Quick question I have a new 22 foot bay boat and I want to try to find tailing reds in the flats. I know someone is going to say buy a flats boat. I get it haha. But is there somewhere I can go safely and not risk the boat or myself?
Thanks in advance!!
She thinks were just fishin…
I can safely be in 2 feet of water. I just don’t want to get stuck out there and be that guy.
She thinks were just fishin…
You can’t get up in 8" of water with the flats boats, but you can fish staging reds at the bottom of the flats starting on low tide and then in the edge of the grass as the water just gets in the grass. Once the tide gets high enough for the reds to get way back into the grass, you probably cannot get skinny enough to follow them. Go catch trout then. Don’t get caught skinny on outgoing tide.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
Take a kayak with you in the bay boat. Fish all the skinny water you want.
Capt. R. Killin
“Day Tripper”
Shamrock 20 cuddy
Ford 351W
quote:
Originally posted by specYou can’t get up in 8" of water with the flats boats, but you can fish staging reds at the bottom of the flats starting on low tide and then in the edge of the grass as the water just gets in the grass. Once the tide gets high enough for the reds to get way back into the grass, you probably cannot get skinny enough to follow them. Go catch trout then. Don’t get caught skinny on outgoing tide.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
This is good advice. You can also find them coming off the flat as the high tide water retreats. Find those pinch points where they are exiting and drown bait or wait and look for tailing/blowing up on stuff near these areas. Keep at it and you’ll find them. Flats that have fish in the beginning of summer don’t always have fish later in the summer…just my experience. Move around until you find them in numbers. Some flats I look at, I can commonly see 30+ tailers in a high tide whereas others I will see five or less.
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
Thanks guys
She thinks were just fishin…
Spec has some great advice. I usually fish the incoming tide and once the fish I’m chasing get in the grass, it’s time to chase some trout. Once you get real familiar with an area you’ll know when you can fish an outgoing tide, but that’s the only time you’ll really run in to trouble. Also,find a flat you can walk. Long grass equals soft bottom, short grass equals hard bottom. Don’t get out in the long grass… ever.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
You should invest in some good electronics if you haven’t already. A good GPS with a chartplotter will keep you safe and get you back home.
200 Bay Scout
115 Yamaha 4 stroke
quote:
Long grass equals soft bottom, short grass equals hard bottom. Don't get out in the long grass..... ever.
Words of wisdom right there. The taller the grass, the deeper the mud.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I used to walk flats a good amount before I got my Whaler. Using my deep v Sea Pro.
You can do this. just look for places where a short-grass flat comes up to a creek channel. Just drive the nose of your boat up a little onto the flat. Chunk your anchor out onto the flat. Step off and start walking. No problemo!
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
Long grass equals soft bottom, short grass equals hard bottom. Don't get out in the long grass..... ever.
Words of wisdom right there. The taller the grass, the deeper the mud.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I learn something every day…
quote:
Chunk your anchor out onto the flat.
I wonder how many fiddler crabs died under that anchor?
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
quote:I hope PETA doesn't hear about that!
quote: Chunk your anchor out onto the flat.I wonder how many fiddler crabs died under that anchor?
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
quote:
Originally posted by capehorn 16quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
Long grass equals soft bottom, short grass equals hard bottom. Don't get out in the long grass..... ever.
Words of wisdom right there. The taller the grass, the deeper the mud.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I learn something every day…
Yeah, you’ll want to walk in the tall grass…just you though. The short grass is for everyone else…
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
That’s short form and tall form Spartina alterniflora. Tall form is usually along creek banks and where you have deeper high tide flooding, meaning usually where you have more silt (pluff mud) deposits. The short form is more often found on higher flats where bottoms tends to have more sand, thus, firmer bottoms.
Olde Man Charters
A lot of good advice.
Scout the flats in your area at low tide and look for the channels and deeper feeders to those flats. Go at high tide and remember these. A bay boat will get you there and you will be surprised as to how far into the flats you can get. And get out when it’s time.
I fished a bay boat for years in the flats up my way. They work well. Only stuck once.
big dog
Whatever you do stay close to Charleston. If inclined to go somewhere else, head south toward Edisto and Beaufort. There are no fish north of Charleston. Fish only like developed areas where humans litter
Thanks guys Happy fishing
She thinks were just fishin…