Quickly toss the fly in front of the fish before it heads back out to sea. The only difference between here and southern Florida and Texas: These reds range from 15 pounds up to almost 50. Wading the surf with a fly rod ranks right near the top of most peoples list of favorite things to do, and the only guidance youll need can come from a quick visit to a local fly shop. Tailing fish set any anglers heart aflutter. Here is a list of the best nine places to fly fish in Texas: 1. Plus, we've also written about the best fly reel for Reds and the best fly line for Reds. Fast, free shipping, expedited shipping available, earn 5% Rewards.A list of the most popular flies in Texas, along with hatch charts, river reports, and other helpful information to make your next trip to Texas the best trip yet. But because tides run so strong, flats fishing can be difficult, more difficult than that found elsewhere in the Southeast, even in areas as close as Florida and South Carolina. While flies with bead chain eyes (or no eyes at all) are best in water depths of 1 foot or less when you want your fly to stay out of the grass and near the surface. Building off this recipe and making a few modifications to resemble a juvenile blue crab, this pattern becomes a must-have for targeting Sheepshead and Redfish along the Gulf Coast. There are literally thousands of flies out there that imitate the crabs, shrimp, and baitfish that make up the diet of a Redfish on the shallow flats and backwater marshes. They get a lot bigger. To find the best guides, contact a local fly shop. By the time you're done reading this, you'll be ready to head to Texas to . The Razmatz is an excellent choice for a shallow, dirty water fly pattern. The most common color is reddish-bronze. If you cant get the fly to the fish, you wont catch any, period. What makes the fly different from other crab and glue-body designs, however, is that its extremely weedless. If you cast this in front of a Redfish, allow it to slowly flutter down, and then give it very short small strips, youll be hooked up in no time. As far as fly anglers are concerned, it is primarily a super-shallow water redfish destination . 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. He uses a No. These patters offer a solid profile and tied with the right materials and weight move beautifully throught the water. Youll end up tying this fly on very often because once you get that rush of adrenaline watching Redfish blow it up out of the water, you'll be addicted. All rods, reels, tackle, and flies are provided- all you need is a current Texas fishing license, snacks, and polarized sunglasses. Surrounded by the crystal clear waters of Copano and Aransas Bays, and nearby San Antonio and Matagora Bays, Rockport, TX is our home and base of operations. The spoon fly excels by flashing and emitting low frequency vibration sounds as its being stripped. Give us a call here at the shop at (888) 413-5211 or email us anytime at[emailprotected]. From the shape of the spoon, to the angle of the hook, to the amount of material tied at the bend of the hook; it all factors in to how the spoon sinks, wobbles, and flutters in the water. Chartreuse is a favorite color for warm-water predatory fish. Sheka Shrimp As you move south and west to the Venice and Grand Isle areas of Louisiana, the fishing changes a bit. Other shrimp patterns to consider are grass shrimp and hybrids like redfish Ritalin. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Gene Montgomery (334-478-7440) is a Mobile, Alabama, high-school teacher with a passion for fly fishing. They are known as bull reds. Some even believe that this is an evolved strain of redfish, different from its relatives in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal waters. Your fishing license can be purchased 24/7 online or over the phone (800) 895-4248 Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm central time. If your interested in having true experts teach how to chase reds get ahold of INDIGO GUIDE SERVICE. For a slow-sink fly, a bucktail tail is good. Thanks for signing up! The basic design is made with four to six saddle hackles tied near the back at the bend of the hook. 3. 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. Many anglers prefer an 8-weight fly rod for smaller redfish, but I usually throw big bushy redfish flies. The straight style, like the Straight-Shooter Crab pictured, has the hook shank positioned perpendicular to the crab body. Big bull reds love this fly. Having the right fly for these conditions is essential. Boat shoes are great, so you dont slip and slide around on deck. 