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Are you ready for some saltwater fly fishing? 

With trout fishing being a little tougher this season for most, it is a great time to try your luck on the saltwater game. There is some unusual warm water hitting the coast of Tasmania now. With this the saltwater species are really fired up, which has resulted in some great reports coming in all around the state.

Chunk of an Australian Salmon from a hot session on the north coast.

Inshore/estuary Fly Fishing:

The estuaries and lagoons along the coast from Devonport going east right down to South port south of Hobart, there is an armada of saltwater fishing options. Chasing species like Bream, Flathead, Australian Salmon, Trevally and Kingfish along with a few others. Now it is as good as it’s going to get when it comes to warm water and hungry aggressive fish that will put your gear to the test. 

Big Bream from a wading session on the north coast flats. This fish took a liking to a small clouser.

Most of the inshore salt game can be achieved with your 5/6wt trout gear. However, if you want to get somewhat serious about it then we would recommend a 7-9wt outfit as a much more suited option. The flies commonly used in these situations tend to be heavier than your typical trout fly therefore, having a heavier outfit will help with your delivery.

There is a variety of different flies that will work in the saltwater, although there are a few flies that standout, especially here in Tasmania. Shrimp and clouser patterns in a variety of different sizes and colours are a go to. We have a great range of these flies and many more available in store and online. Check out our range Here. 

When it comes to fly line for the salt, we would ideally recommend a clear intermediate sink tip line as a good all-rounder. However, if you intend to fish from a boat or in deeper water then a full intermediate or even a heavier sink line can be a great option. If you are after more info give, us a call or pop into the store. Otherwise check out our range Here. 

Leaders can be anything from 9ft to 16ft total length, with tippets ranging from 6-20lb depending on where you're fishing and what species you are targeting. When fishing the flats for bream and flathead on a 6-8wt rod, a 6-10lb tippet with a long 10-16ft leader (total length) will work well. If you intend on fishing deeper water with the chance of larger harder fighting fish such as Australian Salmon, Trevally, kingfish etc. Then a 10-20lb tippet on a 9-12ft leader (total length) is going to be a better choice.

A nice kingfish from the east coast taken on a large chartreuse clouser. 

Offshore Fly Fishing:

Feeling Game? Want to try your luck at a yellowfin tuna or maybe a Striped Marlin on fly? Not the common thing to do in Tasmania, although this doesn't mean it can’t be done. 12wt - 16wt rods, large poppers and brush flies and hang on! We have the perfect rods and reels to suit these endeavors. If you are looking for a saltwater outfit, give us a call or pop into the store, otherwise check out our full range of saltwater rods and reels on our website. Click Here.