I typically throw crab patterns on the flats during flood tides, but I've had them swipe at gurglers as well. Shrimp are thick everywhere right now, so anything shrimpy/crabby that gets their attention should work.

I usually choose the fly based more on water clarity, depth, and how thick the grass is. Usually get to the flat a few hours before high.

Don't discount low tide right now, though. It's a great time of year to throw something shrimpy or fishy in front of them.

 

Floods are basically shot for the year. You will get one more shot this weekend, but I wouldnt expect to see many up in the grass. Small shrimp patters are the ticket right now. During the peak flood time (Aug-Oct) its hard to beat a black and purple crab . Bryson is right, start focusing on these low tides. The bite has been really good!

 

Thanks. I usually have more luck on low tide but then again I rarely fish floods. Might be too cold for them in the morning but it beats working.

 

The colder it gets the less and less you will see the food the redfish are after in the grass, crabs, etc.

Prime months are usually August-Oct in my opinion up here and sometimes a little earlier.
The redfish have to get used to getting into the flood pattern every year and it is about full force during these months.

With Irma it did not help at all for floods with the water being so high for so long the fish were able to go and just gorge themselves for weeks and it wasn't as productive as it could have been.

As for flies I would say shrimp/ crab or a simple black and purple with lead eyes to get down when they are feeding (nothing too heavy though) and a good weed guard as some of the flies have bad ones and you'll know pretty quick which suck.

Gurglers are fun, but being so light when a red wakes on them over half the time the water off their wake pushes the gurgler out of the way and they miss.

Good luck.

 

Also, the reds will be up in the grass year-round, since it's safe there. They just won't be tailing in the winter months, since the crabs aren't out. You may still see some cruising, or just floating under the surface not doing anything other than avoiding flipper.

 

I could use a little help with the low tides, I'm in the big bend and primarily fish panacea. I can catch reds and trout consistently on pretty much anything but low tides. The oyster bars get completely exposed and there's not much grass in the bay, it's basically 6"-18" deep flat mud bottom. Water along the edges of the spartina grass and oyster bars gets down to nothing. Will they hole up in deeper pockets in the back creeks that go dry? Some of those areas are only a foot deep and 10' long sand trough, even the mullet swim out with the tide.