BaitfishbeginnerFlorida Keys & South Florida
Crazy Charlie
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Forgotten Coast Fly Co.
Matched on Florida Keys & South Florida, baitfish flies, bonefish. Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast shop lead for inshore saltwater patterns.
Salty Fly Tying
Matched on Florida Keys & South Florida, baitfish flies, bonefish. Drew Chicone's saltwater tying catalog and learning hub, strongest for saltwater pattern validation.
Fulling Mill Flies
Matched on baitfish flies, bonefish, shrimp. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.
Orvis Fly Catalog
Matched on baitfish flies, bonefish, shrimp. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.
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Charlie Smith was a Bahamian guide who probably did not know he was about to change saltwater fly fishing forever. Nasty Gilbert tied this pattern in his honor, and bonefish have been making poor decisions about it ever since. The bead chain eyes give it a jigging action on the strip that looks exactly like a fleeing shrimp, which is to say, panicked and delicious.
Quick Facts
Where to Fish It
Islamorada Backcountry
FL · Flats
Key West Flats
FL · Flats
Florida Bay
FL · Flats
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Related Reading
region guide
Florida Keys: Chasing the Flats Grand Slam
The Florida Keys Grand Slam — bonefish, permit, and tarpon on the fly in a single day — is saltwater fly fishing's ultimate test. It demands mastery of three different species, three different presentations, and an almost unreasonable amount of luck. Here's how to stack the odds in your favor.
species science
The Grey Ghost: Bonefish Biology and Behavior
Bonefish appear as shadows on the flat, eat with the subtlety of a vacuum cleaner, and run like they've been personally offended by your hook. Their biology — from tidal feeding patterns to crushing pharyngeal plates — explains every frustrating refusal and every screaming run.
technique
Fly Selection: A Decision Tree for Every Situation
Most anglers open their fly box and stare at it like a menu in a foreign language. But fly selection isn't mystical — it's a decision tree. Start with what the fish are eating, narrow by presentation depth, match the profile and size, and you'll arrive at the right fly in under sixty seconds. Here's the system.
technique
Solunar Tables: Science, Myth, and Practical Use
Solunar theory claims that the gravitational pull of the moon and sun creates predictable periods of peak animal activity. Saltwater anglers swear by it. Freshwater anglers roll their eyes. The truth, as usual, lives somewhere in between — and the practical implications might surprise you.
technique
Casting in the Wind: A Saltwater Caster's Guide
Wind is the defining challenge of saltwater fly fishing. It blows every day on the flats, and it doesn't care about your presentation. The anglers who catch fish consistently aren't the ones who wait for calm — they're the ones who've learned to cast through, under, and around the wind with techniques that turn the breeze from enemy to ally.
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