The Right Gear for the Job
The Right Gear for the Job
Florida is a full service guide destination. When you show up for your guide trip, your guide will have everything you need to fish for the day ready to go. You name it. Rods, reels, flies and terminal tackle are all provided. All you need to bring is a good hat, lunch and beverages for you and cusomarily the guide. There's no messing around. Get in the boat and go fishing.
Most of the time you will be guided in Florida. In case you won't be guided, The following write up is based upon your desire to have the right equipment to fish Florida on your own.
Castafly Travel was built on the foundation of simplifying the trip planning process and making remote destinations more accessible. If you’re fishing Florida you won’t find equipment meant for Alaska on our site. Every product in Castafly Travel’s Florida Keys Fly Shop is specifically suited for your Florida adventure. You will find everything you need, from A to Z,
Flies – The Most Important Items
The best way to get started in Florida is with a professional guide. You really can't just show up and go fishing on your own. You either need a guide or a generous friend to make your first Florida trip a success. It's very difficult to have everything you need in flies. You’ll find the waters around the Florida peninsula to be vast and diverse. From the 10,000 Islands in the north to the crystal clear waters of the keys in the south, things change slowly yet dramaitcally. It's a lot to learn. Fortunately, and unlike the Bahamas and many other places in the Caribbean, flies are provided on your guide trip in most Florida locations.
If you are fishing on your own or just want to fish your own flies, check out our great fly selection. Choose the flies you need from our site or give us a call and we’ll pick out an assortment that will meet your fishing needs. From tarpon to snook, we have it.
Leave Your Trout Reels at Home
In Fly fishing in Saltwater, Lefty Kreh states that: "no saltwater fly fishing equipment is as important to success as the reel". More true words have rarely been spoken. Your reel is one place where you should not be looking to save money. This is not to say that you can't get a reasonably priced saltwater fly reel, because you can. But, it has to be well designed with a good (smooth) drag system to handle the long runs that you will inevitably experience while fishing in Florida. Stay with name brand merchandise. Fly reel companies come and go. Experienced saltwater fishermen know this. If you are not experienced, you do not want to learn this the hard way. A good reel is quite often the difference between success and failure in the salt.
Castafly Travel has had the opportunity to try many different reels on our adventures to Florida. Without doubt, we are glad that we chose proven manufacturer's equipment. You will be too. Buying a new and better reel from a company that has not proven its longevity could prove to be a costly mistake when warranty service is no longer available because the company went out of business. All of the reels you find on this site have been tested in reel world situations, pun intended. They have been around for many years.
A Rod is Not a Rod
All fork-tailed flats fish will give your equipment a test. Let’s face it, without a functioning fly rod, your trip to the destination of a lifetime will be in vein. Big, powerful fish like those found in the ocean alongside Florida, will quickly show you why you need quality equipment. Low quality equipment will have its lunch eaten. Even the best of the best will be given an endurance test when a 100+ pound tarpon makes its runs, leaps, and dives. You have to slow those fish down and they don’t ordinarily follow your commands. You can’t tame a tarpon with a poorly constructed fly rod. Stick to premium manufacturers that have a proven history in the salt. You won’t be sorry.
Sight Fishing is What it’s All About.
All sunglasses are not created equal. The glare from the water’s reflection and the intensity from the sky need to be tamed for the best fishing results. Without polarized glasses, you simply won’t be able to see the fish you’re trying to catch. It’s hard enough to see the fish without your eyewear getting in the way. Make sure you have glasses for differing light conditions – gray for bright conditions and copper or amber for low light conditions. Have a back-up pair of glasses in case your preferred pair is broken or lost. You won’t find a good pair of polarized fishing glasses anywhere in the Caribbean (unless you are willing to pay dearly). Most importantly, wear sunglasses at all times while fishing for safety. Sharp, barbed hooks in all sizes will be flying towards you. Hooks will come out of your skin. Your eyes are another matter and cannot be put at risk. Be careful.
The Sun is Not Your Friend
Your equipment will stand up to the sun, but your body won’t. You need to protect it. In today’s world, there are lots of ways to save your body from the harmful rays of the sun. When you’re in the middle of the ocean, you won’t find a shady tree to give you a break from the sun. You have to bring the protection with you.
Of course, bring lots of sunblock with the highest UPF rating you can find. Since you’ll be in and out of the water, it’s best to have water resistant sun block. That’s just the beginning.
