Fly Fishing the Texas Flats

Depending on wind conditions, fly rods as heavy as 9-weights and as light as 5-weights are effective for taking trout and redfish on the Texas flats.

A 9-foot, 8-weight graphite rod matched with weight-forward floating line is probably the most versatile outfit for a day on the water. It can lay down a light leader with a #6 Crazy Charlie pattern or handle bulky crab patterns and poppers in the wind. It also will deliver the weighted Clousers and bendback patterns that work well around channels and dropoffs.

A 9-weight rod will do the job in a stiff wind, but it is a little heavy for casting over an entire day. A good quality 5-weight or 6-weight graphite rod offers the maximum in sport and can whip any redfish on the flats in short order.

Go Heavy

But in casting these lighter rods and lines, fly fishers sometimes lose accuracy and distance under windy conditions, especially in tricky crosswinds. It is important to have an 8-weight rod rigged and ready on those days that require a long stalk and a long cast to tailing and cruising fish that don't stay put for long.

A two-, three-, or four-piece 9-foot for 8-weight graphite fly rod matched with weight-forward, floating line on a single-action fly reel equipped to hold 150 yards of Dacron or Micron backing is a good choice for redfish and trout on the Texas flats. Fly rods and reels vary widely in price depending on the weight and performance requirements of the buyer.

The 9-foot for 8-weight St. Croix Legend, for example, retails around $200, whereas the 9-foot for 8-weight G. Loomis GLX is priced around $520. Reel choices include the Pflueger Medalist model 1595 1/2 fly reel with click drag and rim control ($34.50); the 3M Scientific Anglers System 2 fly reel with disc drag ($190); and the Abel 2 Big Game with anti-reverse ($520).

Sound Knots

Simplicity in knots and leader configurations is essential in saltwater fly fishing. There are numerous knot-tying books and references available to those less familiar with knot tying, such as Practical Fishing Knots (Kreh and Sosin, 1972).

It's best to prepare tackle, clean fly lines, and build leaders before you get out on the water. The first stop where the redfish are tailing is no place to be constructing leaders. Learn a few good knots that you can tie when your sunglasses are caked with salt and the wind is blowing at 25 mph.

A sound knot for connecting backing to reel, backing to fly line, and fly line to leader butt section is the Uni Knot, or Duncan Loop. For quick-change convenience, many saltwater fly fishers put loops in each end of the fly line with a pair of nail knots.

A loop formed with a Bimini Twist knot in the backing can be used to make a loop to loop connection with the fly line. Likewise, a Perfection Loop tied in the butt section of the leader makes a sound loop-to-loop connection at the other end of the fly line.

Practical Leaders

Leaders for the Texas flats should be roughly the same length as the fly rod being used. Fly fishers have the choice of buying knotless, tapered leaders or building their own by connecting lengths of monofilament.

Some fly fishers prefer to buy knotless leaders because those with knots tend to pick up floating grass. Others say the knots in the homemade leaders are preferable because they shield the fly from the grass.

The Chico Fernandez leader configuration is ideal for the Texas coast. Use 5 feet of 30-pound monofilament for the butt section, 3 feet of 15-pound test for the middle, or hinge, section, and 2 feet of 10-pound test for the tippet.

For consistency, use the same brand of leader material for all sections. The leader-to-leader connections can be made with double surgeon's knots, blood knots, or Uni Knots. Among the most effective knots for connecting tippet to fly are the Duncan Loop, or Uni Knot, and Improved Clinch Knot.

© Article copyright Pruett Publishing.