Today, roosterfish are on the top of the must-catch list of saltwater fly fishing anglers. These fish, which are very common in Mexico’s Baja California Sur (BCS) region, can be pretty challenging to catch. However, with the right techniques, patience, and great roosterfish fly fishing gear & flies, you can always get the best out of your fishing experience at BCS, especially in Bahia de Los Suenos.

In the rest of the guide, you’ll discover how to choose the best roosterfish fly fishing gear and flies for your next fishing trip to Baja.

What exactly is roosterfish & why do anglers hunt this fish species?

Roosterfish is a one-of-a-kind game fish that’s very common in the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Today, Baja California Sur is one of the few places where you’ll find these fish. Little wonder why many anglers go on roosterfish fly fishing trips to this region in recent times.

Catching roosterfish on the beach is not an easy thing to do. When you spot a foraging roosterfish, for you to successfully land it, you need a lot of patience, polished stalking, and the right angling skills. Roosterfish are pretty smart and as soon as they notice anything unusual, they quickly dive deep into the water.

With Panga, an open outboard-powered fishing vessel, it’s a lot easier to catch roosterfish even if they swim deeper into the water. In this case, you need to take advantage of the best live bait and teasers to lure the fish up to the water’s surface.

Picking the best flies for roosterfish fly fishing

Going on a fly fishing trip for roosterfish is both fun and tricky. For you to increase your chances of landing your target fish, you need to use the right flies. So, here’s a quick question; what exactly are the best flies for roosterfish fly fishing?

Your choice of the right flies depends on the size of the roosterfish you’re targeting. For small roosterfish, Sardines and Needlefish are enough to do the magic. As for larger roosterfish; Mullet, Ladyfish, Mackerel, and Caballitos are the perfect options. In addition, you can also make use of the halfbeak baitfish, known as Ballyhoo.

Of course, the size of the baitfish also matters regardless of the size of the roosterfish you’re targeting. If you want the best fishing results, opt for baitfish of about 4 to 7 inches in length. For your entire fishing trip, you (beginner) certainly need about 2-3 dozen flies for a week fly fishing trip. One dozen flies is enough if you’re an angler that’s already having a mix of saltwater baitfish.

Picking the best gear for roosterfish fly fishing

Just like Baja flies, owning the best gear also matters for you to land your target roosterfish in Bahia de Los Suenos. For the best results, you need a stout rod & sturdy reel. Speaking of your sturdy rod; ensure it’s loaded with at least 300 yards of backing. This reel type, together with a rod that weighs 8, is perfect to land at least smaller roosterfish.

Furthermore, you need a floating line and a good sinking tip. The fly lines should have a powerful front taper. This is important to be able to turn over engaged flies and big leaders.

Speaking of your leaders and tippet, you can take advantage of the Rio Saltwater Fluorocarbon tippet of different weights, including 40lb, 30lb, and 20lb, to build your preferred leaders.