AS SEEN IN THE 2004 FALL ISSUE

With the fall bait run about to commence,
fly fishermen can expect explosive action with tailing reds.

The small hairy bug never broke the surface tension of the water. It lay there patiently waiting to be coaxed into life by its master. “Just let it sit until the fish’s tail goes down” were my instructions to Bob. The golden tail ahead of us slowly submerged. “Start with slow strips,” I said. Under my tutelage Bob was on his third fish of the day, so he already knew what my instructions would be as he instinctively moved the fly before I even spoke. The water erupted in a large boil behind the fly.

The rod bent like a willow as Bob let his loose line slide off the deck to meet his reel. Water sprayed off the spinning spool as the turtle grass parted in the distance as if in the wake of a torpedo! The fish was well past the 30” inch mark so we knew the battle would be righteous, and after three more blinding runs and a few give and take standoffs, we finally slid the redfish over the net. “What a Louie,” I said to Bob. Louie is short for Louisville Slugger, a term of endearment that a friend of mine and I bestowed upon redfish that exceed the slot limit.

As the water temperature starts to cool down, the fall months host the return of migratory patterns of both bait and predators. Tons of baitfish start to head down the coasts and fill the shorelines, bays and rivers. As a result, all the inshore predatory species are in their shadows. This time of year it’s difficult to decide on which of the many species to target, but it’s definitely not the worst decision an angler ever has to make.

From the Big Bend to the Space Coast, redfish become a favorite attraction during the fall months. During this transitional period redfish begin spawning following their annual migration into the passes and estuaries that dot both coasts of Florida, and they are hard to miss. Redfish travel in large schools across the lush grass flats to begin the life cycle anew. Even if you have not been on the water for a while, don’t worry, you’ll know when they’re there. More than one angler will be at the local tackle shop bragging about catching double digit numbers in some pass, pier or bridge somewhere.

In the Ten Thousand Islands for instance, there are countless small and large passes that are carved through adjacent flats. It’s here where I usually stumble across schools of redfish while targeting other species with live bait or jigs. And it’s now that I’ll usually switch to fly.

On this particular day, Bob and I were fishing Pine Island Sound where the turtle grass carpets shallow flats for miles in every direction. The Sound is just an easy click north of my home waters of the Ten Thousands Islands and Everglades National Park on the southwest corner of Florida.

Pine Island Sound and the Charlotte Harbor areas are famous for large numbers of tailing redfish and this day was no different. These are just two of many such places where anglers use their down time to become human again.

Places like the Big Bend, Pine Island Sound, Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River and Flamingo all have vast acres of turtle and spartina grass. When you’re searching for tailing redfish, these habitats are an angler’s dream come true. However, there are also miles of Florida coastline where there is no grass. The Ten Thousand Islands is a perfect example. Here. You’ll be searching for redfish that are lingering around oyster bars and submerged structure. Many of the reds landed here are taken by blind casting the shorelines. I prefer a shoreline that is uneven by nature. Pitch your fly into small nooks and crannies because the hardest shots are often the ones that produce the best results.

In all these estuaries you can count on the redfish cruising or laying motionless in small, shallow coves and bays. Stealth is of the utmost importance in these situations. When approaching these fish, I’ve found that many times they are intently focused on what they’re grubbing for, so quite often there is a certain margin for error before they’ll spook. This however is not true for the redfish that are lying out in the open.

Redfish can be found in large schools tailing in the turtle grass where they’re rooting for baitfish, shrimp and crabs. They also enjoy snacking on the snails off the blades of grass. There are a myriad of fly patterns that you can throw to these fish. Some are heavily weighted while others are only slightly weighted, but Puff patterns, crab patterns, bend backs, Clousers and baitfish patterns will all score their fair share of reds on the long rod.

Unfortunately, many of us have experienced the frustration of uncooperative redfish when throwing to tailing fish. Think about it for a second, when a redfish has its nose buried in the grass, many times it will never even see your offering. I have thrown to tailing redfish until my arm nearly fell out of its socket. Good friend and super redfish guide Mike Rehr, gave me a clue many years ago. He said to throw some type of hairy bug fly or a fly that floats. The idea is to throw the fly in front of the fish and wait until the tail goes down before starting the retrieve. I started using this method and my success rate has climbed off the charts.

