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There are three ways to fish the flats: wade fishing, fishing from shore, and fishing from a boat. Each method has its benefits and drawbacks.
Wade fishing is one of the most common and economical ways to fish the flats, and many anglers consider it the most effective way to stalk fish. However, one drawback is the difficulty of getting in range of game fish, which can and often do move quickly out of range. Another disadvantage is the low angle of vision, which makes it more difficult to spot fish and their movements.
Shoreline fishing has the advantage of being less strenuous than wading, but it is also less productive, as you must wait for the fish to come to you. However, it offers the advantage of a higher vantage point and wider angle of vision, where anglers can more easily spot game fish that come into range.
Fishing from a boat combines the advantages of high mobility and a high vantage point. The angler can quickly move within range of feeding fish, or pursue fish as they move away. But make too much noise in the excitement of the chase and the fish will be gone, or too spooked to bite. Often times, once fish are spotted from the boat, an angler will climb into the water and stalk the fish via wading.
Observation
To fish the flats, careful observation is necessary. Spotting the fish, or honing in on momentary or subtle signs that fish are there, is a skill that takes practice and perseverance. But first, anglers have to know when and where to look, what to look for, and how to look effectively.
Optimal Sight Fishing Factors:
The higher up you are, the wider your angle of vision and the more youll be able to see. This is a major advantage of boat and shore fishing. Boats come in many different heights, from the sunken well of a canoe to a mini-tower on a flats boat. If your boat sits low on the water, standing up will give you a better vantage point. If fishing from shore, seek out high areas.
A sunny day with no wind is optimal for sight fishing. For best visibility, fish with the sun behind you. If the sun is more or less overhead, you can face anywhere. To protect your eyes and block out the suns blinding glare, wear wraparound polarized sunglasses and a cap with a wide bill and dark underside. If viewing is still difficult, cup your hands around the corners of your glasses to reduce side glare.
Wind disturbs the waters surface and makes it difficult to see game fish or the wakes they and their prey make. A calm day is much more conducive to sight fishing.
Favorable Water Characteristics:
Its important to look for water with characteristics that attract fish or stimulate activity. Such characteristics include water clarity, baitfish movement, current flows, underwater structure, water temperature, near-surface vegetation, and shade.
Water clarity is a very important factor, influencing fish movement and location as well as lure selection. Some species favor clear water or are more likely to strike lures in clear water because they can see them better. Other species prefer areas where clear and turbid water mix, such as runoffs, tidal influxes and wind-affected edges. Where turbid water rich with nutrients and small forage enters a clearer body of water, bait species are often attracted, which in turn attract game fish.
Where baitfish congregate, predators arent far behind. Look for bait darting about on or near the surface or in the shallows, and put your lure there. It should be easy to spot the baitfish in sunny, calm conditions. If unfavorable conditions prevail, look for shorebirds like herons and terns, which feed on the baitfish.
Most often, baitfish can be found where there is a combination of current and structure. The current moves the bait over, around, through or into structure. The faster the current, the more aggressively the game fish feed and the easier they are to catch. These hot spots stay fairly consistent, and include such areas as creeks, holes and rips.
Water temperature, too, is important. In spring and early summer, warmer water is more productive; in mid- to late summer, colder water yields better results.
Spotting, Stalking Fish
In the right conditions, you can see game fish as they rest or forage below the surface. If fishing from a boat or wading, its important to spot them so you can get into casting range without alarming them. Look below the surface and at the bottom for anything that stands out or moves differently. Scan a wide area, and pay attention to your peripheral vision. When you spot a fish, stalk it to casting range and cast your lure to a spot that will allow for interception.
Occasionally, the water will be shallow enough that the tails of the fish will stick out of the water as they feed on the bottom. Its hard to miss your quarry in such a situation.
When predators chase baitfish, the action is often easy to spot; just look for schooled baitfish moving rapidly. Other times, viewing conditions arent as favorable or only one or a few fish are being pursued, so you should keep your eyes and ears open for disturbances on the water surface. Watch for the wakes of moving game fish, and listen for splashes as fish capture their prey at or near the surface. These fish will be easiest to catch while in this aggressive feeding mode. When making a cast intended to intercept a fish, remember that the forward edge of the wake is behind the fish.
Watch closely as you retrieve your lures. Sometimes a fish will strike a lure and miss it, creating a boil in the water. You need to catch these instances so that you dont give up on the spot and cast elsewhere.
One particularly subtle indicator of the presence of game fish is what anglers call nervous water. This is a surface patch of slight rippling caused by a pod of bait in an agitated state usually because a predator is lurking nearby. The patch is just a few yards across, and looks different than water disturbed by wind. If you see such a spot, work it hard with a lure that might imitate an injured or struggling baitfish.
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