# West Coast Pass Fly fishing



## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

I assume you are talking tarpon?? I would hold out until one of the Hill Tides and then throw an EP floating crab. They look like pass crabs and stay near the surface. Just have to work the current. If the poons are slurping crabs off of the surface....you may get big that way. But if the guy with the sinking line got hit....go for it. But it would be a lot of casting.


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## bsfl (Jul 30, 2009)

Yeh tarpon, i have thought of throwing crab flies on the hill tides when they are feeding more on the surface but even then a sinking line/fly might get bit more readily as the tarpon does not have to move as far to feed. Can throw the fly rod on the bow while others soak crabs off the stern.


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## captd (Feb 8, 2011)

i don't know the depth of water you're talking about, but i do this to great effect usually about once or twice a year (only fun to me once or twice a year... i like to sight fish only really)... i use an intermediate sink, throw shrimp or crab patterns, and i swing them in the tide--i do not bump them. at all. that said, i am fishing where i know tarpon will be feeding. typically a falling tide... swing it thru likely places, (throw a big upstream mend if you have to... doesn't have to be pretty, just do it)... let it swing down/across... usually get hammered if they're around. and they should be now... 
good luck.


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

I've done a fair amount of "dredging" for tarpon many years ago when I lived in S. Fl. Since then I've moved up to W central Fl and have used the technique around here as well, which has definitely paid off at times. 

There really isn't much more to the technique than what you probably witnessed. As Danny mentioned, the key of course is positioning yourself where the tarpon are staged and getting the fly down there in front of them in as natural a way as possible. Normally, dark, high contrast flies are best, but last year I had the most success with the same olive pattern I used when sight fishing.

As you surmised, it can be a lot of casting with 11/12wt gear for sure. I've had days where I'd guess the number of casts to be either side of 200. Regardless, your casting parts need to be in good shape or you may need a chiropractor or orthopedic surgeon after the first few attempts. If the size of the fish and conditions warrant a 10/11wt size rig, then all the better. But unless you're somewhat used to it, even slinging a 10wt all day with an intermediate or sinking line is a work out for most guys.

Along those lines, I've talked with a few of the old timers around here and they grumble something to the effect blind casting is not really fly fishing for tarpon.  Regardless of your take on that, in most of the places where the dredging technique can work, it can spell the difference in a hook up or nothing on some days. As you witnessed, there are times where it's the best method of any kind of fishing to get these fish to eat. It seems as though they aren't willing to expend any more energy than they need to slurp down a small bait as opposed to chasing something bigger and more energetic with a higher calorie pay off in the end.  :-?

I recently had a similar experience last month down near the Harney River outflow in ENP. I had my 15yr old son Trey and one of his friends Matt that lives in Naples with me. We were at the mouth of a deep feeder creek and the tarpon where pouring put of there on the later stage of the falling tide. They weren't lazy rolling though, instead they flipped over and dove straight for the bottom, usually in groups of 3-5 fish at a time. Based on probes with the push pole the water depth was around 8'-15' and of course tannic stained. I had Trey throw a super spook as far up into the creek as he could and the other boy Matt throwing a soft plastic jerk bait on a 1/2 oz jig head. After no hits on top Trey switched to a Mirrodine without much luck. Matt hadn't so much as a bump on the jig either. During this time ladyfish were showering small schools of baitfish every now and then, so I grabbed my 8wt and tied on a glass minnow type fly and managed to catch a couple of them to use as bait. One of the boys free lined one and the other soaked a half of one on the bottom. 15-20 minutes went by without a hit on either bait, not even a shark, which in addition to no tarpon hits, really surprised me as well. The number of rolling fish passing through started to slow down noticeably too. 

Feeling as though I gave the kids as much of a chance to hook one of these fish (the main reason for the trip) I decided to grab my 10wt with an intermediate line and red over black fly. After maybe 5 casts up into the creek I hooked about a 70lb fish 15ft from the boat. I'm certain there was a measure of luck here, but not too much since he came unglued after the first jump.  But once again the virtues of the fly rod came through, trumping plugs, lures and bait.   

