Anyone fly fishing nearshore/offshore? I’m looking at 12 wt rod/reel with 12wt clear tip sinking line with braid backing (not dacron). Any insight before making said purchase would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Pic for your troubles.
What exactly kind of insight are you needing? Are you looking at purchasing this outfit for a specific type of fishing, fish species, or what?
Awesome pic BTW! 
Using teasers to get fish in close and then casting to them. May be a pipe dream but thought I’d ask. Always looking for unique opportunities. Thanks.
So, by teasers you mean lures on spinning tackle?
That’s a productive method for some species and a 12 wt is used for some. I tied flies for several Fl Keys guides at one time & they used 12 wt’s for Tarpon, so it should handle some rather large fish. But of course, that can also depend on the person holding the rod.
quote:
Originally posted by bigjim5589So, by teasers you mean lures on spinning tackle?
Yep.
A 12 wt is a bit much for most of our nearshore fish except tarpon. I use a 9 wt for most situations.
oc
I use an 8, 9 or 10 wt for inshore or surf fishing, and that would depend on what I’m targeting. I’ve never fished offshore. Other than Striped Bass or Bluefish, I’ve never teased fish for the fly rod, and even that was more finding the fish by searching with the spinning gear, then switching to the fly tackle.
I would guess if he goes offshore looking for pelagic species, a 12 wt might be useful, but he really didn’t specify what he intended to be targeting.
With that 12wt you can catch cobia and amberjack at the nearshore reefs and wrecks. Just sight fishing or chumming will bring them in.
On the light side, you can sight cast to schools of spanish macks once they show up
quote:
Originally posted by BosunWith that 12wt you can catch cobia and amberjack at the nearshore reefs and wrecks. Just sight fishing or chumming will bring them in.
On the light side, you can sight cast to schools of spanish macks once they show up
This is what I was looking for. Can you talk about backing, line, leader and flies?
Thanks.
Its not something I have done personally (on the fly), but I have listened to seminars about it and have a few guide friends who put clients on these fish.
The amberjack are pretty easy. Normally, you can see them swimming circles around a wreck or ledge. They will always be around live bottom. If they are deep, just chum them to the surface with live or cut/ground bait. Once they get to the surface you can use large poppers on the surface to get them. Amberjack eat almost anything, so I would think some large clouser minnows would work well too. use a sink tip or sinking line if you need to get deeper.
Same with the cobia. They eat most anything. Sometime they are fired up, other times they will just be curious and swim around the boat but never eat. Find them around bouys or hanging over live bottom. Any fly that will mimic live bait fish will work well. Go with a sink tip or sinking line here. Finding cobia is often much harder than catching them.
For spanish, you can go as light as a 6wt. Use a heavy leader because they have sharp teeth. Clouser minnows and glass minnows work great. Use sink tip or sinking line to get down to the fish and strip as fast as possible. Spanish are early morning feeders. Look for boils on the surface or diving birds. Dont drive through the school. Keep a safe distance away and cast out to them.
We’ve caught Spanish mac’s in the Chesapeake at times. They were primarily caught while fishing for other species, but when we found them near the surface, we would target them. Most of the times we used 8 wt’s or heavier, but only because we were looking for Stripers or Bluefish.
As Bosun said, Clousers work fine, as do other styles. If you’re tying specifically for Spanish, they need be nothing but some flash, which are quick & easy. They tear them up quickly, so have plenty. Our best were on a size 1 O’Shaughnessy hook. And, yes use the wire leaders.
They like them retrieved very fast.
quote:
Originally posted by BosunFor spanish, you can go as light as a 6wt. Use a heavy leader because they have sharp teeth. Clouser minnows and glass minnows work great. Use sink tip or sinking line to get down to the fish and strip as fast as possible. Spanish are early morning feeders. Look for boils on the surface or diving birds. Dont drive through the school. Keep a safe distance away and cast out to them.
Looks for the small terns hitting the water. They follow the schools of mixed spanish and blues around waiting for them to start hitting at the surface. When the fish bust up the bait it leaves small enough stuff behind on the surface for the terns.
When you see it, hop up on a plane and motor to within about 80 yds, drop off a plane and idle across the side of the melee of bait fish being slaughtered. Throw anything shiny across and drag it through as fast as you can strip.
Can be successive double and triple hook ups.
We usually use 7 or 8 wgt to give enough body to cast into the wind.
Works very well with spinning gear and hopkins spoons, also.
17’ Henry O Hornet w/ Johnson 88 spl
26’ Palmer Scott project hull
14’ Bentz-Craft w/ Yamaha 25
Might try reaching out to abbapoolafisher on here. Not certain but I think he fishes offshore/ nearshore on the fly… Or reach out to the guys at LCF Shop
Also… What’s up with that reds pectoral fin? Looks like a bite mark
Thanks all for the responses. Yeah - Slickcrick that pec fin was injured pretty bad but was starting to scar over. Couldn’t tell what caused it. Fish seemed to be healthy otherwise.
You can chum or tease up AJs off the nearshore reefs and can buoys to the surface with a giant popper. For the teaser don’t use anything expensive and take out the hooks. This is what I’ve used in the past.
When AJs are hungry they’ll eat anything. Just throw something big to get their attention. Big popper would work well.
I would say 10 wt minimum and expect to break some tackle.
A friend of mine was fly fishing for albies out of Morehead City a few years ago. He decided to take a break from the action and laid his rod down in the boat. Trouble was, the fly was still in the water. An albie took the fly right next to the boat as well as his Sage rod and Abel reel. At least a grand gone overboard!
oc
OC, Wow, that’s an expensive lesson to learn! Dang! I’ve had various fish strike a fly that was dangling in the water, but never lost a rod & reel like that.