By Mike Conner, Associate Editor

Many Florida fly fishers look upon June as an unofficial saltwater fly fishing kickoff. Our summer favorites are really snappin’ and a top-five would have to include redfish, seatrout, snook, bonefish, and for a nearshore/offshore target, bonito (false albacore). The following is a rundown of top flies and basic tactics for each.

All-round fly patterns that appeal to seatrout, snook and reds include: Left column, top to bottom, Woolhead Mullet, Conehead Diver, Dahlberg Diver, Crease Fly, Gurgler popper, pencil popper, Prince of Tides Bendback, orange-and-brown Bendback, spoon fly Right column, top to bottom, yellow-and-red, white-and-red and orange/grizzly Sea-Ducers, and 3 variations of Eztaz Shrimp

Redfish

Fly Patterns

The lion’s share of fly fishing takes place in skinny water. On the flats, reds primarily grub for shrimp and crabs, but do forage on small baitfish, too. The Clouser Minnow, weighted with either bead chain or very light lead dumbbell eyes (extra-small or small size), is fine for three feet of water or less. Many fly fishers say brown-and-orange or tan-and-white Clousers outfish the popular chartreuse-and-white versions on some flats. Some feel that brown or tan suggests shrimp rather than baitfish. In Northeast Florida, where fiddler crabs are relished by marsh reds, an all-black Clouser, with a touch or red flash, is the go-to pattern. Another local fiddler crab fly is the Fiddler in the Grass. The list of good shrimp and crab patterns is long; good picks include No. 2 or 1 Del’s Merkin Crab, Raghead Crab, Borski’s Chernobyl Crab and similar. Spoon flies of all kinds are passable crab imitations.

On mudding stingrays, it’s best to fish a fly that stays up in the water column, preferably something that stands out color-wise in the milky water over the ray’s back. Black, brown and purple does this well, and a bit of flash will help. Here, forego the heavier Clouser Minnows or heavily weighted crab flies and tie on a Sea-Ducer, small Toad Fly (with rabbit strip or marabou tail) or even a deerhair Muddler where especially shallow. These patterns are tied so that they suspend, and a redfish will have plenty of opportunity to find the fly.

Try a topwater popper (foam or hairbug) when reds are tailing in super thick grass that tends to cover their eyes and “grab” sinking flies. On sinking patterns, weedguards are a must.

Playbook

Flats redfish show and tail best on lower tide stages, though high flood is best for Northeast Florida spartina marsh flats. Reds will tail throughout the day; however, low light is best for getting close enough for a cast. Pole or wade if possible. Redfish are increasingly tough to approach by electric motor, and running the flats on outboard power is bad form. Redfish grubbing hard in the grass and mud sometimes require multiple casts to get their attention; cruisers in clear water will give you one shot—make it count.

Choose fly tackle that will make it easy for you to cast the flies you plan to fish. Rods in the 7- to 9-weight class are most popular. Tapered leaders 7 to 12 feet long are used; spookier fish demand you go longer. Avoid hand-tied, knotted leaders in the thickest grass or where algae is present—opt for commercial extruded leaders in this situation. Ten- to 12-pound tippet is fine for reds.

Seatrout

Docklight flies for snook and seatrout should imitate either minnows or shrimp. Right to left, Clouser Minnow, Norm’s Schminnow, a generic marabou minnow, D.L’s Gold Bug, D.L.’s Shallow Shrimp, banded Crazy Charlie, Snapping Shrimp

Fly Patterns

Trout are most exciting when they strike on top. Fish poppers early and late in the day for them, and only occasionally fish streamers on sinking lines. After dark, trout are good docklight fish, and love small steamers as snook do.

Foam-body or hair poppers work well, tied on No. 1 or 1/0 hooks. Gurglers are easiest to cast, and are made of closed-cell foam. Tied on No. 1 or 1/0 hooks, they are aerodynamic. Most fly shops carry them. Sliders can be better on calm surfaces.