Tarpon flies

[Punchshot]

I'll be heading down to Key West in Feb., trying to catch my 1st Tarpon, so I thought I'd get started on tying up some flies, and had acouple of question. I plan on fishing at night, and was wondering if a black colored fly is best. Going through Lefty's book looking at the Tarpon fly section, the flies really don't seem in imitate a bait fish or crab or shrimp - needless to say I've tied afew up alreadly, lastly would deceiver fly work, what colors work best - thanks Punch :)

[LandlockedinMI]

That is a very dicey time of year for fly tarpon. If you don't get a couple of days of warm, stable weather, your odds are not good. I've fished that time of year a few times and have been skunked or blown out every single time.

I was so frikkin bummed that I thought I'd post to advise keeping your expectations in check.....

Who's poling your big @$%$! around the flats? Just curious if I know him.

As for flies, lots of guides are using mag rabbit strip patterns w/ various collars.

Check here http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=266896 for good thread on flies.

Don't neglect sharks if the weather is snotty....

[Punchshot]

I'm not making the trip just to fish, but was down there the same time last year, and did have a bad day on the flats, as you stated not a good time of year, but after :-% at the bars, I took a walk out on the dock at the hotel I was staying and saw loads of tarpon hanging around under the lights - so my expectations are low they'll still be around under those lights, but I'd rather try that than pay $400 bucks and get my big ass (#$119) poled around the flats

[rhino]

better than they do in the day a book i have says. but it does not say what color flys to use for night fishing. i can tell you the book but don't know what good it will do. plus your fishing a hard part of the season a few cold day and no fish. don't for get to bring gear for seatrout and redfish they will be there fished them one x-mas all the way up near tampa. by the way the book is called tarpon on the fly.

good luck and tight lines rhino(#$112)(#$112)(#$112)

[lemaymiami]

Night fishing small (and not so small) tarpon in winter is a prime part of my guiding effort here in Miami. I imagine the fish in Key West are pretty much the same. Most of their feeding in winter involves shrimp that come with the tide. As long as the water is moving and there are a few shrimp around they should be on the feed. I fish them both in the shadows under bridges and around dock lights. In the shadows they cruise slowly up and down the shadow lines watching for shrimp and other fare coming to them like a trout in a stream holding in a feeding lane. Fish working docklights behave quite differently. They cruise back and forth in the light using the light to draw food to them.

We fish them with an 8 to 10wt rod, usually with an old fly line since pilings and concrete bridges are hard on lines... The fly is just a small white tarpon fly on a 1/0 hook. Overall length is no more than 2.5" and has a generous spreader of white calf tail with neck hackles for the tail and saddles for the collar. It's white so you can see it, the fish don't seem to have a color preference. My version is called the Night Fly and is tied on an Owner Aki 2/0 or a Mustad #7766 hook in 1/0. The Owner Aki 2/0 is very nearly the same size as most other 1/0 hooks... Try to fish it in the same direction as the shrimp are moving, with the tide toward where the fish are holding if possible. For fish up to around 40lbs we use a 40# fluoro shocker and go heavier for bigger fish. Most local guys don't talk in terms of landing one, we just refer to how many we've jumped... If you're on foot working one up for a release is a tremendous challenge. It usually won't last long but it will be lots of fun before they come loose.

[Punchshot]

Thank you very much for the Great Information lemaymiami

[jkrogers]

While in Key West, go to Capt. Tonys' and have one for us stuck in the cold!!

Cheers

JR

[Punchshot]

I think I can do that for ya, in fact I'll have a few for you :-% ;)

[LandlockedinMI]

Jealous again!!

Listen to Lemay.....

[Armando]

Heres One Of Those Night Flies For Tarpon Or Snook
1/0 Lo67 Eagle Claw, White Marabou, Grizly Hackles, Grizly Marabou As A Collar, Pearl And Blue Flashabou.
Molded Eyes If You Want.