly 10-15 seconds before stripping it back (very, very slowly I might add).

And lastly, I'm starting to tie more Half-n-Half flies for warm weather use- half Clouser, half Deceiver, hence the name. These give the benefits of a Clouser (sinking) while also giving the fly a little bit bigger profile and movement in the water. Quite frankly, I just like the looks of them, which is probably enough reason in of of itself to tie them. I don't intend to use them on bluefish or Spanish mackerel because of durability issues with those toothy fish, but will definitely use them for trout, drum and FLOUNDER. Pretty much same colors as mentioned about, but with most being all white.

Just my 2 cents worth of what has worked for me. Hope you find it useful.

 

[RouseD]

Thanks for your input mhcflyfisher. Not sure if I have met you. Maybe at Core Creek at Fort Barnwell once?

Thanks also to you Richard. I was thinking about adding a bead before the fly tie on, if heavier flies were not available. I've seen it done, but only a couple of times, and was wondering if other fly fishers did that when not using sinking lines. I realize you could not get them nearly as deep or as fast as with sinking lines.

 

[Stump1187]

Here is my pic of my lineup 90% of the time. Have tried pink/chartreuse and white/chartreuse with not much luck. Most fish have come from the black and white and the chart/black/red one. Biggest from black and white also.

FYI these were when I first started tying, will have to get some pics of the new versions that look much cleaner.

 

[RouseD]

Stump, your flies look very good to me. Thanks. Your last fly looks more like a red/white and chartreuse.

 

[RouseD]

I'll get some more Clousers tied up, and will have to tie some schminnows. Just checked out Capt Matt Wirt's Norms Schinnow. Look like a very easy tie, and I have all the materials.

Love to hear more about other's favorite salt water inshore flies. Favorite colors and sizes would also be nice. Just guessing, for salt water species a size 4 would be the smallest size hook?

 

[Chiefly Fly'n]

For folks that are tying Clousers, I recommend watching a video of Bob Clouser tying one. He has some subtle differences in his method for tying around the eyes; belly hair and tail flash. The way he ties in the first clump of hair and the way he "tapers" it over the eye may make for a better looking fly. (sometimes significantly different from the way a lot of folks demonstrate tying the Clouser.) I have found that if I wrap the "belly" hair to the hook shank, down to a spot just past the start of the bend (so the belly hair just start to turn in the same direction as the bend, I can achieve a more narrow body profile....which sometimes better matches the long, skinny profile of the prevalent baitfish. I also have found I like to use monofiliment thread....doing so allows the color of the hair to show through and I don't have to concern myself with matching thread colors.

 

[Stump1187]

Thats where I got all my info Chief (even if it doesn't look like it in the finished product). No better place to get it than from the man himself.

@RouseD it looks that way as its against a black background but above the charchuse there is a strip of black to give it a black back like on a menhaden or other bait fish.

 

[RouseD]

Thanks Stump and Richard. I use the Bob Clouser video on you tube to tie my Clousers also. Love to kkeep them as real as possible. Bob ties his in a particular way to make the fly act the way he knows will attract more fish. I also saw the explanation on this also. Think it was on youtube, but can't remember without looking.
Great info everybody. Hope there is more from the ones posting to this thread, and others who see it.

 

[Kev2380]

 

[Scott Hobbs]

Lots of different flies out there to try. Clouser's are definitely number one but lots of other options. Depending on the time of year I may toss a Gurgler on a #4 hook, topwater fly that lots of fish love to eat. Shrimp patterns also get a good nod from me. All the listed fish will devour them.

If you want simplicity, tie a white wooly booger with some flash and toss it, flat fish will inhale these things.

I normally use a floating line and when I am tying I may tie the same pattern with a light weight, medium and heavy weight. That way I can cover the water column. I do have a intermediate line on a 6 weight but don't usually break it out.

 

[RouseD]

Great looking flies Kev. No need to ask which fly you like best.

Scott, been a while, but I have tied Gurglers in the past, but just haven't fished with them enough to learn their capability. I was told once that a Wooly Bugger would catch anything, anywhere, and any time. I can see where the wite one would be great for flatties, and most likely would be universal for other salt species. I ties different weight flies also, but I need a way to mark them so I'll know which is heavier. I may just use a red marks a Lot and start with no dots, and increase the dots according to the weight. I need to buy a spare spool for one of my fly reels so I can put some intermediate, or other sinking lines on. I would rarely need any sinking line for the way I fish, but can see where it could be very beneficial at times. I hate to spend the money on a spare spool because the cost is not far from what an entire reel would be. May have to bite the bullet.

 

[Chiefly Fly'n]

spend the money

An option is to use a piece of sinking line 5-7 feet long and loop to loop it to your floating line. (seems like this has been mentioned in the past) Some of these are sold pre-made so it's pretty simple to have a couple stuck in your pocket...and a lot cheaper than buying a new line and spool.

Or a just a second inexpenive reel may be an option. There are a number of decent inexpensive reels on the market. I sell a good many Redington Crosswaters either separate or as part of the Redington Crosswater Combo. The reels sells for only $39 for either a "5 wt" model or a larger "8 wt. "

 

[wademaster]

I like the Crosswater combo I've got. Works great and no problems. I'm going to remember this thread when I finally am able to get my fly rod to the salt.....going to be interesting.

 

[ECU Daniel 14]

Apparently little gag grouper love my EP shrimp. Havent had much luck with anything else lol.

 

[RouseD]

Great looking shrimp Daniel.