On trying to catch reds on the fly. 15 different outings to 3 different flats and I have seen maybe a total of 5 fish and only hooked but not landed one. Maybe I’ll try again next year. I have been in a funk since I have gotten home from the keys. and I haven’t caught a fish in sc since july
Keep the faith smokey. Keep scouting prospective flats until you find a productive one. I was where you are just a few weeks ago…
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.sswaonline.com
Some people enjoy catching and some people enjoy fishing.
Come in man, I am way up here in myrtle beach where we dont even have grass flats with tailers. I still haul my kayak all the way up to little river and to get to the very few flats that MAY hold fish I have to paddle against the rising tide to hit it at flood tide and then agaimst falling tide to get back. Yet to catch a single fish on fly and its been multiple 4 hour plus paddle outings. But you know what… I will be out there first chance I dont have to work on a high tide. Cant beat the marsh, the birds, brisk air, sunrise/sunset, quiet. Fish would be a great bonus but it doesnt define my trip. I love to be out there man. Fish will come, I am not there yet, but when I land that first one it will be all the more meaningful.
Smokey… It took me a year before I landed my first Redfish on the fly and it took my 12 year old (now 13)daughter about a year before she landed her first fish on the fly. Don’t give up brother. Ur time will come, I promise you…! The first time I landed a red on the fly, I caught 3 that day. I will never forget that day. I was shaking like nobody’s business. Stick with it. Pretty soon, the reds will be skooling up in pods of 300 to 500 or more which will be perfect for casting into a pod. Once you get the feel for it, it’s all over. Every Red you catch will always never be enough…!
And remember, it’s not always about catching fish. First and foremost, you’ve gotta just enjoy being out there. Just think back to where you were when you first picked up a fly rod compared to where you are with it now and you will realize just how much you’ve learned…! If it was easy, everybody and their grand momma would be out there doing it, but they ain’t. Stick with it and your day will come…!
If you wait till next year to pick it back up, you’ll be back to square one again…
HB
You have to stop worrying about catching a fish… it took me well over a year to even get one to take one of my flies, then I lost a lot of flies because I still was clueless, then one day I put it all together and WHAMMO fish on and in my hands… Patience young man… patience. Learn the flats, learn where and when the water floods, learn how the weather affects the fish, rub some pluff mud behind your ears and become one wiht the marsh… every trip is a learning adventure. Redfish on the fly is a year round activity here… you have to change your tactics and flies but you can catch them year round… Never give up… Stop in and see me and I’ll tell ya some stories and we’ll get ya dialed in…
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os
I guess I have to invest in a kayak after my trip out west. I’ve done alot of driving around mount pleasant and only found a few flats that I can walk. Today I was walking down the road along the water saw a few reds just out of casting range so I had to run down the road to where I could get in the water without stepping thru these little cactus plants and by the time I got there they were all gone. Waited for like 15 minutes and then saw nothing. Anyone have room on there boat for me next week. I can chip in for gas. Just can’t afford a guide
Iv’e caught 10 or 15 tailers this year… Havn’t been getting out much… struck out a few times… Point is I never know how many, if any, fish I’m going to catch when I step into the water… but I know exactly how many i’ll catch from my couch…
Just go fishing…
Mad Mike
"to hell with insane… I’m OUTsane!!! "
i’ve found in life that the best thing you can do in the face of difficulty or hard times is admit defeat.
aight Smokey, lemme know when you can go- if you wanna chip in on gas…bring $1.25 to feed the Honda- ha
Smokey you best jump on Scottys offer… He led me to my first 2 reds OTF within 10 minutes of each other and we also nabbed a rare “no -Spot” red somewhere on the Stono… Just make sure he isn’t takin you on one of his “scouting” expeditions 
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os
I somehow got lucky enough to catch the first tailer that I ever saw…took me almost year and a half to catch another one. Everyone who fly fishes has been in the “learning curve” position, important to keep at it and have fun instead of worrying.
Sounds like a plan Scotty. I’ll let u know what my schedule is on Saturday. Tomorrow I’m driving my self upstate for some trout
I’ll give up too if you’ll take me to your best spots. LOL
Keep with it Smokey. It will click for you soon. You just have not been on productive flats yet. This is the time of year to make it happen for you.
quote::smiley:
Originally posted by jtbowmani’ve found in life that the best thing you can do in the face of difficulty or hard times is admit defeat.
All you defeatists out there feel free to send me all your fly rods and reels… the HOW chapter could use them
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os
Ha Ha, hauling bass said his 13 year old daughter can even catch one on the fly. That’s priceless!
Go to the folly Beach county park. You can walk that entire flat back there. It’s no secret. Also park at the round holliday inn west Ashley and you can walk the flats on both sides of the road.
this is the first year i tried flying out of the yak. i always used it to get to the flat and then walked cause i thot it wud be 2 hard to cast. i am finding that you can get right up to them in the yak without spooking them and cover 10x the water. if they do spook they only run a short way a lot of the time. guess its the low profile. you only need to cast 20 feet so i may rethink my taper. there is more to tangle up on but im getting a system. i think it took me two years to get the first red and this is not a way to gather protein. once you have a good one on the fly you will realize why we keep at it with as low(except the Mad One of course) a success rate as we have. i have neglected a lot of my other fishing styles bcause of the fly, buts its my top choice for 6 months a year.
he’s pretty white for a fly guy
I walked the Folly Flat early this morning,
tide came in quickly but I was able to land 1 small red and I saw two more. It was like glass!