How to Fly Fish in Florida's Saltwater

It seems to me the best subject for this first article should be equipment, so I'm going to center my writing around choosing the correct rod, reel and fly line for our purposes here in Florida. As we get along in this series, I will cover subjects like; Fly selection, playing and landing fish, leader construction, ettiquete on the water, sightcasting to redfish on the flats and Tarpon on the fly, But for now , let's get the right fly fishing outfit in your hand.

To fish in saltwater, one of the main concerns with any kind of fishing equipment is "How well will it hold up in saltwater?" This is why many fly reels cost as much as they do. They are bullet proof and will stand up to a lifetime of saltwater use, but, many very good reels at much lower prices work very good in Florida's salt, if you just rinse them off with fresh water after using them. Take the example of the industry standard for years now, the 'Pflueger Medalist'. This reel is responsible for more catches and releases than all other fly reels put together, and the cost? Less than forty dollars! Trust me, your fly line will cost more than that. The model I recommend, and it will handle practically every fish you throw at it, is the Pflueger Medalist Fifteen ninety four and one half. This paticular model is important because this model has an exposed flange that you will need for fighting big fish. I will elaborate on "flanging fish" in future articles, but know this: you don't need to spend a lot on your reel in the beginning.

The next topic of discussion is your fly line. There are many on the market today, and many more on the way. Most all fly lines will do the job they were designed for, but there are many different lines with many different purposes. As a "Florida longroder", you will really only need to deal with two. The main fly line you will need , and the one you need to purchase first, is a weight forword, floating line in an eight weight.

The weight of fly lines run respectively from two to sixteen with three and four weight being a good blugill line, five weight being a good size for trout, seven being a good size for bass, eight and nine weight being a good all around inshore saltwater size and the larger sizes reserved for Adult Tarpon,Billfish and the real brutes. I believe this is where you should buy the best and spend as much as you can afford. Fly lines are the link between you and the fish and the better it is designed, the better it will cast so it is money well spent. A good weight forward number eight floating fly line will cost as much as fifty dollars, but it will last a long time and will be a joy to cast. Look for Courtland or Scientific Anglers and don't be afraid to ask the clerk some questions. They are usually very knowledgeable. The second line is a number two intermediate sinking line, usually a shooting head, and is very difficult to cast but does fit into the scheme of things when fishing deeper water. I will talk more about this line in detail later in these articles.

Now on to rod selection. This is where I tell all my students to put their 'reel money'. Cheap rods break down quick in saltwater and for something as demanding as fly fishing in saltwater, they don't stand a chance. The guides on cheap rods have no protection from saltwater and will rust and corrode. Manufacturers of cheap rods try to save money and very frequently put too few guides on the rod, causing a bad arc, and unneeded stress on the line,(and angler), during a long fight. Reel seats often aren't designed comfortably on cheaper rods and poor material choices cause the threads to corrode or rust in saltwater only to be a headache in the end. Some of these rods may pass when it comes to freshwater but they have no place in the brine.

So, what is good, and when are you spending too much money? Well, that's a hard question. If your a spin fisherman, and you are just getting into saltwater fly roding, you're probably used to spending some money on your rods, but you will still have to adjust your attitude for the price of a Scott, Sage or my favorite, G.Loomis. Any one of these rods will cost three to four hundred dollars and go up from there, and for the beginner, this is probably too much to spend on anything until you know if you like it. You should start with something in the middle. But first, let's consider why these rods are so expensive.

First of all, there is the cost of research and development, and believe me, nothing is spared when it comes to this stage of the game. Strength to weight ratio is the final goal. How light can you make it and still be strong enough to stand up to years of use, and in the worst of environments. On the typical bass rod, you would find thread wrapping to hold guides on and a heavy epoxy finish to look shiny, when both add unexceptable weight and can't be considered on a quality saltwater fly rod. All guides must be made of the finest of materials to even be considered for use on the best of the best. Reel seats are made of heavy duty, light weight material and designed to reduce hand and arm muscle fatigue, and research goes on to then reduce it more so. The rods of today are technological breakthroughs when it comes to casting ease and distance, light years ahead of their predecessors, made from the highest modulus graphite known to man, and all we have to do to enjoy one is pay for it. Somehow, to me, that sounds like a bargain, at any price.

My solution to this is to find the best rods at the most affordable prices and recommend them to beginners. Then, as they become better casters and anglers they see the need for better and more expensive equipment. In this category of less expensive but quality fly rods, I feel one rod reins supreme and I always feel good about recommending it, the "St.Croix Legend." At under two hundred dollars, this is a rod that you will use in saltwater for years and then pass it down to your children, knowing you have given them a great casting, fish fighting tool to kindle their passion for rumbling with the denizens of the flats.You will want to buy this first rod in a nine foot, eight weight to match the line. The St.Croix Pro Graphite is also a good rod and is even cheaper. G.Loomis makes the GL2 and GL3 series rod for people who are on an angling budget, and some models of Sage rods are reasonably inexpensive so at least you have more than one choice.

Once you have purchased the outfit you are going to be fishing with, you will need to have it rigged. This should be done free of charge at the time of purchase and should include backing for free also. This is also the time to have the handle switched over to the left, if you are right handed, (like a spinning rod ) by the same person that is rigging your fly line. This is important, because it must be done right. There is little room for error in saltwater fly fishing. You will probably purchase your first leader from the store at the time you buy your outfit, and maybe a fly or two.

You will need to learn to cast, and, I recommend you hire a teacher, of which I am one. This will shortcut the learning process and you will also learn proper presentation, stripping techniques, leader construction and many other things you would just be in the dark about. I have been blessed with the good fortune of knowing and being a friend of Bernard "Lefty" Kreh, the guru of fly fishing in saltwater, and, was lucky enough to have "Lefty" teach me his method of teaching people to fly cast. I am now passing that on as a fishing instructor myself. The cost is cheap. My point is, if you don't get help here, please, get help somewhere. You'll be glad you did. See you on the flats!

Captain "Z" Zeigler is a full time Saltwater fly fishing guide, F.O.W.A.member (outdoor writers guild), lecturer on the flats and flycasting instructor. He represents: Hewes Flats Boats, Yamaha outboards, Shimano, Billy Pate and Tibor fly reels, Stren fishing lines, Scientific Anglers fly lines, J.W.A. and Assoc., G.Loomis fishing rods and many plug and plastic bait manufacturers.

He can be reached at his own website from Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River flats, Florida, or by email at Captain_Z@msn.com