Resources
Getting Started in Saltwater Fly Fishing
If you are just getting into saltwater fly fishing, the best way to start even before purchasing anything, is to go into your local fly shop and ask questions. More often than not, the sales people behind the counter have many years of experience and are more than willing to give you all of the advice and help you need.
They will cover everything from what fly rod and reel will work best to what flies and leaders to use, along with the best packs and waders. They will also cover tides and the best fishing conditions in the area.
Be sure to ask the sales person in the shop to take a couple of rods outside so you can try casting them. This will help in selecting a rod that will feel comfortable to you.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And don’t make any quick decisions. If you feel that you need to go back to the store for more information and would like to cast a few more rods, do so! It’s also a good idea to arrange a couple of casting lessons with an experienced instructor to help refine your technique early on.
Before heading to the beach or using a boat for the first time, you may want to hire a guide. The knowledge of a good guide is priceless. He will show you how to read the beach and the water, what fish to target and when, what fly to use and will help tighten up your casting skills. Your shops staff can recommend guides and instructors. If needed, don’t be afraid to ask the guide for references.
Below is a general list of equipment to get you started:
- 9 foot, 9 or 10 wt. 4pc Fly Rod
- A saltwater reel with a good drag system - one that will hold at least 200 yards of backing along with the fly line
- A floating fly line to match the rod - this will help your casting
- 7 ½’ to 9’ leaders
- A small assortment of flies
- A stripping basket
- A good pair of polarized sunglasses
- A wide brim hat
- Nippers to trim your leaders
- Pliers to remove the hook from the fish - Note: Almost all saltwater fish have teeth
- Flats shoes for summer fishing and a pair of waders for cold weather fishing
Pompano Fishing - Tips & Tricks
Pompano are one of the best eating fish found along the beach and inshore waters. Related to jack crevalles, they average just over a pound and put up strong fights for light tackle anglers. With a Florida slot limit 11”- 20” (one can be over 20”) and 6 per day bag limit, pompano make a great seafood dish during the holidays. They are caught all year along the Treasure Coast, but show up in numbers as they migrate south from the Carolinas (October through April).
Sandfleas and shrimp used on a “chicken rig” (double hook floater rig with pyramid weight) work well for bait. For lures, 3/8 oz to ½ oz Doc’s jigs, Nylure chrome head jig and swivel jigs work great. For fly fishermen, Crazy Charley patterns are used in pink, white, gold, tan, and rootbeer size #6, #8, and #10. Small, bright clousers with gold wrapped heads also work well with intermediate sinking lines.
The inshore migrating schools show up during the beginning of outgoing tides along grass flats and near the inlet. Here in Stuart, schools can be found moving through the Sailfish Flats near Boy Scout Island and the Stuart Causeway. Look for the small sand bottom channels weaving through the grass flats, and work the edges. Pompano can also be found further back in the North and South Forks. Not far from the Roosevelt Bridge, look along the shallows inside the docks and small bays using the same tackle.
For surf fishing on the beach, pompano instead like incoming tides, where the water is deep enough for them to swim through the troughs looking for stirred up sandfleas. The equipment used on the beach can be the same as inshore. Long beach casting rods work, but are not necessary as the pompano are mostly close to shore. Light and medium size spin rods work fine using 12-15 lb. line. To find sandfleas, look along the water being washed up for an inverted “V.” This means the sandfleas are digging back down into the sand. We then use a sandflea rake or shovel to dig them up.
Unlike common surf fishing, we don’t hope for calm, glassy conditions. Instead we want Mother Nature to be stirring up bait in the shoreline and the pompano will turn on.