Saltwater Fly Fishing Start Up Part I

by Capt. Mike Fallon, Manolin Charters

So you want to try fly fishing for stripers?

If you have a background in freshwater fly fishing, then you're well on your way to getting started. You can even use your freshwater largemouth gear to get your feet wet; make sure everything gets a thorough rinsing with fresh water afterward (as you should with any equipment exposed to the salt).

There are, however, many differences between freshwater and saltwater fly fishing. While the saltwater environment tends to be much more open and snag-free above the water, it is often much windier. You are also tangling with bigger fish, fishing strong currents, and exposing your equipment to the harsh saltwater environment. In this blog, I will go over setting yourself up with the correct equipment and describe the critical factors of why. 

Equipment Essentials

The type of line is most significant difference between freshwater fly fishing and saltwater fly fishing. To cast a properly sized saltwater fly you need considerable the type of line and the weight of the line.. An important note for beginners to consider: when fly fishing, the weight of the line generates the power to cast the lure. This design differs from conventional spinning tackle, where the lure's weight is what propels your cast. Your fly rod outfit is a system working together. To achieve maximum functionality, you must match the rod, line, fly, and reel. For example, this is why using too light of a fly rod will cause frustration when attempting to cast common striper fly like a Clouser minnow or Leftys deceivers and larger baitfish patterns that range from #2-10/0. The larger flies do not mesh well with too light of a rod, leading to angler aggravation. While the overall weight of the fly is of most importance for casting (and selecting the proper fly line to turn it over), the bulkiness or wind resistance of the fly also affects casting, especially when it's windy.

Fly Lines

I use a fast sinking line 90% of the time when striper fishing, but an intermediate will work in a pinch. There are strong currents where I fish, and I want to get that fly 3-6ft below the surface and into the strike zone as quickly as possible, maximizing the time a fish can find the fly on each cast. 

My go-to line is a Rio Striper line. I use

• 300 GR for an 8 wt

• 350 GR for a 9 wt

• 400 - 450 g for a 10 wt

With 1-3 false casts, I can chuck the fly a long distance. The lower number of false casts is essential because if you're making 5-6 false casts every time, your fly spends a lot more time in the air than the water. Efficiency in your fundamentals will allow you more time with bait in the water, which means more of a chance for you to catch fish!

The Rio Striper lines have an intermediate running line with an integrated 30ft fast-sinking head. Several other companies make similar lines and will work great. Whatever the company, make sure to buy the appropriate weight line for your rod. If you are a wader, one consideration is intermediate running line sinks, so you'll want a stripping basket to avoid tangles around your feet.

Rods

Locally, most anglers opt for rod weights in the 8, 9, or 10 wts class. If you have a 6-8wt freshwater bass rod, you're in the ball game for estuaries and smaller flies. If I had to pick one, it would be a 9wt. 8wts tend to be lighter and are ideal for tossing moderate-sized flies for long periods without wearing you out, but if it's windy or you're trying to cast a sizeable herring pattern, I'll always reach for my 10wt. 10wts effectively deliver large, bulky flies to distant targets but require a bit more effort to cast.

Another consideration with fly rods is how "fast" they are. Faster rods allow you to put more energy (and distance) into your cast, but the timing of your cast needs to be on point. Faster rods can be a bit more unforgiving than their mod-fast counterparts. 

If you're starting out, don't over gun yourself with a super-fast action rod as it may leave you frustrated. Many companies make excellent saltwater fly rods. I've personally had great luck with Temple Forks Outfitter (TFO), St Croix, Sage, Redington, and Allen rods.

Reels

Reels are not as important as your rod or line in fly fishing. The reel needs to be reliable, have some drag system, and not lock up as long as you can fit 100+ yards of 30lb dacron or power pro braid, plus your fly line; you should be equipped for any of our local species aside from foul hooking a sturgeon. Just look for a reel that's appropriately matched for your rod for saltwater use. 

Leader

Unlike flyfishing for trout, where you may use long, tapered, or multi-section leaders to make delicate presentations, leaders for stripers are pretty darn simple. Unless you're sight fishing gin clear flats, being delicate doesn't have a whole lot of advantages in striper fishing. 

When fishing a fast sinking line I prefer my entire leader to be between 4-6ft in length. The bigger the fly, the shorter leader I'll use. The short leader makes it easier to "turn" the flyover at the end of your cast. The water in Merrimack River and many of our estuaries are generally murky. My standard leader setup is 2ft of 40lb flourocarbon to 4ft of 20-25lb flourocarbon connected with a triple surgeons knot (my favorite knot for connecting leader material). When the lighter portion of the leader gets too short from retying, I'll add another 4ft section to the 40lb butt material. 

If you're sight fishing a clear flat with a floating line in Cape Cod Bay, you may opt for a 7.5-9ft tapered leader ending in 10-15lb tippet.

Flys

A squid pattern to fool stripers down at the Cape

There are many great options out there, but if I had to pick one fly to catch bass in almost any scenario, it would be a Clouser minnow. The lead eyes make the fly move in a jigging motion that the bass can't seem to resist. My favorite colors are chartreuse over white and olive over white. I fish smaller #4-#2 sizes in creek mouths for schoolies and larger 1/0-3/0 patterns in open water. Baitfish patterns are another great option, whether you go with a time-honored traditional pattern like a "Lefty's deceiver" or something more modern like Erico Puglisi's baitfish. The modern synthetic materials lack the traditional flare but shed water very well, making them a bit easier to cast.

My favorite large pattern is a 10/0 version of the Leftys deceiver reverse tied with bucktail. The only issue is that they take so long to tie! We will go over that in another video. The larger, and more wind resistant a fly is, the heavier the fly line is required to pull them through the air.

Fly fishing for stripers is a blast, but if you're getting into saltwater fly fishing, it pays to pick your days. When I was younger, I would often go out with only fly fishing gear on the boat to force myself to fish it in any condition. I'll always have both fly and conventional spinning gear on the boat these days. If it's very windy or just a tough bite, I skip the frustration and break out a spinning rod to cover more water.

If you want to learn how to fly fish in person, book a trip with Capt. Mike on Manolin Charters.