Rods: 7- to 10-weight, 9-foot, fast action.
Lines: Intermediate sink (full line or shooting head system).
Leader/Tippet: 6- to 8-foot leader with 12- to 20-pound tippet.
Fly Patterns: Poppers (1/0, 2/0), baitfish (2/0, 3/0), shrimp (#2-#6).
Typical Gamefish: Salmon (pink, chum, silver) and striped bass.
Subsurface presentations provide the opportunity to work your fly over longer flight paths no matter what the surface conditions. With big predators like striped bass, baitfish imitations are often most effective, and they should be retrieved with an erratic motion to imitate injured or disoriented prey.
Watch for breaking fish and/or diving seagulls to direct your efforts and be prepared to react quickly. This type of activity is likely to be short and intense! You should also keep your eyes open for nervous or dark waters which may indicate bait balls on the move. Wherever there is prey, predators are nearby.
Under calm conditions you might experiment with drifting a tiny crustacean (like a Euphasid shrimp, or crab larva) near the surface. It�s a terrific technique particularly for Pacific salmon.
Bottom-oriented Gamefish:
Rods: 7- to 10-weight, 9-foot, fast action.
Lines: Sinking-tip or full sinking lines.
Leader/Tippet: 4- to 6-foot leader with 8- to 18-pound test tippet.
Fly Patterns: Baitfish imitations (3/0-#2), shrimp and crab patterns (#2-#6).
Typical Gamefish: Surf perch, halibut, flounder, and croaker.
Shallow-water Gamefish:
Rods: 6- to 9-weight, 8 1/2- or 9-foot, moderate or fast action.
Lines: Floating, intermediate sink, or sinking-tip.
Leader/Tippet: 6- to 12-foot leader with 8- to 16-pound test tippet.
Fly Patterns: Baitfish imitations (1/0-#2), shrimp and crab patterns (#2-#6).
Typical Gamefish: Corbina, halibut, croaker, and flounder.
