Flats

Saltwater Kayak Fishing
1

We saw about 8-1o fish, and spooked several others. We will be out there tomorrow, if the weather will be kind. Thanks Timbucktwo for all your help out there, and letting us see some nice fish!

“In every species of fish I’ve angled for, it is the ones that have got away that thrill me the most, the ones that keep fresh in my memory. So I say it is good to lose fish. If we didn’t, much of the thrill of angling would be gone.” Ray Bergman

2

RiverMonster,
Pleasure to meet you and your Dad. Hope I gave you some helpful info. Good luck tomorrow. Remember what I told you, and let your bait soak. Don’t be afraid to sit in one spot for more than a 1/2 hr or more out there. Get in close to the grass.
TB2

TimBuck2
Wilderness Systems Ride 135

3

Hello folks – new here in SC, just moved from Texas and trying to figure out the area – can you tell me how to get to the flats – I have a Wilderness Tarpon 14 rigged for fishing. High tide or low tide on the flats – and are the flats here a sandbar like in TX – or more marshland? Thanks for the help. Last point – if anyone is planning a trip – would love to tag along if you will let me.

4
quote:
Originally posted by Wildeman

Hello folks – new here in SC, just moved from Texas and trying to figure out the area – can you tell me how to get to the flats – I have a Wilderness Tarpon 14 rigged for fishing. High tide or low tide on the flats – and are the flats here a sandbar like in TX – or more marshland? Thanks for the help. Last point – if anyone is planning a trip – would love to tag along if you will let me.

Welcome to SC! The flats here are marshland. Flats are fished at high tide around here. Look for the short grass behind the tall grass. Usually the short grass is hard enough to walk on The tide needs to be pretty high, but not so high that you can't see the tails. I'm guessing you have caught a redfish...but if you have not...Its awesome! Weedless is a must, because of all the grass. The water is getting cooler, so the flats should be getting better. BTW We are just noobies at flat fishing. We have only caught one tailing redfish.

“In every species of fish I’ve angled for, it is the ones that have got away that thrill me the most, the ones that keep fresh in my memory. So I say it is good to lose fish. If we didn’t, much of the thrill of angling would be gone.” Ray Bergman

5

RM,
Did you catch one yesterday?
TB2

TimBuck2
Wilderness Systems Ride 135

6
quote:
Originally posted by timbuck2

RM,
Did you catch one yesterday?
TB2

TimBuck2
Wilderness Systems Ride 135

We tried but the wind was to powerful! Check out my post "Beat by the wind" it describes everything that went wrong! I did get one on, but he broke me off on oyster beds.

“In every species of fish I’ve angled for, it is the ones that have got away that thrill me the most, the ones that keep fresh in my memory. So I say it is good to lose fish. If we didn’t, much of the thrill of angling would be gone.” Ray Bergman

7
quote:
Originally posted by RiverMonster
quote:
Originally posted by Wildeman

…can you tell me how to get to the flats…High tide or low tide on the flats – and are the flats here a sandbar like in TX – or more marshland?..

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>
…The flats here are marshland. Flats are fished at high tide around here…
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Well… not exactly.

Flats are flats. Though most of the recent chatter about flats seems to focus on the high tide grass flats. I (and my fishing buddies) fish high tide flats AND low tide flats. We fish grass flats and mud flats. Flats is flats. :wink:

The information RiverMonster has given you about high tide grass flats is accurate. If you can find firm bottom flats, consider yourself lucky. Much of the bottom around here is like quicksand so please, be careful. Hook’em Horns. :smiley:

8

Break offs do happen, but you’re making progress. God Luck. Keep at it. If I catch your rod/reel I’ll let you know;-) See you out there.
Tight Lines.
TB2

TimBuck2
Wilderness Systems Ride 135

9

Thanks for the info, and yes, I reds and trout are plentiful in the south Texas bays – the difference there is that the flats are sand…easy to walk on (doing the ray shuffle as not to get stung) and you can almost walk accross the bay at low tide with none of the mud. I haven’t ventured out of my kayak in the SC flats(marsh) yet as I am afraid I may not be able to get back in. Looking forward to all the fishing here and the first cool down to turn on the bite!

10

We have tons of good wadeable grass flats around here and a kayak is sometimes the only way to get to them… around here always remember…" Knee high and below, you’re good to go…" if the grass is usually no higher then your knee it’s a hard bottom and walkable. you will still find mud and you’ll sink a couple inches but it’s walkable, if the grass is really tall then its a soft bottom and the grass thrives here, stay in the kayak. As far as the mud flats, I know of a few places you can walk across the pluff mud and sink no deeper than your ankles and if you wander too far left or right you’ll be up to your ears really quick. Kayaks allow us access to a BUNCH of good wadeable tailing flats… ya just have to find them and the way copahee has been beaten up in the last few years, if ya find one, keep it to your self :wink: there is so much pressure out there now it’s sad… I remember when you could see tails from the landing and you could get within 10 feet of those fish, catching double digits of fish all WAY over the slot was a common occurance. There are plenty of other places to go now ya just have to put in a little paddling to get there and you’ll find epic fishing from a yak.

“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os