#baitfishflies

[rodandbarrel]

Snook on-the-beach

The best flies for beach snook are certainly ones that best imitate the prevailing bait this time of year which is, pilchards or white bait - match-the-hatch so to speak. Pilchard flies can be tied with a variety of materials but I prefer fiber hair or polar hair. Easy enough to tie keeping the fly about 3-inches long, with white or translucent flanks, chartreuse green back and I prefer fairly big eyes on my pilchard flies - I think the snook focus on the eyes. I feel a little red to imitate flared gills helps get the bite too. It’s proven that a stressed or injured bait fish will flare it’s gill plates exposing the red gills beneath. Flared gills signals and easy kill for predatory fish.

Photos by Jody Moore - all rights reserved

[rodandbarrel]

Konehead Fly - Best fly ever for Baby Tarpon

I've caught hundreds of baby tarpon on this fly. Essentially it is a spun deer hair slider that when used during calm water conditions tarpon just can't resist it. The fly creates a V-wake an the surface of the water that imitates a vulnerable and hapless bait fish. Early and late light is also the best time to use this fly. Long straight medium paced strips is the way to work this fly for tarpon. The rabbit strip collar adds some real life to the fly as it undulates in a seductive way. I like to color red gills on the deer hair with a Sharpie pen. Red eyes are essential too. Red eyes and flared gills indicate a stressed bait fish and again creates a vulnerable image and an easy meal. Snook like a start and stop motion with this pattern and redfish like the same with a pop or two during the retrieve.