# snook on beach in South Florida question



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

You could also use a clear intermediate sink tip floating fly line. There are plenty. But For that paticular application, especially most snook swim close to or right at the beach where the water breaks onto the sand, you don't need an entire intermediate line for that. Plus it's easier to pick up floating running line up off the surf. So what I recommend is the Cortland Tropic Plus Ghost tip 15 clear intermediate sink tip floating line. It also makes a great bonefish line as well for those deeper flats. It also throws bonefish and beach snook flies (which both flies are about the same size and weight) very easy and still has a nice stealth presentation. It also cuts wind good without being a heavy head.

I think the beach snook fishing gets better, the further you go up the coast from where you live, going further north of Pompano and heading up the east coast. Nevertheless, always, the beach snook fishing is better closer to the passes, than many miles away from the passes and inlets, because once they come out of the inlets and passes and get settled into tolling along the beach, they gear up to feed if they are not more concern to spawn, following the big girls.

One other thing you can check is getting access to any beaches further south of Miami, either by car or boat. There they will have less pressure. If you can make it to one of the little out islands of lower Biscayne bay, those little beaches will also hold snook, as well as bones.

Ted


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## mpl1978 (Apr 14, 2016)

I really appreciate your help! Would the below specs work - it is on sale for 29.00



Hardy Mach Tropical Saltwater Fly Line - Clear Sink Tip

* 42 ft Head
* Sink rate: 1.25-1.75 ips
* 12ft sink tip
* Length: 105 ft
* Color: Aqua/Clear
* Welded loop tip










Backwater said:


> You could also use a clear intermediate sink tip floating fly line. There are plenty. But For that paticular application, especially most snook swim close to or right at the beach where the water breaks onto the sand, you don't need an entire intermediate line for that. Plus it's easier to pick up floating running line up off the surf. So what I recommend is the Cortland Tropic Plus Ghost tip 15 clear intermediate sink tip floating line. It also makes a great bonefish line as well for those deeper flats. It also throws bonefish and beach snook flies (which both flies are about the same size and weight) very easy and still has a nice stealth presentation. It also cuts wind good without being a heavy head.
> 
> I think the beach snook fishing gets better, the further you go up the coast from where you live, going further north of Pompano and heading up the east coast. Nevertheless, always, then beach snook fishing is better closer to the passes, than many miles away from the passes and inlets, because once they come out of the inlets and passes and get settled into tolling along the beach, they gear up to feed if they are not more concern to spawn, following the big girls.
> 
> Ted


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

You do not need a sink tip line at all, by any means. when the fish are on the beach, they are way up high on the edge more so than not, or right up against the trough. From my knowledge, you are allowed to fish the beach north of the Dania Beach Pier at John U. Loyd park. Unless it recently changed, as long as you are north of the pier you are in the clear. Get there early, and you will be fine regardless. In most cases, even where fishing isn't allowed, all they will do is ask you to leave. From my experience throughout the past 10 years or so, the fish in Dania will be larger, but fewer fish compared to fishing on the west coast. Whenever I want to beach snook, I drive over to Naples/Ft.Myers area where there will plenty of fish, more ground so you will encounter less fisherman, but the fish average 24-26" range. You will have at least a shot or two at a fish over 30", but have plenty of shots at the 24-26" range. On the east coast, I have encountered a handful of shots at fish, but they are 28-36" range. But I have had days where I only see two fish, and you have to make the shots count. On the west coast, you will have shot after shot after shot. 

Hope that helps,
Eric


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## Dawhoo (Oct 27, 2015)

Yeah Joh Lloyd is fair game as I occasionally bring my stuff when I bring my family by boat to whisky creek. With that being said, you will have a better shot walking the bank of whiskey creek.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

mpl1978 said:


> I really appreciate your help! Would the below specs work - it is on sale for 29.00
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've never tried it before, but I don't see why not, using that line, depending on what rod you are throwing and at that price, it is worth the try. You should still have your floater as a backup if you find it works better for ya. Btw, I was beach fishing for snook all last week tho the winds towards the end of the week shut down the fishing (west coast of course).

