Inshore redfish flies I use for fly fishing redfish in Beaufort, SC
I wanted to write an article that covers the types of flies I fish in the hopes that it may give others information and would be a source of inspiration to look back and see how I modify and change the patterns moving forward.
I love red fishing, there is no better gamefish in the lowcountry or for that matter anywhere! They are unique in their mannerisms, quirky at times and not always predictable which makes for exciting and challenging outings. Redfish are known for using a variety of estuary habitat features such as mud flats, tidal creeks, barrier beaches, etc. Thier propensity to push up in very shallow water lends itself well to spot and stalk fishing on the fly, and the fly lends itself well to their preferred forage.
A beautiful redfish that I sight casted in the marsh.
I reckon 99% of the challenge is getting the fly into the redfish's feeding zone which seems quite narrow on most days. On more than one occasion stalking them on the flats I have had them almost bump into my leg before they realized it's me, your friendly fly fisherman!
That just goes to show you that they are keyed in on their immediate surroundings and making sure you get your offering in there is important. When I find a redfish, I am concentrating on taking my time and getting a good accurate shot. Casting techniques aside, this article is about what I try to feed them with all of those shots that go down in the backcountry.
Sometimes I have led them a few feet and that has produced a hook up, other times I have had to land the fly on their head they are so preoccupied. On more than one memorable occasion when they are spooky I have just casted several feet away from them and let them find it themselves since they like to sift and search for things on the marsh bottom. That's red fishing, you never know what mood they will be in today!
A redfish that was so preoccupied with eating fiddler crabs that after several casts I had to hit him on the head to get an eat.
A beautiful spring redfish that preferred to pick up the fly off the bottom as he was sifting and nosing around in the mud.
If the water is clearer, I prefer more natural colors and smaller patterns. The typical sizes I tie up for the lowcountry reds are #4 and #2 hooks. I like to fish them on a 20/15 leader that is not longer than 8 or 9 feet. I enjoy fishing them on my 6 wt because it is just so much fun to catch red on a 6wt. Sometimes I use an 8wt as well if it is windy out, or if it is summertime and I want to land them quickly for a healthy release. I typically launch my feathers and fur on a tropical floating line.
I really enjoy the green shrimp; it was one of the first redfish flies I made that I had great success with. It works very well in green to off colored water in the late fall, winter, and spring. It is made from 100% synthetic materials like EP fibers, SF Flash blend, rubber legs and flash.
Sometimes I envy people who live in places with clear water, they have a box of flies that are all natural in appearance. However, in the low country the water is muddy and stained more times than not and having something the fish can actually see is more important. Hence, blurple.
Why is blurple so successful and why does it work? I think the answer is very simple, in stained water fish can see it better. My take on the attributes of a low country fly that are important in muddy water are size, movement, color, weight, and sometimes weed guards which are location dependent. These attributes in my opinion are more important than realism, natural colors, etc.
Some of my early blurple flies that worked well were marabou tails with EP fiber bodies, or chenille bodies wrapped over with hackle as if to make a woolly bugger. I carry roughly 50% of my fly box with various blurple color styles from heavy to light and a variety of sizes. I like to have bead chain, lead eyes, brass eyes, and a variety of sizes on hand.
In my most recent fly tying I have been going toward bigger offerings in natural materials that are more impressionistic and contain as much motion as I can fit on the hook. I want it not only to be seen but to be felt. The following two patterns have picked up quite a number of good fish for me. They are simple to tie and fish which is perfect, more time spent sending them out to a redfish.
Sticking to the basics for inspiration on these patterns. I fished them in dark colors in the backcountry and light colors in the surf.
As 2025 gets underway I look forward to tying and fishing more redfish flies. With an infinite number of materials and hooks available there seems to be no right or wrong answer when it comes to what you can develop on a hook, just have fun and pass it on.
Tight Lines
Capt. Randy.