Be prepared to cover up. Most fly fishing clothing is treated to be sun protective. Look for high UPF ratings in your clothing and your sun block. Have a hat that covers your head and your ears. It doesn’t take long before you start to feel the heat on any part of your body that isn’t covered. Buffs and other face guards may seem confining, but they are trip savers. Try one, you’ll likely find that they are not confining and help to keep tropical burns away from your face. Additionally, they protect you from the wind while running and help cut glare from the ocean. Long pants seem like an odd thing to wear in the heat of the sun. Today’s garments, however, are lightweight and UPF rated to save your skin. Convertible pants are nice for times when you the sun isn’t intense. Standing on the deck of a flats boat will leave the top of your hands exposed. Sunblock helps, but doesn’t always do the trick. Carry and use a pair of sungloves for maximum protection.
Protect Your Feet
You'll be fishing from the boat most every where you go in Florida. There's a few wading spots, but not many. If you do wade fish, keep in mind that the ocean is filled with natural hazards. Sharp rocks and coral will cut right through your skin. Coral cuts are particularly nasty and can easily become infected. Most will tell you that fishing barefoot from the boat is the only way to go. You can feel the line under your feet and have a sixth sense when it comes to line management. Many big fish have been lost because the angler was simply stepping on his fly line. If you’re fishing from the boat barefoot, your feet are exposed to the sun and are poised to get a nasty sunburn. Your trip will be remembered for the nasty sunburn your feet received while standing on the deck. Where lightweight sandals or keep your feet covered at all times with sunblock.
Waterproof Gear Bags are a Must
Saltwater eats seemingly everything. It’s in the air, it’s in the boat, it’s everywhere in the Caribbean. Walk up and down the beaches of Roatan, Honduras, and notice how the casing to metal appliances is rusted away in short order. The same thing will happen to your gear if you don’t protect it. Truly waterproof, not water resistant, gear bags are a must. Whether you’re wade fishing or making runs in a boat, saltwater will be looking for your gear in an attempt to destroy it. From our trips, we’ve found that the Patagonia Great Divider is the best bag on the market. It’s airline friendly (can be carried on) and is truly waterproof.
Leader and Tippet Hold Things Together
Ocean fish are fast, strong, and big. Old monofilament tippet that’s been in your closet for a couple of years is close to worthless in the salt. Stock up on fresh leaders and tippet. In most cases, fluorocarbon is preferred. If you prefer monofilament, make sure it is fresh. Monofilament degrades with exposure to sun and air. Like most fly fishing products, you can’t buy leader and tippet in Florida You have to bring it with you.
Florida is a full service guide destination. When you show up for your guide trip, your guide will have everything you need to fish for the day ready to go. You name it. Rods, reels, flies and terminal tackle are all provided. All you need to bring is a good hat, lunch and beverages for you and cusomarily the guide. There's no messing around. Get in the boat and go fishing.
Most of the time you will be guided in Florida. In case you won't be guided, The following write up is based upon your desire to have the right equipment to fish Florida on your own.
Castafly Travel was built on the foundation of simplifying the trip planning process and making remote destinations more accessible. If you’re fishing Florida you won’t find equipment meant for Alaska on our site. Every product in Castafly Travel’s Florida Keys Fly Shop is specifically suited for your Florida adventure. You will find everything you need, from A to Z,
Flies – The Most Important Items
The best way to get started in Florida is with a professional guide. You really can't just show up and go fishing on your own. You either need a guide or a generous friend to make your first Florida trip a success. It's very difficult to have everything you need in flies. You’ll find the waters around the Florida peninsula to be vast and diverse. From the 10,000 Islands in the north to the crystal clear waters of the keys in the south, things change slowly yet dramaitcally. It's a lot to learn. Fortunately, and unlike the Bahamas and many other places in the Caribbean, flies are provided on your guide trip in most Florida locations.If you are fishing on your own or just want to fish your own flies, check out our great fly selection. Choose the flies you need from our site or give us a call and we’ll pick out an assortment that will meet your fishing needs. From tarpon to snook, we have it.
Leave Your Trout Reels at Home
In Fly fishing in Saltwater, Lefty Kreh states that: "no saltwater fly fishing equipment is as important to success as the reel". More true words have rarely been spoken. Your reel is one place where you should not be looking to save money. This is not to say that you can't get a reasonably priced saltwater fly reel, because you can. But, it has to be well designed with a good (smooth) drag system to handle the long runs that you will inevitably experience while fishing in Florida. Stay with name brand merchandise. Fly reel companies come and go. Experienced saltwater fishermen know this. If you are not experienced, you do not want to learn this the hard way. A good reel is quite often the difference between success and failure in the salt. Castafly Travel has had the opportunity to try many different reels on our adventures to Florida. Without doubt, we are glad that we chose proven manufacturer's equipment. You will be too. Buying a new and better reel from a company that has not proven its longevity could prove to be a costly mistake when warranty service is no longer available because the company went out of business. All of the reels you find on this site have been tested in reel world situations, pun intended. They have been around for many years.
