It is freezing here on Martha's Vineyard, and fly fishing for striped bass on our beautiful flats seems like a distant memory. If you bleed saltwater like us, you're probably daydreaming about warmer times and tight lines. While we may be several months away from throwing squid flies to hangry stripers off Wasque's rips, the winter is the perfect time to dethaw your fly rod's guides in a tropical, fish-filled paradise.
We've spent many winters chasing bonefish, permit, and tarpon in Belize, the Bahamas, and the Yucatan, and we've learned a thing or two along the way. If you are considering ditching the down jacket for a solar hoodie for a week of unforgettable fly fishing, there are some tips and tricks to know before you go. We've learned and watched others learn the hard way, so you don't have to! Read along as I break down destination travel do's and don'ts.
Practice Casting
We've been on many trips when even experienced anglers have shown up without picking up a fly rod in months. If the best golfers in the world aren't out practicing daily, their swing and play will suffer no matter their skill level. LWith fly fishing, it's no different.
Sure, practicing on the lawn won't truly prepare you for being on the skiff's bow, facing a 20 mph headwind, with tails 70 feet out at 11 o'clock, but it certainly will help. This is why familiarity with the rods and lines you'll use on your trip is essential. Your Thomas & Thomas Sextant 9wt will perform drastically differently with a tropical floating line than when paired with a RIO Outbound Short for stripers and albies.
Stay Grounded and Keep Your Expectations Reasonable
I've seen anglers show up to their first destination flats trip filled with hubris and overconfidence, expecting to crush permit like trout on their local stream. In most cases, they returned to the boat ramp after the first day with their head tucked between their rear-end. If this is your first time flats fishing for bones, permit, and tarpon, you will make mistakes and suffer heartbreak. It’s part of the game, but remember, the best anglers in the world have all made the same errors. Have a short memory because your next cast could be the fish of a lifetime.
Dress for Success
If you ski or hike, you may have heard the adage Cotton Kills, and the same rule applies when flats fishing. Cotton traps moisture, dries slowly, and only leads to unnecessary irritation. While a bathing suit and short-sleeve shirt might seem like a good idea in hot weather, I stay covered with sun-protecting and moisture-wicking apparel. My fishing fit typically consists of the Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers, Kimet's Solar Hoodie, Simms Sun Gloves, a Buff and hat with a black under-bill to cut glare.
Rainstorms can pop up anytime in the tropics, so always have a waterproof jacket on deck! Patagonia's Boulder Fork Rain Jacket has protected me from the elements on chilly evening boat rides on the Vineyard and dry during torrential downpours in the Bahamas. It packs down surprisingly well for such a substantial jacket.
Most know the value of polarized sunglasses, but for sight fighting, it's necessary to carry multiple pairs with different-colored lenses, as it is to bring several rods. Costa Del Mar's Copper Lenses will give you higher visual contrast and clarity during the variable light conditions common to the flats, which I wear most days. Cloud cover and low light conditions are not the sight angler's friend, and switching to Costa's Sunrise Silver Lenses saved the day during a late-afternoon torrential-downpour bonefishing outing last April.
Don’t Skip on Quality Gear
If you’re spending the cash on a dream trip to the Bahamas or Mexico, ensure everything in your fly fishing arsenal is up to a destination trip standard. I’ve seen anglers on trips bring brand-new rods matched with 25-year-old reels incapable of stopping bluegill, much less a bonefish. Or, they forgot to swipe out their sinking striper lines for a tropical floating line.
My tackle essentials quick list for your typical Bahamas, Mexico, and Believe would look like this:
8wt, 9wt, & 10 wt rods
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Staff Picks: Thomas & Thomas Sextant, Sage Salt R8, & Hardy Marksman Z
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8wt will be your go-to bonefish rod, 9wt for bonefish on windier days and permit.
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The 10wt will be your bonafide permit stick.Reels should match the rod’s weight, have a sealed and powerful drag, and hold at least 30 lbs of Dacron backing.
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Staff Picks: Cheeky Spray, Hatch Iconic Plus, Hardy Fortuna Regent
Floating tropical fly lines designated to your fly rod’s weight
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Typical bonefish lines, such as RIO’s Bonefish and Scientific Anglers Amplitude Bonefish are lighter, and their longer heads allow for better accuracy and delicate presentations.
- However, bonefish lines are more challenging for novice anglers to cast and lack the punchiness of heavier lines with compact heads like SA’s Grand Slam. Pair the 8wt with a bonefish presentation line and the nine and ten weights with the Grand
Multiple tapered fluorocarbon leaders in twelve, sixteen, and twenty-pound tests. Plus, fluoro tippet spools in the same weights
- Fluoro is more expensive than mono but much more abrasion-resistant, sinks quicker, and is allegedly harder for fish to detect.
Crab and shrimp are bonefish and permit’s primary forage, so fly patterns are pretty straightforward.
- Regional varieties do exist, so tell us your destination, and we’ll assemble a custom-tied fly box specific to your fishery!
Remember, if you book a trip through Kismet Outfitters or join us on a hosted trip, you’re eligible for 10% off any purchase used for your trip! Have you been dreaming of a fly fishing trip but unsure where to begin? We have established relationships with lodges and outfitters across the globe and can match your specific wants to the right fishery and lodge. Please call the shop at 774-549-5921 or email abbie@kismetoutfitters.com and stephen@kismetoutfitters.com for further questions!
