Has anyone ever fly fished in salt water along the coast? If so, what size rod do you use? What size/type of flies do you use? What do you typically catch?
-- Edited by JT at 08:45, 2007-02-23
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
I haven't fished this far north on the coast, having grown up in SD i know it fairly well. For fishing surf, which is what I am guessing you are talking about, the fishing is not that different. Mostly you will be after barred surf perch, fishing with ghost shrimp imitations and small, fast sinking minnows. Anything from A 5 wt to a 7 wt works for me, about 300-400 grain sinking line. I like the heavier rods in the surf, even though the perch are rarely above a pound or so. It can be a lot of fun, but wear a rain racket even if the weather is not bad. The spray from waves can make you cold and miserable.
If you are interested in flyfishing in the surf, here is a great link. The owner fishes a lot and has great pictures which help in learning to read the water and his rigging techniques. His reports give you an idea of how many opportunities there are.
I'm starting to get my gear ready for fishing the coast as well. A friend of mine has done some fishing for surf perch and recommended I use a stiff flex 9ft. 6wt with a T-8 shooting head and some 25lb amnesia shooting line, and a stripping basket. Some of the guys recommend the black colored amnesia because they feel it has less memory.
Using a clunker reel is ok because you will mostly be hand stripping the fish in if they are surf perch.
They say distance is less of an issue and that it is more of a quick shot with the shooting head, timed between waves, with virtually no false casting.
All I'm missing is a stripping basket and I'm ready to give it a first shot.