Flies/Saltwater Flies; Tropical Waters

The 10,000-hour rule has brought the COGNAC FLY SERIES to the edge of perfection for all predators on the flats. Sink rate, swimming action, and intrinsic motion of each fly will bring your hook up ratio through the roof….reef!!

All flies are tied on Gamakatsu SL11-3H and SL12 hooks, which have the perfect wire size to strength ratio and for maximum penetration of large inshore species.” As my buddy Dan says, “Give ’em the irons screws of death!!!” Most hooks would straighten out, not the ones we use!! Remember we are too poor to buy the cheap shite… All size of flies is matched in balance with weighting and hook sizes to insure superior fishiness at all times!! Flies as great as fine Cognac, here’s to ya…

There are three basic predator scenarios on the flats with all of them requiring a different technique to master
--- First is the schooly’s or groups of bonefish, which can range from 20-2,000+ fish. These are usually smaller fish and have a competitive feeding habit attitude with usually an aggressive feeding behavior. Hit the outside edge of the school to draw out a small pack of fish for the bite. If you are lucky and very good the school may stay in the zone for few more shots at nice fish. Sometimes there are some big mamas on the outskirts of the group as well so keep your eyes peeled and don’t get lazy just catching fish.

---Secondly we have cruiser fish that are hunting on an opportunistic mode looking for anything that moves like a jack would do. Usually a cruiser is bigger fish by itself or with a couple wingman’s to spook up a meal. Sometimes this is the scenario where you might see a big bonefish cruising with an eagle ray, blue fin trevelle, or possibly a golden trevelle as a team. Speed is the name of the game with cruisers as they have there eyes scanning in all directions looking for food and for predators looking for them. Apply the 2 false cast rule here to get the fly in the water about 1-2 rod lengths of a lead. These fish love to see the fly dropping to the bottom as if it is diving back into a crack or hole to hide. Make sure your line is tight after the cast but at the same time let the fly sink into the cruising bonefish’s wheelhouse and get ready for the high-speed charge then a full stop with a slight downward tilt. If the bonefish stops anywhere near where you think your fly is strip strike in a long medium fast motion to come tight in the corner of its jaw……….clear your loops and your off to the races…

----Third scenario are the tailing fish, that most of the world finds to be the truest of fly-fishing on the flats and definitely the most exciting. Hand to hand combat at close range with Uber stealth techniques needed to get the job done. Usually the bonefish’s head is down and the tail is up, kind of like fishing for a rising trout on dry flies but in reverse…Always lead a tailing fish at least 2-3 rod lengths ahead of the fishes predicted path of feeding. Unlike schooly’s or cruising fish the tailers do not want to see the fly diving towards the bottom or hear it landing, but love to see the fly move slightly across the bottom as if the fly is traveling from one hole in the flats to the next a few inches away. Once a tailing fish has seen your fly DO NOT strip the fly again as you would to draw a bite in the other scenarios… Let your fly lay still on the bottom as the bonefish sips it up then slowly, very slowly keep your line tight with a long strip until your on…. you should be able to watch the fishes body language to tell if it has eaten your fly. A small happy tail waggle or a flare of its gill plates and headshake, just keep it tight and hang on!!!

PS…Fish the color combinations to best match the prey in your area and or the color of the predominant bottom colors as all small creatures try to hide in their surrounding environment. I have tied all the flies with the sink rate that matches the hook size and desired swimming action for the shape of the fly, an often over looked aspect that is all important to a super fishy fly.

PSS…. What really drives me bat crazy is clients coming from far away spending thousands of dollars on travel, lodging, restaurants, charters, rods, reels, fly lines etc…. and they show up with a $3 fly with a crappy hook that straightens out like my &$*%*^# on any fish over 5#s HELLLLLOOOOO the fly is the end game to all this fly fishing investment buy the best fly you can find!!!! PS…Fish the color combinations to best match the prey in your area and or the color of the predominant bottom colors as all small creatures try to hide in their surrounding environment. I have tied all the flies with the sink rate that matches the hook size and desired swimming action for the shape of the fly, an often over looked aspect that is all important to a super fishy fly.

Midgar & Mike`s Secret Bonefish Flies

Midgar & Mike`s Secret Redfish Flies

Midgar & Mike`s Secret Tarpon Flies

You don`t want to go hunting for bonefish without Mike`s Secret Bonefish Fly Arsenal. Great fishing flies, tied to fish by Midgar, what else do you need?? Well. maybe a couple of beers to chill yoiu down after a splendid fight with a 13 lbs bonefish taken on Mike`s killer patterns... :)

COGNAC MANTIS
This original pattern was created to target big bonefish looking for a big meal. What I found was that all size bonefish crushed it!! The shape and size of this killer fly imitates the basic shape and swimming action of a Mantis Shrimp, although many species of mantis live on the flats this pattern seems to match the hatch to stimulate the primal urge in predators of the flats. Thousands of hours of water time has gone into the sink rates of this fly to perfection.

Sink rate 2-seconds/1 meter
Proven: Bonefish, Permit, Redfish, Blue Trevelle, GT, Tarpon, Salmon, Trout, etc……

COGNAC SCAMPI
Internal weighting system is the secret to this fly. The Scampi rides with the hook up, a higher percentage than most flies as the counter weight helps the swimming action and the bounce off coral, rock and other hard bottom snags. A giant silhouette brings this fly into the feeding pattern of any predator from long range.

Soft landing, and tons of sexy movement will make this one of your got to patterns on the flats and beyond. Dipped in butter…DO NOT EAT!!!

Sink rate 3-seconds/1 meter
Proven: Bonefish, Permit, Redfish, and Tarpon, etc…..

COGNAC CRAB
Internal weighting system in this crab helps keep the fly free of snags for those 3 seconds you have to wait before the fly gets inhaled by a predator. This fly is designed to move or breath even without stripping the fly across the bottom. Remember this is a crab. Come tight with your fly then very slow crawl strip or very small erratic strips. Less is more with the movement of this fly to draw the bite.

Sink rate 3 seconds / 1 meter
Proven: Bonefish, Permit, Triggerfish, and Cod in the colder climates, etc…..

AMBA SLAMA
Low profile super specialized fly to target spooky fish. Put this fly right in the fish’s wheelhouse!! Get ready for a suicide charge and set the hook. Small jerky strips will imitate a small lost shrimp in big trouble. The prismatic color effect in the body really brings out the shrimpiness in our mind as well as the Bonefishes.

Sink rate 2.5-seconds/1 meter
Proven: Bonefish, small Trevelle, Triggers

COGNAC CLASSIC “G”
A new twist off this classic pattern to round out your flats arsenal for any trip you make to far away warm waters. Sink rate, and swimming action have been mastered in the Classic G. Get a few in all sizes to work the depth and sink rate you need for all scenarios the flats throw at you. Try to hit the sand channels as this will create small puffs of dust as you strip the fly which should make the bonefish lose their minds and inhale the fly to their tales!

Sink rate 2-seconds/1 meters
Proven: Bonefish, small Trevelle, etc……

COGNAC CREEDLER
This fly was tied in honor of my good buddy Dave that got me into this crazy sport and taught me to tie my first fly, his Mai Tai Clouser. The Creedler is an absolute killer as an all around great bonefish fly for flats anywhere in the world, and all size fish. Long slow strips mixed up with a couple small twitches and you’re ON!!

Sink rate 2.5-seconds/1 meters
Proven: Bonefish, small Trevelle, Redfish, etc……..

Mike`s Secret Bonefish Flies