With the amount of sailfish we see daily, chances are good you can give the fly rod a go and luckily for you it’s our special little niche.
All boats are well equipped with fly, conventional or spinning tackle, you simply choose. The leader is built to IGFA standards (#20 Mason hard nylon tippet). If you prefer a lighter class tippet, feel free to bring it with you and our mates will tie it for you. Some choose to bring their own equipment. If this is you, we recommend the following equipment set-up:
- 14-18wt rod and a reel capable of holding 300 yards of #20 Dacron, Micron or Braid backing (minimum)
- A billfish taper or 550-650 gram medium sink shooting head with soft popper heads
- Any color fly works BUT hot pink or fluorescent shows up best in still photos and on video.
Our advice: If you are bringing reels in your carry-on bag remove all the line, as past clients have been stripped at the airport of all their fishing line! If you are bringing fishing line please place in your checked luggage to avoid any trouble with TSA.
We fish tight off the boat-usually 10-15 feet, so long casts are not required, merely a single spade cast. When the fish is raised and is tracking the teaser, we slowly wind our teasers in so the fish is close to the boat, then we pull the teasers out of the water. At the same moment, the Captain will put the boat in neutral, and yell CAST. You cast behind and to the side of the fish, it lights up, bites and the fight is on! (A diagram of our spread pattern and fly presentation follows)
What’s the best time of year to catch a Sailfish on fly?
Any month of the year is great for sailfish, as they are residents here in Guatemala. Our only advice is avoid the Full moon, as sailfish seem to be finnickier during this time, and not as aggressive on the fly. This doesn’t affect conventional bait fishing.