Small Dahlberg divers, muddlers or even foam gurglers will also work. Quietly pole up to the school of tailers and cast the fly out in front of your target. Let it float on the surface until you see the fish submerge. When it does, start your strip. How you strip will vary, so this is where you may have to experiment. Try stripping erratically and moderately fast so that the fly moves between six and twelve inches per strip. If I’m using a weighted fly like a Merkin or Clouser, I like to bump it slowly across the bottom with short hops. More often than not, you will be rewarded with a solid connection. Prior to making another presentation, it’s not a bad idea to make a couple of false casts to help dry the surface bug or fly.

On occasion, I like to use streamer flies as opposed to crab imitations for one reason and one reason only. There are plenty of snook to be caught in the fall months, and snook can’t resist baitfish patterns. Though as the water temperature continues to cool, the snook will eventually become scarce. It is during these periods that crustacean imitations are hard to beat. There are many varieties out there; I like to tie Merkins on a number four hook. I tie mine with brown Aunt Lydia’s carpet yarn and I try not to make the fly much bigger than my thumbnail. These types of flies are more effective when you are able to see the fish. Many times you will spot redfish sitting on the edge of a pothole or cruising along a bare shoreline. Once again, lead your target, especially if it is cruising. With a crab pattern you want to let it sit until the redfish is close, then retrieve the fly with small baby hops. If all goes well, refusals won’t happen very often!

A weighted fly like a Merkin or Clouser is also a good idea. Just throw your fly up current and let it sink before bumping it along the bottom. The redfish you will find schooling in passes are not very picky. And when the bite is on, they’ll eat just about anything. Baitfish patterns like Matt’s 40, Deceivers, Redfish Candy, Puglisi Minnows or even a Gurgler for top water action should get super results. Prepare yourself for some sore arms because these fish are often larger than the slot limit, and double digit catches are quite common. As a bonus to their large numbers, don’t be surprised when you hook a brute of twenty pounds or more!

Nothing fancy is needed for fly line and leader. Your standard floating line and a 9 ft. leader will usually work. I like to use a simple leader system consisting of 5 ft. of 40 lb. followed by 3 ft. of 20 lb. and 1or 2 ft. of 50 lb. shock tippet for an overall length of 9 ft. The 50 lb. bite tippet is a necessity because of chance encounters with sharp gilled snook and laid up tarpon. If you were strictly after redfish you could easily get away with a straight piece of 20, but you don’t want to risk losing other quality fish.

Some anglers claim that you must use graduated leaders to help roll the fly over, but it’s my opinion that if you can’t roll a fly over with a simple leader, then you better get in the back yard and start practicing some more. 12 ft. graduated leaders may be necessary however, when fishing still, gin clear waters with spooky fish.

For redfish, we almost always use weight forward floating fly lines. Sink tip or intermediate sinking lines can come in handy if you know that redfish are in a pass of deeper water, so some of us carry a spare rig just for that purpose. Remember that the size of rod should be determined by the size of fly you are throwing. Fly rods are designed around the fly line and a fly line is designed to carry a specific weight of fly.

Let’s use the eight weight rod as an example. An average eight weight fly line weighs approximately 200 to 210 grains in the taper. Most rod manufacturers spend a substantial amount of time and money trying to figure out how to get a rod to load at 210 grains. It is the 210 grains that carries your fly. My point is that if you are throwing a larger Dahlberg diver on a six weight fly rod and your cast keeps collapsing, you might want to refigure the physics of the whole thing. Don’t laugh. I have people show up with six weights all the time because they want the lighter action after the hookup. They wind up struggling all day long, so I usually have to switch them to a fly that a bonefish might eat. Unfortunately, redfish are hungry for a big meal rather than a small appetizer, because fall spawning consumes a lot of calories. If you are new to the game or you plan on hiring a guide, my best advice is to follow the guide’s suggestions on flies and equipment.
Many anglers consider fall to be the best time of the year for the catching element of the total fishing formula. The fall migration of baitfish and the action with the predators that follow can be absolutely phenomenal! Last year was a prime example. The beaches, passes and estuaries were choked with bait. The redfish run was as good as it gets. Tailing fish were in the passes and roaming the beaches and you could almost always find them in small pods in the bays. Anglers fishing the large grass flats were running across schools of hundreds of tailing redfish. The only problem was that it was so darn hard getting around all the snook, jacks, mackerel and ladyfish, not to mention the fall tarpon. If only we could always have that problem. So many fish, so little time!

I’ll see you on the water.

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