Tippets

A reminder to fly anglers competing in the summer-long CCA STAR tournament that there’s a bonus drawing again for 2012 in the Fly Fish Division. Weigh in any qualified speck (14 inches or larger) and, even if it doesn’t make the leaderboard, your name goes into a drawing to be held at the end of the tournament for a TFO BVK fly rod.

If you’re looking to make the leaderboard, topwaters early in the morning off the beaches have been catching fish in the 2- to 3-pound range. Poppers and gurglers work best. Best spots are Grand Isle, Johnson Beach, Holly Beach and Burns Point.

The marsh is full of sand trout. Work oyster reefs, beaches and mouths of bayous on a moving tide with a size 2 clouser tied 30 inches under a VOSI. This is great fun on a 6-weight rod.

As water heats up, reds want it slow. Go with Bendbacks, Charlies, Redchasers, Apte flies or crab patterns.

It’s been a great year so far for tripletail on the fly. Best pattern has been the Waldner Terminator Crab.

Spanish mackerel up to 6 pounds are being taken on Whitlock Baitfish and Seaducers. Be sure to move these flies very fast, or the fish will lose interest. A two-handed strip solves that problem.

Bream are still hitting jitterbees under a tiny float in bigger lakes like Toledo Bend, Lake Bruin and Lake D’Arbonne. Foam spiders are working best on small waters like Bayou Corne.

For bass, try frog-colored poppers early or late. Wooly Bendbacks have been doing great over grass mats, and should continue to do so through August.