texas redfish flies texas redfish flies

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 fly is particularly good on the flood tide in those highwater grass areas. When poling in the marsh, anglers look for wakes, tails and bodies near oyster bars and mud flats. The Redfish will follow this fly until it commits. Dustin's Destroyer, Chartreuse and White. Once they spot your fly, they will open up their mouth and take it. Back in November, I made it down to the Texas Coast for a DIY saltwater trip with my buddy, Bryant. Seven hot flies for chasing red drum throughout the coastal south. These fish, without a doubt, make for an incredibly memorable fly fishing trip. The pattern excels in stained/murky water thats very common along the Texas and Louisiana coast. Saltwater Flies. Read where to go in this article > Where to Fly Fish in Florida, How big do Tarpon, Redfish and Snook get? While we have only been able to add a select few for now, we will continue to add to this page as we can and . Colors run the gamut too, from pink to orange, and from yellow to hot green. Some even believe that this is an evolved strain of redfish, different from its relatives in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal waters. Here is a list of the best nine places to fly fish in Texas: 1. Im all set to go a simple boat fly box with the above patterns! 4. 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. I use large, black bead eyes most of the time, but always tie some flies with lead eyes for deeper water. Keep flies with bead eyes and lead eyes available. To see more of his photography go to patfordphotos.com. These Texas reds demonstrate typical shallow-water feeding behavior. Image hooking into a red weighting over 50lbs. Quickly toss the fly in front of the fish before it heads back out to sea. This has all the characteristics of the Seaducer yet adds more of a shrimp look. 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. A Redfish is a Redfish, no matter if you are in Texas, Florida, or Virginia. They will generally eat a second time if they spook or miss the fly. Kennedy nicknamed this all-black cone-headed Wooly Bugger the American Express Fly because he never leaves home without it. Just sales, new product updates, fly tying tutorials, and important news! The fly body is black ice chenille wrapped Palmer-style with black hackles, and a black marabou tail. 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. Its simple design is very deadly for many species, especially Redfish. 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. Some popular patterns include the Merkin, KungFu, Contraband, Flexo, Fleeing Crabs, and many more. It has a unique wobbling action when retrieved thats identical to a Johnson wobbling spoon. When youre seeing lots of Redfish up on the flats, tie this fly on and let the good times roll. That said, Im an 8wt shooter myself, and I feel an 8wt setup is ample to target most reds in their environment. In the beginning, the most incredible, unexplained marks appeared on our bottom machines. Redfish can be found all along the coast, stretching from Texas, around the Gulf to Florida, and up the Atlantic to parts of the Northeast, preferring water temperatures between 65-85 degrees. Fish it near the bottom with slow and erratic retrieves for best results. 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. I'll gladly give up February or August to expand the finest month on the calendar along the Texas coast. The author says many fly patterns tempt red drum, but he usually keeps a selection of bead-eye and lead-eye flies on hand. I like to have an intermediate spool ready to roll if needed, but it isnt necessary. The Baffin Blue Crab fly pictured is just one example of how you can modify this pattern to fit your target species. Most of them are caught in the marshes and coastal waters, but a few are targeted offshore. Most of them imitate the crabs, shrimp, and baitfish that make up the majority of the redfish diet. All of these flies are absolutely deadly for Redfish and big Trout up on the flats. The best fly choice: a good-size shrimp that sinks quickly. If you're not a Texas resident you need to purchase a non-resident one-day all water fishing license (code 214). 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. Head down south to the Louisiana fishing playgrounds in and around New Orleans and the Biloxi Marsh area, an estuary network of 210,000 acres of coastal wetlands located on the eastern side of Louisiana, which borders the Gulf of Mexico, you will find yourself in the mecca of redfish fly fishing. My choice is an 8wt setup, but you should fish what you feel comfortable with. We spent 3 days exploring the area in search of Redfish. Welcome to the Texas Coastal Bend. Anglers can accidently bump into these schools, but many guides, such as Capt. With that said, I will break down my favorite redfish flies and explain why and when I fish them. Starting at $6.16. 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). Retrieve this fly with steady, slow strips and it will mimic the movement of a fleeing crab. A subtle fly or plug pulled gently in front of a . Year-round you can fish redfish, but in the changing season, you also have black drum, sheepshead, sea trout, tarpon, and . These anglers are chasing red drum, the target of choice for a growing legion of fly anglers, thanks to the fact that there are more red drum in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters today than weve seen in years. These 2hours are golden and what every redfish angler dreams of. The key is to use a fly-and-line combo that will drop down in the water column. This is an excellent fly for tailing fish digging crabs out of the mud. With all the grass around, a weed guard is a must to be in with a shot at hooking a Red. 