Fly fishing for Luderick (Girella tricuspidata), is gaining popularity but it is still a little outside the mainstream. However, for those seeking a unique angling puzzle, it offers immense satisfaction. These weed grazing fish, often seen ghosting along rock walls and weed beds, can be surprisingly willing targets for the fly angler who cracks the code. Forget explosive surface strikes — this is a game of subtlety, finesse, and keen observation.
An Aussie Favourite
The Luderick holds a special place as an Aussie favourite, being a familiar sight throughout estuaries and coastal waters along the east coast of Australia. During tough economic times, such as the Great Depression in the 1930s, their reliable presence and accessibility from the shore made them a crucial and affordable food source for many coastal communities. Luderick are easily recognised by their deep bodies, typically grey, bronze, or almost black, and their distinct dark, vertical bars. Their relatively small mouth is perfectly adapted for their primary diet of various algae and seaweeds, particularly green sea lettuce and ribbon weed. While predominantly vegetarian, they will occasionally ingest small crustaceans and other invertebrates found amongst the weed beds. For generations, these fish have been a staple catch along the coast, respected for their availability and fine eating qualities.
Geographically, the Luderick's primary range extends along the eastern coastline of Australia, from southern Queensland down through New South Wales and Victoria, reaching into Tasmania. Populations are also found across the Tasman Sea on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand, where they are commonly known as Parore.
Coastal Habitats and Behaviour
Luderick are primarily found in coastal environments with good water flow, where they favour structured areas. In estuaries, they typically inhabit rock walls, bridge pylons, jetties, channel edges, and especially areas with ribbon weed. They also frequent ocean rock platforms, grazing on weed in washes and gutters, and can be found around breakwaters and harbours offering suitable structure and weed growth. Luderick are generally schooling fish, often observed moving steadily along rock walls or feeding with a deliberate, head-down grazing action within weed beds.
The Spawning Cycle
These seasonal movements culminate in a crucial biological event: spawning. Luderick typically aggregate in large numbers during the cooler winter months, particularly from late Autumn through to a peak around June to August in New South Wales. These dense aggregations usually form near estuary mouths or along exposed coastal rocky headlands — locations offering specific mixes of freshwater and saltwater, tidal flow, and current that are crucial for the successful dispersal of eggs and larvae. During spawning, fish release vast quantities of eggs and milt (sperm) directly into the water column in a process known as broadcast spawning. After spawning is complete, these large schools tend to disperse, with fish either returning to their typical feeding grounds or remaining somewhat nomadic for a period.
Seasonal Movements and Beach Visits
These seasonal patterns, particularly those linked to spawning aggregations, can also see Luderick appear in less typical locations, such as ocean beaches. Their appearance near beaches, particularly those adjacent to rocky headlands or estuary mouths, is strongly linked to moving towards or holding near coastal spawning areas, where they might forage. Crucially, wave action, particularly after periods of swell, effectively dislodges weed and small invertebrates along beaches and rocky intersections. Luderick then move into these shallow gutters and washes close to shore to graze on this newly available food source. Specific types of preferred algae might also bloom seasonally along shallow coastal fringes during this period, further drawing the fish in. Therefore, during winter and early spring, it's not uncommon to find Luderick foraging surprisingly close to shore along beaches adjacent to their usual rocky or estuarine haunts.
The Subtle Challenge - Why Luderick on Fly?
Why trade the proven effectiveness of traditional methods for the fly rod when chasing Luderick? For many, it's simply about embracing a unique challenge. Applying fly fishing principles to a primarily vegetarian fish requires a complete rethinking of presentation and fly design. In calmer, clearer waters, the pursuit often becomes an exciting visual game where you can spot schools, adding the thrill of sight-fishing. Furthermore, mastering the incredibly subtle Luderick take on fly and learning to detect that almost imperceptible pause or twitch is a skill in itself. Once hooked on light fly gear, these fish use their deep bodies to surprising effect, offering a determined and dogged fight, especially when structure is nearby. Ultimately, there's immense satisfaction in cracking the code and fooling a fish with a fly designed to imitate salad,
Taking this unique pursuit to the surf adds an entirely new dimension of difficulty and reward. Battling waves, currents, and wind while trying to present a small, delicate fly effectively demands a high level of casting and line management skill. Working around wave-swept rocks and weed beds, typical haunts for surf Luderick, presents constant challenges with snags and maintaining position. Success in this dynamic environment, where visibility is often reduced and conditions are constantly changing, elevates the challenge significantly, making each Luderick brought to hand in the wash a hard-earned and memorable victory.
