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Welcome to the NEW
"Use What Captain Sally Uses"!
(this page is still under development, so keep checking back for more info and links)
If you've ever wanted to know what a professional guide uses and why they use it, the answers are here on this page!
You can even purchase some of the items right here at a great on-line price!
Click on the links below to jump right to the category you are interested in, or just scroll through the list and find some great secrets!
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Conventional Rods
Fly Rods Fly Reels
Reels
Flies
Lures
Maps & Charts
Boots
Kayaks & Kayak Gear
Pushpoles
Boats
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I use only Laguna Custom Rods, they have been a sponsor of mine for the past year.
Laguna Rods, I think, have revolutionized rodbuilding on the Texas Coast! This is a group of people who have fished the Texas Coast their entire lives and know, exactly, what the different fishing styles demand! Lightweight conventional rods with great action and beautiful workmanship, that's why I use them! When you order, you can have your name put on it, any number of cool logos, and wrapping in your choice of colors. It's a true custom rod built just for you!
The Rods I use are:
The Custom Classic 7' rod in medium light - This is your All-Around light-tackle spinning rod that "does it all" - spoons, light plastics and topwaters.
$300 Spinning
$260 Casting
The Custom Topwater 6'9" rod in medium light - This is a special topwater rod for the angler that needs a specialized rod for every occasion.
$300 Spinning
$260 Casting
A super special Custom 7'6" rod in medium light is my favorite rod. It's light and responsive, accurate and fast for light spoons and weedless/weightless plastics.
$300 Spinning
$280 Casting
Laguna Production Rods - Coming Soon!
These rods are not "custom built for you", but they have the great Laguna name and are offered at a more affordable price.
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Fly Rods
You CAN afford a great Fly Rod!!!
I use the Temple Fork Outfitters TiCR X, fast action 9' 8 weight flyrod. It's a 4-piece rod that weighs 5.4 ounces and if you like a fast rod, this is fast.
OK, you are used to seeing great fly rods in the $600 and up range. WRONG! This rod costs around $250 - that's it! This is another unbelievable product used by savvy anglers (who like to keep within a budget!). I hope to be able to offer this product to you through my website soon!
From the TFO Website...."Lefty designed the TiCr X Series to be a powerful angling tool. Rod weights 5-8 are designed to present flies at distant targets. Rod weights 9-12 have the power to launch larger flies and to lift an angry fish out of the depths. The reserve power in the TiCr X Series give these rods the ability to carry a lot of line in the air and can easily be over lined for close-in work. The X rod's blue finish spring to life in a little sunlight while the flor grade cork, oversized titanium oxide stripping guides, and uplocking reel seat with cushioned hoods top off this ultimate package of form and function.
If you like a slightly slower rod (Medium-Fast Action), try the Original TICR Series....
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Reels
Spinning Reels
The Shimano Sedona or Sahara 2500 series spinning reels are available anywhere and about $60 or so. They are light and last a long time. All reel repair places are familiar with this reel and carry all of the spare parts necessary to keep it running.
A really inexpensive choice that I have extensively tested is the Mitchell Avocet 2500 series. It's about $20 (that's right) and I have put it through more bad treatment than you can believe. You can find it at Cabela's, Walmart and in Rockport at Tackle Town. I use this reel for kayak fishing because if it gets really gritty, you can just throw it away and get a brand new one!
A new reel that I'm about to try (in the $60 range), is a Tica 2500. Shiny and fast looking, I have been told by other guides that this is a really realiable workhorse of a reel. I'll keep you posted on this one.
Casting Reels
Being a devout Shimano Curado user (and you know they stopped making them), I'm testing out some new and good-priced replacement reels, namely the Cabela's Prodigy. Comparable to the old Curado Super-Free, it's priced at $100, it has the features of high-priced casting reels. I'll keep you posted on how this reel is working for me.
Fly Reel
 Currently, I'm testing out the Temple Fork Outfitters TFR 340 Large Arbor reel. I'll let you know how it's working! Lots of my friends and clients have been very happy with the look of the reel and the drag system.
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Flies
Capt. Sally's Hand-Tied Flies
 My absolute "go-to" fly is the "Foxy Clouser" in White/Chartruese. This fly is hand-tied here in Rockport using a special Arctic Fox fur on a size 4 hook. "If it ain't Chartruese, what's the use?" is the old saying here!
$24 for 1/2 dozen hand-tied flies that you can get nowhere else but here! Click Here to Buy the Foxy Clouser now!
Another hand-tied fly that I use all of the time is the .jpg) "Baited Breath" in the crab colors. This fly is also hand-tied here in Rockport using a special Arctic Fox fur on a size 4 hook. For tailing fish, this fly can't be beat! It moves a little more quickly toward the bottom and jumps like a tiny crab putting redfish on notice that there's something to eat nearby!
$24 for 1/2 dozen hand-tied flies that you can get nowhere else but here! Click Here to Buy the Baited Breath now!
The "Foxy Blonde" is the fly that I whip out "when everything else doesn't work". Light and fluffy, it's presentation is sweet and it's a fly that a fish can't swim past. An all-white clouser, hand-tied here in Rockport using a special Arctic Fox fur on a #6 hook, you can't find this fly anwhere but right here.