Sure you can catch plenty of fish with a floating line, but that means if the fish hold tight to the bottom, which they normally do, then your sub surface fly might get pulled right over them and hey don't get a chance to get a look at it. That being said, I've gotten more eats with a clear intermediate or clear intermediate tip line than a floater because it get's the fly right down to the bottom where the snook like to hold.

Btw, I recommend a stripping basket.


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## IdontknowwhatImdoing (May 20, 2016)

Backwater said:


> You could also use a clear intermediate sink tip floating fly line. There are plenty. But For that paticular application, especially most snook swim close to or right at the beach where the water breaks onto the sand, you don't need an entire intermediate line for that. Plus it's easier to pick up floating running line up off the surf. So what I recommend is the* Cortland Tropic Plus Ghost tip 15 clear intermediate sink tip floating line*. It also makes a great bonefish line as well for those deeper flats. It also throws bonefish and beach snook flies (which both flies are about the same size and weight) very easy and still has a nice stealth presentation. It also cuts wind good without being a heavy head.
> 
> Ted


I was only able to find that line in 10-12 weight. Do they make it in 6-8wt? I was able to find the same line but with a 9' tip in 6-12wt.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

IdontknowwhatImdoing said:


> I was only able to find that line in 10-12 weight. Do they make it in 6-8wt? I was able to find the same line but with a 9' tip in 6-12wt.


Oh my bad, I got them mixed up The smaller lines are the 9ft Ghost Tip. The tarpon lines are the 15ft Ghost Tips.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

90% of the time when I have gone beach fishing the snook are at the bottom, but at the bottom of 9 inches of water, where a floating line works perfectly. I rarely find the snook any deeper than 2', and even at 2' the fly still gets down on the bottom quickly with a floating line. I fish for bones on the beach all the time with small light beadchain eye flies and have never thought to myself "I wish my line didn't float".


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

paint it black said:


> 90% of the time when I have gone beach fishing the snook are at the bottom, but at the bottom of 9 inches of water, where a floating line works perfectly. I rarely find the snook any deeper than 2', and even at 2' the fly still gets down on the bottom quickly with a floating line. I fish for bones on the beach all the time with small light beadchain eye flies and have never thought to myself "I wish my line didn't float".


Eric, I understand and I'm sure that's working good for you down in Naples and where ever else. But I've been doing this beach snookin on the fly thing too for a good while (over 27yrs now) and no telling how many snook I've caught on the fly over here on the west coast doing it (and a few on the east coast), from the Glades to Tarpon Springs, nor how many my clients caught back in the day when I use to guide. I grew up in SW FL and currently live 30mins from good productive beach snook fishing. So some of the swashes can get deep, as well as beaches along the passes. I wish I had a full sink line the other day cause there was a group of about 50 snook feeding on clouds of 1" baby sardines and even an intermediate couldn't get down to them (new 6ft deep hole next to a new sandbar that formed after the resent storm). But I do also use floating and caught about 6 last week on a floating fly line. So I use all three, depending on where I'm fishing.

I've known Steve Gibson from Sarasota (guide and writer) for a good while and he says he's racked up well over 5000 snook on fly on the beach between his clients and himself over the last 35 yrs. I'm only a fraction of that number. But nevertheless, he uses both floating and intermediate lines. I do too but If I had to choose one, it would be the clear intermediate tip floater. It's also a good line for bones and pompano. But hey, that's just me and what I like. Don't get offended, it's all good, either one will work and who cares what the guy uses as long as he get's out there and has fun with it. 

Ted


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## mpl1978 (Apr 14, 2016)

I appreciate all the comments. I have the bug and hope to get some tight lines soon. If anyone is in south florida anytime and is looking for a fly fishing tag along, let me know. I have a 19 Key west cc, however I don't know the area very well.


