Fly fishing in saltwater is a whole new ballgame compared to freshwater and is equally addicting. While there are similarities to freshwater fishing, saltwater environments require different gear and tactics. 

Shallow water in the salt holds more accessible bait our targets like to eat than deeper water does. Shallow water attracts shrimp, crabs, and baitfish that species like bonefish and snook like to feast upon and is more attainable to prey upon. Consequently, the presence of the bait draws predator fish in to feed and also gives fish more of an opportunity to escape sharks. 

In this guide, you’ll find an overview of what gear to use, how to find fish, casting and hook setting techniques, and many other tips to help you be successful in the water (and keep you from being salty, pun absolutely intended). We’ll focus on the warm water species in the salt- stripers in the northeast are another coveted species that deserve another article. 

What Fish Do You Target in the Saltwater Flats?

Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Redfish, and Snook headline the targeted species on the flats. There are a ton of other species to fish for like mackerel, seatrout, barracuda, and jacks, but these are the prized gamefish to catch on the fly. The IGFA has even dubbed Bonefish, Permit, Snook, and Tarpon the “Inshore Grand Slam” if any of those three species is caught in the same day (all four caught, it’s an Inshore Super Gland Slam”). One of the cool aspects of salt water fishing is you may be targeting a certain species but you’ll find or hook into something totally different and unexpected.

Check out more on bonefish in The Beginner’s Guide to Bonefish

Check out more on redfish in The Beginner’s Guide to Redfish

Check out more on Snook in The Beginner’s Guide to Snook

Saltwater Flats Fly Fishing Setups

As a refresher, check out The Basics of Fly Fishing Setups

What Rods Do You Use in the Saltwater Flats?

Rods in the 8-12 weight class all have their times to shine in the salt, with the 8 weight being the best all-around tool. As the size of the you’re your targeting grows, so should your gear. Saltwater rods are generally much beefier than freshwater rods with faster actions, not only because the average size fish is larger and run more powerfully, but also because you’ll need stouter rods to help you cut through the windy conditions you’ll inevitably face. 

You can get away with a 6 or 7 weight on calm, windless days while casting to spooky fish, but in general you’ll want to leave the 4 and 5 weights at home. 

For saltwater fish up to 10 lbs, an 8 weight rod will be the best all-around tool. Rods in the 8 weight class allow you to cut through the wind and will help you slow down the smaller, but powerful fish when they go on runs. Eight weight rods are the go-to rods for bonefish, small snook, baby tarpon, and small redfish. 

For fish in the 10-20 lb class, a 9 weight will get the job done. Big bonefish, smaller tarpon, permit, and jack crevalle can all be effectively fished for with a 9 weight. 

For bigger fish or trophy sized smaller species, a 10 weight is a good starting point. Young tarpon, big snook, bull redfish need more stopping and a 10 weight will get the job done.  

If you have an 11 or 12 weight in your hands, you’re generally fishing for trophies, specifically tarpon. The 11 weight is the tool many guides prefer for tarpon, able to handle the bigguns’ and cut through the wind on the flats. 

Keep in mind that you can go up or down a weight class depending on how you like to fish or what the conditions call for, these recommendations are a good compass to point you in the right direction. 

Saltwater Reels on the Flats

In freshwater fishing, especially for smaller fish, reels tend to function mainly as line holders. In saltwater fishing, having a quality reel with a smooth drag is paramount to stop fish in their tracks.

Purchasing a quality reel is also important for longevity. Saltwater can corrode the gears in your drag system or the frame itself. A reel with a sealed drag that prevents water from entering can save your wallet and a whole lot of frustration. If you don’t have a sealed drag, make sure to hose your reel thoroughly with freshwater to help prevent the breakdown of your reel.

Lines, Leaders, Tippet and Flies to Use on the Flats

Saltwater lines typically are made with a denser core to allow them to cut through wind and withstand warm water temperatures. Trout lines in the salt wilt into spaghetti noodles and become impossible to cast. Nearly all of flats fishing is done on a saltwater-specific floating line while sinking lines can be used when fishing deeper water in those rare situations. 

Just like everything else in saltwater fly fishing, leaders and tippet are stiffer and stronger to cut through wind and withstand the sharp rocks, branches, and oysters you’ll encounter on the flats. Brands often note on their labels that their leaders and tippet are made for saltwater for this reason. 