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. To see more of his photography go to patfordphotos.com. Alderman is careful to keep the fly small, never more than 2 inches overall, so few redfish are missed at the strike. SWS Planner: Texas Gulf Coast Redfish Action. They can be in water from 6 inches to 3feet, based on varying conditions of tide and temperature. She coaches clients in advance of these opportunities: Drum prep is like a fire drill, she says. We have a lot of folks ask us about the flies we are using while fly fishing the flats in Rockport and the surrounding area. Location: Houston, Texas. 1.1 1. Its simple design and ease to fish are what I love about it. 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. Its just a matter of selecting the right flies. I had never seen a tail that big or that color. I set the hook, and the fish rocketed along the shoreline, throwing mud and water. For information, visit . Yet it has good fish-hooking capabilities. For small stream trout, smaller fly fishing hook sizes like a 6 or 10 may be sufficient. This area is chalked full of bayous and canals, dotted with innumerable lakes, bays, ponds, and . The EP fibers really changed how we could tie baitfish patterns, and the advancements are spectacular. Crab flies mainly fall into two different categories and can be fished a few different ways. But many cutting-edge anglers are using flies that are constantly being tested by the ever-growing numbers of fly-rod redfishermen. Many anglers prefer an 8-weight fly rod for smaller redfish, but I usually throw big bushy redfish flies. The Electric Chicken was originally tied to mimic the electric chicken plastic bait. Anglers watch for birds wheeling around bait in open water. My own personal favorite stomping grounds for redfish include South Florida and Louisiana. From WildFly Productions: "Back in November, I made it down to the Texas Coast for a DIY saltwater trip with my buddy, Bryant. Copyright 2023 Salt Water Sportsman. Texas claims two others, and North Carolina one. Suppose you arent accustomed to casting the heavier rods its best to practice on the grass and get more confident. That allows her to keep an eye on the fast-moving schools instead of focusing on tying knots and digging for tackle. Luckily, for coastal anglers in Virginia all the way to the southern tip of Texas, redfish, also commonly referred to as red drum, can be successfully targeted with a fly rod via kayak or stand-up paddle . 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. Check out, Picture Source A huge thanks to the great folks at, Some of the amazing redfish pictures were provided by my buddies at. Equip your fly line with cast foam poppers, deer-hair bugs or shrimp and baitfish patterns for the classic approach to Snook fly fishing. Find an area near any of the local inlets with clear water. Corpus Christi, Texas, guide Bill Sheka (512-991-7191) has fished Baffin Bay and lower Laguna Madre for many years and devised a bright-colored fly called the Sheka Shrimp. 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. Traveling pro angler Pat Ford offers tips on tackle, flies and hot spots. The bull reds, on average, top the 20-pound mark, and they seem to number in the thousands. With all the grass around, a weed guard is a must to be in with a shot at hooking a Red. The olive and brown combo is my favorite on a size #1 hook. Excellent numbers of redfish will come out of the woodwork. 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. Redfish are big crab and shrimp eaters, and the Ragin Craven does a great job of imitating both. I fell in love with the Spoonfly the first time I held one. Is this getting you excited? We promise we won't spam your inbox with stuff you don't care about. I use large, black bead eyes most of the time, but always tie some flies with lead eyes for deeper water. The bull reds are singular fish, generally a lot bigger, and are more specific in what they eat. 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. Fly Fisherman Magazine, 2015. The lagoon runs from the southern tip of New Smyrna Beach to the north end of Merritt Island and encompasses more than 21,000 acres of shallow, clear flats with less than a foot of tidal flow. 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. The current Texas record is 59 1/2 pounds. Creating high quality flies made for those that live and breathe the shallow flats and backwater marshes is our main focus. January and February is redfish time in the many sheltered potholes and ponds of the Biloxi, Mississippi, marsh. Blackened Redfish. When these marks started erupting in huge, gold splashes, we figured out that they were huge schools of redfish and that we had to be ready for them to pop up at any time.. The good news is that Redfish are highly aggressive feeders and are usually not too picky. Getting down quickly also avoids the albies, which grab the lighter offerings, she says. From baitfish to shrimp to crabs and almost anything in between, Reds are opportunistic feeders. Jim West, 409-996-3054 Anglers who dont know the areas can find a lot of trouble