Tips

Flats Class Lesson #14: Dirty Water Challenges

I am often challenged on the tour with dirty or turbid water conditions and have to come up with techniques that are effective in that environment.This is especially true in venues between Galveston and Mobile... but with wind and rainfall turbid conditions can happen anywhere!

My strategy usually consist of searching an area with lures that increase the strike zone when visibility below the surface is less than perfect. Lures that are good for this scenario are crank baits and spinner baits.The flash and the vibration that these lures possess give hungry fish a signature that they can home in on when the water is dirty.

I like crank baits for deeper plays especially if I'm fishing around rock or wood. They stay at the right depth for a longer period of time and draw fish in when the crank bait is deflecting off the structure. Crank baits are an underappreciated tool in saltwater but they are deadly effective on all types of game fish.

The spinner bait is a great play around flooded grass and marsh, it moves through grass quite effectively and draws wicked strikes from game fish in shallow off color water. A redfish pro's go-to bait!

When I have the right conditions and the fish aren't so willing to hit a reaction bait like those mentioned above, I fish a dark colored jig with a rattle. The dark colored jig contrasts with the dirty water and when worked subtly by hopping or dragging it in the area that I'm trying to target it always gets slurped up.

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Flats Class Lesson #13: Casting Distance equals success

Covering more water means catching more fish! If you can make longer casts, your percentages will be much greater to get your lure in front of more gamefish, period. Factors that play an active role in casting distance are braided line, lure selection, rod and reel set-up, and using the wind to gain an advantage.

Braided lines (example:10#) are much thinner and more limp than their mono counterparts; this will give you longer casts just based on swapping mono for braid. When you combine the braided line with a 7'6" rod and a larger spool spinning reel you have a cannon that will launch a light weight lure a 100' plus distance!

Lures that will help you reach out and obtain maximum casting distance are spoons, top waters, and of course the venerable Flats Class Rig. And if you set up with the wind at your back you'll be able to reach out even further with your long distance combinations. Long casts are necessary not only to find fish but also to reach spooky pressured fish that are often encountered.

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Flats Class recommendations: (Sufix 10lb. Performance Braid, 7'6" DaiwaCoastal spinning rod, Daiwa Advantage 3000 spinning reel.)

Flats Class Lesson #12: Flexibility without Limitation

Sometimes anglers are limited by space, weight, or even expense when trying to maximize the versatility of their equipment. It may be space or weight in a small poling skiff or kayak; And expense if you're trying to get quality over quantity. Obviously it would be nice to have several rods outfitted for every conceivable scenario but often that is not possible because of limitations.

An example of this flexibility without limitation would be if you could onlybring one rod and reel because of expense or space...choose a 7' medium action spinning rod with a line weight of 8-17# and bring two spools for your reel (one braid & one mono). The mono spool (10#) would allow you the forgiveness for treble hooked lures like topwaters, crank baits, and suspending twitch baits, while the braid spool (10#) would allow for more hook setting power with jigs and Texas rigged plastics. Now you have the ability to fish a She Dog at first light and skip the mangroves with a Texas rigged plastic at high noon with the simple switch of a spool. This gives you the option to have two outfits basically for the price of one.

-by Evinrude E-tec pro Sam Bertha Jr.

Tip #11: How Fast Should I Strip My Fly?

By CAPT. PAT DAMICO, CapMel.com Fly Fishing Editor and Moderator

I am asked this question more frequently than any other by both new as well as more experienced fly fishers. They are asking for a key to make their fly more appealing to the fish. The question sounds simple enough, but the answer is rather complex. If I said use a six inch slow strip with a little pause, does that mean that the fly will move six inches and hesitate slightly? Maybe, but unless several rules are followed, the fly may not move at all or at a much more accelerated rate.

Good principles of line control will transmit movements of your stripping hand to the fly. Stripping is the term used to cause desired fly movement when the non-casting hand moves the line in a direction from the tip to the handle of the fly rod. In saltwater fly fishing, the rod tip is rarely used to give the fly action. What are some of these principles, and how do they work?

First, it is important to remember what pattern we are fishing and duplicate those movements. If using a crab pattern for redfish, a very slow movement of an inch or two may be all that is needed. Baitfish patterns may require long strips to mimic a small fish trying to escape from the jaws of a predator. These movements are very different. The crab imitation will always be close to the bottom, so immediately moving the fly in the upper water column is counter productive.

