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This is a list of all the flies in my #10 weight fly box for temperate & tropical destinations sorted by colour.

Translucent flies 

Translucent flies are my first choice for daytime fishing in any water that is isn’t carrying too much colour. Those flies can be in colours such as white, off white, silver, olives, browns and tans that imitate naturals such as baitfish, prawns, shrimp, crabs etc or colours such as red, orange, chartreuse, purple or black that trigger aggression or inquiry responses.

Candy – pelagic

Matching the hatch is the key to catching pelagics such as queenfish, tuna, Australian salmon and herring on fly. These unweighted flies are like candy to pelagic fish because they closely match the form and function of a lot of naturals they are targeting. In smaller sizes, particularly in pink, they are a handy fly for targeting flathead and bream in estuary waters.

Mud prawn – large 9cm or 10cm long

This is the biggest version of my Mud Prawn Fly and the one that I use when chasing barramundi in relatively clear salt water around structure such as drowned timber. It’s a very durable fly that swims hook point up so that it’s fairly snag resistant. It is designed not only to provide a representation of a prawn that is readily taken by barra of all sizes but it can be crept slowly over logs and other structure giving the maximum time for fish to respond, can be fished like a soft plastic or can be fished as a faster moving fleeing prawn.

Pregnant prawn – size #2/0 9 cm long

This bigger pregnant prawn fly is one of my goto flies here in Central Queensland estuary waters. I often fish it when targeting barra, grunter, jacks and flathead in estuary and harbour waters but it’s not unusual to hook up on queenfish, travally or other fish that eat prawns.

Natural - solid colours 

The colours of baitfish, prawns, shrimp, crabs etc are all good choices for flies that are imitating those naturals. Flies of the same colours of the naturals are my first choice for daytime fishing in any water where translucent flies may be hard to see or where marabou is an important element of the fly.

Articulated booby

A great fly for barra and mangrove jack … put a good cast into the target area and to allow the fly to settle for a few seconds before doing tiny twitches of the rod tip to cause some rings on the surface suggesting it’s a natural struggling and then if that doesn’t induce a strike to commence either a slow roly poly retrieve, or a series of stop start strips, back to the boat or bank. Whatever the retrieve the occasional pause followed by some twitches of the rod tip area good idea.

Wiggle minnow

By varying the materials used, the colours and size I have accounted for trout, bream, flathead, mangrove jack and even barramundi on wiggle minnows. The recipe I have set out below is just one version of this very adaptable fly and I would encourage you to individualize the fly to your own requirements.

Qantas colours 

Qantas colours of red or orange over white are very popular hard body lure colours in Queensland and equally successful for flies. This is my favorite ‘all rounder’ colour for flies in Queensland and works in both fresh and salt water, day or night. It seems that reds and oranges are up there among the most visible colours as water gets dirtier or darker. Red or orange head or backs over white, off white or shrimp coloured body and and /or back are the go.

Guns & roses 

Guns and Roses coloured of red over chartreuse are very popular hard body and soft plastic lure colours in Queensland and work equally well for flies particularly in low visibility water.

Pink and / or white 

A useful colour scheme for flies in Queensland particularly in water that is not so clear. In clear water great colour scheme for flathead.

Candy – pelagic

Matching the hatch is the key to catching pelagics such as queenfish, tuna, Australian salmon and herring on fly. These unweighted flies are like candy to pelagic fish because they closely match the form and function of a lot of naturals they are targeting. In smaller sizes, particularly in pink, they are a handy fly for targeting flathead and bream in estuary waters.

Brown bomber colours 

Hard body lures in brown bomber colour have earned a place as a popular lure colour combination for barramundi end estuary and coastal mangrove edged water. The same colour scheme is a great colour combination for target barra along the edge of mangroves.

Chartreuse 

Flies that are predominantly chartreuse are very popular with some fly fishers in Queensland and I have had the mantra if it is not chartreuse it of no use put to me an many occasions. I do not subscribe to that but I do carry a couple of flies in chartreuse over white, shrimp or off white for flats fishing.

Purple & blues 

In clear ocean water these colours reign supreme particularly when baitfish are are on predators menu. For daylight fishing the light grey, silver dun or white body and blue or purple head and/or back work best and at night or when predators are hunting aggressively black bodies and blue or purple head and/or back are the go.

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