StreameradvancedFlorida Keys & South Florida
$10.95
Stu Apte caught more tarpon on a fly rod than most people have seen in their lives, and he did much of it with this pattern. The design is deceptively simple -- saddle hackle, schlappen collar, thread head -- but simplicity is what survives a hundred-pound fish shaking its head in the air. This is not a fly that tries to impress you. It is a fly that catches tarpon. The distinction matters.
Islamorada Backcountry
FL · Backcountry
Bahia Honda Channel
FL · Channels
Key West Harbor
FL · Bridges
Map unavailable. Locations for Stu Apte Tarpon Fly: Islamorada Backcountry, FL; Bahia Honda Channel, FL; Key West Harbor, FL
region guide
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
Tarpon breathe air. They've survived five mass extinctions. They migrate thousands of miles, daisy-chain in mysterious circles, and when they eat your fly, they do things in the air that no other fish can do. Understanding what makes them tick is the first step toward actually landing one.
StreamerintermediateFlorida Keys & South Florida
#1/0 - #3/0
Tied by Dan Johnson
Classic Keys tarpon pattern. Grizzly hackle over natural deer hair. The pattern that launched a thousand tarpon trips and has been catching silver kings since before catch-and-release was fashionable.
Tarpon
StreamerintermediateFlorida Keys & South Florida
#1/0 - #4/0
An all-black tarpon fly with a rabbit strip tail and schlappen collar. Deadly in low-light conditions and dirty water. The fly you reach for when the silver kings are being difficult.
Tarpon
StreamerintermediateFlorida Keys & South Florida
#1/0 - #3/0
A tarpon fly in an unlikely color that works uncommonly well. Purple and black with flash. Particularly effective in the early morning and late afternoon light of the channels.
Tarpon
StreamerintermediateFlorida Keys & South Florida
#1/0 - #4/0
Enrico Puglisi's EP fiber tarpon pattern. The synthetic fibers shed water, cast effortlessly, and create a translucent baitfish profile that tarpon cannot ignore.
Tarpon
StreameradvancedFlorida Keys & South Florida
#1 - #2/0
A small, sparse tarpon fly designed specifically for laid-up fish in shallow backcountry basins. Minimal splash on entry, subtle action, maximum persuasion.
Tarpon
StreamerintermediateFlorida Keys & South Florida
#1/0 - #3/0
A rabbit strip tarpon fly with incredible swimming action. The undulating fur creates a lifelike profile that triggers aggressive strikes from rolling and migrating tarpon.
Tarpon