Let’s begin by making sure that proper casting rules are followed. The better you cast, the more easily action to the fly can be transmitted. On the forward cast, with the rod properly loaded, a crisp stop is used to unload the rod and complete the cast. After the stop, the rod is lowered as the line settles to the waters surface. If you let go of the line with your non-casting hand, you are already in trouble. The line should slide thru your fingers and closing your fingers on the line at the proper time will give you control of accuracy, similar to when your thumb touches the spool on a baitcasting reel, or your index finger feathers the line on a spinning reel before touching the spool to stop the lure and direct where it will land. As the fly hits the water, is everything in a straight line? Is the rod pointed at the fly and is all slack eliminated? Is your rod tip close to the water, or several feet from the waters surface? To properly transmit intended movements to the fly, the rod tip must almost touch the water. The slack caused by having the rod too far from the water will prohibit any line hand movements from affecting the fly. If you are holding the rod tip a few feet above the water, a long strip will not move the fly at all. If there is slack in the cast and the line looks like a snake on the water, moving the line to give the fly movement will be ineffective. Of course, if your leader collapsed on the cast, you will get the same poor result. Keep everything in a straight line with slack eliminated.

Tidal movement and wind direction are other factors. If the tide is coming in straight toward you, and you have eliminated slack in the cast, a long strip may just remove line slack created by the advancing current with the result that the current only drifted the fly in your direction. The length of the strip may have to be two, or three times what is needed to get the desired result. Just stripping enough line to keep in contact with the fly may be adequate with a crab or shrimp pattern as it drifts into the strike zone of your intended quarry. Any slack present will prevent you from feeling the take. Having the wind at your back as the tide comes toward you will move the boat and further prevent the control you desire. When fishing from a boat with the wind in your face and the tide coming toward you, the drifting boat alone may give the fly enough, or too much movement. When the tide is moving away from you, casting at an angle, much the same as you would when fishing a river, may give even a baitfish pattern enough movement to trigger a strike. You can mend line, move the line close to the rod tip up current, or make a reach cast in the same direction to give you better control.

When you can’t actually see the fly, which is frequent, concentrate on the end of your fly line to gage how your stripping movements transmit to the end of your line and ultimately the fly.

Certain species of fish seem to prefer different actions. Colder water will make some fish more lethargic, preventing them from using much energy to chase a fly. Jacks, barracuda, and Spanish mackerel will loose interest if a baitfish pattern is not really moving. Trout, reds and snook will be more selective and often prefer a certain action that you must duplicate.

Give careful consideration to these recommendations the next time you go out with the long rod. Concentrate your efforts on trying to understand what your intended target is seeing at the end of your leader. I’m sure that observing these rules will increase the number of strikes and hookups to a level that will pleasantly surprise you.

A FFF certified fly casting instructor, Capt. Pat Damico, guides in lower Tampa Bay as well as surrounding water offering fly and light tackle trips. He can be reached at 727-504-8649, or through his website www.captpat.com where more information is available.

Flats Class Lesson #10: "Signs of Life"

Where should I start when looking for productive fishing areas? That is a question I hear all the time...the answer is really quite simple, just look for signs of life. This can be the only clue you need to consistently findgame fish, period!

Signs of life or activity zones can best be described as concentrations of bird activity, large mullet schools, baitfish raining (glass minnows), large stingray activity, fleeing or skipping shrimp (on surface or along shorelines), or muds created by game fish themselves.

Typically, I will not even stop on a flat and make a cast unless I see some activity (signs of life) regardless of how good the bottom features or shoreline appears! The old saying that 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water is very true...that being said, maximize your efforts in areas with lots of activity and you will catch more fish. I use this one tactic everywhere I fish from Texas, to Florida, and all the way up to North Carolina, it simply works!

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Flats Class Lesson #9: Access and Approach

The way you access a potential fishing area can predicate your level of success, let me explain…

First of all I shut my outboard engine down, if it's a shallow flat, a minimum of 500 yards away from my target area. Then depending on conditions pole or troll (electric) into the area taking both the sun and wind into consideration.

Whenever possible I try to approach a shallow flat with the sun at my back allowing me to see not only the features in the flat I want to target but the game fish themselves. In the clear shallows being able to see the fish not only gives me confidence that the fish are there but helps me develop a pattern as to what features in the flat they're relating to such as potholes, oyster bars, or edges.

Now the one mitigating factor will be wind direction and strength…if the wind is fairly strong it will override my decision to put the sun at my back and go with the wind at my back instead. On windy fishing days I'll let the wind carry my boat down the flat even if the sun is in my face, by Power Poling down often and using long distance search baits (top waters, spoons, etc.) to find the fish, I play percentages and power fish a windswept flat.

I use this strategy every time I go shallow water fishing and it's the first step in becoming a better angler!

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Flats Class Lesson #8: Super Glue a must in every tackle box!

Of all the handy serums and elixirs that have been introduced to anglers in the last few decades, super glue has got to be the most practical and a must in every tackle box. Super glue can be used for a variety of angler needs such as the following:

The most obvious is a quick rod repair to a line guide or a loose tip-top that as a result from casting leader knots through them, one drop and ten seconds of drying time and your back fishing!

