Saltwater Flies

[Martin McFly]

Hello again gents,
I have been searching for recipes for shark flies. Not that I'm fly fishing for shark anytime soon but I just might have the chance one of these days. Does anybody know of some recipes or a website where to find them?
I have plenty of saltwater flies but nothing for shark if there is anything special for them other than squid flies (which I don't know how to tie either).
Thanks for the help, it is greatly appreciated.

[saltydancindave]

Marty McFly, back to the library in Saltwater Fly Patterns; L. Kreh: there's 4 no name flies plus Flip's shark fly & Abels' anchovy. One of the no names is tied like a Blantons' whistler. Most are on #1/0 - #5/0 hooks. Prefer 1/2 dozen long orange & yellow saddle hackle with some gold flash for the tail & a palmered hook of red hackle tied with red thread for the harbor sharks.

[Martin McFly]

Thanks Saltydancindave,
I also looked through u tube and did find a couple of very simple shark flies. That's one of my dreams...catch a huge fish and now that I live in California I might just have the chance.
Wow, a 5/0 is a huge hook! I've been tying small flies lately.
Thanks for the info.

[saltydancindave]

There's Mustad #3407 hooks in 9/0 & 10/0 with some other hooks even larger than those that some of the bait & tackle shops carry for the offshore gulf shark fishing. Takes alot of materials to dress those hooks, in addition to needing a good pair of vise grips or a Sears bench vise just to hold the hook to tie on ! Tied up a couple of my bass flies on some #14/0 (?) hooks so it would be easier to see the step by step tying recipe before the digital camera age so the pictures would be easier to see instead of on #10 hooks ! Larger hook means bigger meal for the biggest sharks

[Martin McFly]

well, the thing is that before I moved to California I was "talked" into getting a huge rod for saltwater fishing and got me a 10wt that is now in my closet collecting dust. I just thought to give it some use but I guess shark fishing is not easy and seems like I need either a boat or a kayak and I have none of those and can't afford to get them any time soon. I don't know, maybe I'll end up selling it one day to get me something smaller...
I watched this video I was telling your about and the guy does mention that you get your flies destroyed (would expect something like that, of course) after a couple of catches.

[saltydancindave]

Sharks typically have 3 rows of teeth, so is it easier to break the tippet & let the shark have the fly or risk a bite retrieveing the hook ? #10 works on the 3'-5' black fins in the harbor, but for the big 8' + bull & lemon sharks a #14 might be less likely to break since that's getting up towards 1000 lbs. #12 weights are cast for the 200 lb or less tarpon in the harbor. Save the #10 for the stripers, roosterfish, etc.

[saltydancindave]

Thanks Saltydancindave,
Wow, a 5/0 is a huge hook! I've been tying small flies lately.
Thanks for the info.

McFly, stopped by the bait & tackle store the other day & looked at the little Mustad #12/0 & #14/0 straight shark hooks. Put both gapes together & you'd about have one of the Mustad offset # 21/0 shark hooks that are fished around here......but would have to special order the larger sizes ! Talk about huge....a # 12 dry fly hook would fit in the hooks eye, plus it would probably take a whole bucktail just to tie a deceiver on it

[tailingloop]

There are several guides in southern California who fly fish of mako and blue sharks. When I went last year, we used flies tied on Trey Combs 8/0 and 10/0 hooks. The flies were 8 to 10 inches long and we fished with 12 to 16wt rods.

You don't see many descriptions of shark specific flies for Southern CA shark fishing because these are flies are generally pretty generic since the sharks are not picky They typically resemble bait fish 8 to 10 inches long and are bright colors such as red, yellow, and orange. Synthetic fibers are often used since they do not soak up water and so are easier to cast, though casts are rarely more than 30 feet. Some tiers use saddle hackle. Many anglers use tube flies. Sharks are hard on hooks and flies, and a tube fly setup allows you to replace hooks or flies as needed.

If you google "fly fishing mako sharks" you will find lots of images with sharks and the flies typically used.

This link shows one example of a style of fly used
www.umpqua.com/p-120-sharkcuda-fly.aspx

For another example, look at Trimble Shark Flies in the saltwater flies section of the Bass Pro website