Flys at Fraser

[StevenFay]

HI All,
This is my first post so be gentle ;)

I have been going to Fraser Island for 18yrs and have recently taken up fly fishing ( freshwater ).
Just wondering what the story with saltwater sly fishing is,
Would it be possible to fish Fraser with flies on the open beach?
Along the gutters in the early morning afetr flatties and whiting?
Also how about Tailor?
Any advice will be gobbled up ,
Cheers
Steven

[Wesley_Pang]

Steven,

Welcome to the wonderful world of saltwater flyfishing(swoffing).

I guess if the conditions are favourable you may be able to have a go at flyfishing off the beach at Fraser Island. I've found it pretty tough.

Sheltered estuaries are a good spot to try for a flathead or two. Whiting are not a known taker of flies.

If you have a boat, the western side of Fraser Island is a good flyfishing spot. Hervey Bay offers some of the best flyfishing for Tuna(Mac and Longtail) and fantastic sight fishing for tailing Goldern Trevally(world class).

Saw your other post about a Penn 13/15# Billfish rod. I would not recommend this rod for beach fishing. This rod is an elephant gun in world of flyfishing. This rod is designed to cast a large fly 20-30 feet from a back of a gameboat to a teased up/angry billfish. The 13/15# is fishfighting tool not a casting rod. Its is not a rod for blind casting in the surf.

The 9# may be a better rod for flathead.

Wes

[Jack_Lives_Here]

I've fished some of the creeks on the Western side with a 7wt. Had a ball on bream, flathead small moses perch and small trevs. I was using small crazy charlies and small baitfish pattern I tied up myself on #4 hooks. :D
Mate of mine had limited success at Indian Head with the tailor. He fished around the bait guys. Their pilles getting hit acted like a berley trail. He was using small to medium clousers. They would not touch anything but the chartruese ones. May have just been on the day. Also using a small 3" of wire to stop constant bite offs.
I'm itching to get up there on those flats in the boat and have a crack at those goldens. I know they go like stink on baitcast gear so imagine fly. Whooohooo!!! http://www.ausfish.com.au/chat/images/smilies/cwm11.gif

[Quinny69]

There is a great Swoffing spot on the Northern bit of Indian head, (if its not to rough) fairly low smaller smooth rocks. Queenies ,Tailor , Bream and Trevelly are caught and its kinda protected (in some winds). The western beach, and bay is the SWF hotspot ,the Golden Trevs are HARD but you will(TRULLY) become converted on the flats here.Try and get a copy of the "Wildfish" video with Morsie and co sight fishing the flats @ Hearvy Bay to get a taste,..... Matt Q

[Maxg]

Wesley. Kind of disagree about the 13/15# rods. I used a 13 casting off rocks and also used a 15 weight for a time. I could cast it at least 100 feet with a fly on the end, off that rock at Cuvier.
I don't think they are standard fare for SWF but they are a little more versatile than flopping flies at billfish.
It seems to me that we are too deep into 9 foot rods and should look further up the scale a bit, like 10/11 and even 15 footers particularly for fishing beaches. For my money anyone looking at estuary and beach locations should have a long look at 10 foot rods, they cast a bit further, and get the tip, and line a bit higher above the water when wading.
Cheers Max

[Wesley_Pang]

Max,

You are right 13/15# have more applications than just billfish. I plan to use mine to extract some coral dwelling ooglies, or drift a fly down a burley trail. I also tried to get a tuna on a popper last summer on the 15#.

I would not recomend the 13# for a beginner flyfisherman to blind cast in the surf though.

Flyfishing in the surf is tough work. Controling all that flyline in a stripping basket.

I had a 9 1/2 foot Sagey once. 15 footer would be hell to use.

Wes

[Maxg]

Wes... I think a 15 footer might be easier than you think. It would be great in surf, without the big swells of course. There are fly rods, double handers from 12'6" up to 16' out there and I am looking into 15 footers for surf and local shore reefs.
I'm actually getting out of 9 footers, since I'm too old for flogging around in boats, being beaten to death, and am getting into 10 footers and the long things. Very interisting subject, long rods. Max

[graeme]

Just thought I would add a few comments here on the use of longer fly rods. Having flyfished in the UK for 10 years before coming out to Brissie I can say that the most popular size of rod there was 10ft long (in fact the 2 Bob Church boron rods I still own are 10 footers and they are great rods to use for saltwater fly...to the extent that I prefer them over my 9ft 8wt Sage). When fishing for larger fish such as salmon a two-handed 13 or 14 foot rod was a must. These were very efficient casting machines and I am surprised they are not used more when chasing Tuna etc. I think three misconceptions with longer rods are that are (1) too heavy and (2) unable to perform long casts and (3) not good fish fighting tools....not true in my humble opinion.