Gearing Up: Rods and Reels
Selecting the right fly rod and reel is crucial for effectively targeting Luderick, and the ideal setup changes significantly depending on whether you're fishing calm estuary waters or tackling the dynamic surf zone.
For calm estuary environments, where you might be fishing around jetties, pontoons, or sheltered weed beds, a lighter, more sensitive setup is generally preferred. A 5 or 6 weight fly rod around 9 feet is often ideal. This weight offers enough power to cast the relatively small Luderick flies with accuracy, while providing excellent sensitivity to detect their incredibly subtle takes. The lighter weight also makes fighting a deep-bodied Luderick in close quarters a fun and sporting challenge. Pair this with a matching 5/6 or 6/7 size fly reel with a smooth, reliable drag. While not constantly exposed to crashing waves, ensure the reel is saltwater-resistant and cleaned thoroughly after each outing to prevent corrosion. A large arbor reel is beneficial for quick line retrieval.
Moving to the surf, the demands on your gear increase dramatically. Here, you're contending with waves, currents, and often wind, requiring more power to cast and manage your line. An increase in rod weight is necessary and a 7 or 8 weight rod is recommended. The extra backbone helps punch casts into the wind, control line in turbulent water, and provides more leverage when fighting a fish that might be trying to bury itself in wave-swept rocks or weed. A length of 9' or 10' can also be advantageous for keeping more line off the water and aiding in longer casts. The reel in the surf needs to be significantly more robust. Ideally, look for a heavy-duty, fully sealed saltwater reel in a size matching your rod (7/8 or 8/9 size). A sealed drag system will help to prevent sand and saltwater ingress, which can quickly ruin performance — your reel will likely get wet, potentially submerged, and constantly sprayed with salt. Having said that, I regularly use a Redington Behemoth in the surf. I am very careful it doesn't get dunked or dropped in the sand, and I follow up every session with a good clean to remove salt and sand.
Regardless of the environment, matching your rod and reel appropriately to the conditions will make a significant difference in your ability to present the fly effectively and successfully land these challenging fish.
Gearing Up: Lines and Leaders
Having the right fly line and leader setup is crucial when targeting Luderick, dictating everything from casting performance to presentation and your ability to land a hard-fighting fish, particularly near structure. The requirements change significantly depending on whether you're fishing calm estuary waters or the challenging surf zone.
Calm Estuary & Harbour Waters
In the relatively sheltered environment of estuaries and harbours, presentation and subtlety are paramount. Here, a floating fly line is generally your best friend. A weight forward taper is ideal, as it helps turn over longer leaders and can assist with casting in occasional wind. Floating lines allow for easy mending to control the drift of your fly over weed beds or around structure, and they keep the line off the water surface, minimising the chance of spooking these often wary fish.
Your leader setup should be relatively long and finely tapered to achieve a delicate presentation and maximise stealth. A 9-12 foot tapered leader is a common starting point. This can be a single knotless tapered leader or constructed from several sections of monofilament or fluorocarbon tied together. Fluorocarbon is often preferred for its lower visibility and abrasion resistance, though standard monofilament can offer softer presentation. The tippet breaking strength for estuary Luderick typically ranges from 4lb to 6lb (approx. 2kg to 3kg). In exceptionally clear water or when fish are particularly spooky, dropping down to 3lb (1.5kg) might be necessary, while fishing very tight to barnacle-encrusted pylons or rocky walls might warrant stepping up to 8lb (4kg). The key is finding the balance between invisibility and sufficient strength.
Surf Waters
Tackling Luderick in the surf zone demands a more robust and direct setup. The dynamic environment with waves, currents, and wind makes managing a floating line difficult and reduces the need for super-fine presentation, in this case you might find switching to an intermediate or slow-sinking fly lines more effective. These lines cut through the surface chop, help maintain contact with your fly in turbulent water, and allow you to get the fly down quickly into the feeding zone around wave-swept structure. For me, I tend to stick with either a full float line or a sink tip. Using a stripping basket will help line control significantly and minmise loops of line wrapping around your feet.
Your leader in the surf needs to be shorter, stronger, and highly abrasion resistant. A shorter, heavier tapered leader is recommended, typically ranging from 7 to 9 feet. This shorter length is easier to cast into the wind and manage in the waves. Construction can vary, but a sturdy fluorocarbon leader is highly advisable due to its excellent abrasion resistance against rocks, mussels, and sand, as well as its low visibility. The tippet breaking strength should be significantly increased compared to estuary fishing, commonly ranging from 8lb to 12lb (approx. 4kg to 6kg). This heavier tippet provides the grunt needed to battle fish in strong currents and haul them clear of snags like submerged rocks or gutters before the next wave hits. In very rough, rocky areas, some anglers might even consider stepping up to 15lb (7kg) or heavier.