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## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

I'm with Backwater. I have caught many fish on WC beaches with floaters, but nothing in comparison to a slime line. And out of the hundreds of neat patterns I've crafted up over the years, a sparse half and half always gets it done.


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## Ryan_Montesino (Feb 5, 2015)

Go with the clear intermediate sink tip for the east coast. Beaches are rougher and the line cuts straight through the waves to get that fly right in front of the fish. Floating line will be on the surface getting blown around by the waves. Your fly will track straight with the sink tip... Not every beach is the same.


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Novice chiming in, two and half years on beach Snook with a fly rod. Lifetime with spinners and 5500c's. Even small wave action at the trough or the will wreck a floating line presentation. Seems to me the slow intermediate line allows more time in the strike zone. Also seems easier to swim a fly, and suspend it. I moved away from the float line right away. But I will be trying one with a sinking tip as the dead calm summer sight fishing days show up.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

blackmagic1 said:


> I'm with Backwater. I have caught many fish on WC beaches with floaters, but nothing in comparison to a slime line. And out of the hundreds of neat patterns I've crafted up over the years, a sparse half and half always gets it done.


Ooo... Slime line is old school terms! 

Here is my version of that same fly I keep in my beach box for certain situations, like this deep hole near a new sandbar that developed at a point of a beach near a pass where snook where bunched in there but help deep in this hole where the bait seemed to trap themselves.

This Half and Half pattern I do with my variation of a clouser called a 3D Clouser (or 3D Standup Clouser) tied about 3" long tied on a #2 hook with size sm lead dumbbell eyes and yes, sparse!. It's rather big for the beach but good for the deeper troughs and deep beaches along the passes.





Lately tho, I've had to go ultra small with small nothing flies that mimic small 1-1.5" sardines ( I think they are spanish sardines). Huge clouds of millions of these sardines and the snook are following them down the beaches. I've been rifling thru flies to get them to eat around these bait schools, until I nailed it. Then it was on! Below, these flies are about 1.5" long ties on #4's.

Dry flies

Same flies once wet.

All these flies above are not my normal go-to beach flies. Just flies to meet different needs on the beach for different situations. Like Blackmagic says, there are a ton of different patterns you can come up with and use. The key I have found tho is to "match the hatch." I've been known to bring a mask and look around and find out what they are keying in on, if the fish are there, I know I'm throwing my best I have at them, times, tides and bite tables are on spot, but they're not feeding.

Blackmagic1, what area are you located?


Ted Haas


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## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

Dude I was waiting for someone to call me old school throwing out slime lines and half and halfs. I'm 37 and spent all my time getting my learn on from a couple guys about 10 years older. From Tampa, spent most of my days after school/baseball practice hanging out with my buddy Eric who ran the Sporting Classics (Orvis) store on Dale Mabry. Most of the next several years were spent primarily fishing with him and Rick Brown. Spent alot of time in the ICW around Treasure Isl banging dock lights, off Mad/St Pete beaches. And a whole lot of time in the back of Little Cockaroach before it became a thing. Used to call i tour private everglades. We vowed never to bring spinning rods or bait back there it was that special to us. BTW, your other flies could mimic my spread. 3d's tied out of neer hair/super hair, glades minnows....I remember when EP minnows came out we were like WTF! we've been tying those for years. Good times.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Nice.... Been all over those places too with that same fever! Welcome to the fly board! Nice to have a guy with local experience! Was that Orvis store on south or North Dale Mabry? How long ago was that when that store was open?


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## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

Backwater said:


> Nice.... Been all over those places too with that same fever! Welcome to the fly board! Nice to have a guy with local experience! Was that Orvis store on south or North Dale Mabry? How long ago was that when that store was open?