A Rod is Not a Rod
All fork-tailed flats fish will give your equipment a test. Let’s face it, without a functioning fly rod, your trip to the destination of a lifetime will be in vein. Big, powerful fish like those found in the ocean alongside Florida, will quickly show you why you need quality equipment. Low quality equipment will have its lunch eaten. Even the best of the best will be given an endurance test when a 100+ pound tarpon makes its runs, leaps, and dives. You have to slow those fish down and they don’t ordinarily follow your commands. You can’t tame a tarpon with a poorly constructed fly rod. Stick to premium manufacturers that have a proven history in the salt. You won’t be sorry.Sight Fishing is What it’s All About.
All sunglasses are not created equal. The glare from the water’s reflection and the intensity from the sky need to be tamed for the best fishing results. Without polarized glasses, you simply won’t be able to see the fish you’re trying to catch. It’s hard enough to see the fish without your eyewear getting in the way. Make sure you have glasses for differing light conditions – gray for bright conditions and copper or amber for low light conditions. Have a back-up pair of glasses in case your preferred pair is broken or lost. You won’t find a good pair of polarized fishing glasses anywhere in the Caribbean (unless you are willing to pay dearly). Most importantly, wear sunglasses at all times while fishing for safety. Sharp, barbed hooks in all sizes will be flying towards you. Hooks will come out of your skin. Your eyes are another matter and cannot be put at risk. Be careful. The Sun is Not Your Friend
Your equipment will stand up to the sun, but your body won’t. You need to protect it. In today’s world, there are lots of ways to save your body from the harmful rays of the sun. When you’re in the middle of the ocean, you won’t find a shady tree to give you a break from the sun. You have to bring the protection with you. Of course, bring lots of sunblock with the highest UPF rating you can find. Since you’ll be in and out of the water, it’s best to have water resistant sun block. That’s just the beginning.
Be prepared to cover up. Most fly fishing clothing is treated to be sun protective. Look for high UPF ratings in your clothing and your sun block. Have a hat that covers your head and your ears. It doesn’t take long before you start to feel the heat on any part of your body that isn’t covered. Buffs and other face guards may seem confining, but they are trip savers. Try one, you’ll likely find that they are not confining and help to keep tropical burns away from your face. Additionally, they protect you from the wind while running and help cut glare from the ocean. Long pants seem like an odd thing to wear in the heat of the sun. Today’s garments, however, are lightweight and UPF rated to save your skin. Convertible pants are nice for times when you the sun isn’t intense. Standing on the deck of a flats boat will leave the top of your hands exposed. Sunblock helps, but doesn’t always do the trick. Carry and use a pair of sungloves for maximum protection.
Protect Your Feet
You'll be fishing from the boat most every where you go in Florida. There's a few wading spots, but not many. If you do wade fish, keep in mind that the ocean is filled with natural hazards. Sharp rocks and coral will cut right through your skin. Coral cuts are particularly nasty and can easily become infected. Most will tell you that fishing barefoot from the boat is the only way to go. You can feel the line under your feet and have a sixth sense when it comes to line management. Many big fish have been lost because the angler was simply stepping on his fly line. If you’re fishing from the boat barefoot, your feet are exposed to the sun and are poised to get a nasty sunburn. Your trip will be remembered for the nasty sunburn your feet received while standing on the deck. Where lightweight sandals or keep your feet covered at all times with sunblock.
Waterproof Gear Bags are a Must
Saltwater eats seemingly everything. It’s in the air, it’s in the boat, it’s everywhere in the Caribbean. Walk up and down the beaches of Roatan, Honduras, and notice how the casing to metal appliances is rusted away in short order. The same thing will happen to your gear if you don’t protect it. Truly waterproof, not water resistant, gear bags are a must. Whether you’re wade fishing or making runs in a boat, saltwater will be looking for your gear in an attempt to destroy it. From our trips, we’ve found that the Patagonia Great Divider is the best bag on the market. It’s airline friendly (can be carried on) and is truly waterproof.Leader and Tippet Hold Things Together
Ocean fish are fast, strong, and big. Old monofilament tippet that’s been in your closet for a couple of years is close to worthless in the salt. Stock up on fresh leaders and tippet. In most cases, fluorocarbon is preferred. If you prefer monofilament, make sure it is fresh. Monofilament degrades with exposure to sun and air. Like most fly fishing products, you can’t buy leader and tippet in Florida You have to bring it with you.