Sailfish on the fly Help Wanted

[AlderBrookFarm]

Offshore..maybe this should go in the Florida board? I need some help with going offshore for sails on the fly in the Keys. The Capt. we go out with doesn't know anything about fly fishing but I would much rather try it than catch another one on the spinning gear. We also caught Dorado and black fin tuna on the spin gear with him and there is always the possibility that a marlin or sword could show, so I am open to any and all suggestions. I have a T&T 12wt, 12 wt intermediate line and a Pate Tarpon reel (AR). Suggestions anyone? Is my equipment adequate? I figure I've got as much if not more line than his spin gear...used a FinNor Ahab & his Penns last year...so the Tarpon reel should be ok?

[Quicksilver]

Sounds like you have definitely been there done that. I would think the Capt. would play a BIG part in the flyrodders success for the species you are targeting. I own some heavy duty stuff that is just not getting enough use. I am shooting you a pm.

[Capt.ChrisLembo]

Sails on the fly is not popular here in the Keys because the Atlantic Sail does not tease up to the boat like a pacific does. I have hooked into only 2 here in the Keys and that was while at anchor. Both times a small sail (30 & 40 lbs.) showed up in the chum slick. I threw a FPF mackeral fly on a teeny 400 sinking line. A medium sinker is what you mwant and use 5 feet of 30 lb. Flourocarbon leader. The Tarpon and 12wt. is fine. I used a 12 wt with Penn #4. Marlin are slim pickins this time of year and a Sword would be much deeper and at night. If you anchor & chum you can toss it back and hope for a smoking 35+ lb. Kingfish.

[joe e.]

Sails on the fly is not popular here in the Keys because the Atlantic Sail does not tease up to the boat like a pacific does. I have hooked into only 2 here in the Keys and that was while at anchor. Both times a small sail (30 & 40 lbs.) showed up in the chum slick. I threw a FPF mackeral fly on a teeny 400 sinking line. A medium sinker is what you mwant and use 5 feet of 30 lb. Flourocarbon leader. The Tarpon and 12wt. is fine. I used a 12 wt with Penn #4. Marlin are slim pickins this time of year and a Sword would be much deeper and at night. If you anchor & chum you can toss it back and hope for a smoking 35+ lb. Kingfish.
Thanks for that insight. I will be in the keys most of feb and we had planned to take a shot at sails again this year. Only made two couple hour shots at bills because it was awful hard to ride by 100+lb tarpon. What key are you fishing out of?

[Capt.ChrisLembo]

Thanks for that insight. I will be in the keys most of feb and we had planned to take a shot at sails again this year. Only made two couple hour shots at bills because it was awful hard to ride by 100+lb tarpon. What key are you fishing out of?


I fish out of Murray Marine in Key West.

www.incognitolighttackle.com

[soundownsam]

You might want to head to Miami and fish with Bouncer Smith. I know that he is experienced in flyfishing for bill fish and evenhas at least one sword on fly to his credit.

Sam

[LeonR]

Yor T & T 12 should be OK I would go a bit heavier, my rod are Loomis 14 & 17wt, I've been stuffed up on my twelve to many times.
Are you going to cast the flies to fish or troll? If you are going to cast I would use a shooting head either floting or fast sinking.
We have had success on Rio deepsea lines and even with poppers if you cast and retrieve straight away the you still get the desired effect.
Some guides I've heard troll more than stop and fish then you want a Rio Deepsea.
We ( In South Africa) would troll hookless plasticks and then slow the boat, rip the plastics from the water and cast flies both sinking or floating. I dont like trolling flies on fly-lines if they are not perfect whitch they almost never are you wind the line up so bad it will take you hours to get it back to normal again.
All flies will rotate slightly but when you cast they unwind again if you are trolling they dont unwind.
To get back, if you have enough backing the 12wt will do.
If the fish sound you are going to battle the 12 dont have enough power for lifting.

[wittich]

Billy Pate has a video out on how to catch sailfish on the fly. It has all the basics on what type of flies to use, casting them to the side of sailfish to ensure you hook them in corner of the mouth and what the captain should do when you raise a sailfish. I would send the video to your captain and give him a crash course on what he needs to do, becasue catching a sailfish on the fly is a team effort and everyone needs to know what to do.