Shop was on the east side right next to Plant High maybe a 1/4 mile north of Bay to Bay. Sat around countless hours trying to learn all I could from people like Dan Malzone and crew. I graduated in '97 so shop probably closed early 2000's id guess. Used to also drive over to Clearwater to the shop downtown. As soon as I recover from shoulder surgery, I intend to get back into the long rod game pretty seriously.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Just received the latest addition of Fly Fishermen Magazine and saw that Mike Conner did a nice job with an article on Beach fly fishing for snook. Went to their website and found the article.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/saltwater/snook-saltwater/fly-fishing-snook/

Mike and I have chatted about the subject before. This is his beach Mullet Fly. 










He's a great fly tier and does a lot of great articles for Florida Sportsman Mag, if some of you out of the area didn't already know.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Steve Gibson (Writer/Guide) has his favorite fly he uses over here in Sarasota. He does a variation of the DT Special, tied on either a #4 or a #2 hook and is no bigger than about 2" long.

.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

blackmagic1 said:


> Shop was on the east side right next to Plant High maybe a 1/4 mile north of Bay to Bay. Sat around countless hours trying to learn all I could from people like Dan Malzone and crew. I graduated in '97 so shop probably closed early 2000's id guess. Used to also drive over to Clearwater to the shop downtown. As soon as I recover from shoulder surgery, I intend to get back into the long rod game pretty seriously.


I knew Dan Malzone well back in the day! Awesome tarpon and redfish guide. He knew Homasassa like the back of his hand. 

Was that World Class Outfitters/ Cliff Martin?


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## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

Backwater said:


> I knew Dan Malzone well back in the day! Awesome tarpon and redfish guide. He knew Homasassa like the back of his hand.
> 
> Was that World Class Outfitters/ Cliff Martin?


No, World Class was up north in Carrollwood. The Orvis shop was in South Tampa. It's funny, my 17 Pathfinder was originally Cliff Martin's boat. This was a much smaller fly fishing world around here 15+ years ago.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

blackmagic1 said:


> No, World Class was up north in Carrollwood. The Orvis shop was in South Tampa. It's funny, my 17 Pathfinder was originally Cliff Martin's boat. This was a much smaller fly fishing world around here 15+ years ago.


True, true...

Well I don't want to go off topic too far.


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## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

sorry to the OP for the distraction. Back to the beach fishing, I would expect it to be pretty ramped up right now. I checked a spot in the bay where they go trough the same motions as on the beach. And they're doing their thing.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Since I'm pretty much an old timer now.... (how'd I get so old?)... Here's a bit of trivia for those that weren't around when the original monocore intermediate lines were in their heyday. They did the trick but had one drawback - those early lines were not only clear and flexible -they were also slicker than snot when they were wet - that's how they got the nickname "slime line". Using one with a big tarpon biting - was just plain a challenge to strip-strike the hook with.... and that's why many avoided them if possible. The good news for all of us that use them is that there's a whole new generation of full intermediate lines from more than one source - and you can actually hang on to them for a strip-strike (unlike the old "slime lines"....). Those old "slime lines" haven't been in fly shops now for many years - the new intermediates are far superior (but I still see an occasional angler with one on my skiff and I might still have one or two myself...).

For folks like me that need to be certain of a presentation all the from near surface down to ten feet deep (right on the bottom where rivers
holding tarpon can be found) an intermediate line is the way to go for all my big sticks (10wt on up...).


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Backwater said:


> Ooo... Slime line is old school terms!
> 
> Here is my version of that same fly I keep in my beach box for certain situations, like this deep hole near a new sandbar that developed at a point of a beach near a pass where snook where bunched in there but help deep in this hole where the bait seemed to trap themselves.
> 
> ...


