Capt. Carl Ball

Capt. Carl Ball fishes out of Biscayne Bay. South Florida’s legendary shallow estuary in Biscayne National Park famous for its large bonefish.

If there was a Mount Rushmore for Biscayne Bay guides, Capt. Carl Ball would be on there. He is one of the longest running, most experienced, and most successful guides in the bay. His success is attributed to his ability to read the marine shallows of his home waters, his skills as both a fishing guide and a host, and his efforts with conservation groups such as the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. The respect he shows to both beginner and experienced clients has in-turn earned him the respect of all saltwater anglers and guides.

Being able to put you in prime positions to feed flies to bonefish, permit and tarpon is a product of Capt. Ball’s hard work over the years. His ability to replicate the product will give you visions of swimming shadows and spiking tails for a long time after your trip. Some work on your part (practice your casting before your trip) will help you fully enjoy the Capt. Carl Ball and Biscayne Bay experience.

Boat:

18’ Hells Bay Marquesa

Included:

Fly gear and tackle including flies (you’re welcome to bring your own as well)
Ice and a cooler
All necessary licenses

Best Season: Year-round

Rates:

Half Day (4-5hrs): $500
3/4 Day (6hrs): $600
Full Day (8hrs): $700

Rates are for up to two anglers. Rates are subject to change, contact Capt. Carl for official current rates.

Call or Text Capt. Carl Ball:

954-383-0145

What to Bring

Gear & Tackle

Flies

Big Eye Tarpon Fly $9.95
Features
- A Bob Lemay tarpon fly with the perfect amount of movement
- Color selection to match water conditions
- Tied on extremely strong/sharp Tiemco 600SP
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Bonefish Slider $6.95
Features
- Great on Bonefish everywhere
- Spun Deer Hair head pushes water while tail has plenty of movement
- Tied on a Tiemco 811S with a single mono weedguard
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Bunny Tarpon Toad $6.95
Features
- From oceanside migrators to ditch-bound juveniles, tarpon everywhere will eat this fly
- Collar and bunny strip pulsate when stripped
- Wide head allows the fly to constantly track straight
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Colby’s Corona Crab $9.95
Features
- Designed for the flats of the Florida Keys
- Tied with Lead Eyes and the material on the underside of the shank for better visibility
- Rubber legs add extra movement
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EP Permit Crab $11.95
Features
- Great heavy crab pattern for Permit
- Tied on a Gamakatsu SS15
- Has a mono weedguard
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EP Spawning Shrimp $8.95
Features
- Great for Bonefish everywhere
- Tough, durable & shrimpy looking fly
- Tied with a prong style weedguard
- BC stands for Bead Chain eyes
- #2 approx. 2.50″ long; #1/0 approx. 3″ long
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Kwan $5.25
Features
- Tom Dorsey’s must have Florida bonefish pattern
- Lead eye Kwan also makes a great redfish fly
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Rio’s Palolo Slider $4.25
Features
- Rides high.
- Extra movement due to back hackle.
- Tied on super strong Sl12s short.
- 2 tone foam.
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RIO’s Shrimp Tease $6.95
Features
- Longer profile shrimp pattern
- Killer on redfish from Louisiana to Carolinas to Florida
- Medium lead eyes on #2 ideal for fish in a 1 foot+ of water
- Tantalizing movement from craft fur and legs
- Single prong weedguard
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Sad Flea $6.95
Features
- Deadly on bonefish from Biscayne Bay to the Bahamas
- Lands softly, sinks naturally
- Weedguard keeps fly snag-free
- Designed by Capt. Dave Saddler, tied by Jesse LeBrecht of W8ight Flies
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Bonefish Slider – #4 Brown
Kwan – #6 BC Tan
Sad Flea – #2
EP Spawning Shrimp – #4 BC Tan, #4 Tan, 1/0 Tan
Colby’s Corona Crab – #2
RIO’s Shrimp Tease – #2 Cream
EP Permit Crab – #1 Tan
Big Eye Tarpon Fly – 1/0 Sand Devil
Bunny Tarpon Toad – 1/0 Chartreuse, 1/0 Black/Purple
RIO’s Palolo Slider – Red #2 (if tarpon fishing in spring)

