The Reds are back in Town

[JohnH0802]

I got home after work yesterday around 6pm. Nobody was home, and about 7 I decided you know what I am going fishing. Got to the flat just after 7, and then walked a mile and a half out on the flat. Within minutes of getting there I had a fish tailing, cast to it, and snap it broke me off. I had just put on new tippet and tied one of my homemade spoon flies on.....I look up and see at least 3 more tailing fish. I get my fly box out as quickly as possible and tie on one of my crab patterns...

Withing minutes it is fish on. As I am bringing in the fish I am tracking another tailing fish. I snap a picture quickly



then release the fish as quickly as possible. Within 30 seconds I have the other fish on.



Not more than 5-10 minutes later a third fish on



I am on fire, and wouldn't you know it I see another fish tailing. I hook up for the 5th time in less than 20 minutes, and the fish breaks me off. It did not break my tippet or leader, but it broke off my fly line. I make a field expedient repair by tying a surgeons loop in my fly line and tying on another leader and tippet.

I tie on a gold crab pattern and about 5-10 minutes later I see another two fish tailing. I make a couple of casts and the fish takes it, but the fish is going in one direction and my fly line is not, the fish had me wrapped around something. He broke me off. I quickly tie on my last gold crab pattern.

I start moving towards exiting the flat, and I see another fish tailing in 2.5 feet of water. I know this is a bigger fish. I make about a 40 foot cast and he slams it. This fish takes me to my backing twice...when I finally get him in he is 33 1/8 inch long, my biggest red on a fly to date.



The picture does not do him justice....he was a big fish both long and big around. I let him go. It is now starting to get dark, and I have just under a mile and a half to walk that is not knee deep with water. Wouldn't you know it another fish tailing.



That was my 5th and final fish caught yesterday evening. 8 fish on in under an hour and I landed 5 including my biggest to date.

[Trip]

Man, beautiful fish, I so want to try this out.

[JohnH0802]

I took this morning off of work to help my new fishing partner out. He had yet to land a redfish on a fly, and was getting very frustrated. He saw over 25 fish yesterday on the flat that I sent him, but just didn't get it done.

I took him out to that same flat this morning with a gold crab pattern fly that I tied for him last night. Not only did he catch his first redfish on a fly, he caught #1, #2, and #3 on a fly today. His largest was 22 inches, and smallet was 20.







I ended up catching three fish as well, although my biggest was only about 19 inches. I also broke one off. All in all a great day. You have to love being able to share a passion like this with someone new, particularly a friend.

[br549]

Awesome report. You are a lucky man to live around such a wonderful fishery. I have visited the area numerous times with many skunks to my name with a few good days mixed in. Keep up the goodwork but save some for October. I hope to make the wading tides then.

[JohnH0802]

October can be the best month for it!

[br549]

That's what I've been hearing. I've only been during the spring. We got on a good flat this May that was loaded with fish. Two of us only caught one. They only tailed for the first 15 minutes then dissappeared. From what I've heard and read it has been a really weird year starting back to last winter. It is my goal to be there this fall!

[No Hackle]

John, what size fly were you tossing and what hook do you prefer if you dont mind me asking.
Lynn

[JohnH0802]

I normally use a size 1 and 1/0 orvis presharpened saltwater hooks for the majority of my flies. Bay Street Outfitters in Beaufort carries them, and I am not very good at hook sizes (i.e. I can look at the hook size and know what I want, but can never seem to remember what the size is without seeing the hook). I use a brass hourglass eye, and for the gold grab pattern I use black maribou, krystal flash in copper, peal flashabou for the tail with a couple of black hackle feathers. For the body I use a gold braid craft string that I got at Michaels. I pull the nylon string out and tie 4 to 5 in place. I use some heavy mono or titanium wire for the weedguard and also like to put in some sili-legs. I use black or brown thread. For the other crab pattern I use Tan EP fibers with some pearl flashabou mixed in for the tail, marking the tail with a black sharpie. for the body I use tan EP fibers and dark brown craft fur (usually tan, then dark brown, then tan again). I sometimes tie in a few strands of dark blue krystal flash in the tail, and tie in a small bunch of flour orange maribou at the base of the tail. I use sili-legs, a black or gold brass hourglass eyes with black or brown threat (brown if I have it). I use the same weedguard as on the gold crab pattern. I think there are photos in my LRO board of these flies.





John

[No Hackle]

John, thanks so much. I wasnt looking for your secret patterns but hey I take charity. I like the looks of both those patterns. I like the sparseness of the first one. Theres something about gold patterns I like. I'm the same way with hooks, I can look @ one and tell its the size I need, But cant remember when some one asks me. Thanks again, you've been more than kind and generous with your salt knowledge.
Lynn

[JohnH0802]

No problem, and truth be told I don't have any secret patterns. What can I say I enjoy tying flies and I enjoy sharing what I know with others. The gold crab fly was actually shared with me by someone on this board. I also tie some spoon flies that have been very efective. The pictures are in an album in my profile. In addition I did a post about where to get the information on tying the spoon flies on this site.
John