• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Deneki Outdoors Fishing Lodges

Alaska | The Bahamas | Chile

  • About Deneki Outdoors
  • Our Fishing Lodges
    • Alaska West
    • Andros South
    • Rapids Camp
    • Rio Salvaje
  • Deneki Blog
    • Alaska West
    • Andros South
    • Chile
    • Fish
    • Fishing Reports
    • Fly Tying
    • Gear
    • General
    • Guest Posts
    • News
    • Rapids Camp
    • Rio Salvaje
    • Tips
  • Contact Us

Jan 21 2010

Rick Sisler’s Barracuda Rig

Cuda + popper = fun.  Photo: rustychinnisimages.com
Cuda + popper = fun. Photo: rustychinnisimages.com

Rick Sisler is our man on the ground in the Bahamas – he runs the show at Andros South.  He’s also got a whole bunch of years of guiding and angling experience in places like Alaska and Chile, and every once in a while he sneaks out for a little fishing on South Andros.

Rick knows how much fun it is to chase barracudas on the flats around the island.  If you were to run into Rick on his way out for a little ‘cuda session, here’s the rig you’d find him carrying.

The Summary

  • Sage 1090-4 Xi2 (or if you’re really up on your saltwater rods, try the new Xi3). “Both of these rods can punch big flies out where you want them and when it comes to the fight they will stand with the best of them.”
  • Sage 6010 Reel.
  • Sage Equator Taper II WF10F line.

The Detail

  • 30 pound dacron backing, tied to the spool with an arbor knot.
  • Backing attached to the fly line using a double nail knot with a bit of Aquaseal on each knot. “The double nail knot gives you a small amount of shock absorption between the two knots.”
  • Pre-tied Rio Toothy Critter leader, with no less than 30 pound wire, looped to the end of the fly line using the factory loops and a loop-to-loop connection.
  • Big ‘cuda fly clipped into the end of the Toothy Critter’s bite guard.

The Commentary

  • “The 6010 reel has a great drag for slowing down big fish, and a large arbor to bring them back to you quick. ‘Cudas are very fast and erratic so you need a reel that can pick up the line quick, this one can do it!  The drag knob is large and easily accessible for those inevitable in-fight adjustments.”
  • “The Equator Taper line matches well to the Xi2 and Xi3. It will load the rod quickly and will let you make a bomb cast at a moment’s notice. No need for much false casting with this line – just get it moving and let it go.”
  • “To make things easy I have been using the Rio Toothy Critter with no less than the 30 pound wire, all the way up to 60 pound wire if needed. ‘Cudas are not generally leader shy, but they are not stupid either, so if you get some refusals you may want to mix it up a bit. Lighten the wire tippet a bit or even try shortening it up.”
  • “Many flies will do the job just fine for ‘cudas, though I would prefer to use a popper of some type if at all possible. ‘Cudas love a commotion and with a big popper you can really make some noise. What better way to catch a cuda than on top – they are like musky or pike on steroids so you can imagine the strike! Other flies that work include needle fish patterns with tandem hooks and general baitfish patterns.”
  • “Always remember with ‘cudas to keep the fly moving away from them and very quickly at that. Nothing within sight of a ‘cuda ever stops to hang out, so don’t let your fly do that either! They want and need to be enticed into thinking the fly is worth killing, so at times you have to work at getting the strike. When that strike comes though, you better be holding on!”

More Expert Rigs

  • Ed Ward’s King Rig
  • Bruce Chard’s Bonefish Rig
  • Tom Larimer’s Steelhead Rig

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jonathan says

    May 25, 2012 at 10:48 am

    Is this the Rick Sisler that used to be in baseball? Is there a picture of him on the site?

Trackbacks

  1. Barracuda Flies for the Bahamas says:
    January 29, 2010 at 6:02 am

    […] Rick Sisler’s Barracuda Rig […]

  2. Sage Xi3 Rods - 1090-4 Review says:
    March 26, 2010 at 6:02 am

    […] Rick Sisler’s Barracuda Rig […]

  3. Barracuda Teeth - Be Careful says:
    May 22, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    […] How Our Manager Rigs for Them […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Plan Your Trip

Let our experts plan the fishing adventure of your dreams.
Contact Now

Search Topics

Subscribe to our newsletter

All Blog Posts

Recent Posts

  • Reel Women, Reel Adventure: Join us on a Fly Fishing Escape to Andros South Lodge in the Bahamas!
  • 7 Most Popular Smoked Salmon in the World
  • Fly Tying: March Brown by Kevin Foley
  • Who Doesn’t Like Potcakes?- Support The Bahamas by Helping the Potcakes
  • Tips on Mousing for Rainbow Trout and Grayling at Alaska West

All About Spey

All About Trout

All About Bonefishing

All About Gear

Best Posts

Footer

Deneki Outdoors

Mailing address:
200 W 34th Ave.
PMB 1170
Anchorage, AK 99503

Office:
4451 Aircraft Drive
Suite 202
Anchorage, AK 99502

US Information and Reservations
800-344-3628

International Information and Reservations
+1 907-563-9788

Email: info@deneki.com

Our Lodges

Rapids Camp
King Salmon, Alaska

Alaska West
Kanektok River, Alaska

Andros South
South Andros Island, The Bahamas

Rio Salvaje
Puerto Montt, Chile

Deneki Outdoors thanks Peter Viau, Tosh Brown, Abe Blair, Kyle Shea and Kara Knight for the beautiful photography used on our sites.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

#denekioutdoors

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 · Deneki Outdoors · Privacy Policy · Site by 21 Designs