Rooster Fish Gear Guide
Ravenous Roosters!!! So, you want to chase down the mighty rooster on the fly?! The months of April and May are ideal for a trip to Mexico's Baja Peninsula in search of a once-in-a-lifetime rooster fish. Keep in mind that your guide (a seasoned roosterfish guide is your best bet) likely has his or her own gear recommendations and personal preferences. What I've supplied here is a solid starting point for fly-fishing equipment to carry on your trip!
Where to go? The trip that I took to land my BIG 45+ lbs roosters can be yours as well!
I fished with www.pursuitanglers.com.
Gear Guide * salt water edition *
Rods : 10 wt or 11 wt rod - I use the Thomas & Thomas fly rods.
Reel:You will need a smooth drag and a large arbour reel for these fish. It should have the capability to hold the line and 450 yards of + 45lb gelspun backing. I use my Abel reel sealed drag salt. I also use Ross reels .
Fly Line: A matching 10 or 11 wt WF tropical line will do. Airflo fly lines have outstanding slickness and cast well in hot tropical conditions.
Tippet: Fluorocarbon ranging from 60 lb to 40 lb, 30 lb, 20 lb – you can build your own leaders with this combo.
Flies: mullet patterns are what worked best for me (about 9 inches in length); sardine patterns, clousers, and crease flies work well too.
Using salt water hooks in 3/0-6
Other essentials:
Sun gloves or stripping gloves,
Sunglasses—I use Costa. They are polarized, and I tend to use the blue mirror for the ocean and sunny days.
Tip money in USD or pesos, hats, sun shirts, waterproof dry bags, nippers, hemostats, pliers, 50 UPF sunbuff, and a good spf 50+ sunblock (I use a good sunblock that’s used by surfers and it works great in the heat).