Saltwater Fly Fishing – Tips, Tackle & Techniques

saltwater fly fishing

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It’s a big ocean out there and learning saltwater fly fishing can be hard. These tips will get fish in your net quickly!

Saltwater fly fishing is an exciting and rewarding experience, and definitely worth giving a try! The thrill of spotting a whopping fish at a distance, throwing the perfect cast, and strip-setting that fish will give you an adrenaline rush like nothing else!

So if you want to give saltwater fly fishing a go for the first time or just learn some tricks and fishing tips for beginners to catch more fish out on the ocean, our helpful guide has everything you need. From where to fish and what you might catch, to the best saltwater fishing gear, fishing podcast, and how to master that tricky double haul, we’ve got you covered!

What Can You Catch in Saltwater?

So you want to know what you might catch when fly fishing on the ocean? Here’s a quick guide to the main types of gamefish you might come across:

Barracuda

When you’re going on saltwater fly fishing, you will often find barracuda when you’re going on flats. As they have great vision and can see up to 20 ft away, choose a clear line so as not to spook them, and tie on a needlefish fly for the best results.

Dorado

If you see dorado around, opt for darker flies that will make a splash and create a silhouette. These two techniques are sure to capture the dorado’s attention and draw it towards your fly.

Bonefish

When saltwater fly-fishing in tropical waters, bonefish are one of the most common gamefish you will see. Sight-fishing for bonefish is a lot of fun – try patterns that resemble the bonefish’s natural forage of crabs, shrimps, and other crustaceans.

Tarpon

Smaller tarpon will go for minnow and crab flies, but if you’re after the big ones, you will need to size up your patterns. Stock a few EP Tarpon Streamers and mouse pattern flies in your box so you’re ready if you spot a mighty tarpon on fly on the horizon.

Striped Bass

Large striped or peacock bass in particular will give you a run for your money, so make sure you have lots of backing on your reel. Lefty’s Deceivers and Clouser Minnow work well for hooking stripers. If you’re into peacock bass fly fishing, try to throw your line and your striper flies into moving waters and be prepared for a fight!

What do you Need for Saltwater Fly Fishing

What do you Need for Saltwater Fly Fishing?

If you’re looking to get started in saltwater fly fishing then make sure you see our post on saltwater fly fishing gear for beginners. It runs through everything you need to know!

Even if you frequently fly fish in freshwater, you will need to invest in some specific equipment for saltwater fly fishing. You can get great fly gear and accessories designed especially for saltwater flies fishing much more easily than a few years ago. Whether you’re fishing from boats or you’re wading, your freshwater gear just won’t cut it out on the ocean.

You will need a fly rod designed especially for saltwater – they generally have larger butts to give you the power you need to make longer casts in potentially windy conditions. Stiff action rods are often recommended for saltwater fly fishing for beginners, although that can come down more to personal preference.

The size of saltwater fly rod you select will depend on what you’re hoping to catch. If you’re aiming for speckled trout, redfish, small bonefish or striped bass, you should be fine with an 8wt rod. But if you’re setting your sights on some hefty tarpon, permit, or barracuda, you’d be better off investing in a 9 or 10wt rod. 9 wt rods generally make good all-purpose saltwater fly rods.

When it comes to saltwater fly reels, you want one that is sealed so that it won’t be corroded by the abrasive salt in the water. Look for a reel with a strong drag and preferably a large arbor reel that will allow you to strip in your line quickly. Also, make sure the reel you choose can hold at least 150 ft of line and backing so you’re not cut short at a crucial point on your fishing trip!

Other than your rod and reel, you will need a floating line and a full fly fishing sinking line, depending on the conditions and what you’re fishing for. We would really recommend taking both so you’re prepared for every eventuality.

If you’re not sure what to take out with you on your next saltwater fishing trip, you can get some inspiration from this video!

How To Pick the Perfect Saltwater Fly Fishing Destination

When you’re saltwater fishing, you can often cover large areas before coming across the perfect spot to cast your line. You want to find where the fish are feeding rather than just casting blindly, or you will waste lots of time and have nothing to show for it. Shallow waters pull the gamefish in with the temptation of shrimp, crabs, and other crustaceans to feast on – but not all shallow waters are created equally.

Promising places include anywhere with structure that allows the gamefish to get close to their prey, such as rocky shorelines and outcrops, bays, docks, and jetties. These structures also provide shelter from any larger predators such as sharks, so they are likely spots for bonefish and other gamefish.

Keep your eye out for tell-tale signs, from the obvious – fish feeding at the surface – to the more subtle, such as the dark marks that bonefish leave on the seabed when they feed on crabs.

In warm, tropical waters, mangroves can often provide you with a rich environment for fly fishing for everything from barracuda to tarpon, redfish, and even sharks.

Choosing Saltwater Flies

It goes without saying that you will want to fill your fly box with patterns that are suited to the area you’re fishing in. Our top tip is to ask at a local fly fishing shop and which are the best saltwater flies they recommend, as it can vary widely from area to area.

The best saltwater flies will imitate the natural prey, so shrimp, crab, and other crustacean patterns are excellent choices. You will also want to stock up on baitfish flies too. Make sure you have a nice large streamer box for fly fishing to keep them all in too.

Another technique that experienced fly fishermen and women use is to match the color of the seabed with the color of their fly. Dark, weedy seabeds call for darker flies, whereas in sandy areas you should go for white or beige fly patterns.