Gearing Up: Flies
Targeting a predominantly vegetarian fish like the Luderick on fly inherently means rethinking traditional fly patterns. Unlike chasing predatory species, your fly box for Luderick fishing will be filled with patterns designed to imitate their primary food source: weed and algae. Think simple, buggy, and natural colours. The most common flies are variations of "weed flies" or "algae patterns," typically constructed with dubbing, chenille, yarn, or thin zonker strips in shades of olive green, dark green, brown, or black. The texture and movement these materials provide underwater are key to looking like a detached piece of their natural forage drifting in the current or clinging to structure.
However, the specific environment you're fishing dictates important variations in these fundamental patterns. In the relatively calm and often clearer waters of estuaries — around jetties, moored boats, oyster racks, or visible weed beds — presentation is paramount. Flies for these situations are typically lightly weighted, if at all, which allows for a slow, natural sink rate and a subtle drift in gentle currents. The goal is to have the fly behave as realistically as possible, appearing as an enticing, easy meal drifting by. Delicate dubbing loops or sparse chenille bodies on small hooks are common here, prioritising realism and a quiet entry into the water to avoid spooking fish in shallow or calm conditions.
Conversely, taking on Luderick in the dynamic surf zone demands flies with different characteristics. The turbulent environment of waves, currents, and potential rips means your fly needs to get down quickly and stay in the feeding zone. Surf Luderick flies are generally more heavily weighted, often incorporating a tungsten bead or weighted wire under bodies to help them cut through the wash and reach the bottom structure where the fish are feeding. Durability becomes much more critical — these flies need to withstand powerful casting, abrasion from sand and rocks, and the general abuse of fishing in the waves. Patterns for the surf might be slightly bulkier or use materials that offer more assertive movement to be noticed in the turbulent water.
If you are looking to tie your own weed flies these videos from Troutlore and Hooked on Flies will get you started.
Weed Fly for Luderick - Saltwater Fly Pattern - Troutlore Fly Tying
Tying two types of weed flies for Luderick - Hooked on Flies
Techniques and Tips
Catching Luderick on fly fundamentally hinges on two critical elements — good presentation and ultra-sensitive bite detection. Stealth is paramount, these fish, especially in clear estuary waters, are incredibly wary. Approach quietly, avoid sudden movements or casting directly over a school if you can spot them. The core technique is achieving a natural drift. Cast your weed fly upstream or up-current of likely holding areas — along rock walls, jetty pilings, or over weed beds — and allow it to sink and drift unhindered, mimicking a dislodged piece of weed. Learning to effectively mend your fly line is essential to counteract conflicting currents that cause unnatural drag, as any resistance or speed different from the surrounding flow will almost certainly be ignored by a feeding Luderick.
Achieving the correct depth is also vital — your fly needs to be right where the fish are feeding, often close to the bottom or holding structure. Adjust your leader length, use fluorocarbon tippet which sinks better than mono, or incorporate lightly weighted bead head weed flies to get into the zone. In certain situations with stronger current, a tiny split shot carefully positioned well above the fly on the leader might be necessary to reach depth, but always check local regulations regarding the use of weight.
However, the biggest hurdle for most fly anglers targeting Luderick is bite detection — Luderick bites are sometimes incredibly subtle. Watch the point where your fly line meets the leader like a hawk for any anomaly, a slight pause or hesitation in the drift, an almost imperceptible twitch, or the line simply stopping unnaturally. When you finally detect one of these fleeting signs, resist the urge to lift the rod in a trout set; instead, use a firm, decisive strip-strike, pulling the line taut with your line hand to set the small hook effectively.
Taking this pursuit to the surf introduces unique challenges and requires adapting techniques. Focus your efforts on beaches adjacent to rocky headlands or estuary mouths, particularly during the cooler months. Look for shallow gutters running parallel to the shore, washes around rocky outcrops extending onto the sand, or areas of dark water indicating submerged reef or weed beds close in. Slightly discoloured water after a swell can be productive as it stirs up food, but avoid excessively murky conditions where finding fish or presenting effectively becomes nearly impossible. Time your casts to land the fly in the incoming wash of a receding wave, allowing it to sink and drift naturally back out.
To increase your chances and present flies at slightly different depths simultaneously in the turbulent surf wash, consider fishing a two-fly rig. Start with your standard tapered leader (around 8-9 ft), tying your first (often slightly heavier) weed fly to the tippet end. Then, add approximately 30-50cm (12-20 inches) of tippet to the bend of the weighted fly and attach a second, unweighted fly to the end of this.
Thanks Mal. Very informative. Got me heading in the right direction now.
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