A lot of beginners I speak to seem surprised to learn how popular fly fishing in saltwater is. For those newbies out there, or seasoned anglers who would like to learn more, here are the key differences between saltwater and freshwater fly fishing.
If you are a beginner, check out our top mistakes to avoid when fly fishing before you head out there.
Fly fishing is a great way to feel connected to nature. From wading a mountain stream to using a float tube on a lake to standing waist-deep in the ocean waves, spending a few hours flicking a line is a perfect way to appreciate how awesome nature can be.
One of the best things about fly fishing is its versatility. Once you learn the technique, you can cast a fly into freshwater and saltwater.
While the technique remains similar, some of the gear as well as the best spots and types of species you’re likely to catch differ quite a lot between fresh and saltwater fly fishing.
I’ve pulled together some of the most important differences to keep in mind when you’re planning your freshwater or saltwater fly fishing trip. Hope you find it interesting, and that it helps you catch the next big one!
Different Species
Whether you’re fly fishing saltwater or freshwater, it’s a good idea to have your target species in mind. This will help when it comes to choosing the right spot and gear (fly, line, etc.).
Target species for fly fishing in saltwater and freshwater tend to be high up on the food chain, as they are bigger, predatory fish. Ideally, your fly will mimic the food your targeted species is used to eating.
When you’re fly fishing saltwater, be it from the shoreline or in a boat, you have a chance to target some awesome species. You’re in with a chance to catch redfish, bone fish, redrum, snook, sea trout, mahi-mahi, bass, and salmon, as well as some trophy fish like tuna, tarpon, sailfish, swordfish and marlin.
In freshwater, the best and most common fish to target fly fishing are trout and salmon, though pike can provide one heck of an exciting battle. Bass, carp and panfish (small fish like sunfish) are also popular species to target in rivers and lakes.
Different Spots
Like any type of fishing, choosing your spot plays a huge part in your success. Learning the best casting spots can take time and experience, but there are some useful tips to bear in mind when you’re planning on fly fishing a new spot.
Saltwater fly fishing spots
When you’re fly fishing in saltwater, the first thing to decide is whether your fishing inshore or offshore. This decision comes down one major variable – whether or not you have access to a boat.
Both inshore and offshore fly fishing offer great chances of success, as long as you hit the right spots. If you do go offshore, the best way to find the best spots is with a fish finder.
If you don’t have a boat, try to find an estuary where a river enters the sea. Not only does the river bring down food and nutrients for fish to eat, but salmon, steelhead and striped bass tend to gather here while waiting to swim upriver to spawn
When fly fishing saltwater, try to hit tide shifts. This is when the tide starts going in or out, and the shifting current stirs up nutrients which the bugs eat.
Little fish eat the bugs and bigger fish eat the little fish. That’s what you’re aiming for. Other features to keep an eye out for are rocky shorelines, rocky outcrops, docks and jetties where little fish can hide from predators.
If you, or your buddy, has a boat, offshore fishing offers plenty of chances to target big game. Mother nature often gives you signs of fish activity. Keep an eye out for fish feeding at the surface of the water. Birds diving to feed is another good sign indicating the presence of fish.
Freshwater fly fishing spots
When fly fishing fresh water, there are a couple factors to keep in mind that affect where the fish will be. Where the fish will be depends on protection, food availability and current. If there’s no protection, no food source and an extremely fast current, it’s unlikely that you’ll catch a fish there.
In rivers, there are three main spots where you’ll most likely catch fish. Riffles (another name for rapids) are where you should see fast flowing water and rocks; the run or glide is where the water is a little deeper at foot of the rapids, it has a calmer surface; and lastly, look for pools where there is barely any current and the water is deep. You should find fish in all three of these spots.
In lakes and ponds where there is no current, fish tend to use the deep water as protection, as well as weeds, and obstacles like logs and rocks. Shaded areas also provide some protection for fish. In general, you want to fish close to shore as insects, which make up most of what a fish eats in a lake, live in the vegetation on or close to the shore.