That top fly is great looking. I think I am making mistakes with hook sizes. I'm tying 1/0, I tie the dt special a little bigger than I should, I'm gonna make some smaller ones, like the ones I have bought. I size up the hooks, because of some of the beast that swim on the east coast. But I'm probably missing some takes because of it.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

lemaymiami said:


> Since I'm pretty much an old timer now.... (how'd I get so old?)... Here's a bit of trivia for those that weren't around when the original monocore intermediate lines were in their heyday. They did the trick but had one drawback - those early lines were not only clear and flexible -they were also slicker than snot when they were wet - that's how they got the nickname "slime line". Using one with a big tarpon biting - was just plain a challenge to strip-strike the hook with.... and that's why many avoided them if possible. The good news for all of us that use them is that there's a whole new generation of full intermediate lines from more than one source - and you can actually hang on to them for a strip-strike (unlike the old "slime lines"....). Those old "slime lines" haven't been in fly shops now for many years - the new intermediates are far superior (but I still see an occasional angler with one on my skiff and I might still have one or two myself...).
> 
> For folks like me that need to be certain of a presentation all the from near surface down to ten feet deep (right on the bottom where rivers
> holding tarpon can be found) an intermediate line is the way to go for all my big sticks (10wt on up...).



Yea I remember the ole slime lines. I think I still have an old one on the shelf (still culling through my stuff and throwing out some junk and selling other stuff that still has some value). It's stained from the ink from some yellow backing I had that bled thru.

Capt Bob, I keep intermediates on my big rods too, but I also have a few surface/sub surface flies for the outside that the fish like em ridin high. So I use a floater or clear floater for those.

But hey, were talkin beach snookin here on this thread...


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Backwater said:


> Steve Gibson (Writer/Guide) has his favorite fly he uses over here in Sarasota. He does a variation of the DT Special, tied on either a #4 or a #2 hook and is no bigger than about 2" long.
> 
> .


I like this fly, it catches snook here, Stuart. I can tie a decent one, good enough to fool snook.. my challenge is the hackle, all the stuff i seem to get is junk compared to the feathers above. Any secret suppliers of good hackle like the ones above??


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## Griff0302 (Oct 22, 2016)

Hobe sound is my favorite east coast beach Snook haunt. 1.5 hrs from you. Find an incoming tide that is near sunrise. Take bug spray. No see ums are wicked.


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

If a fly shop isn't too far I always open the bags of hackles and inspect them in my hands. Sometimes there is a world of difference between packages even thought they all may look ok on the outside.


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Just received the latest addition of Fly Fishermen Magazine and saw that Mike Conner did a nice job with an article on Beach fly fishing for snook. Went to their website and found the article.
> 
> http://www.flyfisherman.com/saltwater/snook-saltwater/fly-fishing-snook/
> 
> ...



Thanks for that article Backwater. So much of what's out there for snook in the surf is the west side. The east is a very different environment and Mike covered it very well.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

We


bananabob said:


> Thanks for that article Backwater. So much of what's out there for snook in the surf is the west side. The east is a very different environment and Mike covered it very well.


We ran acrossed a pod of about 100 laid up snook the other day off the beach while setting up for tarpon. My buddy knew I was itching to throw a fly on them, but I had to stay focused on what we were there for. On the flip side, where we were pinned up, a school of about 200 pompano kept tormenting us for like 2hrs and we couldn't get one of those +/%#@s to eat a fly (wasn't prepared with the right flies anyway).  Poons were scarce, water was rough, had about 6 real shots at about 15 singles using experimental flies with no eats. Rough day to say the least!

Ted


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Personal best, had that day. Landed 4. The biggest measured 38 inch.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

millerrep said:


> I like this fly, it catches snook here, Stuart. I can tie a decent one, good enough to fool snook.. my challenge is the hackle, all the stuff i seem to get is junk compared to the feathers above. Any secret suppliers of good hackle like the ones above??


I think I mainly have small packs from Wapsi.


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## millerrep (Apr 14, 2014)

Holy cow another monster, this fish came close to spooling me on an 8wt


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

millerrep said:


> Holy cow another monster, this fish came close to spooling me on an 8wt
> View attachment 13604


Wow, what a pig!! I wish we had a regular stock of big beach giants over here on the Gulf Coast like those you have over in Stuart, Sebastian and thru to Juno on the Atlantic side.


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