There are many whitebait flies available in synthetics and natural fiber. Always have a bunch of different ones with you. This particular one has an epoxy head that gets it down in the water. Whitebait patterns work on about any fish you'll find in Charlotte Harbor or the Gulf beaches.

Whistler an oldie but goodie - Not sure if this pattern is as old as the cockroach but its been around as long as I have been fly fishing. Great for reds, tarpon and snook.

Synthetic fiber baitfish fly - These are available at most fly shops. Make sure they are tied on 2X or 3X hooks. You don't need HD hooks for reds and snook but if you come across a back country tarpon you'll be able to keep connected to her beyond the first jump.

Long day yesterday. Prepping the boat at 4:45am cleaned up and left the dock at 6:30pm. Both striped bass trips were fun and productive though the afternoon was a bit slower than the morning. Burton McConnell and his son-in-law from Canada got a 17 pound 37" Kennebec River striped bass on spinning fishing gear during the morning trip along with two slot fish and 4 other stripers from 28" to 33". The girls on the afternoon trip with their parents caught smaller striped bass in the lower Kennebec near Popham Beach including one for supper.

Offshore shark fishing was a bit slow but Reagan (10) his grandpa Steve and Donna all got to land A blue shark. Reagan by the way, is a bait catching machine keeping us in fresh mackerel and pollock the entire trip. Videos coming but for now check out the poses this ocean sunfish (Mola Mola) gave us on the ride out through Eastern Casco Bay! Both profile and vertical shots. At one point it was scratching its back on the bottom of the Obsession. We also saw a small pod of Porpoise but they were not as willing to be photographed as the sunfish. Nope, no great white sightings, sorry.