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I've used spoon flies, and they can be deadly effective, but I've not had much luck sight casting with them. I typically use them if I'm blindcasting potholes on overcast days, and sometimes docklight fishing. I recently have found that when a dock light slows down because you either caught fish off of it or you spooked them into lock jaw, a small(#4), very light spoon dropped right over or under the light will often get a redfish bite from a fish that is sitting on the bottom. I dont move or strip it, lust let it sink and wobble it's way on down. I like spoons with this general shape/style for this purpose.

http://www.tailwatersflyfishing.com/ump ... spoon.html

I try to keep a rod rigged with one when I'm out there just for that purpose.

ChrisR wrote:I've used spoon flies, and they can be deadly effective, but I've not had much luck sight casting with them.

X2

I've had far more success with this type of fly for sightcasting:

Not shunning. Just saying that if you are going to all the trouble to sight fish skinny water reds from a kayak a fly that lands quietly would be a better idea. Think sparse and matching the color of the bottom. Just trying to help a guy out.

BearsFan wrote:Not shunning. Just saying that if you are going to all the trouble to sight fish skinny water reds from a kayak a fly that lands quietly would be a better idea. Think sparse and matching the color of the bottom. Just trying to help a guy out.

You're going to lose your ranking if you keep that stuff up.

Must be all the mud I have gotten for my turtle lately. I am not apologizing.

I've got some Kwans going as well. Given that there probably won't be much fishing this weekend with a possible hurricane in the forecast, I'll have plenty of time to tie.

Evan, how old is that vice?

BearsFan wrote:Evan, how old is that vice?

I've had this vise for more than a decade (one of these days I might even clean it), and have lugged it with me on trips all over the Western hemisphere. You'd think I'd be better at tying flies after all that time, but nope.

My last 2 outings have taught me I need a lot of practice. After a half hour of stalking and shitty wind blown casts I had a take and pulled the hook. Nice fish too. Arghhhh!

I have a travler that is about 17 years old that I bought as a lad. Luckily still no rust. Those things probably really do last a lifetime.

Been a few week since I posted. Work and weather have derailed the quest to sight fish for reds via fly. Whenever I had a day off the wind or rain seemed to get in the way and when the weather was decent I was working.
Headed out Monday morning, even though the winds are supposed to pick up. Will report back Monday afternoon/evening.

Work (at least full-time newspaper work) will not delay my sight fishing quest much longer. I gave notice at the paper. No more nights chained to a desk, at least not for much longer.
I'm taking the CookNFish freelance/writing route. As a desk jockey, I was working like a dog and so tired on my off days, I didn't fish much at all the past three months. That will change soon.

Got out for the first time in about six weeks. No kayak. Went out with a buddy who's got a skiff. Water was a little off color because of all the rain, but wind was perfect, 2-3 knots, if that.
Had shots at cruising fish and a couple nice shots at a happy tailer. Couldn't get anything to eat. Can't beat a 0.3 tide with no wind. Looking forward to the rest of fall and winter.

Headed out Monday. Wind was forecast at 10-15 out of the South and it was every bit of of that and more. Given that bluster, I left the Native at home and wade fished the Legion Flats just to get out of the house.
Had a great tide. Full moon. 0.3 at around 10 a.m. By late morning the wind really started to pick up, creating a consistent chop that made it almost impossible to sight fish. Plus, the wind direction pushed more water on the flat.
Fishing quickly became secondary to scouting and casting practice. Caught a jack and a trout on a few what-the-hell casts (mylar spoon fly) as I was leaving. Winds are supposed to blow until later in the week. I've learned a lot since moving to Tampa this spring. Finding refuge from a South wind is not one of them. East wind, I can handle (Legion, Picnic Island). West Wind (Weedon/4th Street). South wind pretty much kicks my butt every time.

Study the charts, you should

Good morning low tides this weekend and into early next week. Cooler temps. Cooler water. Decent but not great wind forecast. Can't have everything. I'm excited. Getting all of my non-fishing responsibilities out of the way and tying like a demon, so I'll be ready to go Sunday-Tues. mornings.