Outfits

GLoomis NRX Plus+ Saltwater $990.00
Features
- Boosted control in less-than-ideal situations.
- Advanced loop stability due to micro baffling.
- Extremely durable rod known for its rugged construction.
- 15% Lighter, faster and stronger then the previous NRX.
- Refined from the previous NRX series of rods.
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Sage Maverick
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$650.00
Features
- Oversized Fuji ceramic stripping guides for ease of knot passing.
- Matte black powder coated aluminum rod tube with safe medallion.
- Full-wells cork grip with EVA fighting butt.
- Pacific blue rod blank.
- Anti corrosive anodized aluminum real seat.
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Tibor Everglades
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$695.00 – $855.00
Features
- New Frost finishes utilize Tibor’s Certified Mil-A-8625 Type II Anodizing with fewer polishing steps for a less reflective surface with the same durability
- Made from solid aluminum bar stock
- Lightweight to balance with modern fly rods and reduce casting fatigue
- Triple outgoing line signals, easily removable for silent operation
- World famous Tibor drag system
- Made and assembled in the USA
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Cortland Liquid Crystal
Rated 3.00 out of 5
$99.95
Features
- Ideal use in 70 + degree (F) temperatures.
- Perfect for spooky fish.
- Virtually invisible underwater
- Hard PE+ coating shoots faster and farther than any conventional PVC floating line
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Rio Elite Flats Pro
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$129.99
Features
- 33% more fishishing time before cracking then the next best technology.
- 140% tougher coating then the next best technology.
- Lowest friction mesured and currently available on any fly line.
- Slickcast technology.
- Incredibly low stretch for better connection to the fish.
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Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Grand Slam
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$99.95
Features
- Features the revolutionary AST Plus slickness additive for superior shooting ability and increased durability
- The perfect line for bonefish, tarpon, and permit on the flats; also great for snook, redfish, and sea trout
- Overweighted by .75 sizes to load rods quickly; use designated line weight for your rod
- Short, powerful head turns over long leaders with heavy flies
- Tropi-Core technology remains stiff and slick in tropical environments
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An 8wt with a floating line for bonefish and baby tarpon
A 9wt with a floating line for windier bonefish conditions, calm/shallow permit conditions, and small to medium size tarpon
A 10wt with a floating line for permit, medium size tarpon, and calm large springtime tarpon conditions
An 11wt with a floating line if oceanside fishing for large tarpon in spring

Capt. Carl can provide all gear and tackle, if you’d like to bring your own these are his outfit size and fly recommendations

Sun & Rain Protection

OFFS Logo Trucker
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$29.95
Features
- 6-Panel structured front cap
- Mesh back for ventilation
- Black under brim helps reduce glare
- Made by Simms for Ole Florida Fly Shop
- One size fits most
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Patagonia Men’s Torrentshell 3L Jacket $104.30 – $179.00
Features
- Be protected from the rain with confidence.
- Two zippered handwarmer pockets and venting pit zips; all with welted exterior storm flaps with treated zippers.
- Snag-free center-front zipper with external and internal storm flaps and zipper-garage chin guard.
- Jacket self-stuffs into left handwarmer pocket with carabiner clip-in loop.
- Two-way-adjustable hood with a laminated visor rolls down and stows with a simplified cord-and-hook design.
Sale!

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Patagonia Women’s Quandary Pants – Short $99.00
Features
- Lightweight pants made of stretchy 94% nylon (62% recycled)/6% spandex fabric with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish and 50+ UPF sun protection
- Waistband has belt loops, metal button, hidden drawcord and a zippered fly
- Two front drop-in pockets, two back pockets (one drop-in and one with reverse-coil zipper closure), secure zippered cargo pocket on right thigh
- Inseam gusset for mobility
- Pants convert to capris; tab, loop and metal snap keep cuffs in place
- 30″ Inseam (unless specified as having 28″ inseam)
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Patagonia Women’s Torrentshell 3L Jacket $179.00
Features
- Be protected from the rain with confidence.
- Two zippered handwarmer pockets and venting pit zips; all with welted exterior storm flaps with treated zippers.
- Snag-free center-front zipper with external and internal storm flaps and zipper-garage chin guard.
- Jacket self-stuffs into left handwarmer pocket with carabiner clip-in loop.
- Two-way-adjustable hood with a laminated visor rolls down and stows with a simplified cord-and-hook design.
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Simms Solarflex LS Crewneck Print $41.97
Features
- Updated fabric with a new UPF50 rating for maximum comfort & sun protection on and off the water
- Simms’ COR3 fabric technology – wicking, anti-odor & UPF50
- Flat seam construction for maximum comfort
- Raglan sleeve design for unrestricted movement
- Crewneck design with higher backed collar for additional sun protection
Sale!

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Simms Solarflex Sun Glove $27.97 – $39.95
Features
- Lightweight, UPF50 sun glove with improved coverage & fit
- Synthetic overlay on the index finger for stripping durability
- Half finger style with extended coverage on index/middle fingers, long length to cover the wrists & pairing snaps for storage
Sale!

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Simms Sungaiter $34.95
Features
- Quick-dry, breathable stretch fabric with laser cut breathing holes
- Longer cape for better sun coverage at neckline
- Tall enough to fit over back of fishing cap
- One size fits most
- UPF 50 sun protection
- 92% polyester/8% spandex
- Lightweight, quick-drying, & breathable stretch fabric
Sale!

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Simms W’s SolarFlex Hoody $55.97 – $94.95
Features
- Simms’ COR3™ fabric technology – wicking, anti-odor & UPF 50
- Built with Simms’ highest performing solar protective knit fabric that feels smooth to the touch, stretches for comfort, dries fast and keeps you odor-free with HeiQ Fresh and HeiQ Stain Away
- 3-panel hood designed to shield from the sun and stay on with a stretch binding and snap closure
- Extended sleeve length with envelope thumbholes and a center finger loop for back-of-hand sun protection
- Combination of merrow seams & flat-seam construction for maximum comfort
- Petal hem design for an elevated, feminine look and fit.
- Body – 92% polyester/ 8% spandex 143 gsm single jersey knit finished
Sale!

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Smith Guide’s Choice $219.00 – $279.00
Features
- Superior polarized lens. See specs below for details
- Designed for medium – large fit/large coverage. However we’ve found that the Guide’s Choice is the model that fits well on the widest range of face sizes
- Hydrophilic megol nose & temple pads for a secure fit
- Out-of-sight spring hinges
- 8 base lens curvature
- Includes integrated/detachable sunglass leash
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page