# Best Fly Profile / Size for Blind Casting



## cal1320 (Jun 6, 2007)

I throw Gurglers on a #1 hook in lower light conditions(morning, evening, or cloudy) though I always have a bait fish pattern on another rod for trees, docks and such. Size the fly to your rod weight. Don't forget, elephants eat peanuts.


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## Tankerfly (Jan 22, 2021)

I asked a similar question last summer. Here's the wisdom of MS from then:Blind casting redfish


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

You need to cast a fly that’s adequate for your fly rod. The easier it is to cast the more consistent and accurate you will be. on a kayak you don’t have a lot of body help with your cast, so you have to develop your cast for a sitting position, you will loose distance. All that said, a size 2 clouser or similar like a lightbulb or any streamer you feel confident with but keep it to a size 2 or smaller.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

X2. I like something I can cast easily with something like a 7 or 8 weight.
I like to fly fish likely structure and fish sign. I also fish from a kayak quite a bit.

One thing about fish is we don’t always give them enough credit for being able to find forage in murky/stained water. Even if a person with human abilities and senses cannot imagine how a fish can locate a size 4 whatever in water with a foot of visiblilty, the fish can and do have that ability.

Anyway, I fish with redfish crack, Borski sliders, Gartside soft hackle streamers for sight or otherwise fly fishing. Size 2-4 redfish crack, size 4 Borski sliders, size 2-1/0 gartside soft hackle streamers.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

If I was blind casting I'd use something that makes a bit of noise, especially if your water is a bit off color. Gurgler, top water, slider, diver or something with rattles.


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## btpeck14 (Mar 18, 2021)

In the Northeast, we do a lot of blind casting for stripers. Perfect fly for this is the snake fly. You can tie it in any size or color. It has a ton of movement and pushes a bit of water with the spun deer hair.


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

Chartreuse gurgler is my goto for blind casting


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

When the conditions in Texas don't cooperate and blind casting is the order of the day, a slightly weighted Seaducer is absolutely my go-to. Easy to cast, easy to control the depth and speed of retrieve without hanging on bottom, and the head/hackle tail combo pushes a lot of water. 

Orlando outfitters has some good options, though I like a slightly bigger hook and bead chan eyes instead of lead or unweighted. Unless you need to fish deep I'd go unweighted and, like mentioned above, #2 clouser you should be covered.


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## HelthInsXpert (Jan 24, 2018)

Have you ever considered trying a paddleboard instead of a kayak (or even instead of a skiff?). I've got a Waterman, but find myself fishing off of a paddleboard 95% of the time. Being able to SEE the fish is really the whole objective in fly-fishing for me. 

However, to answer your question regarding flies. I like anything with a big EYE! I think the eyes do a lot, and I prefer unweighted eyes. I don't really like my flies landing with a huge plop. Tie a nice black/purple baitfish with bigger eyes than you think look realistic and it will catch fish.


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

HelthInsXpert said:


> Have you ever considered trying a paddleboard instead of a kayak (or even instead of a skiff?). I've got a Waterman, but find myself fishing off of a paddleboard 95% of the time. Being able to SEE the fish is really the whole objective in fly-fishing for me.
> 
> However, to answer your question regarding flies. I like anything with a big EYE! I think the eyes do a lot, and I prefer unweighted eyes. I don't really like my flies landing with a huge plop. Tie a nice black/purple baitfish with bigger eyes than you think look realistic and it will catch fish.


That's a great point. Being able to stand is a game changer, even if you can't see it still makes casting and line management much easier in my opinion. I had a Nucanoe Pursuit that was deadly. @TheJackStrap happy to share my experience with different kayaks if it's helpful!


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## Captsam (Aug 23, 2020)

I like using the schminnow in white tied on a #2 hook. I also like using clousers for fishing in 3 to 4 feet of water. 
Good fishing!


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## Jason La Forest (Jul 2, 2019)

Never blind cast. Unless it’s at a rolling fish or at the sound of rising browns in the dark. Might as well be drinking a beer or bobber fishing with bait.

