Flies for the Tarpon Coast of the Yucatan




After Doug Jeffries and I got back from the Tarpon Coast in May 2011 Story from Blog, Raul Castaneda, our outfitter, sent us a picture of a fly with which he was having great success. He asked Doug and me what we would name it. I called it a spun deer hair deceiver. Doug thought it could be called a deceiver muddler too.
Raul's Spun Deer Hair Deceiver
Whatever the name, Raul was excited enough about the results he was having with it, to send us photo and ask our opinion what its name should be.
Well, Doug is going back to Campeche to fish the Tarpon Coast this week and he has tied a bunch of these flies and a few others. I thought you would like to see this fly and take a look inside Doug's fly boxes. Doug is a superb tier and was featured in a story in Fly Fishing in Salt Waters for his bonefish flies: Click Here


A couple days ago, Doug sent me some photos of his flies and his box for the trip.
Doug said in his e-mail to me: 
"I decided to just bring my small box next week since I'm only fishing 3 days. I tied up a couple new patterns to try.  One is based on those flies Raul sent us a photo of.  Remember they had a rattle in them and he asked if we called them a deceiver or muddler or what?"  
Raul's Spun Deer Hair Deceiver

Doug's Version

I answered Doug that I was sure I remembered the fly Raul sent us and sent him a picture of the one I thought he was referring to (see above). 

Doug replied, "Those are the ones Raul showed us. I had to use a Mustad 34011 to get a hook with a shank long enough to support the rattles I had. His look a little longer, but then if I compare them to the palm of his hand they don't seem all that long. We'll see!" 

Doug continued, "The other is a shrimp pattern and the last is another baitfish with feather wings, but Puglisi fiber collar. I like a full fly box, but there's always a little nagging thought in the back of my mind that I'm missing an important fly. Then I get there and only use one or two flies the whole time." 

Boy, can I relate to that! I usually take way too many flies on trips! But the bottom line is, if you are planning on taking a trip to the Yucatan to fish for tarpon and you get a chance to look in Doug's fly box, pay attention!!

Thanks Doug and good luck!
Shrimp Pattern
Another of Doug's Baitfish Patterns
The box!