quote:The thing that gets most people interested in "flats fishing" is being able to see a fish, target it, entice it and watch it attack the bait/fly that you are presenting. That means, like Mike just mentioned, very shallow water. I use surface flies when the fish can see the surface and the bottom as he swims along. That is why I mentioned in my first post that there is a whole category of flies that I don't use on flats: gurglers, poppers, etc.. If you are using noise making flies, I feel you can just as easily stay off the flats and fish more open/deeper water. That, like all fishing, is just a preference. :wink:
Originally posted by bonecrusherI agree, fishing topwater is incredibly exciting and if I were catching fish more consistently on the bottom, I’d probably be much more inclined to try it but I feel like time if precious and I want to fish the fly with the greatest change of getting bit.
I think my strategy for the flood tides next week is to fish on the bottom during the incoming when I can see tails and then switch to a topwater when the water gets around mid-thigh and seeing fish is tougher. I’m wondering if I should go with a popper type which will push water/make noise or just stick with a subsurface muddler type mullet pattern.
quote:
Originally posted by Mad_Mikeif the water in your flat is getting mid thigh deep… you need new flats man… thats way to deep…
Mad Mike
"to hell with insane… I’m OUTsane!!! "
Yeh, that was a bad description. Obviously I prefer mid-shin deep but I seen some fish moving around in the deeper water (above the knee) where I was thinking a topwater might produce.
On the flats I’ve been fishing, I’m tending to see fish in the same areas and my hardheadedness makes me stay in those areas even when water is above optimum depth.
quote:
Originally posted by iFlyquote:The thing that gets most people interested in "flats fishing" is being able to see a fish, target it, entice it and watch it attack the bait/fly that you are presenting. That means, like Mike just mentioned, very shallow water. I use surface flies when the fish can see the surface and the bottom as he swims along. That is why I mentioned in my first post that there is a whole category of flies that I don't use on flats: gurglers, poppers, etc.. If you are using noise making flies, I feel you can just as easily stay off the flats and fish more open/deeper water. That, like all fishing, is just a preference. :wink:
Originally posted by bonecrusherI agree, fishing topwater is incredibly exciting and if I were catching fish more consistently on the bottom, I’d probably be much more inclined to try it but I feel like time if precious and I want to fish the fly with the greatest change of getting bit.
I think my strategy for the flood tides next week is to fish on the bottom during the incoming when I can see tails and then switch to a topwater when the water gets around mid-thigh and seeing fish is tougher. I’m wondering if I should go with a popper type which will push water/make noise or just stick with a subsurface muddler type mullet pattern.
Believe me, there’s nothing I love more than stalking a big bone tailing in 8 inches of water so clear that you can see his eyes and tell whether he’s watching the fly. I’ve never thrown a topwater at a bonefish but know some people do.
Most places don’t have the huge tidal swing we get here so sometimes the window of oppo
“the snakes” present the best opportunity for surface flies. If they’re sliding around high in the water or they’re super shallow, it makes it easy for them to notice a gurgler or deer hair fly. For me, its all about angles with the topwater flies. If the fish gets a chance to get behind it and track, often it will rise up with eyes out of the water to inspect and spook more often than not. If you can get a crossing shot on the fish and intersect paths properly, the fish have to react quickly, resulting in a good bite. The true digging tailing fish in a foot of water aren’t usually great targets for a surface fly, but it different with each fish. Good luck, shrimp gurglers and deerhair mullet flies are so fun to fish when they’re behaving properly for it.
MadMike,
That is about the best description I have ever read on the different types of fish on the high tide flat…I am going to have to use that 
John
JohnH0802
Got so caught up in Mad Mikes great information that I forgot what the post was about. Here is my two cents on topwater:
Patience is key…I set out last year to catch some redfish on top water, and so I tied up some gurglers. Tied them on and forced myself to fish with them. I must have yanked it away from the first 5 fish before I finally stuck one. They just are not very good at taking things off the surface. I even watched one fish push the fly about 5 feet…every time he tried to take it he would hit it with his nose and push it out of the way. I can see where the dalbergs and deer hair flies would be much easier for the fish to take.
I did catch several on top water, but it was very frustrating at times. It was fun to watch though. Mad Mike’s advice is the best I have seen written down when it comes to high tide fishing.
John
JohnH0802
I have been throwing gurgs at tailing fish at high tide for about a month now. its the best. simply because you would never think a fish with his its head down would look up but man they do. toss it right on top of a tailing fish and pop her back slowly. like the others have said. they suck at physically eating off the surface. some fish will explode on it right away others are weary and will fallow if all the way back and try sipping it like a trout the whole way, but the best are the ones who launch eyes out of the water and crush them. stay down and keep popping slowly. hit the tops of creeks in the solid mud flats. smack in the face whatever is looking fishy and hope the wake fallows your fly. dont blind fish unless your not seeing anything and want to catch ladyfish. IT’S A GOOD PERSONAL CHALLENGE AND AS ADDICTING AS POON! GOOD LUCK!
ALL GINKED UP