To be honest, I am amazed by the lack of 10 ft + rods which are used here, interested to hear why the 9ft length seems to be widely used/accepted.

Cheers,

Graeme

[Wesley_Pang]

Greame,

Have you got the long spey rods in Brisbane? I'd be interested in having a look at then and having a go at spey casting. I'm in BrisVegas too.

I think a spey rod would be a problem in a boat. Storage of a 15 foot rod would be a problem, when we already have trouble having a 9 foot rod rigged.

I guess the rod distrubutor haven't imported long rods before. 8-9 foot rods have been the go from out of boats.

Most of the saltwater stuff has been in the tropics and you want to be in the boat and not in the water with the crocs. For snag bashing, distance is not a problem.

I guess for wading a 10 foot may be of useful, but even here distance not the only thing. Acurracy and stalking the fish are probably more important in sight fishing.

For heavy stuff 15 weights you probably want them as short as legally possible(6 foot 1 inch like a short stroker).

Wes

[graeme]

Wesley,
No I did not bring the Spey rods here, but they are amazing rods to use.

Your comments about distance not being the most important thing at times is correct, but for accuracy I have had no problem with the 10 foot rods. I spent 2 years in New Zealand before coming here and spent many, many hours sight fishing to large trout there. At close quarters the 9 ft rods (I used Kilwell rods there which were excellent for this...for a moderately priced rod they were very good) was quite sufficient for the job. However, on the lakes I prefered the 10 foot rods especially when wading around the edges and sight fishing for big, fat brown trout (sorry to mention these feral critters here!! :D)

At the end of the day it is perhaps more of a personal preference. The main issue is to use a rod that is the best one for the fishing situation.

Still like to see a Spey rod in action on the beaches of Fraser though...

Cheers,

Graeme

[Maxg]

Basically Spey rods are used in Europe fishing estuaries for salmon etc where 100' casts are the norm. Generally the Spey action is not much use in the salt and one might do better with a Euro taper, Sage, type rods or Talon xf types.
The 10 foot rod has a definite place in our fishing, probably a lot better for beach and flats fishing than 9 footers. Temple Fork 10 footers are available here and are 9 weight.
Long rods are probably better in surf, shore reefs and rocks.
But the line/backing combinations can be critical. Fishing a long rod is generally similar to using a long surf rod.
We tend to think fly rods mean things between 9 foot and 7 foot and disregard other lengths, which is our loss really because few people can cast a 9 footer with fly attached 120 feet under any circumstances, (anyone who says he can is either dreaming or exceptionally skilled) and a full line rarely gets out more than 90 feet. A long rod, 15 footer, however a 100 foot huck is mediocre at best.
Max

[UNCLEBARRY]

Good evening Max
Your 100% correct about spey rods being not suitable for double handed cast/overhead casting.

Spey rods are softer in the butt section to suit a giant roll cast.

Long rods do a better job at casting in most locations, than the 9 footer, from the surf,rocks and a boat.
Yes, I know there are locations where a short rod will be the best, (so please don't jump my neck, every one)

But how about a rod than can lay down a sinking line about 150 feet out, and then it can be dragged back along the bottom,how would the Bass think about that, now this same thing can be applied to most fishing or a rod that when Tuna blow up, can be cast far quicker than a short rod, with its multiple false casts, and then reach out over 150 feet, all with one back cast and forward and let it fly.

Yes, you require a double hander, not any double but a double that has been designed for solid overhead casts with enough power in the butt section to muscle a big fish.

Then to totally take advantage of the rods power and speed, a new hauling line and running line would be a benefit, a line like Max's 'stuffed-up' running line.
Now most people don't have the skill or time to make a custom line like Max's, therefore a new backing/running or hauling line would be helpful.

Now if you need the answer to the long rod and line, whos about to release it onto the Australian and New Zealand maket, what brand they are, the rod with Ti guides and 16 feet long, simply ask Max.

Kind regards and best of long rods to everyone
Barry
talonaurora@dodo.net.au

[Harro]

Regards two-handed rods -
There's a casting system (devised by Lefty, who else?) that's quicker, easier to learn and covers more water
faster than the (traditional) Spey casting methodology. All with just the one back cast.
There's a rundown going through the works at Flylife that I can't pre-empt at this writing. Worth waiting for, however.
Stating the obvious, two handed rods make profound sense off the rocks, in the surf, and for wide, fast rivers. But it's with jittery longtails where the greatest potential seems to lay. Getting close enough to cast - and seeing the fish go down just as you're about to present - how many times does that happen?
Being able to reach an extra 60+ feet would make a helluva difference.