| Saltwater flats fishing is a highly specialized form of | | | | pushes your equipment to its limits. |
| the sport itself. In many respects it is more like | | | | When fishing the flats you are looking for visual signs |
| hunting than fishing. | | | | of fish and then casting your line in a manner that |
| Often you are hunting specific fish rather than | | | | targets the specific fish or school of fish you have |
| targeting a species in general. You are looking for the | | | | located. Redfish for instance can often be easily seen. |
| fish and then presenting your offering to them in | | | | As a redfish puts its head into the thick sea grass to |
| manner similar to a hunter that stalks prey in the | | | | root out a crustacean you will often see its spotted |
| forest or jungle. | | | | tail break the surface of the water. |
| It is very important that you have the proper | | | | Tarpon also can be seen rolling on the top of the |
| equipment to fish in the saltwater flats. You will be | | | | water. You will soon learn that each fish has its own |
| fishing water that is anywhere from six inches to | | | | pattern that you will learn to recognize. |
| three feet deep. A shallow riding boat, like a skiff, is | | | | Once you have located a fish you need to present |
| critical for success in these situations. | | | | your offering correctly. This leads to our decision on |
| Remember that stealth and the ability to observe | | | | which bait to use. For my money live bait beats |
| your surroundings are vitally important. A raised | | | | everything in the saltwater flats, as it does almost |
| platform and a push pole are just two reasons a | | | | anywhere else as well. |
| skiff is excellent for this type of fishing. | | | | A large lively shrimp is certainly the best bait for |
| Since you will be fishing water that is shallow and | | | | maximizing the quantity of fish you will catch. You |
| generally crystal clear you will need the proper rod | | | | can catch anything from a small Snapper to a Tarpon |
| and reel as well. It is very important that you use | | | | weighing over one hundred pounds on a live shrimp. |
| fluorocarbon line when fishing the flats. I recommend | | | | It can however sometimes be frustrating casting a |
| using line in the eight to twelve pound weight class | | | | shrimp to a large fish you have targeted and find |
| when fishing for all but the biggest fish. | | | | eaten by a small Snapper before the targeted fish |
| When using line this light you will also need a reel that | | | | arrives. I prefer to hook a shrimp through the tail one |
| has a high quality drag that can withstand a large fish | | | | time with the smallest hook I can get away with. If |
| ripping off as much as one hundred yards of line in a | | | | you use a hook that is too big you will compromise |
| matter of seconds. | | | | the ability of the shrimp to appear lively. Any time a |
| Sure you can use heavier line but this will limit you | | | | shrimp is picked up and I do not hook the fish I |
| amount of hookups. It is best when fishing the flats | | | | change bait. |
| to keep it light and learn how to fight a fish that | | | | |