Tackle Considerations

Intro | Catch-and-Release | Marlin | Other Species | Tackle | Travel Tips

Rods. Use 9- or 10-weights for all species about the size of Spanish mackerel and 12-weights for everything else except marlin, which require a 14-weight fly rod. The local fly shop rents appropriate tackle to visiting anglers and preaches the doctrine of "never be under-gunned."

Reels. A high-quality reel with a cork, or cork-composite disk drag system with room for AT LEAST 300 yards of backing is a must. Larger reels, or large arbor reels, will help you maintain a high rate of retrieve even when you have several hundred yards of backing in the water. Look for a product with a large reel handle, and enough muscle in the drag to slow a torpedo. Out here, a reel is more than just a fancy line holder.

Flies. Our favorite blue water fly patterns are variations of Trey Combs' Sea Habit Bucktails. These flies have epoxy heads, large eyes, and can be tied in different sizes and colors to imitate almost every available baitfish. You should also bring a good assortment of Clouser Minnow patterns, #4 through 2/0. Tuna will often take the smaller Clousers, and nothing else. The Abel Anchovy also produces, as do the Edgewater foam poppers, (especially for dorado) in blue & white and green & white color combinations.

Lines. Sinking lines, intermediate to fast sink, are more productive than any other type of fly line. Sinking lines break the "surface tension" of the water, quickly pulling the fly below the surface and getting the fly in front of the fish. The only time that we use floating lines is when we are fishing poppers.

Leaders. If you are on a guided trip with knowledgable fly fishing guides, they will set you up with the appropriate leaders. For those who prefer to come prepared with their own rigs, download and print this helpful diagram. Build these blue water leaders using the loop-to-loop system. This will allow you to change leaders quickly to match the species you are after. If you are after a record, make sure your class tippet meets IGFA requirements. IGFA class tippet catagories are 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 12-, 16-, and 20-pound test. We recomend RIO IGFA and Mason material for for the class tippet, but Ande, Jinkai, and Maxima are also good.

On-Line Catalogs
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