# Beachside poon flies



## Jfack (Nov 2, 2014)

looking to get some ideas on what y'all are using.
Also, can I get some advise on this fly I just tied up before I go and waste more hooks tying more of them. Trying to stick to more natural colors (seems like a lot of what I'm seeing online now are these wild rainbow colored flashy flies). I added no flash to this fly. Just 4 hackles, foxy brush. The hook is gama sc17 3/0 tarpon. Should I bump down to 1/0 owner Aki or gama sl12s? 

I'm fishing little gasparilla up to bradenton.


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## Guest (May 12, 2017)

Tan toads for sandy bottom. If there is any bottom growth I go over to chartreuse/yellow/lime. Personally I have no opinion on with it without the bunny strip 

I am a terrible tyer so I pick some up from my local shop every spring and have never really varied. I'm sure you'll get 100 different responses. I think it's more important to be confident in what you re throwing and make a good cast instead of trying to outsmart the fish


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## Jfack (Nov 2, 2014)

Tarpon Nole said:


> Tan toads for sandy bottom. If there is any bottom growth I go over to chartreuse/yellow/lime. Personally I have no opinion on with it without the bunny strip
> 
> I am a terrible tyer so I pick some up from my local shop every spring and have never really varied. I'm sure you'll get 100 different responses. I think it's more important to be confident in what you re throwing and make a good cast instead of trying to outsmart the fish


cool thanks! what size hooks? so you're fishing toads with bunny strip? Ive seen it that way or with all marabou tail.


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## Guest (May 12, 2017)

Yep they tie them up both ways. I believe the original is without but someone will chime in who knows more than me 

Personally I don't have a preference presentation is more important than pattern imo (to an extant obviously )

My buddy is pretty much all ep but he likes the same color ideas as me


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I'll be throwing an old skool Black Death off the beaches here soon...got my first eat on one last summer.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

crboggs said:


> I'll be throwing an old skool Black Death off the beaches here soon...got my first eat on one last summer.


Good luck!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Jason, You have that fly looking like a baitfish when what they really want is a crab. So lose the eyes and palmer that brush to the eye of the hook and finish a small head with red thread, then you'll have something. 

No, don't go to a 1/0. With my beach flies, I don't use heavier hooks like the Aki. I'll go to a thinner wire hook like a Owner Cutting Point 5180 in a 3/0 or no smaller than a 2/0 if they are being picky. I go back to the heavier wire hooks like the Aki for night fishing, river or darker water fishing and up in the harbor and bays.

Presentation is everything. Don't strip that fly fast, just short bump it along and never stopping like it's unaware that the fish is behind it.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Jason, You have that fly looking like a baitfish when what they really want is a crab. So lose the eyes and palmer that brush to the eye of the hook and finish a small head with red thread, then you'll have something.
> 
> No, don't go to a 1/0. With my beach flies, I don't use heavier hooks like the Aki. I'll go to a thinner wire hook like a Owner Cutting Point 5180 in a 3/0 or no smaller than a 2/0 if they are being picky. I go back to the heavier wire hooks like the Aki for night fishing, river or darker water fishing and up in the harbor and bays.
> 
> Presentation is everything. Don't strip that fly fast, just short bump it along and never stopping like it's unaware that the fish is behind it.


Ted, when you say that they want a crab -- is that because the more classic "cockroach" pattern is supposed to imitate a crab, or because that's what the beach side fish in that area are eating?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

bryson said:


> Ted, when you say that they want a crab -- is that because the more classic "cockroach" pattern is supposed to imitate a crab, or because that's what the beach side fish in that area are eating?


Yep, yep!


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Yep, yep!


So would you say that most of the splayed-hackle flies should be tied up a little crabbier, or is it really just the cockroach?

I haven't really done much splayed hackle as baitfish flies, but was planning on tying some up for tarpon in the Keys. I've only ever splayed hackle for claws in crab patterns that I planned on crawling along the bottom for reds/bones/permit.


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## Jfack (Nov 2, 2014)

Backwater said:


> Jason, You have that fly looking like a baitfish when what they really want is a crab. So lose the eyes and palmer that brush to the eye of the hook and finish a small head with red thread, then you'll have something.
> 
> No, don't go to a 1/0. With my beach flies, I don't use heavier hooks like the Aki. I'll go to a thinner wire hook like a Owner Cutting Point 5180 in a 3/0 or no smaller than a 2/0 if they are being picky. I go back to the heavier wire hooks like the Aki for night fishing, river or darker water fishing and up in the harbor and bays.
> 
> Presentation is everything. Don't strip that fly fast, just short bump it along and never stopping like it's unaware that the fish is behind it.


cool thanks ted! was just down there saturday, then mon-tues. couldn't find them on the beach, heard they've been more off shore with the water being all stirred up. It was really windy. We were on some in boca pass though. The snook were on fire! Caught them non stop all day. saturday we all slammed out with red/snook/trout. Its been really good inshore. 

I'm about to go to cayman for 6 days, but plan to hit lgi as soon as i get back to go after poon again.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Jfack said:


> cool thanks ted! was just down there saturday, then mon-tues. couldn't find them on the beach, heard they've been more off shore with the water being all stirred up. It was really windy. We were on some in boca pass though. The snook were on fire! Caught them non stop all day. saturday we all slammed out with red/snook/trout. Its been really good inshore.
> 
> I'm about to go to cayman for 6 days, but plan to hit lgi as soon as i get back to go after poon again.


Yeah the migration is not in yet. Just resident fish here and there and some grouping up around all the passes and bridges. Good cause I'm busy with work.
I should be down there by then when you get back. PM or call me then.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

bryson said:


> So would you say that most of the splayed-hackle flies should be tied up a little crabbier, or is it really just the cockroach?
> 
> I haven't really done much splayed hackle as baitfish flies, but was planning on tying some up for tarpon in the Keys. I've only ever splayed hackle for claws in crab patterns that I planned on crawling along the bottom for reds/bones/permit.


The most popular cockroach pattern was Stu Apte's pattern. When done right, it looked mostly like a crab in the water. However, it can be interpreted as a shrimp or baitfish too. So Jason's (Jfack) pattern up top will work, but the eyes keeps it from also looking like a crap or shrimp. With my mod description, it will push more water (important here up the Gulf coast) and can look more like a crab, shrimp or mullet, than some random baitfish. Sometimes it's hard to know what they are keying in on. So that fly without eyes can be one of those "I'm not sure what it is, so I'd better eat it" kind of fly.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

@Jfack 
Are you still moving to the panhandle?


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## Jfack (Nov 2, 2014)

LowHydrogen said:


> @Jfack
> Are you still moving to the panhandle?


This time next year I will be. I'll be bringing my boat too. Moving near defuniak. Idk good areas to live there but that's where our dental outreach clinic is.


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## mxbeebop (Mar 22, 2013)

I like flies finished with orange thread. Helps me see the fly.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Here's my box. The other side is yellow/white.


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