Saltwater fly is about the hunt, you don’t blind shoot in the woods for deer.


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## OneMoreCast (Oct 23, 2021)

Jason La Forest said:


> Never blind cast. Unless it’s at a rolling fish or at the sound of rising browns in the dark. Might as well be drinking a beer or bobber fishing with bait.
> 
> Saltwater fly is about the hunt, you don’t blind shoot in the woods for deer.


Wow, that elimates a huge percentage of fishing - fly fishing that is - for lots of people in lots of places. I'm a "life lister" and I do love sight fishing, but if that's all I did I think my list would be smaller by 80%.
"Blind" casting is not blind. I put a ton of work into researching and hunting down the species I'm targeting. Just because I don't see a fish before I cast doesn't mean I'm blind casting.
To the OP - keep doing what you're doing. You're on the right track and will hook up soon. And, eventually you'll start spotting fish too.


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## Fliesbynight (Mar 23, 2020)

Jason La Forest said:


> Never blind cast. Unless it’s at a rolling fish or at the sound of rising browns in the dark. Might as well be drinking a beer or bobber fishing with bait.
> 
> Saltwater fly is about the hunt, you don’t blind shoot in the woods for deer.



That would eliminate over 90% of my fishing. Here in the northeast blind casting is the norm, except for the fall when the predators are crashing bait on a regular basis.

Not everyone lives where sight fishing is the standard or even possible. What do you do when visibility is off due to water color, turbidity or wind? Or when the fish are deeper than you can see? Just stay home? Learn to find the fish no matter what the conditions and you'll be a better fisherman for it.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

TheJackStrap said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I’m an avid kayak fisherman in Wilmington, NC (hopefully one day I’ll be able to afford a skiff😂). I’ve recently got into fly fishing and I really enjoy casting a fly rod compared to spinning.
> 
> ...


Checkout the “Game Changer” from Blaine Chocklett! Unbelievable action and pushes a lot of water.


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Jason La Forest said:


> Never blind cast. Unless it’s at a rolling fish or at the sound of rising browns in the dark. Might as well be drinking a beer or bobber fishing with bait.
> 
> Saltwater fly is about the hunt, you don’t blind shoot in the woods for deer.


Let's agree to disagree. Comparing blind casting to fish to randomly shooting in the woods hoping to hit a deer is a bit of a stretch. I live 250 miles from saltwater, and 99% of my fly fishing is blind casting, both cold water and warm water. Seeing a fish and being able to cast to it is a bonus.
So, if you go fishing and don't see any fish, do you just go home saying, "the fish just were not there."?


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## Captsam (Aug 23, 2020)

I do a lot of blind casting, but it is where I believe fish will be located. For instance, points, pockets, mangrove shorelines, and oyster bars. If you see baitfish, or any food source milling around, you should find fish. Just gotta think like a fish. Nonetheless, I would not waste my time blindly casting away in areas that are devoid of a food source, or during a slack tide.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Topwater is the only way I can tolerate blind casting. If I'm not going to see the fish before I cast I'm at least going to see them eat. A #1 Gurgler is a really good place to start.


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## flynut (Sep 7, 2015)

Jason La Forest said:


> Never blind cast. Unless it’s at a rolling fish or at the sound of rising browns in the dark. Might as well be drinking a beer or bobber fishing with bait.
> 
> Saltwater fly is about the hunt, you don’t blind shoot in the woods for deer.


X2. I HATE BLIND CASTING! BORING!!!!!!!


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## OneMoreCast (Oct 23, 2021)

flynut said:


> X2. I HATE BLIND CASTING! BORING!!!!!!!


Sight fishing is great. But you are severely limited in what types of fish you can catch if that's all you do.
Like said before, blind casting isn't blind. If you're bored you're not thinking about what your doing enough. Move around, look around, figure it out.


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## 8w8n8 (Sep 30, 2017)

flynut said:


> X2. I HATE BLIND CASTING! BORING!!!!!!!


