AS SEEN IN THE NOV/DEC 2007 ISSUE

For most of us in the sport fishing community, the attributes that differentiate an exceptional angler from an average one are pretty well established. Patience of a saint, the ability to study and learn from our surroundings and being able to think like a fish are just a few. Here’s one that I think is my personal best; stubbornness! Bull-headed, never- give-up, fly-in-the-face-of-popular-belief stubbornness! If I did not possess this “gift” (believe me, that’s not what my wife calls it) I would have never landed my first South Florida sailfish on fly. I probably would have made a couple half-hearted attempts and eventually called it quits. Worse yet, I would have listened to the advice and opinions of more than just a few who believe, “You can’t catch sailfish on fly in Florida!”

Now, I’m not going to lead you to think that South Florida is anything like Costa Rica, Guatemala or Panama. Regardless of how good the conditions are, never are you going to get three or four dozen shots a day at aggressive fish, but if you’re persistent and have the patience, there is no reason why you can’t consistently achieve some level of success. The three most important factors to consider are pre-trip preparation, precise execution and seamless team work.

As a full time offshore fly-fishing guide, very rarely, if ever, do I head offshore with sailfish as the main target. Usually, I wait until I hear the bite is red hot, and then I make my move into the promising area and depth where the action is taking place. Until I hear this vital information, committing to the “fly-fishing for sailfish game” is tough when there are so many other exciting wintertime opportunities. Nevertheless, I come prepared by always having everything ready to go for those special occasions when all of the pieces to the puzzle do come together. It also helps that usually only takes fifteen minutes to be in the prospective zone with teasers deployed from just about anywhere along the southeast coast.  
 

Pre-Trip Prep:                                                                                               Most of the boats – both big and small - fishing the rich waters off Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties are not set up for blue-water fly-fishing, but it doesn't take very long to make the necessary adjustments. First, remove any expendable equipment to lessen the chance of snagging your fly line. I suggest tipping your outriggers up or if possible, remove them altogether. If there are cleats or other items likely to become a hindrance, non-marking removable painters tape can be used as a quick fix to temporarily cover them. Be sure to stow all dock lines, gaffs, nets, etc. as they, too, have a knack of grabbing flies and fouling them at the most inconvenient time. Murphy’s Law comes out in full force when fly-fishing for sailfish, and anything that can go wrong, will. Time spent trying to prevent these mishaps well in advance is time well spent.

For tackle, a 14-weight is recommended, although 12-weights will get the job done as long as the reel holds at least 300 yards of backing. I prefer a minimum of 400 yards for those enthusiastic fish that enjoy burning line off the reel. Until you have experienced it first hand, you won’t believe how fast a gray-hounding sailfish can dump a spool.

South Florida sailfish are far from rookies when it comes to dealing with anglers, and for this reason, I recommend clear intermediate line which tends to spook less fish than brightly colored floating lines. Fast sinking lines should be avoided, as they won’t allow you to pick up and reposition your fly if the fish decides to change direction at the last moment.

You can follow IGFA regulations on leader construction if you like; however, unless there is a serious chance of record-breaking on the horizon, this is one step that can be avoided. For the well being of the fish, I generally run a short leader. It’s made up of a 20 inch bite tippet made of 60 to 80 lb. test fluorocarbon, a 30 lb. class tippet about three feet in length, and four feet of 40 lb. followed by a two foot butt section of 50 lb. connected to the fly line. I tie double surgeon knots all the way around except for a non-slip loop for the fly and an Albright from butt section to fly line.

When preparing your flies, remember that your decision will have a direct correlation with the teasers you choose. If you are dragging pink and white teasers that are five to seven inches long, then your fly should be pink and white and about five to seven inches in length. This aspect is relatively straightforward, however, deciding on what to use as a teaser is a little more involved.

Atlantic sailfish eat a large array of prey. To be honest, I'm actually not sure what they won’t eat. I’ve seen aggressive sailfish devouring tiny flying-fish no more than a few inches long, and also witnessed them hot on the tails of gaffer-size dolphin. I've heard stories of sailfish stealing snapper and other bottom fish as they're hauled to the surface. Because of this eat-anything-attitude, almost anything can be dragged. I know a captain in the Florida Keys that uses white rags tied into a daisy chain. Although this may work, when rigging my teasers, I prefer to use soft baits mimicking the local forage. A teaser that has anything hard in it will tip off the fish and after the first whack of its bill, the wary sail will typically be long gone. A favorite teaser and undeniably one of the best are hookless ballyhoo, however there are times when pesky dolphin and bonito destroy the baits in short order. Squid chains and spreader bars are also very effective in attracting attention. They are easy to see, and give fast moving fish multiple offerings to target. Just remember to deploy these teasers on fairly stout rods with quality reels featuring high-speed gear ratios because they create so much drag. A heavy duty spinning outfit will also come in handy as you can quickly cast a single teaser matching the daisy chain in case the sail fades off and loses interest.

Precise Execution + Seamless Teamwork = Success!                                           
While you can effectively target sailfish on fly with two qualified crew members, the help of three or four people makes this task much easier and ultimately, much more effective. Here are the positions you need to fill; an angler is needed to throw the fly. His job is the simplest- until a fish is hooked. Set up the designated fly rod with line stripped off and ready to cast. You will only need 30 feet of line stripped from the reel. Once the angry sailfish feels the hook and exits stage left at a blistering speed, you don't want to clear any more line than you have to. Plus, the more line lying on the deck, the more likely it will find something to tangle around.

