Gear to Bring for Isla Blanca Fly Fishing
All necessary fishing gear is provided on our Isla Blanca charters, so you do not need to bring your own equipment. Anglers who prefer fishing with their own tackle are welcome to bring it.For Isla Blanca, we recommend 8-weight or 9-weight saltwater fly rods with tropical floating lines and saltwater reels with sealed drags. Light spinning tackle is also effective for anglers who prefer conventional gear.
The recommendations below cover fly rods, reels, leaders, flies and light tackle suitable for permit, tarpon, snook and bonefish on the Isla Blanca flats and backcountry.
Saltwater Fly Fishing Rods, Reels & Terminal Tackle
- Fly Rod Selection - 9-foot, fast-action saltwater fly rods in 8-weight or 9-weight are well suited to the Isla Blanca fishery.
- Fly Reel Selection - Use a saltwater reel with a smooth, sealed drag and sufficient backing. A weight-forward tropical floating line is appropriate for most fishing on the flats.
- Tarpon & Snook Leaders - A 9-foot leader can be built with a 20–25 lb butt section, 16 lb midsection, 12 lb class tippet and a 20–25 lb shock tippet.
- Permit & Bonefish Leaders - A 9- to 10-foot tapered leader can be built with a 3-foot 20–25 lb butt section, 2-foot 16 lb midsection, 1-foot 12 lb transition section, and 3–4 feet of 10 lb fluorocarbon tippet.
Recommended Flies for Isla Blanca
- Tarpon Flies (1/0–2/0) - The Cockroach, Tarpon Toad, Tarpon Whistler, Seaducer, Clouser Minnow and Lefty's Deceiver. The top colors used include brown, root beer, tan, olive, purple, black and white/red combinations.
- Permit Flies (#2–#6) - Crab patterns including Raghead Crabs, Merkin Crabs and McCrab variations in tan, sand, brown and olive.
- Bonefish Flies (#2–#6) - Crazy Charlies, Gotchas & weighted shrimp patterns in tan, soft pink, light olive and natural brown.
- Snook Flies (1/0–2/0) - Clouser Minnows, Deceivers & white Crystal Schminnows are top patterns around mangrove shorelines.
Light Tackle Spin Fishing Gear Specifications
- Spinning Rod Selection: - Medium-heavy or fast-action spinning rods from 6'6" to 7' are well suited to fishing Isla Blanca.
- Spinning Reel Selection: - Saltwater spinning reels with approximately 150–200 yards of 10–15 lb braided line.
- Hard Lures & Soft Baits: - Topwater walking baits such as Yo-Zuri, Rapala Skitter Walks and MirrOlures can be effective. Also consider 1/8- and 1/4-ounce feather jigs, soft-plastic shrimp, paddle-tail minnows and curly-tail grubs.