Which fly you choose will also depend on whether you’re sight-fishing from a boat in shallow water, or if you need to get the fly down deeper to where the fish are. This calls for weighted flies and a sink line that will get the fly right in front of the fish just at the right moment to set off a chase.

When to go Saltwater Fly Fishing?

You will get more out of saltwater fishing if you can get your head around the tides and work out when the best times to fish are. Generally, you will find more gamefish if you hit the water at high tides rather than low tide, when the water is too shallow and dry for the larger fish that you’re after.  One challenge when fishing at high tide is that it can be harder to spot the fish due to the deeper waters.

However, by far the most rewarding time to fish is when the tide is either coming in or going out. This water movement provides the richest feeding opportunities for the gamefish from striped bass to bonefish and even tarpon. In turn, this hikes your chances of coming across larger numbers of gamefish that you can tempt and chase with your flies! 

Saltwater Fly Fishing Tips

Whether this is your first-time fly fishing in saltwater or you just want to learn some new tips or tricks, here are some of the techniques that experienced fly anglers use to catch more fish when fly fishing in the ocean! Give these tips a try and you should see some great progress and take your saltwater fly fishing experience to the next level.

Master the Double Haul Cast

The Double Haul cast is ideal when fishing out on the open ocean, because it is a strong, aggressive cast that can stand up to strong winds and long distances. If you plan on making saltwater fishing a regular thing, mastering the double hauling fly fishing cast is pretty much a necessity. With some practice and a helpful friend or family member, you should get the hang of it in just a few days.

It basically involves pulling on the line with your other hand while casting. To execute the Double Haul, on your back cast you should haul your line around 18-24 inches with your free hand, then drift and set up for the forward cast. On the forward cast, again you want to haul and drift.

The easiest way to understand exactly how to do the Double Haul is by seeing it, so watch the video below to get some tips from top Orvis instructors:

The Double Haul does involve a bit of coordination and practice at first. Thanks to this technique, you will be able to present your fly quickly and accurately to those fast-moving fish and land many more fish this way.

Make Sure to Always Strip-Set

One of the most common mistakes that many trout fly anglers make is to lift their rod as soon as they feel a strike. This is a major mistake when fly fishing for gamefish in the sea – it’s almost guaranteed to lose you that fish.

Our tip is to set the hook by stripping, instead. This has two benefits: Firstly, it is the best way to strike and set the hook on saltwater fish – by lifting it, you just pull the fly away from the fish. Secondly, even if you do miss the fish, if the fly is still in the water, it will often chase your fly and take it for another time and you might just end up landing it in the end anyway! You will lose the chance to do that if you lift your rod and pull the fly out of the water.

Come Prepared with the Right Tackle

You never quite know what to expect when you’re fishing on salt water. With a variety of fish species all living in the same environment, you could be wading for bonefish in the morning and finish the day by going after tarpon in deeper water. And that’s just part of the thrill of saltwater fishing – why we love it, and why we think you will too.

Don’t let not having the right tackle cause you to miss out on amazing opportunities! Try to take tackle suitable for all the fish you might come across, or at least have two different rods rigged up and ready for action at any time! You won’t regret it!

Keep On Top of Your Line

What’s important in saltwater fishing in windy conditions is the speed is when you’re casting or stripping in saltwater. Lose a few seconds, and you will lose that fish. This is why it’s essential to keep your line neat and tidy, to avoid tangles and missed opportunities.

Make sure you always know where your line is – don’t stand on it accidentally or allow it to become tangled on the floor of the boat. You will be kicking yourself for it when you spot (and miss) a trophy-worthy whopper of a fish.

Communicate With Your Guide

If you’re fishing with a guide, establish good communication back and forth between you. Your guide will be your best asset, helping you to locate and hook more fish. As soon as your guide alerts you to a fish, cast in that area rather than standing around trying to spot the fish yourself. Trust your guide’s knowledge and experience and work together as a team.

Guides have the knack of spotting many a fish that you might miss, as they have spent the time out there honing their skills and instincts. Even more importantly, your guide will often have the vantage point and a better view out over the waters too. You will have way more success by doing this than by trying to do everything yourself.

If you’re looking for more awesome tips on saltwater fly fishing, check out these episodes of the Orvis podcast, where Tom Rosenbauer digs deep into fly fishing on saltwater!

saltwater fly fishing wrap up

The Wrap Up

So there you have our complete guide to saltwater fishing! If we’ve talked you into giving it a go, you’ll have all the info you need for a successful and enjoyable fly fishing trip out on the open ocean.

All you need to do is:

  • Grab some saltwater fishing gear – rod, reel, and line.
  • Stock up on some of the best saltwater fly patterns for your chosen destination.
  • Find a good guide if you want some extra help,
  • And get on out there on the water and hook some huge saltwater beasts!

Keep in mind the tips and techniques mentioned here, and you’re good to go! Thanks for reading, and as always, we love getting your comments and questions, so drop them in the comments section below. Let us know if you found this article useful!

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1 thought on “Saltwater Fly Fishing – Tips, Tackle & Techniques”

  1. What a great article. I think everyone who is thinking of starting out in the world of angling should give this a read! Especially the best 3 tips for beginners.
    I’ll be subscribing for more content!

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