Gearing up your Rods, Reels, Lines
and Flies
Gearing up your Rods, Reels, Lines
and Flies
Fly fishing
Bonefish
Bonefish can be found in good numbers and in good sizes on the flats near Mango
Creek. Most of the fly fishing is done while wading and bonefish can be seen
tailing, cruising in schools, as larger singles, and mudding in deeper water. An
average bonefish weighs 3-4 lbs here, with larger fish approaching 8-10 lbs.
Rods For fly fishing, the best all around rod is a 9 foot 8 wt. In
lighter winds, 6-7 wt. rods make it easier to not spook the fish while a 9 wt.
might be helpful to cast on very windy days.
Reels - reels to match the weight of rod are sufficient and 100-200 yards of
20 lb. backing should suffice when these big bones make that first run. The most
important thing is that your reel has a quality drag system. The last thing you
want as a bonefish is tearing line from your reel is for it to jam on you.
Fly Line The best line we find is the weight forward, floating line. A
spare reel with intermediate sinking line can come in handy as well for the
deeper bonefish. The lines should be made for fishing in the tropics, which is
to say they have a braided monofilament core. This keeps the line from knotting
up by keeping it stiffer in warm, tropical conditions
Leaders an 8-12 foot tapered leader of 10 lb. test will work for most
situations at Mango Creek. You should also bring along a spool of 10 lb. tippet.
Flies The best bonefish flies for this area are unweighted and have
weedguards to keep them from snagging on the coral or turtle grass bottoms of
our flats. That being said, a few weighted flies for deeper water or mudding
fish may come in handy. The list below is by no means comprehensive but can give
you an idea of what to bring:
Bonefish Bitters (orange/olive, amber, chartreuse) #8-10
Snapping Shrimp #6-8
Swimming Shrimp #6-8
Honey Shrimp #6-8
Horror (orange, olive, tan with brown wings) #6-8
Gotchas (gold & pearl) # 4-8
Clouser Minnows (tan, olive) #4-8
Puff (pink or tan) #4-8
Agent Orange #6-8
TDF Shrimp (olive, white) #6-8
Crazy Charlie (tan, pink, white & brown) #4-6
Permit
Permit are the ultimate challenge for the flats fly fisherman. Alert, nervous
and with discerning taste, they demand a lot of precision and patience from a
fisherman. Yet despite their notorious skittishness, weve had enormous success
in hooking and landing permit time and time again.
Rods An 8 wt. rod can be used for permit at Mango Creek, but you may
want to bring along a 9 wt. for casting heavier permit patterns in windy
conditions.
Reels 8 wt. and 9 wt. reels will cover most permit fishing situations
Fly Line Use tropical line that matches the reel weight. We recommend
weight forward floating lines, though a floating line with an intermediate tip
can also be useful when fishing crab flies; it effectively lengthens the leader
and gets the fly to the bottom quicker
Leaders Leaders should be a little longer for casting to permit. They
should be 10-12 foot and 12-15 lb. test.
Flies Permit love crabs when they are feeding on the flats. If they are
cruising in deeper water then mantis shrimp patterns can be effective as well.
White or light colored crabs generally work great, but the truth is that it is
hard to predict what fly a permit will take and when. For instance, some of our
biggest permit ever caught here were caught on bonefish or tarpon flies. Here is
a good list of the basics:
Merkin Crab (tan, olive, chartreuse) #4
Mother of Epoxy (white,pink,brown) #2-4
Turneffe Crab (olive, cream) #4-8
Raghead Crabs (olive, tan) #4-8
Mantis Shrimp ( olive, tan) #4
Spawning Shrimp #4
Clouser Minnows (chartreuse & white) #2 and 1/0
Tarpon
Tarpon fishing takes place off the flats, up in the islands mangrove canals. On
average, they range between 15-30 lbs., but are not uncommonly seen in the 50+
lbs. class. They put up perhaps the most spectacular fight of any sport fish and
can be found around Mango Creek year round.
Rods A 9 foot 10 wt. rod with a stiff butt section does the trick for most
of our tarpon. An 11 or 12 weight might be necessary though if you happen to
hook one of the big boys.
Reels- Use reels to match the rod. You should also have at least 250 yds.
of 30 lb. backing.
