fly fishing in salt water

Taking a trip to the Outer Banks, North carolina this summer.  We are staying right on the "sound"-which is like a huge lake, only the water is salty.  Its pretty shallow in most spots, and I would like to fly fish it.  This isn't like fly fishing for bonefish on tropical flats or anything. 
I know I shouldn't use my fly gear that i would use on regular streams.  But if I used some older stuff,- scientific angler cheap reel and rod-would it work?  Or would the salt mess it up pretty quick?  If I do need to make some changes, what would they be (within a small budget of course).  Thanks for your help. 

Like mike said wash after each use. What you can do is place it in an outside shower and wash it from there. Heck i've taken the rods and reels and had them w/ me in a shower to clean. Just don't use a high force of water to wash the reels, the high water pressure will actual push the salt and salt deeper into the reel.

At the end of your trip, unwind the fly line and wash in warm soapy water.

Depending on where you are in the OBX, fly fishing can be either be rewarding, fun, hard, or practically impossible.  The further south, the further out in the ocean the islands are.  If you are staying in Avon / Frisco / Buxton / Hatteras, you might want to leave the fly gear at home.  A calm day, consists of 20+ mph winds.  Which is nice when it's 95 degrees...  The surf fishing is usually good enough to even want to take a trip to the sound.  Also, the sound is very channel dependant on fishing.  Definitely check with a local bait shop for some direction on local spots. 
 
As for gear, take your heaviest wt. rod/reel.  Not that you'll be destroying 50lbers, but you'll likely be tossing some pretty big/heavy streamers.  Don't use any flies that aren't tied on stainless steel hooks, or you'll end up with a rust filled fly box.  Same thing with spinning gear.  Also, rinse everything, rod reel and any flies after using in the salt (same with spinning gear).  I try to make it a habit of when I return to the house / condo that I am staying in.  Probably overkill, but not a bad thing.  Then wash everything in soapy water when I get home.  
 
The Bodie Island Lighthouse area is a good place to hit if you are anywhere close (Oregon inlet area).  The wind is a bit less here than Hatteras Island, but still have to pick the right day.  There is a channel rather accessible to there.  Just park the car in the parking lot, and find the path to the sound.  This is pretty much spot burning, but isn't any type of secret, and this is a PA fishing board...  Take your wading boots, there are a bunch of crabs in that area.
 
Here's a good site to check out.  Do some searches on flyfishing.  They have a flyfish forum as well.
 
http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/forumdisplay.php?f=181
 
If it happens to be low wind, and high tide, don't be scared to cast into the ocean.  You'd be surprised at how close fish are.  If you are going to soak some bait, try that too.  Cast just past the closest breaker, usually during high tide, it is a good 3-4' or more in troughs.  Many fish cruise these looking for food.  Another trick is to dig up some sand fleas (mole crabs) and use for bait.  Pompano love them, and pompano are really good eating.  If you have a fine mesth net, put it in the breaker, and you'll usually come up with a few sand fleas.
 
The OBX rule!  I hope to move there some day.

I took a medium action spinning rod to the keys and fished for a week.  Other than the tarpon that about burnt the reel up, the outfit is still fine to this day.

Does anyone have other links for salt water fishing forums?

376-
 
I try to make it there as much as possible, but not nearly enough though.  Had two trips in the past 3 years, and only once every 4 years before then.  We stayed in Avon this past year, and Rodanthe the last time.  Every other time there it was from South Nags Head north to Duck.  Most of my ocean fishing is in NY & NJ or Delmarva, due to work travel or easier drive if we are only able to make it out for an extended weekend.  The OBX drive can be painful...  but is worth it.
 
I really like the Salvo/Rodanthe area.  Kind of a pain to get groceries, but that is about it.  Seems to be the most layed back section that I've checked out.  I'm pretty sure the water is a bit deeper there on the sound side than Avon, which was ankle deep for about 50 yards or so, where I stayed.  We were on the ocean side of the highway though.  Rodanthe is cool, because the ocean and sound are about 100 yards apart (not cool in a hurricane...)  Also an easy drive to the Oregon inlet, which seems to always have fish.  That would be another place to try, probably closer to an ebb tide, since the current can really rip.  Sinking line might help you there. 
 
It sounds like the place that you stayed at, has some deeper water.  If you get out in the early morning or late evening, the wind seems to calm down a bit.  The trout seem to like bright colored offerings.  I know those bubble gum flukes are a favorite down there.  Same thing with chartruese or any bright color.

