How to Fly Fish

How To Fly Fish

Eyes of an Eagle; Sight Fishing the Flats

Years ago, before moving to Florida, I used to fly here from wherever I was in the country to go saltwater fly fishing. I owned a commercial real estate company that took me all over our beautiful country. I was watching a saltwater flats fishing show which was new to TV up north. As a fly fisherman I just had to try that. I had been fly fishing since I was eleven or twelve when my Grandfather… Read More

What "Flies" in Salt Water?

It's a growing passion with many a Florida angler -- fly fishing in saltwater. Most are northern transplants who migrated to the Sunshine State bringing boxes filled with freshwater patterns. And the question on the minds of these fly flinging enthusiasts is "can I use my old favorites in this new saltwater environment?" For the answer, we turn to our own "Fly Guy." While giving a saltwater fly… Read More

Fly Fishing; Transitioning from Fresh to Saltwater

How does one become a saltwater fly fisher? Usually, most are freshwater converts. But these days there are many that have actually started in saltwater. Northern visitors that come to Florida to enjoy our weather can be frequently seen in our airports carrying rod cases. All fly rod companies make 2, 3, 4 and even 5 and 6 piece outfits that easily conform to on-board baggage requirements.… Read More

Fly Fishing Forecast August

The early bird gets the worm in August! With afternoon heat and thunderstorms being potential problems, the best fishing should be early in the day. Tarpon will still be an option and snook will still be found in the surf and around docks and bridges close to passes. Reds should be forming large schools and deep grass flats should have plenty of action with trout, blues, pompano and more. Tarpon… Read More

Fly Fishing Forecast for February

You might find trout, reds and snook in rivers, creeks and canals this month and they may sneak out onto grass flats and around bars on sunny afternoons. You’ll also find snook in the ICW at night feeding on glass minnows and small shrimp. If the weather isn’t too harsh, you might also find pompano on grass flats and around bars and drop offs this month. Sheepshead should be plentiful around… Read More

Somerset Fly Fishing Show

I just got back from The Fly Fishing Show at Somerset, NJ. I first attended as a guest in 1999. Then I exhibited 3 years in a row when I was a retailer. This was the 19th season for the event. Over the years the show has expanded and for 2011 they include Marlboro MA, Denver CO, Raleigh NC, Pasadena CA, Pleasanton CA, and Philadelphia PA. I always tell anglers even if you don’t fly fish the show… Read More

The Dance Fly

Now you might think this about some new crazy, magic fly that catches any saltwater species of fish under any condition, but it is not. As a fly fishing guide I have the privilege of being on our waters often. In doing so over the years I have learned to quickly spot an angler that has let his boat sit dry docked for some time. It seems that many of this species of angler accompanies their annual… Read More

First Redfish on a Fly

This video of Captain Greg Poland putting one of his hundreds of annual clients on a redfish on a fly is done in waters much like those we fish. The redfish comes safely to the boat, and after a photo op (with the captain telling the fish to smile for the camera) it's released safely back to her habitat. At least half of Greg's clients are fly fishermen and women. He's totally comfortable bait… Read More

Spey Cast (Fly-fishing)

When was the last time you were out on the skinnies, working a channel or mangrove lined creek and there were trees behind you, the current and wind were moving right to left or vice versa, and fish were tailing at long distances dead ahead. Having no room for a Straight line Backcast, you have but two choices: find another spot or rely on a centuries old technique that lets anglers make accurate… Read More

How to Tie a Permit Fly

This is a video that will teach you how to tie "The Permit Fly" Click on the picture below! Read More

Fly-fishing Inshore for Trout

Saltwater fly fishing inshore for game fish is becoming an increasingly popular sport. Trout are the perfect game fish for the beginner as well as the seasoned pro. You can find saltwater trout just about everywhere from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico. Here in Florida there is a 15 to 20 inch slot limit, but you CAN possess ONE greater than 20 inches. There is a 4-fish bag limit in the… Read More

Tying Feathers in the Rain

There’s something mellow about tying flies when it rains. I find it to be special every time I sit down at the tying bench, when it’s like this. I put a hook in the vise and look out onto the Gulf of Mexico. I watch the birds wading the shore, hunting for a meal between the droplets on the surface. An hour goes by and it’s time to put something onto the hook. A piece of this and a piece of that,… Read More

Finding The Slow

Zooming to work, zooming home, hurrying the kids to school and hurrying to pick them up or take them to a soccer game. Blasting off to the grocery store to get a last minute item for dinner and on and on is an everyday occurrence for many. I thankfully no longer have to do that however I am guilty of becoming hurried when going out to the flats to throw some feathers. I see this mind set in many… Read More

Into the W

If you are an experienced saltwater fly angler, you know what I mean and if you are not, you will. The “W” on the flats can be a mean master unless you learn how to harness it, even in face on encounters. Here are a few tips that should help. To begin with you have to get over the fact that most fish caught on fly are within 50 feet of the boat or angler if you are wading. Many fly anglers stay… Read More

Fish Feathers

I was out scouting with finding snook in mind. Not to catch, just to look and see how my friends are doing and perhaps throw a few feathers at some reds. I pushed deep into the backcountry to enjoy one of my special places. I often find huge snook there and enjoy just watching them sometimes. I haven’t been casting to them much this year because of the tough winter we all went through and I… Read More

The Fly and The Spider

It was a midsummer day and that means you fish the morning, take a break at lunch time and go back out and fish the late afternoon into the evening. It just gets too hot around 11 AM until around 4 PM to fish. Of course the tides have to be right and if they are not you can mix up the day with some wreck fishing near shore and some flats fishing in the afternoon, for example. It was on such a day… Read More

