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While the setting may be different, demands of presentation, the take, the hook-up, the fight, and the release are much the same. Tropical saltwater fishing is not as complicated as some would make it out to be and it doesn’t require exceptional angling skills. If you can take that spooky brown trout off its beat with a well placed dry, then you are certainly ready to tackle the denizens of the flats. However, there are techniques and strategies that you will need to master, especially rethinking your gear.

Innovation in saltwater angling over the past 10 years has resulted in an explosion of interest among fly fishers. Improvements in reel and rod designs have made casting easier. There are fly lines designed for almost ever conceivable condition, with special coatings and tapers to increase distance and improve presentation. Fly tying materials with artificial fibers and flash materials have revolutionized traditional fly patterns. Finally, the ease of access to many exotic locations, which Canadians could only dream about a few years ago, are now accessible and only a few hours a way by air. Fly fishing lodges are springing up all over the Caribbean and bookings easily done on the internet.

But before you book, here are some basics that will make your trip of a lifetime not only a fantastic but a successful experience.

Choosing the Right Gear:

Reels
No other item of saltwater fly fishing equipment is as important as the reel. Purchase the best quality reel you can afford. Saltwater and saltwater fish will destroy your freshwater reel—guaranteed!

If you can afford only one reel, it should be flexible enough to handle a variety of species, for on the flats you just never know what is going to take your fly. Some key features to look for are a good quality disc drag, anodized parts to counter corrosion, counter-weighted spools and large backing capacity. The reel should be able to hold 100 to 350 yds of soft, braided, 20-30 pound test Dacron. It should have a large-diameter or a large arbor, which are capable of retrieving line several times faster than conventional reels, especially when you’re deep into the backing. For tarpon, consider a narrow large-diameter reel, which makes it easier to level-wind the line and the backing. This prevents build up on one side of the spool, which can cause a disastrously fatal line jam!

Rods
Gear up for anything that swims. As things can happen fast on the flats, you don’t have time to change gear. Therefore, having two or three rods at the ready increases your chances at different species.
A common combination is to have a 7-9 weight rod for bonefish and permit, a 9-10 weight for barracudas or jacks, and a 10-12 weight rod for tarpon, depending on the size of the fish present. Some anglers even prefer to have a dedicated 9 weight rod ready with a permit fly (such as a crab pattern), in order to be prepared to fire in an instant at this unpredictable target. Nine to ten foot rods, preferably with fighting butts, are the ideal. You should also consider three or four piece rods for travel convenience.

Lines
Leave your freshwater lines at home. These lines wilt in the heat and saltwater damages the coating. Saltwater lines are specially designed for saltwater conditions. They tend to be thinner in diameter and stiffer, so they cast better into the wind. Special core and coating design make them resistant to the heat and saltwater.

Whether you are a beginner or a veteran, it is good to have different lines to cover different situations. The shooting taper is one of the most useful lines for saltwater fly fishing, as distance and presentation are key factors. The farther you can cast the more water you can cover and the better your chances, especially for bonefish and permit. Double taper or weight forward floating lines are perfect. Choose tan, pale green and light blue colors, as these are the least visible. Clear lines are now being used by many anglers, but they take a bit getting used to as they are invisible to the angler as well as the fish; making it challenging to position the line and set the hook. For tarpon, select an intermediate or sink tip for deep water, and a floating for the flats. A tarpon tapers is preferred as it allows for quick casts with a minimum of false casting. In most cases, you only get one shot, so it has to be on time and on target. Don’t forget to match the line weight to the rod specs.

Leaders
There are some complex leader designs available, but it’s best to keep things simple by minimizing the number of knots between the fly line and fly. Prepackages leaders are available in a variety of strengths and lengths. All you have to do is tie on the tippet, from 8 to 12 lbs test for bonefish, sometimes up to 15 lbs, especially for the big ones or permit. For bonefish and permit a 12 to14-foot leader is recommended. Have a few short leaders handy, as these tend to have heaver buts which facilitate quick turn-over in windy conditions—a common condition on the flats. Short leaders are also an advantage when fishing for aggressive bones and snook, especially in tight quarters among the mangroves.
Fluorocarbon offers a significant advantage for knot strength and durability and is nearly invisible underwater, a key factor when fishing for spooky bones and wary permit.

When fishing for tarpon, barracuda and big jacks you’ll need a shock tippet. This is usually a 12-20 inch section of 30 to100 pound monofilament or fluorocarbon line. We usually use 80 pound for average tarpon fishing conditions, but 40 to 60 pounds is sufficient for baby tarpon. Unless you are expert in knot tying, opt for prepackaged Bimini-style and wire leaders. Prepackaged wire leaders are also recommended for barracuda and other toothy characters. Finally, as trying to rig a tarpon leader on site is very difficult, be sure to have with you a good number in various strengths to match the size of the fish.

Fly Selection
Over the last 30 years, the creative genius of the fly tying community has resulted in an explosion of saltwater fly patterns. Most of these can be found in the pages of such saltwater fly fishing classics as:, Bonefish Fly Patterns by Dick Brown, Saltwater Fly Patterns by Lefty Kreh; Innovative Saltwater Flies by Bob Veverka, Saltwater Flies by Deke Myer, and Tarpon of the Fly by Donald Larmouth and Rob Fordyce. These are great sources for the fly tyer, as well as the beginner planning a first time trip.
Here are a few tips. Match the fly to the food type at your destination. Small crustacean imitations, such as shrimps and crabs will catch bonefish and permit in virtually any habitat. What is important is shape, size, colour, and sink rate. Species and size vary from one location to another, which means that a killer pattern in Belize, for instance, may be ineffective in the Bahamas. Universal patterns include: Clouser, Gotcha, Crazy Charlie, Fur Shrimp, and Del Brown’s Permit Fly.

Permit flies are generally larger than bonefish patterns because permit seem to prefer a somewhat meatier meal. Although there is much debate over the best permit pattern, these fish are particularly fond of small crabs, so the majority of the productive patterns are crab imitations, size #2 and #4, although permit will frequently take a bonefish fly as well.

An assortment of tarpon flies for all conditions should include small flies for baby tarpon, sparse flies (light and dark shades in #1/0-#3/0) for clear water, and large patterns for dark/stained water in #3/0-#4/0 sizes. Don’t leave home without the following patterns: Cockroach, AptII Original, Black Death, Orange Grizzly, and Lefty’s Deceiver.

Solid foam poppers will also tempt tarpon (especially baby tarpon), jacks on the hunt, and even opportunistic barracudas—adrenaline guaranteed here!

For the latter, long but skinny streamers and needlefish patterns also work well.

Remember, you will never use every pattern, but if you don’t have the right one, it’s game over. Make sure you’re thoroughly prepared before you leave.