Want to start Saltwater Fly.

[Jesmond1955]

I have fresh water fly fished for more years that I would like to remember, and would really like to get into saltwater fly fishing next year (07). I live in Cornwall, are there any popular areas/marks to fish. Do most people use a shooting head. Also I have a rod (9AFTM) which is only 9ft - do people use longer rods.

[dc101]

Jesmond,

I'm planning to do lots of this on the south coast next year.

I've a 9' #8/9 rod ready to go. (It's an old Shakespeare carbon fibre thing which I don't mind getting knackered.) I'll be using it with an WF8 line. I'm going to get a spanky new reel for it as I'm a tackle tart - there I said it! (Don't know whether to go Loop Evotech or Hardy Sirrus Allwater.)

Oh and I've just seen the Orvis Clearwater 4pc 9' rods which they market for Bass - so I might get one of them too at some stage if the Old Shakespeare is naff.

You should be fine with what you are proposing...

[richard lawrence]

The key thing has go to be what does the fish see. What fly do you use.

I've heard suggestion that chartreuse and white clouser minnows are the best all round fly. Anybody got any other suggestions?

[Flyguy]

HI Jes,

Well you certainly live in the right part of the UK for salty fluff chucking. As for flies/tackle, your 9wt will be fine. I prefer WF lines than shooting heads. A floater and internediate will cover most situations unless you're after pollock from deep water marks.

Austen at www.uksaltwaterflies.com is a guide down there so you may want to book a couple days with him to learn the ropes.

For flies clousers and decievers mainly, chartreuse/white is the most popular but black based flies over reefs and at night work well to. You will need a stripping basket, waders and polarised glasses to.

Top tips: structure + current = bass. Find these and you're on the right track. Remember the shore is the most obvious structure so don't think SWFF is all distance casting.

Good luck

Flyguy

[Kingfish81]

I would also add that it's a good idea to get a reel that is designed for saltwater. Salt is incredibly corrosive and it is amazing how fast it f***s up kit!!! It really is worth forking out on a decent reel. Abel's are expensive, but great and you can often pick them up for under £200 on ebay... I got a Big Game 3 recently for £160...

Alternatively, if you've got the cash, Shilton's are pretty good - real workhorses. I've also just bought an Albright Breakwater. See if you can find one in the US or on ebay. They're cheap at the moment because they've discontinued the reel. Dan Blanton recommends them (www.danblanton.com), which is recommendation enough for me!

Good spots to try are anywhere the shore anglers get mackeral and pollack close in, plus as Flyguy says, spots where there are rocks and currents! I've found that in the summer, overcast days tend to see the pollack closer inshore and higher up in the water column, but that may just be the spots I've fished... Oh and don't forget that the magic hours are dawn and dusk..! :)

[Steinbeisser]

If you are just starting off and do not want/cannot justify paying so much for a metal reel, there is always the Loop Evo Tech Composite CLW (Eight Weight/12) Fly Reel which is supposed to be reasonably salt water proof and of graphite composite construction.

I think it is based on the much more expensive Loop metal Evo Tech reel. Costs around £82.

Steinbeisser

[Kingfish81]

Had a spare five minutes so had a look on ebay... Check out:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Redington-Brakewater-Saltwater-Fly-Reel-9-10-wt_W0QQitemZ300055844513QQihZ020QQcategoryZ23818QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[rassick]

anyone ever do any fly fishing of the coast of hartlepool/seaton or near by? I never seen anybody doing it, any info on this?