It’s important to ensure you have the right gear when it comes to fly fishing. Head over to my ultimate flight fishing gear checklist for some pointers and recommendations.
Different flies
Depending on whether you’re fishing saltwater or freshwater will have an impact on which flies you want to use.
If you’re fishing saltwater, you will want mostly wet flies and streamers, flies which imitate baitfish as well as shrimp and crab, all things that the big predators are after.
Fly names are awesome, and here are a few specific ones to look for if you’re fishing saltwater: Clouser minnow flies (perfect for striped bass), Disco Shrimp, Avalon Keel Crab, and Bonefish Gotcha.
If you’re fly fishing freshwater, you’ll want a selection of dry flies and baitfish flies. Dry flies float on the surface of the water and look like flies drinking, whereas baitfish flies sink and imitate the swimming motion of small fish.
Carp tend to go after dry flies. For pike, get big flies and wire leaders so the sharp teeth don’t bite through your line.
If you’re going after trout, Parachute Adams, Bunny Leeches, and Pheasant Tail Nymphs are all good choices.
If in doubt, the best all-round fly I’ve used is definitely the Woolly Bugger. Throw one of those in and, if a fish is there, you’ll feel a few bites.
Here is an excellent fly box you can buy on Amazon if you are looking to get started.
Different rods
Most fly fishing rods nowadays are made out of carbon fiber or a composite using graphite.
Lighter rods made out of fiberglass are also available. In the old days, people used bamboo rods, but today’s technology makes them lighter, stronger and far easier to transport as you can break them down into sections.
The weight of rod you’ll want depends on the size of fish you’re targeting. In seawater, the fish can get huge, especially if you’re fishing from a boat.
A 9′ rod with a 13 to 16 weight should be good. If you’re fly fishing from the shoreline, get a 9′ rod with a 6 to 9 weight.
In freshwater, the fish tend to be a lot smaller. Still get a 9′ rod, but you’ll want a lighter one, somewhere between a 5 and 8 weight.
If you are looking for a decent fly rod that won’t break the bank then check this one out on Amazon.
Different lines
The line is a super important part of your fly fishing set up as it acts as the weight to give your cast its distance.
Whether you get a dry or wet fly will also affect which line you get. There are floating lines that float, sink-tip lines where only the tip sinks and sinking line where the whole line sinks.
Fly fishing line tapers, which means the diameter of the line changes as it gets thinner or fatter towards the end.
You can get weight forward taper which is the most common, double taper, shooting heads (designed for long casts) and level, which means it has the same diameter across the whole line.
Lines also come in different weights, between 1 and 15 weight. The best rule to follow when choosing your line weight is to match the line weight with the rod weight.
Saltwater lines tend to be heavier than freshwater lines because of the greater cast distance needed as well as the larger species that you’ll target.
Different reels
Fly fishing reels are simple devices whose main purpose is to hold the line. As you strip the line off the reel with one hand and also retrieve the line by hand, you don’t need a fast, dynamic spinning reel.
Most fly fishing reels can be easily converted to left- and right-handed models.
Saltwater reels tend to be heavier than freshwater. You also want to make sure they are corrosion-resistant because saltwater can be really tough on metal. This is a great one that I use, it’s perfect for both fresh and saltwater.
A good tip I was given is to have different reels holding different weighted lines so you can switch quickly. Or have one dry and one wet reel. It’s way easier to switch a reel than the whole line, trust me.
Go Fishing
So now you know the difference between saltwater and freshwater fly fishing, it’s time for you to get out there. It’s one of the most popular forms of fishing for a reason!
Whether you’re hitting a river or a lake or the open ocean, fly fishing is an awesome way to enjoy the great outdoors.
If you’re new to it, stick at it and the tricky cast will soon become easy enough and you’ll be hauling in fish after fish.
Don’t forget to check out my ultimate fly fishing gear checklist.
Good luck and happy fishing!