Florida Flats Fishing Guide: Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Charters

Fishing the flats is a great way to fish inshore in shallow waters. You can sometimes spot fish by sight fishing from a flats boat, when you are being poled by a guide that's on an elevated platform. A flats guide can help you see and you locate fish. The way to see fish on a flat is my reading the water, looking for something that's deferent in the water by watching the surface for little changes or a small disturbance. If the flat has clear water you can sometimes see a fish though the water looking for a change in color on the bottom with the right size and shape or maybe the slow movement of a fish will catch your eye.

The way you approach a flat for fishing or scouting is very important. When I pole onto a flat looking for fish, I will move very slowly with the wind and sun to my back. Make sure that you boat has no wave slap if there is a breeze wave slap will spook fish from a long way. Also beware of your shadows, an early morning sunrise or a late afternoon sunset can cast you shallow a very long way and believe me the fish will spook once a shadow has reached a fish.

This is a great way to sight fish from a flats boat? As you move into a flat that you wish to fish, take a picture in your mind of the water on the flat that you are fishing. This is called a hasty search, move you head left or right and repeat the hasty search again. Now come back to the area where you've first made a hasty, search and look for something different look to see any changes on or in the water. If you think you spotted something move with your eyes and conduct a detail search. Break the area into a small area search from top of the box to the bottom up and down. Then search the area from left to right watch for any movement or color change, the slower the fishes movement, the harder it will be to see the fish, watch and search for changes in color like a flash or dark spots on the bottom that should not belong in the search area. If you were unable to locate any fish in detail area return to the hasty search and repeat this cycle again.

Spotting a fish from a flats boat? 1st Move very slow! To much movement will spook fish and never rock the boat. 2nd See if you can you tell witch way the fish is facing or can you tell witch way the fish moving. Can you tell where the fish going? 3rd Your cast should be in the location where the fish is going. Look at the spot that you wish to place you cast. This will help you with your accuracy and catching your fish. 4th Now point your rod to the location that you wish to place the cast. The location of your cast should be past and ahead on the fish's movement. Vertical casting with a spinning rod can be very accurate; just remember if there is a breeze offset you cast to aloud for drift. The fly fisherman will most likely have to cast off vertical to cast for distance. Remember don't sway or rock the boat while casting.

It takes time on the water to know what to look for. You can learn to sight fish the flats and the investment is large.

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