# Destin this weekend



## AlaskanDan (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey Everyone,

I made it down to south Alabama on sunday, I will be here for about 5 weeks. This weekend (thurs-mon) I am going to be able to head down to the coast for a chance at some fly fishing. I was planning on fishing both Choctowatchee bay as well as the surf and jetties. I am looking for advice on what to catch and what kind of flies to use for each species. I have a whole lot of batfish patterns tied up as well as some spoon type flies. I have rods ranging from 3wt to 10wt with me. Last question is does anyone know how to get a shark on a fly? I want to hear my 10wt reel scream. I have lines from floating to heavy sinking. 

I know I had posted earlier about coming down here, but just wanted to get anymore input before I headed down to the coast.

Thanks,
Dan


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## GASeminole (Aug 15, 2011)

Shark: Put out a chum block on a outgoing tide and drink a few beers. Then when a shark comes along, put a piece of bonito or a cigar minnow on a plain hook tied to your tippet and lob it out there for him. May not be sexy, but you will still be able to say you caught a shark on your flyrod. Hope you have lots of backing. 

(I used to do this in catfish ponds with chicken livers on my 5 wt...very fun)

Sharks rely mostly on senses other than sight to identify a meal, so unless you can get them in a feeding frenzy, matching the hatch is likely not going to be feasible.

Good Luck


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## Redneckracoon (Jun 8, 2011)

for the shark, use mid-floating line and a clump of red feathers after you cut up a LOT of chum.
for the bay, clousers, spoons, baitfish patterns (mullet :shifty and you should be good! :thumbup:


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

If you haven't seen the forecast, you better be planning on casting towards the west....


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## AlaskanDan (Feb 26, 2010)

Awesome info guys. I understand the sensory system of sharks very well, I was a marine biology major in college, I have just never tried fly fishing for them. And yes, I do have a lot of backing...600 yards of 50lb gel spun should be sufficient.

I have not looked at the forcast yet, I figured I would see what the weather was doing when I got down there. I have 4 days to dedicate to nothing but fishing and trying not to get sun burnt too bad.

What else should I be targeting from the surf with a fly rod? Or from the jetties for that matter. I have fished the bay before, so I understand that aspect.

For shark, should i head out to the jetties or fish the surf?


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## AlaskanDan (Feb 26, 2010)

I made it down there earlier today. The waves were too big for me to fight on the beach so I headed out to the jetties. It took me all day to start catching anything, and that anything was only 8" Jacks and lady fish. Unfortunately I had to break out the 10wt to fight the wind. I am probably going to head back down there and fish sunday and monday. If anyone has any tips, I would greatly appreciate them!


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## weedline (Aug 20, 2011)

im not much of a fly fisherman but i do fish the beach a lot if u can fish tuesday or even better wednesday we should be getting a strong north wind .that will make the beach a lake pretty fast and give u some extra distance behind your fly casts try early morning walk the beach with a clouser or something similar look for fish on top it will be a mixture of ladyfish,bluefish,bonito,and redfish if u want u can target pompano after get your fill of the topwater fish for that u will want a sinking line and a lightly weighted fly that imitates a small jig work it verry slow as far as sharks it will be hard to get one on the fly without a boat and chum but good luck i have had 100lb spinners eat my cobia jigs but thats out of a boat its verry difficult to get a large fish to folow an artificial twords shore they show intrest then turn away at the surf line


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## AlaskanDan (Feb 26, 2010)

Awesome, thanks for the help. I went back down there again today and got hammered by wind and waves. All I was able to catch was ladyfish. I wont be able to get back there again until friday evening through sunday. From the weather/surf reports, it should be a lot better. Thanks for the input.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

The night bite has been great in OB around the lights. I've been landing some very nice trout and reds along with a mix of ladyfish, jacks, white trout, etc. Any small sardine/glass minnow imitator has been working. A chart/white clouser in #4 can't miss.


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## AlaskanDan (Feb 26, 2010)

Where is the OB? Like I said, I am not a local, just here for a month or so. I wont be able to get back down there until friday.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I'm sorry, Orange beach, Al.


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