Fly Lines A tropical weight forward floating line will cover most
situations, but an extra spool loaded with an intermediate sinking tip line will
be better for fishing for larger tarpon in the channels and deeper ocean side
flats.
Leaders Typical tarpon leaders are 5 ft of heavy butt section material
(40-50 lbs) connected to an 18" section of 16-26 lb. class tippet and then a 16"
section of 60-100 lb. shock tippet. The heavy shock tippet will prevent the line
from cutting on the tarpon's sharp gill plates. The class section provides a
weak point in the line so that it will break, and the fly rod or fly line is not
lost.
Flies Sometimes tarpon are incredibly finicky and other times they will
eat anything that is presented to them. They feed primarily on baitfish, but are
known to eat different varieties of oceanic worms, crabs and mollusks. Flies
tied on chemically sharpened hooks or even circle hooks in sizes 2/0 4/0 will
do best. Try out:
Swimming Shrimp (tan or orange)
Mantis Shrimp
Lemay's Big-Eye Tarpon Fly
Brown Charlie
Agent Orange
Joe-to-go
Black Death - Keys style
Orange/Ginger - Keys style
White/Red - Keys style
Orange/Yellow - Whistler style
Chartreuse/White Whistler style
Yellow/White - Baitfish style
Purple/gray - Keys or Bunny style
Black/purple - Bunny style
In addition, our guides recommend using flies that are either dark brown or moss
green in color. Get some big pattern streamers for tarpon - they usually take
something at least three inches long or longer
Snook
Most snook that are caught here are usually about a foot long. A good catch
would be considered 18 inches or more.
Rods A 9 foot 10 wt. rod should more than cover you for any snook
fishing youd like to do.
Reels- Use reels to match the rod. You should also have at least 250 yds. of
30 lb. backing.
Fly Lines- A tropical weight forward line is sufficient for catching
snook
Leaders- Heavy shock tippet (80 100 lb) is required for the razor sharp
gill plates of snook.
Flies- For snook, be sure to bring along:
Deceivers (chartreuse, white/green, yellow/red)1/0 - 2/0
Barracuda
Our waters are teeming with barracuda of all sizes. Trying to land this vicious
predator after its been hooked is something any fisherman will remember.
Rods- An 8 or 9 wt. rod will do the job for barracuda.
Reels- Reel should match the weight of the rod.
Fly Lines- Rig your rod with a weight forward floating line.
Leaders- Wire leaders (40 lb.) are necessary to keep these toothy fish
from cutting you off immediately.
Flies-There are only a few flies that you'll need to go after Barracuda.
They include:
Long Needle fish imitations (orange or chartreuse)
'Cuda fly (green) with a double hooked tandem wire 3/0,
Bob Popovics' Banger (silver and orange) 2/0+
Spin fishing
Rods: Lt - Med Lt Med Lt Med Med Med Hvy 5.5 - 7 ft 5.5 7 ft 5.5 7
ft 5.5 6.5 ft
Line: (lbs.): 6, 8 12 12-20 15-25
Reel: 150 yd 250 yd 200 yd 175 yd
Leaders: Mono 60# to 80# 100# for Barracuda: 6 to 18 wire, 30 to 50 lb
test
Tackle:
Bonefish- Bonefish are very catchable on spinning tackle. Especially when
you tip your jig with a piece of dead shrimp.
Phillips Gaines wiggle jigs 1/8oz and 3/8oz.
Light tan, pink, yellow, olive, and white.
D.O.A. Shrimp Smaller the better
Permit- Hands down the best bait for permit is a live crab although some
are caught on the flats with jigs.
Owner MUTU hooks 1, and 1/0 or
Gamakatsu Octopus hooks 1, and 1/0
Wiggle Jigs (see above)
D.O.A shrimp tan and olive 1
D.O.A. crabs tan and olive 1
Tarpon- Once again the best bets for tarpon are live bait. Very rarely
does a tarpon pass up a struggling sardine.
Owner AKI hooks 3/0 or
Gamakatsu Octopus 2/0 or
Gamakatsu Octopus Circle 4/0
Super Zara spook red/white and mullet
Saltwater Rapala Fire Tiger
YO-Zuri Crystal Minnow Black and Silver
Rat-L-Trap Mag Blue and Silver, Yellow
Mirror Lure 52m Red and white, Yellow, Black and Silver