So as most of you already know im starting my fly fishing adventure:smiley:. i have a rod and reel is on the way! some of these nice folks on here got me leaders tippets and flies. i learned how to tie a few and simon also tied me some. I know that tailing tides are the best redfish tides, and would like to wade during tailing tides. i know that the short grass is best for wading on that stuff. So here are my questions:
what defines a tailing tide? how high is it to be above an average tide?
What season do they hold fish the most?
What other fish are thier besides reds? trout,â â â â â â â â â â â â â â drum,sheepshead, BSB, or what?
what seasons are these different species on the flats?
What flies do you guys typically like to throw to catch these fish?
what feathers are normally in your box on these wading adventures?
how do you predict these tides. i have noticed that on a full moon flood tide the high tide is eather earlier or later that predicted?
i thought in the winter you fish the low tide flats? so on a tailing tide you fish the high tides correct?
thanks in advance to all you wonderful fisherman out thier!
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
I do not call them âtailing tidesâ because ive seen fish tail on just about every level of a tide. Half of those questions have the same answer: go out and scout. Tide levels (which can be found under the DNR website) are different for different flats. I have a flat thats fishable with a 5.2 tide and others that dont have water on them until a 6.4+ tide. Throw crab patterns and shrimp or mullet when theyre keyed in on them in the fall. Ive only seen reds tail but i know black drum and sheepshead will too.
<<< What Pez said, yakman, breath, the fish will come, if you have a question search, almost every question you can ask has already been answered, right now isnât the best time to walk flats ⌠and no one knows who Simon is haha
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
yackman, Itâs hard for me to add to what Pez suggests. There are popular answers to all of your questions and then there are the right answers to your questions that only you should answer.
The fish are where the bait is. Study the bait⌠donât study the fish. For example:
You already know that bait doesnât want to be eaten. So, bait hides in and around structure. When the tides are up the bait try to hide in the grasses and along the edges. The cold also moves bait. Etc⌠Study the bait. And make your flies look and act like the bait.
There is a link on top under sciences that will give you pretty up to date tide levels. You will need to find what level a flat floods on.Check out http://www.tides4fishing.com/us/south-carolina ,hit south carolina and search to your area,as it has great tools for checking tides and graphs. You do not want to much water because you will not be able to see them digging. Today it looks like the levels are lower than predicted. Winds can play into this along with other factors.
In hilton head we need between 7.5-9ft. Our tides are much bigger and the water moves much faster. Different areas flood differently.
You will want to get to the flat early,probably 2hrs from high, and watch the water come in, this will give you an idea of the timing and the paths the fish use to access the flat. They usually follow a pretty regular pattern to come on and then leave.
If you need say 6ft of water to flood your flat, check the link up top and see how the current level is matching up with the predicted. I have been to flats waiting on water and it never showed up. I would go back and look under that link and sure enough, it would be less than the predicted level, or viceversa with to much water.
Just remember to look for short grass and walk the edges as the water comes in. Summer tailing tides usually are around a new moon and full moon. You can print off a years worth of tides and just go look for all the new and full moons each month, check the tides before and after for the levels.
As far as flies, just get it under there nose, may not matter what it is, but it has to be inches from there face. From 50â, 18" looks like you hit them in the head when in reality they can not see the fly. Good Luck.Let me know if you have any questions.
Capt. Chris.
thank you guys. i got a tide table book but most of the flood tides fall during school hoursâŚnow i just have to convince my mom! so you guys start walking during late march or april until november? or is their cetain water temps you look for? because if this winter keeps on like htis the water should warm up alot around early march! and just keep tryiing different crab flies and shrimp flies?
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
I live in goose creek but i used to live in JI (big mistake moving) i know flats around james island and folly and work at the fire station across from triangle char and bar so im always down there.
yeah book is great! talks about different baits and best time to fish them and tells spots and things and general techniques for reds, and straight from some charter captains mouths! and DOA im trying to learn the flats as best i can right now so any time your fishing and have time to teach a newbie let me know! iâll help pay for bait and stuff, and when i get my jon boat together itâs gonna have a poling platform and stuff ill invite to fish on the flats dragon with me! and hurricane once i get a nice pair of bootfoot waders for duck hunting im gonna walk the flats in winter but for now im marking my calender for march through august depending on water temp that day⌠thanks for all the advice guys.
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
they have waterproof leg covers, for temp waders, once it hits 80 I donât care what the water temp is, but once it gets warm enough for the tailers it wonât matter it will be warm enough
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
Is there any place local to pick up this book? I have a dumb phone and no kindle.
The worst day of fishing is still better than the best day at work
you can buy it at haddrells or the charleston angler.
and thank all you guys for the great advice, i see a flat that looks promising. Is just any mudflat in the middle of grass kinda close to a main creek good? or does it need oyster rocks oyster bars, creeks, rocks, because i could put some old concrete or something down to build structure for oysters if i have to.
im going to go check out a flat soon enough and talk to the neighbors..
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
âŚI could put some old concrete or something down to build structure for oysters if i have to.
</font id=âquoteâ></blockquote id=âquoteâ>Let not add structure to the marshes. I come back to the dock with plenty of stuff people have âaddedâ to the marsh by accident. Plus⌠itâs simply not needed.
A flat can be good one year and have no fish for a few years and go back to being good. Plus, many of the flats that I fish change naturally from season to season and REALLY change after a good storm.
Study nature and work with it. Thatâs why I started fly fishing.
Last tip and then you are on your own. Look for creeks that give fish easy access to the flat. A flat without at least one feeder creek usually wonât be very productive. That also means the head, flat end, of any feeder creek would be a good place to watch for incoming fish, especially as the water first comes into the flat.
âThe good fisherman is surprised when he doesnât catch fish: I am just the other way around.â
Gene Hill, Passing a Good Time.