The Orvis School of Flyfishing

Let's face it. Other than flyfishing stories we write ourselves -- of which there are plenty -- anything you find on TheOnlineFisherman.com could be found on other web sites, assuming you had nothing to do but sit around a search the web all day looking for cool stuff to read. Since a lot of you already do that at work, we figured that we might save employers the nation-over plenty of hourly… Read More

Bonefishing In Style; Bair's Lodge

Moments after Leslie Johnson pushed the skiff from the marl bank on the west side of South Andros Island, Captain Bryon Chamberlin was on the front casting platform stripping line from his eight weight fly reel. Before he finished, Johnson sighted two large bonefish approaching up-tide. After an initial moment of surprise, Chamberlin started a false cast that landed a "Peterson's Shrimp" fly just… Read More

Fly Pilot

Many fly anglers focus on their ability to distance cast. Although this is important, it is not the most important component of fly fishing. Being able to cast forty feet into the W is great but it won’t do much good if you can’t control the fly and where it lands. Equally important is how the fly lands on the water. I say on the water because all of us sometimes land our flies in other places… Read More

Destination Nature Coast

There are so many fantastic destinations to fly fish in the beautiful world that it is difficult to write about just one, so I am going to talk about Florida’s Nature Coast for starters. To begin with, just where is this Nature Coast? The region comprises the inside curve known as the Big Bend area of the western coast and stretches along the Wakulla, Jefferson, Taylor, Dixie, Levy, Dunnellon,… Read More

Sticking Your Head in a Cooler of Ice

Have you ever stuck your head into a cooler full of melting ice? Of course you have. It’s too tempting to have not done it, at least once. It’s the ultimate in brain freeze and when you stand up and the liquid ice pours off of your head and down your sweaty hot back, it insights a uniquely blended dance of panic and pleasure. It’s always fun to encourage and induce someone that has yet learned of… Read More

Finding the Holy Grail

To what end do we fly fish? Why are we out on the flats in 85 degree temperatures? Are we gluttons for extreme punishment? No, we all have a remarkable desire to catch fish on the fly and that’s far worse. The Holy Grail for me is permit. For others it may be bonefish or tarpon. I know a lot of redfish addicts that won’t even talk about another species. We are all in search of our favorite… Read More

Lines, Leaders & Tippets, Oh My

The performance characteristics or your fly rod will play a major role in your fly line selection. Think about that for a moment. If you have a good fast action saltwater fly rod you do not need to overweight the rod. If you are purchasing a new fly line for your 8 wt rod then purchase an 8 wt fly line and not a 9 wt. Using an overweight line takes away designed lifting characteristics of the rod… Read More

Choosing the right fly for fly fishing

If we were talking about selecting the proper fly for stream fishing, I would have to tell you to learn how to identify aquatic insects. That can take years to become expert at that science and fortunately what we need to do is not that complicated or involved. On the stream there is a saying; ‘match the hatch’ and we will do something similar. To begin with, know what your target species likes… Read More

You Look So Nice

Have you ever given any thought to how you look while fishing? Perhaps I should say how you look to the fish. Fly fishing; be it freshwater or saltwater is mostly a sight fishing experience. We see the fish and make our cast. We can increase our chances in this cat and mouse game that is so captivating to so many of us. Fish sometimes hear or feel us by our slightest noise or movement in shallow… Read More

The Triple Haul

Everyone that enjoys fly fishing wants to be able to cast further than they already can. For that matter, at times we all need to be able to make a longer cast no matter how we are fishing. But this is about hauling fly line. Lets’ start with what a haul is, what it means to your fishing and then we’ll talk about how to do it. A haul is the deliberate and sudden acceleration of the fly line. This… Read More

I Like Jello-O

I like Jell-O. You like Jell-O. What’s not to like? It’s cool and sweet and tastes good. It tickles going down and it’s fun to play with because it wiggles. Just ask any kid if you forgot that part. It’s the kid in us all that makes fishing fun. Most of us began fishing as children. Perhaps your father or mother taught you. Or maybe an older brother or sister showed you the ropes. Lets’ not… Read More

Mayhem at Sunup

I was on the water before light headed north to the flats. I had been passing a likely looking spot for some time now and really wanted to work it. I had to wait for the proper conditions to make it worthwhile considering the ‘sure thing’ area that awaited me in the backcountry. Well the conditions were just right. The tide was pulling at day break. There was no ‘W’, not the slightest breeze and… Read More

Get Flies Deep for Big Fish

As the water cools and fishing activity on the flats heats up, are there times when you would like your fly to go deeper? We all love to see fish come up to the surface and slam a top water fly or popper, but sometimes larger fish are more interested in having their dinner put closer to their nose as they lie with their belly against the sand. Deeper usually means a slower presentation is needed… Read More

Baby Tarpon Flies

An article I wrote a while back on another fishing web site about small Tarpon elicited several questions about not only what flies to use, but how to use them effectively. Tarpon of any size seem to have their own agenda about what they like to eat at any given time. According to Donald Larmouth and Rob Fordyce, authors of, Tarpon On Fly, Baby Tarpon will eat almost anything you would throw at a… Read More

Take your fly out after dark...

Snook action is hot around lighted docks and bridges. At night, the forage that is most readily responsible for the pop made by Snook as they slam the surface is a small shrimp. A fly fishing friend, Brad Lowman, was night fishing along the sea wall at one of our passes during a strong outgoing tide and could see small shrimp being devoured by large Snook. This small and simple shrimp fly being… Read More

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By autson.com