The only downside to dredging (if there is such a thing in fly fishing for tarpon), is targeting them in deeper water generally means less jumping and longer slug fests when you do hook one. Also, if you end up hooking a good fish with the lighter gear, you have almost no chance of getting it to the boat, not in good time to avoid exhausting the fish anyway. 

Like Danny said and I suspect most guys would as well, I prefer sight fishing them too, but when it comes to the fly rod I'll take them anyway I can get them.


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## bsfl (Jul 30, 2009)

I prefer sight fishing also, but when the fish are in the passes on hill tides, I will be also. I saw it happening, wasn't aware of the technique and was curious for some more info. Will be worth a try from the bow while my fishing companions float crabs from the stern. Will give me something to do other than drink beer while we wait for that bite.


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## formerWAflyfisher (Sep 5, 2008)

I was reading this thread and I am intrigued. I spent several years steelhead fishing on NW rivers and this is the exact kind of fishing we would do in long deep runs. Cast with a heavy sink head and swing it through the run/hole then take on step down stream and do it again.  It gets repetitive but it works for sea run trout. Some times you spend all day to get one hit, which is why I switched to a spey rod.  
Has anybody ever tried a two handed rod for this kind of fishing, it would make casting much less tiring?  I would image as long as there is current and the boat is stationary it would be just like standing in a river. I have a 15 foot 10 weight that throws a heavy sink tip line easily.  Just a thought. 

Normally I sight fish for them myself. But it just got me thinking.


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## captd (Feb 8, 2011)

hey john, that is exactly (well, kinda) how i would think of it. and yeah, you could use a 2 hander. we always use single, and you usually don't have to move. you know the fish are there, both from experience, and from hearing/seeing busts and stuff. i fish it exactly as if i was fishing in a river. i've done it in new york for bass as well. works like charm. all these guys are ambush predators, this presentation works great on them. i typically use and intermediate, but i suppose you could use a sinker as well.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I think a two hander that you actually fished overhead casting would work. Might be a bit easier to cast a lot? But this I will tell you from recent experience. If you are going to actually spey cast it then not on my boat. Freaking fly going right over the boat all the time.


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## wrobil (Apr 19, 2011)

Having used single, switch and spey rods from shore on inlets for stripers, one might try a switch which is a 2 handed rod but not as long as a spey. Landing a large fish from a boat or from shore with a long spey rod is tough, especially if one is solo. something to think about.


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## formerWAflyfisher (Sep 5, 2008)

It was just a fun thought. I was just reading the thread and I looked over and saw all of my two handers sitting in the closet.  

I think I am going to sell them and try to swap them for some single piece rods.  I always loved the simplicity of the single piece.  Sorry to derail the thread.  

I think I am going to try the swing method with sink tips very soon. Maybe in some of the creeks in the glades. I was out this morning and jumped two fish only landed one. The fish would roll then go straight down in about 4-5 foot of water. The only way we could get a bite was by adding a really long leader then slow stripping it in, in front of a rolling fish.


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## captd (Feb 8, 2011)

hi john, when i fish that tannic-y water, to the kind of fish you're looking at, i throw a big, black, sinking fly. also, be sure to look at the bubbles... you will have a better idea where to put the fly.


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## bsfl (Jul 30, 2009)

I wouldn't want to fish an 11' plus rod, for me or the fish, you're not fighting big trout but big green ocean going pilchards


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## Swamp (Jul 12, 2010)

> I wouldn't want to fish an 11' plus rod, for me or the fish, you're not fighting big trout but big green ocean going pilchards


Point the rod at the fish, and it becomes a 0' rod.  You can land a 100#+ fish on a three weight if by just fighting off of the reel if the reel can take it.  Seriously, just point the rod towards the fish more than with a 9' rod and rock your whole body back as you pull, and lean forward as you reel.  The only problem is when landing a fish with an 11' rod in a 16' boat is not potentially breaking the rod, but that can be done too.

Swamp


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