For tippet, 12 or 16 lb is the go-to for flats fishing. For bigger or toothy species, thick 20-50 lb “shock” or “bite” tippet can be added to the end of the existing tippet to protect from fish cutting through the line. You can also simply use a thicker leader and tippet system, but you may be spooking fish with that thickness and the officials at IGFA wouldn’t count it if you catch a world record. But we ain’t gonna worry about that right now. 

One helpful stripping technique is mimicking how your prey swims. You can fish clousers any way you want but quick, darting strips with shrimp flies and slower, more methodical strips for crab patterns more effectively represents their natural swimming motions. 

Finding Fish on the Flats

If real estate is all about location, location, location, inshore saltwater fishing is all about tides, tides, tides. Moving water is essential for fish activity. Each angler has their preference of incoming or outgoing tides, but everyone agrees that the water needs to be moving in order for the fish to feed. When the tide goes slack, that’s a good time to eat lunch or have another beer. 

Fish on the flats are easiest to spot with the sun overhead and a bright colored bottom. Fish on the flats can be hard to spot and finding them can be an art in itself. While sometimes you’ll be able to spot feeding fish with their noses down and tails up out of the water rooting for crabs or shrimp (known as tailing), they’ll also appear as subtle shadows or elusive contrasts in relation to the bottom. You get better at spotting fish with experience- I’ve had guides and friends with what seems like Clark Kent x-ray vision that can spot fish in from what I could tell looked like a myriad of undetectable shapes. 

Our friends in the sky can also be key. Birds diving into the water is the Bat Signal for feeding fish. When birds dive, they’re either feeding on baitfish at the surface, or to our benefit, feeding on scraps left from predator fish down below. Fishing the birds can be a frenzy of activity and you really don’t know what you’ll catch until you hook one. 

Saltwater Casting Tips

Being able to cast quickly and accurately is paramount in the flats. Much of the time spent is searching for fish and when you find fish, you need to get the fly there quickly. On one of my first flats trip, we were amidst a long, thoughtful conversation about the meaning of life (or something stupid like “who would win in a fight, a grizzly bear or a gorilla?”) when out of nowhere the guide yelled “Permit! Two o’clock!” Disoriented and scuffling to regain focus, it was too late as the fish swam away. The point is, remaining focused at the task at hand is essential- the fish of a lifetime can appear at any moment.

The double-haul is also crucial in the salt. You’ll need to be able to cast through wind and generating enough line speed to cut through the wind and cast around 60 feet with some sort of accuracy will give you the chance to be successful. Additionally, keeping a rod length’s amount of line out of the guides will help you get the fly there quickly. A good barometer is a 60 foot cast with no more than two false casts. This takes practice and I highly encourage honing your skills on your lawn or on your local pond before you venture out to the salt.

Strip Sets

You see a bonefish tailing in the flats. You sneak up on the fish with ninja-like stealth. You make the perfect cast and see the critter approach your fly and take a bite. Your instincts kick in and you lift the rod to set the hook, only to pull the fly away and see the fish swim off, flipping you off with his fins on his way out. 

You will hear it a million times: strip set- don’t trout set. Strip sets are crucial to getting a good hookset and if you lift the rod with a trout set, you’ll all but guarantee heartbreak. Strip sets are much faster, stronger, and if the fish misses in its first attempt, the fly is not lifted too far away, giving it another chance to strike your fly. 

A good rule of thumb is to keep the rod tip in the water and strip set until you feel the weight of the fish, then raise the rod. Just don’t raise the rod first. Please. 

Extra Tips

• Make sure you wear sun protection on every part of your body. Fishing the flats in the sun can crush you, wearing the proper apparel can save you a lot of pain.
• If using a guide, make sure you are in agreement with the clock system- the bow of the boat being 12 o’clock. When facing the bow, to your left is 9 o’clock and to your right is 3 o’clock. Communication with the guide is essential in spotting fish.
• Investing in waterproof packs is very helpful in the salt. Your stuff won’t corrode or rust and you’ll be able to clean any sand that might get in there much easier.

Conclusion

Saltwater fly fishing is another exciting part of the fly fishing experience. You’ll be in beautiful environments in the hot sun and hunting large fish that go on hard runs.

You’ll spend a lot of time searching for fish and waiting for tides to turn but the excitement of casting to your target that appeared out of nowhere is truly addicting and when you catch a fish, it’s truly rewarding.