OK… I’m not really prepared to say that the salt is better than the fresh… the fresh is what I do most often. I love it. However, given the endless assault on all things salty over at the Trout Underground (again here), I feel compelled to underscore why, in fact, the salt is totally more super awesome than the fresh.
Reason #1… Tiny Flies
That’s a WD40 nymph. The instructions say you can tie this in a #24.
The smallest bonefish fly I’ve tied up is an #8, and that’s nearly microscopic for the salt. The largest fly I’ve tied for saltwater is a 3/0, which is meat on a hook.
That I have several #20’s in my trouting fly boxes is a clear sign that saltwater fly fishing is more awesomer ruling than the freshwater stuff.
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Tags: Flies, flyfishing, Midges, salt vs. fresh, Trout Underground
how about the fact that in salt there’s always the outside chance of laying into something that could actually eat you if it had the mind to.
that’s pretty awesome…
See, I’d put that as a plus! Anyway… I’d bet more fly anglers are attacked by bears every year than are attacked by sharks.
I’d say that’s a fair estimation…not sure which I’d prefer. I guess it’d depend on whether I could outrun my fishing partner…
I’ve had way more scares from bears than from sharks… but then again, 98% of my fishing is fresh water fishing… so, maybe that’s my perspective. Also… rattle snakes, mountain lions and poison oak… see… it’s starting to be a landslide!
Oh… tough call… salt of fresh? I spend a lot more time in the fresh, but I sure do like taking a vacation to the salt! =)
The Average Joe Fisherman
If, while reading anything I ever write, you find yourself asking “Is he serious?”, the answer is probably “no.”
I love trout, I love rivers… I don’t think the salt is “better,” it is just different… this is all in good fun.
[…] I did Reason #1 that saltwater fly fishing is better than fresh water fly fishing yesterday… and, because I can’t leave well enough alone, I’m going in for […]
Hippos. And anopheles mosquitoes. They make fresh water deadlier than salt by a long margin. Salt isn’t better. Its just as mind blowingly good though. I was trying to explain that to friend over beer yesterday. He is a through and through trout head as I used to be but my argument was that at the end of the day both trout and bonefish are very similar in the ways that attract fisherman to them. Most of the time the environments in which you find both are stunning, The fishing is challenging yet both types of fish are aggressive feeders. I had a few more points but cant remember them right now and have to run as I am off to try and get the above mentioned buddy stuck into his first northern pike on a flyrod.
It is mind blowingly good, I agree, but I could fish for the next 15 years and not catch as many bonefish as trout I’ve caught. I love trout. They have seen me through tough times. The salt is damn good though. Pike sound fun. So many fish, so little time!
I’m with you. I almost feel comfortable with trout now. I always used to dream of going somewhere like New Zealand but now that I’ve discovered salt any chance that I have the time and cash to get away its pretty much going to be a bonefish flat as things stand. Pike are great, not least because they are a good excuse to justify owning an S4s 990 that otherwise would only see the light of day for a few weeks a year if it was lucky!
I know exactly what you mean. All fishing trips are focused on the salt now… I too used to think about Argentina or Marbled Trout or even Wyoming or Montana and now I’m pretty much only thinking about bonefish and saltwater flats. Maybe it will swing back the other way some day. I certainly have WAY more shots at fresh water fly fishing than salt and things like carp and bass are still pretty new to me. I just love the flats, the stalking… the power of the fish… ah, November 18th can’t come soon enough.