I am going to be doing a bit of fishing this year in quite deep, lifeless estuary water.

I know blue/silver is a great theme, but what flies work best in near flowless estuary water?

Are snake flies worth a throw in deadish water, or do you need good flow to work them?


thanks!

i deep slow water i would think its more important to get the retrieve right rather than what fly they will have more time to inspect it so the action of the fly/lure will be more of a concern to you for sucess ,snakes,tubes doubles will all work /silver and blue /silver and black but dont forget the muddler on a short leader fished with a sinking tip/line that will get you down to where they are but it shouldnt sang hope that helps [just my thoughts ]

I would agree with what Speycaster says and not worry too much about fly design but squirrel blue and silver would do. I would quite happily use any of the flies I would use further up river.

I would be trying to get down to the fish and getting a retreive speed that interests them, very seldom do I let my flies drift around on the current without any retrieve.

If true estuary, wont be "lifeless" wait till 30 mins after tide turns to go out, and you will be astounded at speed of water moving downstream. silver /blue or silver /claret do it for me in estuaries, if very deep, (over twelve feet) tie flies with dumbell eyes to get down, vary retrieve from fast strip to figure of eight, and you should do ok.
dont ever fish on incoming tide in sluggish deep estuaries from bank, only outgoing or slack water.
REGARDS
BERT

An estuary can cover quite a large expanse of water...
as in an inlet or inner harbor surrounded by sand dunes etc.

Eg. The Moy and Erne estuary.

But I think you mean more the tidal pools or the river outlet/mouth into an estuary?

For estuary fishing in more the tidal zone with brackish water and weed structure you will get alot of juvinile bait fish including herring fry, sand eel, and mullet fry depending on the time of year. So patterns such as surf candies, small clousers, doll flies and mylar sand eel patterns work well.
Favorite colours include: chartruse/olive, blue, silver and white with pearly flash. Weighted shrimp patterns also work well around weeded structure.

This sort of water in best fished on the turn of the tide at low water (on both the rising and ebbing tide) when bait fish cluster in concentrated numbers at the side of estuary channels and attract sea trout like rats to cheese.

Will go along with all that Joey1 has said,

I do a lot in two estuary's,and the areas are stone covered and weed. and they do hold shrimp/sandeels do come over the areas looking for feed i think, as they tend to live in sandy areas. but have seen them burrow in small gully's of sand between the rocks, when i have watched them being trapped and feed on with bass and sewin.

Best times i have found, have been two hours ether side of low water.

patterns for me, have been shrimp/ sandeel patterns (use snakes flies for that) clousers all work well.


These are the snakes i use,

And the shrimp patterns

hope this helps,

Dai.

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For the mullet, herring and other fry imitations.


Lovely flies as always Dai. The mylar snake lures are brilliant!

Hi J1, Thanks for your comments on the snakes, yes they do work very well. plus you can tie them up in other patterns colors,

But have to say, do like those minnow patterns you posted.

Dai

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I'd say more important is the depth and action of the fly, even at dead water there is a density gradient between the fresh and salt water meaning the fresh water flows out over a wedge of saltwater trying to push in underneath, so for fresh fish, firstly I'd say fish deep. Secondly, if the water is lifeless, then no matter the pattern you have to work the fly to give it life. With regards to flies, if they're fresh from the sea, then use sea type patterns as that's what they've been eating, the above photo's are good 'uns.

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