What Do I Bring?
Essential equipment for your day out on the water always starts with quality pair of POLARIZED sunglasses–copper, amber, and brown tints are best for shallow water fishing. Sunscreen, SPF 40 or higher, an adequate shade-hat and wading boots will help protect you from the elements. A wearable tackle bag and small boat bag for organization and transportation of gear will be of benefit. A raincoat, camera and lens-cleaning cloths are also items you won’t want to be without.
What Do I Wear?
A must have on the water in any season is a waterproof outer shell. Our weather is always changing, and showers can come and go in minutes. In the warmer months, clothing should be as light as possible in color and weight. This outfit will meet most requirements from spring to fall. At times during late fall and winter, one might need to pack warmer–sweaters and windbreakers will work well. Our temperatures tend to warm up by midday, so layering is always recommended.
Should you need additional or more adequate clothing during your stay, we have an on site apparel shop which carries a full line TrueFlies Performance Sportswear and Columbia Sportswear.
Tackle
Fly Fishing: Seven and eight-weight rods are ideal for bonefish, with eight being the perfect choice–however, nines can be used for confidence in the wind. Floating lines are required; reels need a very smooth drag and at least 200 yards of 20-pound backing. 16-pound test tippets are the norm. These leaders should be twelve feet long, though as short as nine feet can work. Size number 4 flies are our everyday workhorse–number 6’s and number 2’s will prove useful, as will varying weights of all sizes.
Nine and ten weight rods work well for Barracuda, Permit and Tarpon. 10 to 12 foot leaders are recommended (preferably 20 pound test). Have a trace of wire for the Cudas and a sixty pound shock tippet for the Tarpon. Flashy streamers and needlefish type patterns (size 1/0 and 2/0) work great for the Cudas. Fast sinking crab patterns and heavier Bonefish flies (sizes #4, #2, and #1) are well received by Permit (assuming your cast lands in the right spot). Basic Tarpon streamers (sizes 1/0 to 3/0) in black, brown, yellow and chartreuse will prove useful as well.
Spin Fishing: Fishing our flats with a spinning rod will require a reel with a smooth drag holding a minimum of 200 yards of line (ten to fifteen pound test, with twelve being ideal). A 7’6” spinning rod with a light to medium action works great, especially for casting very light offerings across the wind. Our specific “NRPC bait fishing style” hooks are available at the lodge. 1/8 oz. and 1/4 oz. “skimmer” type jigs are very effective in pinks, yellows and browns.
Cuda and sharks will require slightly stouter tackle–15 to 20 pound test coupled with wire and a medium action rod should do the trick. Noisy topwater plugs and tube-lures are a must have.
Fear not for forgetting anything: rental tackle is available at our on site tackle shop, which also offers an extensive inventory of terminal tackle for sale.