The next position to fill is that of the boat captain. The helmsman will need to operate the boat, monitor the VHF and constantly scan in every direction for activity.

Next is a dedicated “Teaser Man” who works the teasers, gets the sailfish lit up and ultimately, charging at the boat. The teaser man has the most important job and as the coordinator, he will instruct the captain to pop the engines out of gear and advise the angler where and when to make the cast.

Finally, the last member of the four man team is the cameraman, and although filling this position is not imperative, it is always nice to have great photos to remember your wonderful achievement by.

Game On!         
                                                                                                                    
With the exception of the captain, everyone else should keep their attention on the teaser(s) from the moment the natural or imitation baits hit the water. Sailfish show up very quickly, and sometimes with little or no warning. If visibility is a factor during overcast days, it may be a good idea for the designated teaser man to have the rod in hand because the first indication of an interested fish may very well be felt and not seen.

Once the sailfish is keen on the teaser, it’s time to determine exactly what the fish wants to do. Is the hungry sail ready to be teased to the boat or does it a need a bit of coaxing by working the teaser line, speeding up the boat or maybe even slowing down. Something has to trigger the sailfish into attacking. It’s hard to put just one technique into words that works in every situation; just that it takes practice and experience. Trust me though; you will know when the fish is ready to be teased into casting range. He’ll appear frantic, batting the teaser with his bill like a kid wildly swinging at a piñata. When you’re convinced, slowly retrieved the teaser to the back of the boat as the captain pops the engine(s) out of gear. Simultaneously, the angler is instructed to make the cast – knowing a couple of seconds are required to make a false cast or two before dropping the fly as close to the teaser as possible. Even a two second delay is enough for the sailfish to lose interest and fade off. Timing has to be perfect and even that does not guarantee success.  

Once the teaser is eliminated from the playing field and the fish pounces on the fly, it’s important to remember that all you have to do for the first five to fifteen minutes of the fight is keep the line tight. Sailfish do a better job at tiring themselves out than we could ever do, so let the fish run and jump. Once the fish loses a little steam, you should have your trophy at boatside and ready for a healthy release in less than 30 minutes. When you hook a determined fish that wants to hang deep and sulk, good luck! Other than maneuvering the boat so that you can pull on the fish with some angle in the line rather than vertically, there is not much more that you can do other than keeping steady pressure and waiting for the fish to be a little more cooperative. Whatever happens, it’s always a good idea to constantly do your best to get the fish to the boat as quickly as possible.

Of course, all of the above wouldn’t do anybody a bit of good if you weren’t focusing your efforts in promising stretches likely to hold fish. Stay on top of the action by monitoring fishing forums, communicating with other captains and reading fishing reports. However, nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to time spent on the water.    

Atlantic sailfish are an important player in the South Florida sport fishing community for both resident and visiting anglers. We need to do our best to ensure the longevity of this wonderful species by promoting education, conservation and protection. Get out there and fun, but remember that this is a 100 percent catch-&-release fishery. Keep conservation on the forefront of your objectives.

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Think your fly rod skills are pretty strong? Have a good record with bonefish and tarpon? If so, you may be ready for what many believe is the ultimate challenge – Atlantic sailfish on fly.   

Unlike their Pacific cousins, Atlantic sails are wily, difficult to raise and even more difficult to tease into casting range. Then, even when the fly is perfectly presented, there’s no guarantee the fish will take it and, if it does, the aerial acrobatics and lightning-fast runs that proceed will surely keep the odds in the fish’s favor. Nowhere else in saltwater angling is there a more critical synergy between angler and crew.

Aggressive sailfish are raised by trolling natural or artificial teasers – ballyhoo preferred - on flat lines while the angler stands at the ready. The moment the fish appears in the spread, the dance begins – deckhands commencing to tease the fish ever closer to the stern while the captain, in accordance with IGFA rules, takes the engines out of gear. The angler, streamer in hand, waits for the critical moment to launch his assault in front of the lit-up fish. And all this happens in a matter of seconds!

If this sounds great to you, consider fishing what could very well be the most challenging of all saltwater competitions, the Islamorada Invitational Fly Rod Sailfish Tournament. Held in the Florida Keys each January, this two-day event is limited to 40 anglers fishing in two-man teams from 20 boats in what are usually windy, rough-water conditions. Tournament founder and director, Sandy Moret, has run the event for the past eight years and many of the country’s top fly anglers compete. Headquartered at the Islamorada Fishing Club, the event poses no geographical boundaries, but all tournament cards must be turned in no later than 6:00 p.m. each day. The tournament is limited to #16 class tippet and all anglers must fish the same IGFA pre-tested tippet material distributed by the tournament committee just prior to the event. A point system is imposed with the highest points going to fish which have been billed and released. Prizes are awarded for 1^st Place and 2^nd Place teams with a separate trophy for ‘Best Photograph.’

Whether or not you choose to do the competitive tournament thing, do try your luck with sailfish this winter – on fly! True, there’s a lot involved and in few other instances are the odds stacked more against you, but the thrill of releasing a fly-caught Atlantic sail is one that relatively few anglers have ever experienced and one you’ll surely remember for a lifetime.

For more information on the Islamorada Invitational Fly Rod Sailfish Tournament, call Sandy Moret at Florida Keys Outfitters 305.664.5423.

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