Cape San Blas - October

[starfish]

Hi everyone,

I'm landlocked and normally chase trout and stripers here in TN, but this October I will be at Cape San Blas for a week of relaxation. I'll be bringing my 8wt and my Native Ultimate 12 Kayak and intend to spend some time in the bay.

Just wondering a couple of things:

1. What flies and colors should I have on hand? Clousers and deceivers I'm sure.
2. Intermediate sinking line? Or floathing?
3. Are there any fly shops anywhere near there? (Apalachicola or Port St. Joe?)

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Jeff

[dunfly]

I October, I'm going to guess that your main targets will be speckled trout and redfish. Tarpon, copia, spanish macks will have probably gone south for the winter, but I'm not an expert in that area, so I don't know for sure.

If you want to only use one line, I would use the floating line with a fluorocarbon leader. You would be better off with both lines, since you may want to get down deep if the weather is cold.

My choice of flies would be:

Trout flies:
gurglers in chartrues, white and light brown
decievers in cockroach, chartrues/white and black
clousers in chartrues/white, white and brown/white

Redfish flies:
kwans in light brown and dark brown
kwans in light brown and dark brown
kwans in light brown and dark brown
if the kwans don't work, try bendbacks in chartrues/white, brown white and black/red.
clousers and decievers will also work.

Most of the flies I use are in the 1 to 2/0 range. Make sure you have the flies and lines to cover the entire water column. Depending on weather, the fish could be up on shallow flats or in deep holes. Remember trout are top feeders and redfish are bottom feeders.

[starfish]

Well, that was a bust. First trip to Florida in years where I didn't catch a single fish of any species on the fly rod. And, I broke the tip off of my 8wt to boot. Wish it was my TFO 6wt - this one is a custom, so no warranty...

Beautiful area, and AWESOME grass flats. Took my Ultimate 12 kayak so I could get wherever I needed.

On the Friday before we left for home, I got to the bay just in time for a redfish feeding frenzy - Right near the launch I saw what appeared to be a school of 10-15 reds with their tails in the air. I threw almost everything I had in the fly box at them that looked shrimpy, including some patterns that were given to me by local red fishermen. Nothing. I couldn't get them to so much as look at the fly. I stood there in my kayak and terrorized them with a fly for almost an hour.

It's gotta be technique and presentation. I'm a decent trout fisherman (freshwater) and have taken some HUGE stripers in the TN river, but I haven't a clue how to fish for a redfish. Usually I can get into a sea trout or two, or if I'm lucky a ladyfish, but not this time... Nothing, nada, zilch.

I did so bad that I got mad and went to the surf side with a spinning rod and frozen shrimp just so I wouldn't go home completely skunked. Even then I only manged a puny little flounder and a nice ladyfish...

Jeff

[bonefishwhisperer]

I myself struggle all the time with the redfish...I have learned that seeing them is a far cry from a hook up...it took me a full year to figure out the local redfish here just to catch my 1st one and even still I get a handfull at best all year...I feel your pain but at least you got to cast to some...

[dunfly]

Redfish can be very frustrating. Sometimes they will hit anything you throw at them and sometimes they just ignore everything. One thing I've noticed about tailing reds, once you cast at them a few times, they know you are there. They will keep tailing, but ignore your offerings. After you cast at them a few times and get refusals, you might as well back off and let them settle down. After a while, change flies and have another go at them.

When I'm fishing reds, I usually take a fly rod and a spinning rod. If the fly rod doesn't work I will throw some Gulp shad at them with the spinning rod. If that doesn't work, pack up and go home.

[bonefishwhisperer]

very true indeed...I have had them about rip the rod out of my hand with a so so cast...other times I have cast dead on and they totally ignore the same fly....also I have noticed that when they are "hot" you still only get a few cast before they shut down...to me it is the toughest of ALL the gamefish here in Biscayne Bay to hook...even harder than permit