Leaders and flies for pups and specks?

[grandpa21]

Can anyone recommend some good leader tying methods for a 6 wt and 9 wt and corresponding flies to use around the flats of the Chesapeake Bay, York River, and Virginia Beach for Pups and Specks?

[Capt. Ahab]

Think of what you would use for spinning tackle, and then try to find flies that look like and have a similar action to conventional lures. My best luck with specks and pups has been the standard lead head jig with a grub tail. Clouser minnows are the best imitation of the classic jig. Good colors for me are red/white and chartreuse/white. It is my go-to fly for the Bay. I rarely fish anything else, except in special situations such as poppers for LM bass or huge bunker flies for stripers. You'll probably have more success if you search for the fish using spinning gear. You'll cover more water faster and the lures often have scent. Once you've found fish, use the fly rod. Good Luck.

[boats]

For either I use on my intermediate lines a tapered leader ending in Floracarbon. Specks 10 lb Pups 15 lb. The pups can cut you off on oyster bars in a flash. However they can do it through 30 lb test easy so no sense in trying to rig too heavy, If they cross an oyster bar you are going to get cut off anyway. On sinkers I use the same 10 & 15 but tie it direct to the fly line, no taper at all. Make sure you use a good knot on the sinkers I tie my loops in 10 lb flora either Bimini twist if at home or double surgeons if in the boat. It breaks easy with some knots. Biminis or Surgeons are near 100 %

For flys, my opinion is not widely held but, Puppy drum need a fly droped right in front of there nose. Color should be muted and about what the minnows and crabs are. Browns Olives all subdued with a little flash the same color and the tying materal. The key thing with Puppy drum is to have the fly right in front of the fish, pattern is secondary. If it pushes water it's better.

I don't think they will turn and run over a few feet to take a fly, Recently on the advice of very good Pup Fishemen I am throwing Strike king Spinner baits on fairly stout baitcaster rods. They will turn and chase that spinning lure with a jig tail. We are now trying much larger flys that make a lot of noise and push water. Will have to see if it's possable to replicate the baitcasting sucess with flys. Still Accucary catches Puppy drum Fly type is
2nd

On Specks attractor colors work very well and I don't think the fly should make as much commotion when it comes through the water. They see much better than drum and are not as easaly fooled. I like White Clousers. For Specs set up on a good drain or channel were they are trading and throw a thousand cast. Light rod with a sinking line and modest size attractor fly. If you see them strike they are gone by the time you get a cast off. Best thing is to keep flys working in the area they are feeding. All blind no sight casting.


Boats

[grandpa21]

Thanks, We're going out to the Backriver today after work and I'm just hoping the wind cooperates or its going to be all spin and jigs. Regardless I just hope we get into some fish. Let you know how it goes.

gpa

[Patrick Dickhudt]

Thanks for sharing this great info. I've also been trying to figure out what I should tie up to go after pups. A web search didn't help much. This thread points me in the right direction.

Boats, in regards to your comment about pups not turning on flies but chasing after spinners. Have you ever tried a rattle on a fly? I found an article somewhere about catching pups on fly that said it really makes a difference. Might be worth a try.

Cheers,
Patrick.

[boats]

Patrick

I have some rattles and plan to tie some up Clouser style. My recent experence with spinner baits has changed my mind about Drum flys. Last trip out we used some Popovicks flys that pushed a lot of water but the pups did not cooperate. Sat morning 15 on spinner baits Monday night nothing on fly rods. It's not always good. Same places same tides. Big differece in water temp though eary morning vs late afternoon into the evening. They do have on and off feeding cycles and are school fish, if you don't find them it's going to be slow.

Still by any account it's been a very good drum year in Lynnhaven, This on top of a good Speck year last season. The Specks were not large but plentifull

Boats

[grandpa21]

Success on the Backriver! First pup on a fly! Took a brown curly tailed critter. 21" triple-spot. Put up a bigger fight than expected, drag could have been set better and got a few busted knuckles...but a small price to pay for success!

Thanks for all the info!

[boats]

Nice fish but you are the one hooked now. You do have to be ready for the little critters they are strong. Without some backbone they can cut you off on Oyster bars. I fish one size larger tackle baitcaseters or fly rods than my Speck rigs.

We were out in Lynnhaven this morning. fished about 3 hours. One pup on flys. Not a great day to fly fish lots of wind at daybreak. Not so much casting was a problem but the little chop makes it hard to see were the fish are working.

Good tides the next few days rising to high in low light times.

Boats