$24 for 1/2 dozen hand-tied flies that you can get nowhere else but here! Buy it now!
The "Ron's Rockport Popper" is currently under development. You will be the first to see it when it's tested, tried and true!
Another "must-have" in your fly box is a #6 Seaducer. In natural colors and a red/white or pink/white combination, this fly can be presented almost silently and is best used when the water is super low or the surface of the water is glassy and quiet.
$24 for 1/2 dozen hand-tied Seaducers in Natural. Buy it now.
$24 for 1/2 dozen hand-tied Seaducers in Red/White. Buy it now.
If you like spoon flies, check out Boone's Spoone's. I use the size #6 spoon in the following colors:
Gold with Red Tail
Clear with Chartruese Tail
Purple with Chartruese Tail
Bleeding Gold (avail. in #4 only)
I also use the Butter Rum Sand Flea (size #4) which is deadly most all of the time. It looks just like a shrimp and the colors are dazzling over grass. Tailing fish can't resist.
A couple of other flies that I think are outstanding for Rockport fly fishermen are designed and tied by a good friend and fellow fishing guide, Billy Trimble. His "Blind Chicken" and "Mai Tai Crab" are both killers.
Lures
Gold Spoons
In 1/4 ounce and 1/8th ounce, you cannot believe the effectiveness of the Bagley "Textured" weedless gold spoon. Because of it's golf-ball-like dimpled texture, it's reflection makes fish think there are many bait fish in a school. This lure outfishes the standard weedless Johnson spoon, for sure.
Topwaters
Almost always, you will find me shallow water sightcasting with a Super Spook, Jr., in Bone/Silver Sides, Baby Redfish, Baby Trout, Pink Head/White, or Chartruese Head/Black. From time to time, I'll toss a Skitterwalk in similar colors, or a She Dog, if the water is off, it's windy or deeper, when I need a little more noise.
Soft Plastics
Shallow water sightcasters throwing soft plastics need something that looks natural and can be presented quietly. Here are my choices for sightcasting:
Brown Lures Big-Eyed Mullet is a paddletail lure with a great big eye! The colors I use are Texas Gold Rush, Black Cat, Pearl, Amber and Pink. With a 1/16th ounce jig head an angler can operate this lure as a suspending bait, a topwater (when worked really fast), or a regular plastic presentation, either fast or slow.
DOA C.A.L. small paddletails in Silver Mullet and Electric Chicken. Redfish knock the livin' stuff out of the Silver Mullet and trout love the Electric Chicken. I use them with 1/16th and 1/8th ounce jig heads and rigged weedless and weightless for sight-casting when the water is low or grassy! These are a staple in my tackle box.
Texas Rattlin' Rig's Chatter Tube lure in Pumpkinseed/Chartruese, Pearl/Chartruese, Black/Chartruese. This lure is a slow sinking suspending bait that works great when the water is cooler or deeper (But really, any time you want a slow presentation, you can use this lure with confidence...). Dangle this bait in front of a laying redfish and bring him quickly out of a deep sleep! It has a little rattle in it that gives this plastic something extra!
Spinner Baits
Redfish Magic is the lure I usually use, along with a Brown Lure Big-Eyed Mullet.
Crank Baits
One of the most effective crank baits is the Mann Baby-1, or the Bandit.
Maps and Charts
Shoreline Maps & Publishing
All of the aerial maps that I use to navigate the thousands of acres of back lakes come from Shoreline Maps. Here are a few of the maps that I keep with me all of the time:
Lighthouse Lakes & Brown & Root Flats Buy it now
Copano Bay and St. Charles Bay Buy it now
Mustang Island Paddling Trails(including East Flats & Shamrock) Buy it now
Check out the ShorelinePublishing.com website to order your custom map.
Hook N Line Map Company
For all of the best maps produced for fishing, fly fishing and kayaking, check out www.hooknline.com. Joe Trombley and I have worked together to make sure that all of the kayak launch points are listed on his maps, which he is constantly updating.
Boots
Foreverlast Boots and Guards for Stingray protection.
I have been wearing stingray protection on my feet since the very first boot came on the market. It is a very cheap insurance policy to make sure you stay healthy on the water. Personally, I wear the Ray Guard tall boot with the guards built-in. There are several other products from Foreverlast that I also recommend, they are:
Ray Guard Tall Stingray Boot Buy it now
Ray Guard Short Stingray Boot Buy it Now
Ray Guard Ray Shields Buy it now
Kayaks & Kayak Gear
Kayaks
The Ocean Kayak "Drifter" has been my kayak of choice since the day they came on the market. For my purpose, this kayak fills all of the needs that I have as a fishing guide. It is the most stable kayak on the market, it weighs 56lbs, has a 500 lb capacity and will hold almost every body type comfortably. You can stand up on it easily, it floats very shallow and is super quiet. For me, this kayak fills every need that I have as a kayak fishing guide.
Seats
Surf to Summit has a seat that is super comfortable, for both your back and booty. The "Elite" is a little expensive, but you get what you pay for.
Paddles
For a great carbon paddle that's not too expensive, try the Bending Branches Breeze Day Angler. It's super light, not too expensive and has a great rule to measure your fish on! Click Here to check it out!
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