Espíritu Santo Bay Collection
Espíritu Santo Bay Collection
Recommended Gear
put our experience to work for you
For decades the warm salty air, brilliant turquoise waters, and thrilling fish of the saltwater flats environment have beckoned us during the cold winter months in Big Sky Country. Like Tarpon returning year after year, we migrate south to feel the warmth of the tropics and the abundance of the flats.
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Espiritu Santo Bay Custom Fly Assortments
Regular price
Sale price$170.00
PUT BSA'S DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO FLY SELECTION TO WORK FOR YOU!
Nowhere do our years of experience as destination anglers pay off more than in our custom fly selections. We have worked side-by-side with the guides and staff at Blacksmith Lodge to create a selection of flies that can make the difference between a good trip and an excellent one.
Select the quantity of flies you would like, and we will build a custom fly assortment with patterns that have proven themselves time and again over the years, as well as new flies that have earned a spot from recent trips.
Your fly assortment will be hand-picked by our staff, and come in a Big Sky Anglers fly box (box shown is an example).
ALREADY HAVE A SELECTION THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ROUND OUT?
Feel free to email a picture of your fly box to INFO@BIGSKYANGLERS.COM. We will build a Custom Fly Assortment to compliment your existing selection.
Pairs well with
Espíritu Santo Bay
Rods & Reels
Primarily 9 and 10 weights for Permit, Snook, and Tarpon. 8 weights for light wind days and bonefish. Fly rods for all saltwater flats applications should be fast action models with fighting butts capable of handling windy conditions and delivering heavier flies. We also always recommend bringing a backup rod in case of breakage.
Reels should be anodized, saltwater models rated to hold at least 200 yards of backing, equipped with high quality, smooth, fully sealed drag systems. We cannot stress enough the importance of a reel with a high quality drag to prevent break-offs from the blistering runs of a hooked fish!
Espíritu Santo Bay
Fly Lines, Leaders, and Tippet
Nearly all bonefish and permit applications require a weight forward saltwater floating line, however when fishing for tarpon or other big game species there are sometimes scenarios and conditions that dictate using an intermediate sinking or full sinking line. Fly lines can easily break on coral or mangroves, so make sure to bring additional lines as backup.
The trip of a lifetime is no time to scrimp on terminal tackle. We recommend traveling with a fresh set of leaders and tippet ranging from 8-10lb test for bonefish, 12-16lb test for permit, and 50-80lb test for tarpon and snook. Wire leaders are a must for barracuda and sharks as well.
• Bonefish: Average Espiritu Santos Bay bonefish are not particularly large (2-4 pounds) and can be leader-shy at times. Normally 9-10' 8 lb tapered leaders work fine. At other times you can get away with 10-12lb leaders and tippet, so you should have these on hand.
• Permit: We recommend fishing 10-12' 16-pound test tapered leaders most often. There are times when you can get away with 20-pound test, while sometimes you will need to downsize to twelve (12) pounds. For this reason, you should have additional leaders and tippet material on hand. We also always recommend using fluorocarbon tippet material as it is more abrasion resistant.
• Tarpon: Unless you are interested in setting IGFA records, we recommend simply rigging your tarpon leaders with straight fluorocarbon. A 5-6’ section of non-tapered fluoro is super strong and easy to tie with a loop-to-loop connection onto your fly line. When fishing for baby tarpon in the backcountry mangroves, you are constantly hanging up in the trees. For this reason, fishing class leaders can be troublesome as you will always be breaking off flies in the mangroves. It is more practical to use class leaders when fishing the flats away from the mangroves if you prefer.
o Juvenile Tarpon: 50-60lb Fluorocarbon
o Adult Tarpon (May-September): 80-100lb Fluorocarbon
o Class Leaders: 16-22lb Class - 60-80lb Shock
Espíritu santo Bay
Footwear
Fishing in Espíritu Santo Bay is done from flats skiffs and by wading. Good wading boots or shoes pay dividends when stalking the flats for tailing fish, and flip flops will get you from the lodge to the skiff and back in comfort.
Espíritu Santo Bay
Outerwear & Apparel
Fishing in the tropics requires comfortable, lightweight clothing that will keep you cool and protect from the hot sun.
A good, high-quality rain jacket and pants will come in handy if the weather turns, or for wet boat rides.
Espíritu Santo Bay
Packs & Bags
Durable, water-proof, sand-proof bags that can easily go from the lodge to the skiff to wading the flats are a must.
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Espíritu Santo Bay
Luggage and travel organizers
More than almost anything else we carry with us across the world, high quality, weather-proof packs and bags can make or break a good trip.
Espíritu Santo Bay
Tools and Accessories
Sometimes it's the little thing that make a big difference when you're a long way from home. Here's our collection of must have tools and accessories to not leave home without.
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