very quickly, but the fishing is amazing. Big Y Fly Co best fishing flies for Texas, for your next fly fishing trip. Proven fly patterns for summer Redfish are baitfish and shrimp patterns! The best is to get the fish to see the fly, and you will generally hook them. Current fly fishing reports and conditions for Gulf Coast Rockport in TX! Read about, Both Tarpon and Redfish can haunt the same waters. Yes, there are a few minor differences, but they feed and act in the same way for the most part. Guide Tip: Redfish grow to true trophy sizes. When the pelicans, gannets and larger gull species start wheeling around in open water, dont hesitate to investigate, Gardner says. When handling and releasing any fish, particularly the larger bull reds, remember to hold them horizontally to support their internal organs. Observe the size and type of baitfish that are up on the flats in high numbers and pick a fly that most closely resembles that. Gear up with giant Clouser flies and sinking lines that range from 450 to 700 grains. A Bonnier LLC Company. It would be great to book a fishing charter to fish for redfish. Therefore, tackle choices revolve more around casting and presentation ease than on fighting the fish. 9 ft leader is standard with 25-30lbs breaking strain tippet. You need to ensure to scan the course with your eyes, particularly when fishing in shallow waters. The straight style, like the Straight-Shooter Crab pictured, has the hook shank positioned perpendicular to the crab body. Most are designed to have the perfect amount of weight to slowly flutter down to the bottom and not rapidly sink into the weeds where fish cant see it. My favorite colors are blue over white and chartreuse over white. Those regions abut the narrow, winding canals of the back marshes and ponds near Galveston and Freeport. I think the craft fur body profile moves so well and has all the triggers. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. Flies must get deep quickly to appeal to upper Gulf Coast redfish, he says. All of these flies are absolutely deadly for Redfish and big Trout up on the flats. Redfish are very forgiving in that they will eat again on a second attempt and often follow anything that looks like food. A Bonnier LLC Company. Caudal and dorsal fins poking above the surface usually give away the fishs presence. First there's the weather. The water is air-clear. All five of the flies featured in this article are available in the Sight Cast Redfish Pack and are designed to target Redfish in the Gulf Coast region. In Georgia the water is dark and turbid, and the tides run hard and high. Featuring a textured shell body and bright orange claw tips, they closely resemble a juvenile blue crab. Sight fishing with a fly on the coast is one the most challenging types of fishing. The redfish run from average, 4 to 7 pounds, to big, 12 to 15 pounds. Its death on redfish, with gold and silver models remarkably effecive. Most have been well tested via the school of hard fishing knocks endorsed by the anglers who cast them and the redfish that eat them. The fish reside in the lagoon year-round, making it the best area to target trophy redfish on the flats along Floridas east coast. 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. The experience left him truly exhilarated. Outsmart Louisiana Yellowfin Tuna in Clear Water, Unbelievable: A Swordfish Caught on Fly from Shore, Protect the Blue Key West: Remote Control, Protect the Blue Islamorada: The Bones Brigade, Florida Approves Mandatory Venting Tool Use. But the visual experience can be breathtaking. 2023All Rights Reserved -www.sightcastfishing.com - Sight Cast Fishing Company, Saltwater Fly Fishing - Apparel, Flies, and Tying Materials, Sheepshead, Fly Fishing, Sight Fishing, Sheepshead Flies, texas fly fishing, sheepshead fly fishing, how to catch sheepshead on fly, best sheepshead flies, sight fishing to sheepshead, sheepshead fly, best way to catch sheepshead. The original was white and silver but the color combinations and sizes are infinite. Most reds top 20 pounds, and again, if they see your fly, theyll eat it. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Other examples include a modified Diver variant and the Popcorn Shrimp (pictured above). Image hooking into a red weighting over 50lbs. To illustrate, he tells of the time he and another captain were wading a grass flat three years ago when he was first experimenting with the fly. Good luck out there on the water! The kinky muddler is excellent for these summer conditions. It's a great pattern for sight fishing. Here in North Florida, this is usually in mid to late spring. 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. Scientists have documented this redfish population as the first ever known to spawn in an estuary (versus offshore). The body is bulky, shrimp-like, made of bright cactus chenille.