The Woolly Gentleman

Signature tierStrong match

Salty Fly Tying

Matched on Florida Keys & South Florida, streamer flies, tarpon. Drew Chicone's saltwater tying catalog and learning hub, strongest for saltwater pattern validation.

Florida Keys & South Floridastreamer fliestarpon

streamer fliestarponbroad catalog

Broad sourceBroad match

Fulling Mill Flies

Matched on streamer flies, tarpon, broad catalog. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.

Regional shopStrong match

Murray's Fly Shop

Matched on streamer flies, deer hair. Appalachian trout and smallmouth source with long-running regional fly catalog depth.

streamer fliesdeer hair

streamer fliestarponbroad catalog

Broad sourceBroad match

Orvis Fly Catalog

Matched on streamer flies, tarpon, broad catalog. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.

The Cockroach has been catching tarpon in the Keys since before Instagram existed, and it will be catching them long after whatever replaces it. Grizzly hackle feathers over deer hair create a profile that tarpon find absolutely irresistible -- or at least mildly interesting, which with tarpon is the same thing. Like a great novel, it improves every time you revisit it.

Quick Facts

TypeStreamer

Difficultyintermediate

SeasonsSpring, Summer

Target SpeciesTarpon

Sizes#1/0 - #3/0

Best LocationsBahia Honda Channel, FL; Key West Harbor, FL; Islamorada Backcountry, FL

Where to Fish It

Bahia Honda Channel

FL · Channels

Key West Harbor

FL · Bridges

Islamorada Backcountry

FL · Backcountry

Map unavailable. Locations for Cockroach Tarpon Fly: Bahia Honda Channel, FL; Key West Harbor, FL; Islamorada Backcountry, FL

Related Reading

region guide

Florida Keys: Chasing the Flats Grand Slam

The Florida Keys Grand Slam — bonefish, permit, and tarpon on the fly in a single day — is saltwater fly fishing's ultimate test. It demands mastery of three different species, three different presentations, and an almost unreasonable amount of luck. Here's how to stack the odds in your favor.

species science

The Silver King: Understanding Tarpon

Tarpon breathe air. They've survived five mass extinctions. They migrate thousands of miles, daisy-chain in mysterious circles, and when they eat your fly, they do things in the air that no other fish can do. Understanding what makes them tick is the first step toward actually landing one.

hatch guide

Saltwater Forage: Matching the Bait

In saltwater fly fishing, there are no hatches — there is forage. Mullet, shrimp, crabs, baitfish, and worms drive every feeding event on the flats, in the surf, and along the mangrove edges. Understanding the forage base and matching it precisely is the difference between a fish of a lifetime and an empty line.

technique

Solunar Tables: Science, Myth, and Practical Use

Solunar theory claims that the gravitational pull of the moon and sun creates predictable periods of peak animal activity. Saltwater anglers swear by it. Freshwater anglers roll their eyes. The truth, as usual, lives somewhere in between — and the practical implications might surprise you.

technique

Casting in the Wind: A Saltwater Caster's Guide

Wind is the defining challenge of saltwater fly fishing. It blows every day on the flats, and it doesn't care about your presentation. The anglers who catch fish consistently aren't the ones who wait for calm — they're the ones who've learned to cast through, under, and around the wind with techniques that turn the breeze from enemy to ally.

technique

Catch and Release: The Science of Fish Survival

We release fish and feel good about it. But does the fish survive? The science is both encouraging and sobering. Catch-and-release mortality varies from nearly zero to over forty percent depending on species, water temperature, fight duration, handling, and a handful of other factors entirely within the angler's control. Here's what the research says and how to maximize survival.

Black Death

Find a tier or trusted source

Florida Keys & South Florida

#1/0 - #4/0

An all-black tarpon fly with a rabbit strip tail and schlappen collar. Deadly in low-light conditions and dirty water. The fly you reach for when the silver kings are being difficult.

All BlackBlack/Purple

Tarpon

SprSumFallWin

Streameradvanced

Stu Apte Tarpon Fly

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Florida Keys & South Florida

#2/0 - #4/0

A legendary Keys tarpon pattern designed by the godfather of tarpon fishing himself. Saddle hackle wing with a collar of schlappen. Simple, proven, timeless.

Orange/GrizzlyCockroachRed/Yellow

Tarpon

SprSumFallWin

Purple Demon

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Florida Keys & South Florida

#1/0 - #3/0

A tarpon fly in an unlikely color that works uncommonly well. Purple and black with flash. Particularly effective in the early morning and late afternoon light of the channels.

Purple/BlackPurple/Grizzly

Tarpon

SprSumFallWin

Enrico's Tarpon Streamer

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Florida Keys & South Florida

#1/0 - #4/0

Enrico Puglisi's EP fiber tarpon pattern. The synthetic fibers shed water, cast effortlessly, and create a translucent baitfish profile that tarpon cannot ignore.

Tan/WhiteOlive/WhitePurple/BlackCockroach

Tarpon

SprSumFallWin

Streameradvanced

Laid Up Tarpon

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Florida Keys & South Florida

#1 - #2/0

A small, sparse tarpon fly designed specifically for laid-up fish in shallow backcountry basins. Minimal splash on entry, subtle action, maximum persuasion.

Tan/WhiteOlivePearl

Tarpon

SprSumFallWin

Tarpon Bunny

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Florida Keys & South Florida

#1/0 - #3/0

A rabbit strip tarpon fly with incredible swimming action. The undulating fur creates a lifelike profile that triggers aggressive strikes from rolling and migrating tarpon.

Black/PurpleTan/WhiteOliveCockroach

Tarpon

SprSumFallWin