Saltwater Flies

Notes: Sardinas are argueably the most important food source for pelagic species in Baja and the Sea of Cortez. Everybody eats them. The profile of this fly is slim and wide. Natural “saltwater” yak (white) is preferred and readily accepts dyes such as Veniards Fly Dye. Yak is available online ( Ebay, Aliexpress) as dusters or hair extensions. Synthetics such as SeaHair are an acceptable substitute but I find them coarse, do not compress well when tying and have limited movement in the water. I tie the flies full and trim them on the water depending on the size of the natural sardinas at the time.

I credit (blame) CSF members Don Starkin and Steve Cushing with spooling me up for fishing Baja. The index case was a 2004 unoffical club trip to Punta Colorado in Baja Sur on the Sea of Cortex where we caught them all: tuna, rooster fish and of course the iconic dorado. All on sardina patterns. My pattern was refined over time to the current design here.

For a time a group of CSF members journied each year to Loreto and Zihuatanejo to chase sailfish and dorado. The zenith was a 2011 club outing to Loreto that I lead where 11 CSF members, most new to southern salt blew up a dozen 10 to 12 weight rods on big dorado. The Orvis pose does not work in Baja.