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. If the precise concave shape isnt made, the spoon will plane to the surface during the retrieve rather than wobble. The best colors are chartreuse and pink chenille, and I will fish this pattern if nothing else is working. But the visual experience can be breathtaking. . Let a good casts worth of line drag behind you and start wading in about a foot of water. Gear up with giant Clouser flies and sinking lines that range from 450 to 700 grains. If there's any wind at all, a 9-weight makes casting easier. This allows the crab to stand upright in a defensive posture with claws dancing in the current when resting on the bottom. Consider Fishing The Flats: Flat fishing is a great way to go sight fishing for redfish. Current fly fishing reports and conditions for Gulf Coast Rockport in TX! The other captain stalked close to two big foraging reds and worked the fish with different flies for 10 minutes without a take. Youll also want it to resemble a juvenile blue crab thats highly prevalent in the region, including a tan-colored textured shell body and bright orange claw tips. Locals like the Surfin Wooly. It has a large head that pushes water and the head to tail contrast makes it highly visible and attractive to fish. While these large flies are still useful to have during the summer . 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. He ties the fly on a barbless 34011 Mustad size 4 hook, with a bright-gold cone head to help get it deep. This allows the crab to "swim" while being stripped. Much like all other crab flies, it should be able to perform crawling along the bottom and the legs and claws should flutter with bite-enticing movement. This small collection are the top flies for Redfish that we have found. Fly fishing trips are limited to two anglers per boat. You want to be in Port Aransas during the Fall Run to catch your next personal best sight casted Texas red drum on the fly. 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. For larger species, you might try a 2/0 to 4/0. It can be tied in sizes 10 - 20. My favorite colors are blue over white and chartreuse over white. 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! The productive color combinations are plenty, but the pattern always remains the same, a dark back with a light belly. It isnt uncommon for us to find bull reds in 20 to 60 feet of water while were chasing schools of busting albies, Gardner says. Tied on a #1 or 1/0 hook in the color that best covers your area. Most of the flies featured in this article are available for sale in the Saltwater Fly Shop and are designed to target inshore species in the Gulf Coast region. The cost is $16.00 per person per day. Anglers must be ready to cast as soon as the boat lines up. Anglers watch for birds wheeling around bait in open water. Redfish can be found in the waters of Galveston where the depth is about 6 - 12 feet. The straight style, like the Straight-Shooter Crab pictured, has the hook shank positioned perpendicular to the crab body. Getting down quickly also avoids the albies, which grab the lighter offerings, she says. Give us a call here at the shop at (888) 413-5211 or email us anytime at[emailprotected]. The Charleston, South Carolina, area has vast inshore areas offering fly rodders great opportunities for red-drum fishing. 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. Bushy shrimp patterns and white or chartreuse Clousers work best, depending on how deep the fish hold. Victor Browning Lake and Calaveras Lake. Everglades National Park offers prime redfish habitat with miles of flats. Sport Fishing Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. The golden color works well in the muddy water, and the reds love the movement of the fly. They simply cannot resist the flicker and flutter as it moves through the water. Tackle choices aside, the size of your fly can be the most important . Greens and golds are the first choices in smaller #2 and #4. Tackle choices aside, the size of your fly can be the most important factor. Polling around on that flood tide is a special time to fish, and it should be cherished. The key to this flys success is its slow sinking rate combined with the fluid pulsing motion of the hackles on the tail. Aransas Pass Fly Fishing. The Merkin Crab is widely considered the most effective Permit fly ever conceived. If needed contact info - HERE, Disclosure: "This site is owned and operated by River Traditions LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Michigan, USA. The setup you choose to use depends entirely on your ability as a fly fisher. The best is to get the fish to see the fly, and you will generally hook them. 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. Often, you'll need flat, calm conditions to consistently see fish. Redfish range from Virginia (technically Massachusetts) south to the Keys, and then north and west along the entire Gulf Coast. If needed contact info -, Snook, Reds and Tarpon can be found all over Florida. Additional tail materials can consist of marabou, bucktail, calf tail or Krystal Flash. Description - Fly fishing for red drum in the shallow marshes near Galveston using kayaks right after a cool front. Fly Fishing the texas coast. 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. Strip this fly slow and with short pauses to allow it time to shimmer down into the water column.