... yeah, blind casting is somewhat boring, but what a _rush_ when a juvee or snook or jack "hits" your tackle ... hell, albeit short-lived, but it's a _rush_ when you hit a "snag" blind casting ! ...


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## Clamfoot (Jun 21, 2021)

fishnpreacher said:


> Let's agree to disagree. Comparing blind casting to fish to randomly shooting in the woods hoping to hit a deer is a bit of a stretch. I live 250 miles from saltwater, and 99% of my fly fishing is blind casting, both cold water and warm water. Seeing a fish and being able to cast to it is a bonus.
> So, if you go fishing and don't see any fish, do you just go home saying, "the fish just were not there."?


Preach is correct.

IMHO blind cast vs sight cast is very much a matter of your local water quality and conditions with fish pressure tossed in for good measure. I wonder what all the "blind cast is boring" guys would do if their local conditions forced the decision

a) blind cast a fly rod
b) don't fish 
c) lay down the fly rod and switch to spinning gear with lures (FYI this is mostly blind casting, just more efficiently. It's the most popular and most accessible form of sport fishing)
d) soak bait, drink beer, and wait. 
e) Tow the boat for 2.5 hrs (at 4.19 per gallon) all the while praying hard that when you get there you find clear water, or go home....... 

Unfortunately, my local waters are not good for sight fishing most of the year. This means I sight fish hard in the late winter (2-3 months) when the water is kind of clear but not shut down cold, and the wind is down. Maybe I get in 5-8 trips those days. The rest of the year, as the temps get to Redfish ideal, the water clarity gets bad and I spend more time looking for relatively clear water and end up quick-fire casting at pushes and blind casting to fishy-looking spots on the shoreline for the rest of the year. Or I don't fly fish.

Would I like to sight cast 12 months out of the year? Sure. But I will also say that because I have to blind cast most of the year I have had to get better at all of the other aspects of the sport and I really appreciate the one fish days and watching long-shot push eats at dawn. I'm sure that having to blind cast 9-10 months out of the year keeps the other claws sharp.

P.S. learning and knowing the area that you fish (hidden creek mouths, culverts, depth changes, bottom structure, etc), knowing where fish hold in what conditions and what has happened for the 48 hrs before I get there, and planning where to fish once I ascertain the surface conditions on the day, is in fact hunting regardless of blind casting or not. 

Hunting is not shooting. Ask any real hunter and they will tell you shooting is 10% of the game. Hunting is the other 90% that happens before you even think that you can hold the reticle steady.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)




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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

Sometimes you don’t have to see them to know they are there.


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## Fliesbynight (Mar 23, 2020)

I would also add that if you can find them blind, you will have more success seeing them, rather than just tooling around until you run over one.


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## b gee (Apr 9, 2021)

my question is what kind of line you use. for streamer fishing for trout, i've found that a nice sinking line makes a huge difference, even as much as the fly...


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## Fliesbynight (Mar 23, 2020)

b gee said:


> my question is what kind of line you use. for streamer fishing for trout, i've found that a nice sinking line makes a huge difference, even as much as the fly...


It depends on the situation but you are spot on. About 80% of my fishing is done with an intermediate sink line. I'm in the northeast so even on the shallow bay I fish most, intermediate is the ticket. Most areas I fish have some current so the sinking line helps keep the fly where I want it and in good contact. Most of my hits are in the top 12" of the water column but not on the surface. I will very rarely use anything else in the surf. Wave action plays hell with floating line and fast sink is not called for as the water is fairly shallow.

Floating I use when I think a surface is the right move. Its my favorite way to get a strike. Who doesn't love topwater action? If I see fish smashing bait, of course the floating spool comes out but this thread is about blind casting.

Fast sink is a small percentage of my fishing, usually only in broad daylight where I can pull the fly up the side of a channel from deep to shallow.

Casey Stengel once gave advice to batters by saying, :Hit it where they ain't." This is the opposite, "Put it where they are."


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## skifflabs (Apr 18, 2021)

cal1320 said:


> Don't forget, elephants eat peanuts.


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