Captain's Blog

New to saltwater fly fishing? This blog lays out the basics of a day of sight fishing on my flats skiff. Everything from casting, length of day, what to bring and the hunt for redfish.

If you've never gone fly fishing before, the gear side of it can feel overwhelming fast. Rods, reels, leaders, tippet, flies, and then someone mentions fly line and you realize that's its own rabbit hole too. Here's the short version: in fly fishing, the line itself has weight. That weight is what carries the fly forward during a cast, unlike conventional fishing where the lure or sinker does that work. Picking the right fly line for the conditions you're fishing makes a real difference in how accurately and quietly your fly lands in front of a fish.

There's a moment every fly angler in Charleston knows. You've spotted the redfish. The tide is right. The cast is loaded. Then the leader folds, the fly piles up short, and the fish is gone before it ever knew you were there. Bad leader setup kills more redfish opportunities than bad casting. That's just the truth.

Fly fishing for speckled trout can be one of the most consistent and rewarding ways to experience Charleston fly fishing. They’re aggressive at times, willing to chase, and often found in numbers. That makes them a great target whether you’re new to fly fishing or looking to refine your approach.

Sight fishing redfish isn’t the easiest way to catch fish, and that’s part of the appeal.It forces you to slow down, pay attention, and think through each moment instead of just going through the motions.At first, it can feel frustrating. You’ll miss fish. You’ll overlook opportunities. Everyone does.But once you start recognizing the patterns, everything changes.You stop guessing. You start seeing.If you want to figure it out faster, spending a day on the water with someone who does this every day can make a big difference.Either way, the process is what makes it worth it.

A summary of the 2026 Flood Tide dates.