Gear recommendations for Texas Coast Sight Fishing. It’s not necessary for you to have or purchase this gear before your trip. Our guides provide everything you’ll need to fish. However, if you’re looking to make purchases prior to, on this page, you’ll find a few of our recommendations.
Fly Rods
We highly trust Sage and Scott Fly Rods both in the salt and freshwater. The Sage Maverick may be one of the best bangs for your buck in the saltwater game. We’ve used this rod on the Texas coast and have no questions about it’s performance. This rod is on the stiffer side, so it demands a more aggressive style of casting.
A newcomber that rivals the Maverick comes from a Texas based company, Temple Fork Outfitters. Their new Moment rod has impressed us over the past few months. It’s got great feel and balance
The Scott Sector is our top choice in the saltwater game. The performance of a Scott Fly Rod is second to none, in our humble opinion. More expensive than the Maverick but certainly has an edge on accuracy and feel. Given our choice, we’d select the Scott Sector, but the Sage Maverick is a great starter rod for the saltwater game!
Either way you go, we’d recommend a 7 or 8 weight rod.
Fly Reels
In the saltwater, it’s important to get a solid reel. Red fish can get big and make some impressive runs. Therefore, you want to make sure you have a good drag system on your reel.
We’ve used the Galvan Grip Reel with great results. These large arbor reels will take in line quickly with fewer turns and the drag will smoothly let the fish run without putting too much pressure on them.
Redington has a couple of different reel options that we’ve enjoyed on the water. The higher end of the two is the Grande. This is a beautiful reel with a large arbor and smooth drag. The Grande is stout and able to take the abuse that saltwater game fish will certainly throw at you.
Nautilus makes great fly reels right here in the USA. The CCF-X2 series is one of the best reels you’ll find anywhere. When that fish of the lifetime is on the other end of the line, you’ll be happy you’ve got your line peeling off a Nautilus. Well-built and reliable, you can’t go wrong with these guys.
Fly Line
We’re big fans of Scientific Anglers fly lines and tippet for that matter. We use SA lines almost exclusively for saltwater and fresh water, all over the country.
Our top line recommendation is the Amplitude Textured Grand Slam. This line is 3/4 heavier than standard, which allows it to shoot line effortlessly. That means less false casting and less missed opportunities. The extra weight of this line helps cut through the wind and deliver a more accurate fly. The textured nature helps prevent the line from slipping through your fingers. This line is also available in a smooth version.
Another solid option from SA is the Amplitude Smooth Red Fish Warm. This line is high performing and great for those close shots at Red Fish. Not everybody enjoys the textured fly lines. For those anglers, the smoothness of this line will be more what they’re accustomed to.
Leaders and Tippet
One thing we love about the salt water is that there’s no complicated leader systems. We keep it simple! A five to seven foot long, thirty to twenty pound monofilament leader will usually get the job done. However, depending on conditions and fish behavior this could change.
Flies
Redfish are simple creatures that aren’t too picky when it comes to food. We utilize only a handful of patterns that fall into 3 main categories: shrimp, crabs, and small baitfish.
One of the most common flies that we utilize is the Red Fish Crack. This pattern does a great job of imitating crab and shrimp at the same time. Sight Cast Fishing Company has some great options in different color ways. A few other patterns that we like from Sight Cast are the Bolivar Blue Crab, the Sabine Seducer, Texas Toads, and the Skinny Water Shrimp.
Typical Clouser minnows work great too and are easy to tie. Fly selection isn’t something you should get too caught up on. For red fish, it’s much more about the presentation. Get that fly in front of their face and give it a twitch, 90% of the time they’re going to eat it.
We are stoked that you’ll be joining us in Texas and can’t wait to share the expereince with you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!