What are some keys to fishing a flood tide? Do you have to see the reds tailing, or do you just work the area and hope the fish are there? Should I use strictly artificials, or should I have some live/cut bait with me? Where are some good spots you don’t mind sharing? As usual, thanks in advance for your help.
Personally, when I’m fishing the ‘flood tide’ flats…I am sightfishing for tailing/finning fish. That being said, as I’m wading or drifting I typically step on fish that i never saw for one reason or another…had I been blind casting I may have had a shot at them. Launching a gold spoon or something like that to cover lots of ground may not be a bad idea; I personally take my fly rod on to the flats and look for tails. As far as spots…if you’re on boat, go scout around your favorite body of water at a non flood high tide (a 5.3 or less at high), look and see what flats are just barely getting water or even dry at this tide and keep in mind for when the next flood tide comes in. With time, you’ll have flats that you will be able to fish at different tide heights…so far I have flats to fish for tailing fish from a 5.3 - 6.6 or so…took a little trial and error…but thats half the fun! Goodluck, keep us posted!
Cadill
'a stranger is just a friend i havent met yet’jt
Tennispro,
Thank you very much for your response. I’ll put this info to good use as soon as I get the chance.
Dang, y’all,
No other nuggets of wisdom?..
Ive always sight fasted to them also.
Your tactics will be somewhat governed by how you are going to fish for them. Wade, kayak, poling skiff, or deeper draft boat. Sight casting to tailing redfish with fly, artificials, or bait is some of the best fishing we have here in the lowcountry. Nothing beats seeing a fish, planning an approach, making a pin-point cast, and then seeing the fish take the bait. You need to be able to get pretty shallow to sight cast. If you have a deeper draft boat you can still catch plenty of fish in the grass on flood tides, but you probably won’t see them or only see them pushing around rather than actually tailing. I have a few flats that I know hold fish after the water has gotten too deep for sight fishing and I just soak baits (cut mullet, shrimp or crab) and wait. Narrow grass areas along the Wando or ICW can be pretty easily fished by soaking baits. If the flat stretches for hundreds of yards in every direction, I wouldn’t try soaking baits unless you know a spot where the fish funnel through going onto or off of the flat.
quote:Your questions say should I do ONE thing or the OTHER. But, the answer is.. BOTH are correct.
Originally posted by Black BartWhat are some keys to fishing a flood tide? Do you have to see the reds tailing, or do you just work the area and hope the fish are there? Should I use strictly artificials, or should I have some live/cut bait with me? Where are some good spots you don’t mind sharing? As usual, thanks in advance for your help.
Artificial or live? YES, both.
See tails OR work the area? YES, both.
Where are the good “flood tide” areas? Next to the good low tide areas.
“Flats fishing” is just a trendy term. The best advise I can give you is to think of what the bait (wild bait living in the rivers) is doing. The bait is trying to hide. During the low tide, the bait is hiding in the oysters that are still covered. They want to hid in the grass but, they can’t. They move to the grass edge as soon as they can and when we get “flood tides” they move on to the high grounds. That is what the fish are doing because they are following the bait. So… fish the oyster edges at low, grass edges during the transitions and up on the high ground when it floods.
Let me know if this helps. 
quote:
Originally posted by TyOneOnquote:Your questions say should I do ONE thing or the OTHER. But, the answer is.. BOTH are correct.
Originally posted by Black BartWhat are some keys to fishing a flood tide? Do you have to see the reds tailing, or do you just work the area and hope the fish are there? Should I use strictly artificials, or should I have some live/cut bait with me? Where are some good spots you don’t mind sharing? As usual, thanks in advance for your help.
Artificial or live? YES, both.
See tails OR work the area? YES, both.
Where are the good “flood tide” areas? Next to the good low tide areas.“Flats fishing” is just a trendy term. The best advise I can give you is to think of what the bait (wild bait living in the rivers) is doing. The bait is trying to hide. During the low tide, the bait is hiding in the oysters that are still covered. They want to hid in the grass but, they can’t. They move to the grass edge as soon as they can and when we get “flood tides” they move on to the high grounds. That is what the fish are doing because they are following the bait. So… fish the oyster edges at low, grass edges during the transitions and up on the high ground when it floods.
Let me know if this helps.
That’s good stuff, man. I’m hoping to get out there sometime this week. Thanks for the ■■■■■■■■, and I’ll keep you posted.
bart, lookyhyah:
http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=1719
http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=652
http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=400
also, there’s an article in this months ‘paper’ SC Sportsman magazine.
just get out there, it’ll reveal itself to ya. flood tides coming up this week.
Good info …also we find the spots that are actually trapped in pools as the tide recends and leaves them there…
quote:
Originally posted by TyOneOnquote:Your questions say should I do ONE thing or the OTHER. But, the answer is.. BOTH are correct.
Originally posted by Black BartWhat are some keys to fishing a flood tide? Do you have to see the reds tailing, or do you just work the area and hope the fish are there? Should I use strictly artificials, or should I have some live/cut bait with me? Where are some good spots you don’t mind sharing? As usual, thanks in advance for your help.
Artificial or live? YES, both.
See tails OR work the area? YES, both.
Where are the good “flood tide” areas? Next to the good low tide areas.“Flats fishing” is just a trendy term. The best advise I can give you is to think of what the bait (wild bait living in the rivers) is doing. The bait is trying to hide. During the low tide, the bait is hiding in the oysters that are still covered. They want to hid in the grass but, they can’t. They move to the grass edge as soon as they can and when we get “flood tides” they move on to the high grounds. That is what the fish are doing because they are following the bait. So… fish the oyster edges at low, grass edges during the transitions and up on the high ground when it floods.
Let me know if this helps.
And be there early !!!
Depending On the wind direction the flat can fill up quicker than normal, also on those really high tides you can see the fish easier on the flat before its to deep. I will be set up one hour before high tide at least.
And be careful not to let the falling tide get you stranded if you are in a heavy boat, usually not a concern because the fish usually do not feed when the tide starts falling and they are booking it off the flat, always have a exit plan you get off the flat when h2o starts leaving.
Binoculars can be helpful scouting areas on the real slick days. You can just run the creeks and see fish up on a flat before actually going on the flat.
No flats boat no problem, just throw a kayak in the boat and anchor on the edge of flat and your off, when I do this I use the kayak to cover and area fast and to hold equipment and when I see fish I get out and wade while working the fish.
Good luck, this is very addictive.
quote:
Originally posted by dinnertime2001And be there early !!!
Good luck, this is very addictive.
oh man. so true. i wish I’d never started this. I frittered away a whole bunch of hours standing there watching water and crabs edge into those flats.
if there’s anything more relaxing I haven’t found it.
quote:
Originally posted by PeaPodbart, lookyhyah:
http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=1719
http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=652
http://www.southcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=400
also, there’s an article in this months ‘paper’ SC Sportsman magazine.
just get out there, it’ll reveal itself to ya. flood tides coming up this week.
Peapod (and everyone else),
Thanks for all the info. I can always count on y’all to come through with valuable knowledge.
When you see a fish dont cast right on top of him. I cast just in front of them right where i think he is heading. i try to land the bait about 6 feet in front of them.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
I truly appreciate all y’all’s ■■■■■■■■. Headin’ down there mid-next week and hoping to put all this info to use. Last question: does anyone know of any spots I could try? My time will be limited and I’m hoping to avoid using up my time scouting vs. actually fishing. I know divulging secret spots is like giving away your first-born child, so pm me if you’d be so kind. Thanks in advance…
quote:
Originally posted by Captain MitchBe careful listening to PeaPod…it has been rumored that he lies.
reelly…
true