DIY Saltwater Fly Fishing Rule Number 326
So I had a couple of hours free today to go out fishing. Headed out to a rocky point just north of the Xcalak lodgings that line the beach road where there have been good numbers of permit. I tied on an Acocote Drum Majorette permit crab pattern and waded all the way around the point. Didn’t see any permit. It was pretty low tide but just starting to come in.
Anyway, there is a nice bonefish flat just south of the point so I started wading that flat. Within a few minutes I spooked a pretty good school of bones. A few minutes later I see another school tailing happily in the turtle grass in 6 inches of water. I still have the Acocote Drum Majorette on, and figure what the heck, and cast it to them. Well heavy crab patterns aren’t very good in 6 inches of water and lots of turtle grass. I got a couple of shots off before they got too close and spooked. Crap, I guess I should change flies. So I tied on an Acocote Crazy Lady. Kept wading the flat.
In about calf deep water there is a group of about 5 good sized permit tailing on the flat just out of casting range. What are 12-15 lbs permit doing in a 14 inches of water? Crap I’ve got a bonefish fly on… They were going away from me so I stalked them for a bit until I could get a cast off but I landed the cast right on their heads and they took off for deeper water.
Rule 326: You never have the right fly on when DIY fly fishing the beachside flats in Xcalak.
About the flies
Acocote Drum Majorette imitates a swimming crab that is found in these waters. It swims sideways with one claw trailing and one claw across its face. It looks like a Drum Majorette doing a “Bow and Arrow”. Thus the name. I originally only called it Drum Majorette but being the marketing guy I am and with a suggestion from Doug Barnes of Nowpicturethis.com, I added the Acocote to the fly’s name.
Acocote Crazy Lady is a variant of the crazy charlie. I use sili legs on it, but the key tying material is fur from our little mutt Lady used for the wing. Perfect color.