Speaking of knots, a drop of super glue not only re-enforces them but coats knots so they glide through your rod's line guides without losing casting distance or weakening the knot itself.

Super glue also helps with modifying and securing lures. I often use super glue to fastened rattles on spoons or insert them in my soft baits and even for securely linking Strike King 3X baits to hooks and jig heads…I even use super glue in much of my fly fishing applications but that will be a future tip…

I personally will use super glue as a first aid tool as a makeshift band-aid or bacteria barrier for minor cuts or wounds incurred while fishing. This little tip has saved a lot of fishing trips for me in the past.

These are just a few of the uses for the amazing adhesive qualities of super glue in fishing, I'm sure you could probably add some of your own…so feel free to add them to our do-it-yourself tip section of the forum.

Capt. C.A. Richardson

Flats Class Lesson #7: “Fly Selection for Windy Days”

The windy spring weather has created some difficult conditions for fly fishers.  Many of my favorite flats do not have a lot of grass this time of year and it takes a long time for the water to clear up…this makes it tough for redfish to see my fly.

Early morning incoming tides have been accompanied by waking redfish exploring the shallows searching for food.  Flies that push water and have large profiles are especially productive in these turbid conditions even though larger baitfishes are not truly plentiful yet.  Size one EP fiber peanut butter patterns make a very soft entry into the water and will not spook shallow water reds.  Also, some extra flash and larger eyes help attract a redfish’s attention; an accurate cast in the fish’s strike zone will often be rewarded with a vicious strike as the fly is stripped.

Remember not to strip the fly into the fish’s face, a shot at an angle or coming toward you is always best.  So take time to orient the fish before you present the fly.

Capt. Pat Damico, The Fly Guy

Flats Class Lesson #6: Why Two Stroke Direct Injection makes so much sense for the shallows…

The obvious reason why 2 stroke technologies are superior to their 4 stroke counterparts in shallow water is the horsepower to weight ratio…here is an example a 90 E-tec weighs 318lbs. versus a F90 Yamaha weighing in at 369lbs. on today’s micro skiffs that not only effects your boat’s draft but how your boat performs on plane, such as boat trim issues.

Another factor that plays a big role in a shallow water environment is torque.  Torque gives you the ability to hop your boat on plane out of a pothole or small depression in a flat without making contact with the bottom.  See 4 stroke technology develops significantly LESS torque at the same rpm than competitive engineering because a 4 stroke makes power on every other revolution of the crankshaft while 2 stroke direct injection technology like E-tec makes a power stroke on every revolution of the crankshaft; more power, higher performance.

Some other benefits of 2 stroke DI’s include higher fuel efficiency than 4 strokes of equal horsepower, much lower carbon monoxide emissions, and lower maintenance which ultimately means you spend more time on the water catching fish for a lot less money!

E-tec it’s the only choice to make if shallow water is your game…
Capt. C.A. Richardson

Flats Class Lesson #5: Fishing the “Flats Class Rig”

The “Flats Class Rig” is a long distance finesse technique I use when I’ve located redfish but the conditions are less than desirable and require an ultra-long cast. First let me define less than desirable conditions, it may not be what you think; high blue skies with very little or no wind and sometimes compounded with an area of heavy fishing pressure. Now that can be tough but it’s not a problem with the long range “Flats Class Rig”.

Under these conditions dead-sticking with the “Flats Class Rig” will be the most productive method but it requires a little patience. Be careful not to impart too much action to the lure, let your quarry find the acorn! Don’t jig or hop the bait, no movement or subtle quivering is the desired action…

Equipment for this application requires a 7’ 6” to 8’ medium or medium heavy spinning rod combined with a 3000 size reel, I prefer the Daiwa Advantage series because of its velvety drag and oversized spool that gives me the ability to make super long casts. Line choice is simple; Sufix Performance Braid in the 10lb line class…all you need to know is that it outcasts all the others. Did I mention you have to make a long cast to be successful!

Now let’s talk about the business end of this “Flats Class Rig”. On the very end of this delivery system you will find a ½ oz. Tru-Tungsten bullet weight tied to 15lb. fluorocarbon leader, much smaller in physical size than its lead counterpart and a lot more sensitive. Moving up the leader about 12” to 18” above the tungsten weight I use a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook attached to my fluorocarbon leader by a Palomar knot; the leader then extends another 24” to 30” towards the main running line (your 10lb. Sufix braid) and is attached with a line to line connecting knot, I like a double-uni knot myself. As for lure choice it’s hard to beat a Strike Zero (looks like a marine worm) trimmed down to 3” or 4” in length or a 3” Strike King Coffee Tube. Use natural colors that match the bottom your fishing, such as watermelon/red flake or green pumpkin. I like the Strike King 3X baits for this rig because they are very soft and life-like yet so strong and tough…it really helps with those pesky pinfish. It’s the perfect lure for this presentation! Lastly, load up with forage specific Carolina Lunker Sauce gel scents. Shrimp, Mullet, or Crab works fantastic on redfish and the scent dispersion is greater than any product I’ve ever used!

