Fly fishing with a guide in the tropical salt water flats.

Let the guide check out your outfit: Rod, reel, fly line, leader and let him pick a fly out of your boxes or let him give you a fly.

If you have fresh leader material and the guide ties it up you probably won't break off.

For these inshore small to medium size Tarpon we use 8 or 9 weight outfits with tropical floating lines.

Forget everything you think you know, have read or heard from friends.

Just listen to you guide.


Here is a fun video showing several breakoffs......?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkdwtDt09vI

That looks awesome! Plus, the music is the same music Dave Inks uses as background on his Waterstrider instruction videos. Very cool!
https://waterstrider.com/p/videos
Tim R

Bill,

Your advice is totally solid. Your guide is out there everyday and knows what works and what doesn't. After watching you cast he might want to change the length of your leader are actually change the complete line in order to help you make better casts, do what he recommends and you will be a better fisherman , learn his new tricks and then practice them.

How many times do you see fisherman who are going to a new destination ask on fishing sites what rod-what line and what flies? Those people that answer those questions aren't fishing the same water as you, just call the guide, he will give you sage advice.

Great thread Bill

Carl Blackledge

About 30 years ago a very good friend was going for the first time to the Babine river for giant wild Steelhead.

I called the lodge in BC on a "radio phone" where you talk and then wait and they talk.

Luckily I got one of the guides on the phone and asked him a bunch of questions about tackle for the trip.

He said to bring an 8 or 9 weight fly rod, and a good reel with plenty of backing.

He said to have a floating line, a fast sinking sink-tip line and a Teeny type extra fast sinking line.

Back then they hand tied their leaders with old dark colored Maxima Chameleon monofilament line.

He told me about the flies but said they can supply good ones for their clients.


When he got back he said one of the guides said it was nice to see someone show up with the "right stuff".


I have always taken pride in outfitting our clients with the "right stuff".

Bill,

I hear you buddy. In Loreto lots of guys show up with Tarpon lines instead of lines like the Rio OBS. Tarpon lines won't turn over big bushy flies like Crease flies and air heads. The new guys also bring full clear lines which are a pain in the ass for picking up and re-casting and the list goes on and on...Carl