There is a pretty strong possibility that I'll be out with some customers on the salty wet stuff next Tuesday or so. They're from down there and will be providing the boat and conventional tackle, bait, etc. However, I'm packing my big Mini Mag just in case I get a chance to use it.

So given my complete and thorough ignorance of this salty water stuff, I'd like some general advice on patterns. I'm guessing my only opportunity to pick up any flies on the way will be Cabelas in Buda or maybe a Bass Pro in San Antonio. We'll be leaving San Antonio Monday morning and driving down to the valley, so I don't think there are any shops on the way.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I would keep an eye out on the surf. If it's calm you can always run out and see what's going on out there. Look for birds working off the beach and around the jetties. there will be Spanish macs, Bonita, sharks and possibly kings and tarpon, under the birds and bait balls.

Inshore I would look for reds tailing then I would drift looking for fish. Trout could also be in the surf in the guts

I would take clousers and deceivers for baitfish patterns. I would also get some shrimp and crab imitation patterns as well as some poppers.

Thanks for the reply. I pawed through my flies and I think I've got a decent cross section of the patterns you mentioned.

Chances are pretty high that the whippy stick won't even get assembled, but I don't want to miss a chance at some salty fly flinging if it rears its ugly head.

I'll report back one way or the other. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Well it was cool and rainy, which kept us from roasting, but it didn't do much for the fishing. We caught a few under trout, a sheepshead, a piggy perch, and too many hardheads.

While we waited out a rain shower at a fishing shack, I put the whippy stick together and casted around a bit just so I could say I did. Despite the artful presentation of a treasured Skullet, no fish were captured via the fly pole.

Thanks for the help.

Hey, at least you were on the salt, and the salt is sweet! Timing is everything on the salt - tides, etc ...
After that, it's about fly selection that actually works. Spoon flies and Clousers are a good start, but there's so much more ...