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A number of different boats are used for flats fishing, including jonboats, canoes and specialized flats boats designed specifically for flats fishing.
Flats boats are designed almost exclusively for fishing on saltwater flats. As such, they draw little water (usually 6 to 12 inches), provide a wide, stable platform for casting, and are easy to maneuver by poling. They are light and sit high in the water. They also provide plenty of storage and are tough enough to speed across long stretches of open sea en route to the flats.
Flats boats look similar to freshwater bass boats, but there are differences. Most flats boats have higher sides, which are flared to help deflect spray in rough water. Also, the hull of the flats boat is more V-shaped, which makes for a smoother ride but draws more water than a flatter hull.
A unique feature of the flats boat is its poling platform, situated at the rear of the boat. This platform greatly increases visibility and maneuverability, and is useful for sitting or casting. It can also be used with a remote-controlled transom-mount electric motor, which many anglers shun because of the added equipment, the battery needs and the noise.
When looking to purchase a flats boat, there are several things to consider. Perhaps the most important is its draft capability. If you plan on going after bonefish or redfish, get a boat that draws less than 10 inches of water, or you wont be able to access the thin waters where they often feed. If youre going after striped bass or bluefish in the deeper northern flats, a 12-inch or even 14-inch draft is fine, and your ride across miles of open sea will be smoother.
Many flats game fish are affected by hull noise, so take this into account. Aluminum hulls and hulls with large reverse chines are noisier than others. Precise maneuverability is also important. The lighter and skinnier the boat, the easier it is to pole, but the rougher the ride in open water.
Flats boats have nonskid surfaces, but anglers should wear shoes with boat soles, as they will spend most of their time standing.
Other boats besides flats boats can be used for flats fishing. Some bass boats and jonboats can be used in the shallows, but they dont offer smooth rides across open sea en route to the flats. Also, they dont offer flat and uncluttered casting platforms, as do flats boats, and they dont have poling platforms, which will affect visibility and perhaps maneuverability.
Some flats are too shallow even for flats boats. For these thin waters, there are several options. Canoes can go places that flats boats cant, but they arent very stable or good for casting. However, some canoe-like fiberglass boats offer a very shallow draft along with decent stability. They are also much lighter, more maneuverable and less expensive. They can be equipped with a small outboard.
Thick-aluminum 15- to 17-foot jonboats are durable and pole almost as easily as a canoe in less than 6 inches of water. Some versions have a shallow V-shaped hull that offers a much smoother ride than flat-hulled jonboats.
Another boat that can access very shallow water is the scooter, which is similar to a flats boat but has very low sides. Its used mainly on the Gulf Coast.
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