I'd use spinning gear.  If you have a small surf rod, or something like a musky rod if you have one.  I usually use those Gotcha plugs, Stingsilver or other metal, swim shad, or other lures that are in the 1 ounce range.  Using your standard medium spinning rod, may end up in a broken tip, but is really nice for tossing tandem twister tails and spec rigs for trout.  I have a 7' surf rod that I use for inlets, and usually take a stiff medium "bass" rod.  Not the most comfortable thing to chuck lures with all day with a surf rod, but handles the heavier lures.  Something like a musky rod would be the best, if you have one.
 
Fly fishing the inlet, I'd look for a current break, and fish that seem (would do the same with the spinning gear too).  The inlet gets pretty deep and fast, so getting your fly down without sinking line would be pretty hard.  I think ebb tide is usually pretty slow for the bite, but that is just my experience.  If you only have floating line, I'd probably stick to the sound itself for fly fishing.
 
I like the surf myself.  That is where I do most of my fishing.  I usually get a bunker head or a large chunk and throw that on my heaviest rod with bait running reel.  We kayaked some baits out this past year, but only got a skate on that...  I'll fish in close with a lighter surf rod.  It's amazing how many fish are within 10 feet of the sand breaker.  If it is calm, tossing lures into the surf can be productive too.  The Stingsilver or other metals, swim shad in tandum, and Schoolbus Bomber is what I have the best luck with.  Surface poppers are great too, but only had success up north with them.  Some people do very well with bucktails too.  I don't, but I don't fish them all that much.
 
When I go there on vacation, I usually end up packing 5 rods.  8wt fly rod, 2 surf meat rods, 1 surf/heavy lure rod, & 1 medium wt. spinning rod.  My work trips usually only have one or two rods, and always outfish my vacation trips (unless I go on a charter).  I think the fish always sense when I have a cooler!!! 

Or if you really just wanna get into some slammin action, take your medium weight spinning rod, buy 3 or 4 gotcha plugs and tie yourself a length of HEAVY mono, like 40-60 lb test and be on the pier at first light or right after dinner.  Go to the end and jig up some blues and spanish...  It's a freakin blast, chances are in the morning the schools will be comin through, and I've seen guys hook Kings and Tarpon in the same school as blues and spanish.  and when you get bored of doing that, get a cast net and catch some live minnows (usually mud minnows or finger mullet) and keep them alive with a pump.  Take them, along with a 1 oz cigar shaped trolling sinker (with loops on both ends).  Tie the sinker on your line and a 16-20" length of 30lb test to a small white bucktail and tip it with a minnow.  During the low tide find a trough between two humps and you can practically sight fish for flounder.  I've caught a ton of them like this, and some pretty nice ones in the 6lb range.  Just some food for thought, I also have been going there for 15 years, and worked on a charter boat out of Hatteras Harbor.  Feel free to ask me anything else... Evan 

What kind of reel do you have? I am asking this b/c you could possibly get into some bonita and if you do you really need a good real with disc drag that will be able to get some control on them when they run. What size outfit do you have? I don't use anything smaller than a nine weight. That's my personal opinion.

If your on the beach and you have an onshore wind. W/ a fly rod you can cast w/ your back to the water and release the cast on the back cast. this sounds odd but try it, it works.

Don't forget a stripping basket, leave the floating lines home. Use inter. or light grain lines in the 150-250 size.

Carry a spinning rod w/ you and stick it in your waist of your back. based on the time of the bunker run down there have a weighting snagging treble w/ you to snag an adult bunker and let it swim. Hang on for a lg striper or blue. Based on the size of these bunker give the fish some time to swallow. The bunker are quite large, 1 lb + each.

ORIGINAL: fisherofmen376

what about my noodle rod that i use for steel?  Its 10' 6. 

 
I think these are a similar concept as a fly rod.  To be able to cast smaller offerings with lighter line.  With how thing the tip of the rod is, I doubt that you'd want to cast anything really heavy with it.  Might not be a bad idea if you fish the shrimp and cork stuff in the sound.  There are a bunch of redfish in there, if you know where to find them.
 
As mentioned above, a cast net is really nice to have.  I caught a bunch of those killies in what was basically a drainage ditch off of the road when I was in Rodanthe.  Caught a baby redfish too.
 
Softshell crabs are one of the best foods on Earth!!!

Kayak99:
Thanks for the links, I had a couple of those, I'll check out the others soon.
thanks again.