Now when the redfish thumps your 3X bait, don’t set the hook, remember it’s a circle hook…wait for the line to come tight and reel like crazy! Hey, enjoy your new secret weapon the “Flats Class Rig”.

Capt. Ray Van Horn

Flats Class Lesson #4: The Spring Migration

With early spring temperatures rising and the daylight hours growing longer with each passing day, it is time to check out the migration routes used by game fish. Game fish in Florida are more tropical in nature and therefore more sensitive to colder water temperatures. Cold fronts typically send these game fish into their backcountry refuges during the cooler months…deeper creeks, bends in rivers, and man-made canals are good winter retreat areas.

As spring approaches the fish will begin venturing out of these winter retreats migrating to the outside barrier islands and flats. The migration can take up to two months! Game fish will stop, “hang-out” and feed in a given area for a period of time, usually a moon phase, then continue the migration. Along the migration, game fish will take advantage of the easiest route and swim with the tide to their next destination or “hang-out”. 

If you study charts and look for underwater contours and channels that connect the winter refuges to the outside summer spawning areas, you will be able to take advantage of some spectacular springtime fishing!

Capt. Al Keller

Flats Class Lesson #3: All Spoons are not created equal!

Not catching redfish on your trusty gold spoon anymore? There can be many factors that contribute to your gold spoon being less reliable but most likely the answer is fishing pressure. Here are a few changes and modifications that might tease those discriminating redfish into chewing…

Try changing the size and finish of your spoon choices. Smaller quarter ounce spoon offerings in chrome or black nickel finishes have always proven effective even on tour pressured redfish. Try these smaller profiles you’ll see your catch rate go up!

Another alternative is to change the shape and actions of a spoon…most spoons are sled shaped and have a slow rolling action. Change it up; use a willow blade spoon that will flutter and dance on the retrieve, this difference can trigger strikes from stubborn redfish.

Finally you can modify your existing gold spoons with color and sound, here’s how. A tried and true tour tactic for many top pros is to tie a small one inch red yarn trailer to the hook bend on their spoons for flash; it also does a nice job holding scent from attractants like Carolina Lunker Sauce. And when pros face turbid water conditions they glue a small glass rattle to the inside face of their spoons to give the redfish a sound and vibration signature to home in on, it’s one of my favorite tricks in dirty water…

Just a spoonful of advice to help you the next time you’re out on the water, tight lines.

Capt. C.A. Richardson   

Flats Class Lesson #2: Clear water leader choices

During the winter months, most of our flats fishing is done in gin clear water requiring anglers to reduce leader weights from the standard 25#-30# option to the more invisible 15#-20# selection. This drop in leader weight though creates a few obvious problems such as strength, abrasion resistance, and the annoying fouling of most hard baits.

So how do anglers beat the pitfalls of light weight leaders? Well, the strength issue can be addressed by using softer rod actions and a quality reel with a velvety drag. This combination will drastically reduce the stress on lighter weight leaders. The abrasion resistance factor can only be reduced by using premium fluoro carbon materials; standard mono leader just doesn’t offer anglers that kind of toughness that fluoro carbon provides. And lastly, how frustrating is it when your favorite plug’s front treble hook is constantly fouling on that lighter weight leader! Mirrolure’s Eric Bachnik suggests, tying a clench or Palomar knot to the plug instead of the popular loop knot used with heavier weight leader material. These knot suggestions work particularly well with suspending twitch baits and light weight leader combinations….

Flats Class Recommendations: Sufix InvisiLine Fluoro Carbon leader material and Daiwa’s TDA 2500/3000 spinning reels.

Flats Class Lesson #1: Living on the Edge

Edges, in the context of fishing, can be defined in many ways but primarily indicate where game fish like to hunt for forage! Game fish use edges because baitfish more or less gravitate to edges and have a tendency to be vulnerable in these zones.

What is an edge? An edge can be a depth contour, or where grass meets sand (ex. pothole), a current seam, or even a shadow line. In these zones baitfish become confused and disoriented making them easy prey for hungry game fish. A well placed soft plastic jerk bait or erratic moving hard bait will usually get an explosive reaction strike along the edge zones. This tactic is even more effective when baitfish are present and the angler does a good job matching the hatch!

Targeting edges is the number one pattern when looking for fish in a new area by touring pro anglers. Look for these zones (edges) on your next outing and use a reaction bite presentation for some drag screaming results.

Flats Class Lure Recommendations: Strike King’s 3X Zulu or ZToo (soft plastic) or Mirrolure’s Mirro-dine, Mirro-minnow, & Catch Jr. series (hard baits).

Capt. C.A. Richardson