[georgiadrifter]

Gents.....question?

When sight-fishing flooded spartina grass for tailing/feeding reds....do you find it more productive to:

- carefully pole across the grass flats....getting close enough to cast to the fish from the skiff?

or.....

- poling to within 50-yards or so...exiting the skiff....and carefully wading to within casting distance (contingent on firm footing)?

Thoughts?

 

[mcraft173]

Might get different opinions on this, but I have better success staying in the boat. Better vantage point, easier time seeing floaters or orientation when they drop their tail. I can pole the boat quieter, faster and cover more ground, than I can wading. Most flood fish sort of move around erratically and I find I make too much noise while wading trying to keep up. Ive done it both ways and each has a time and place.

 

[Shadowcast]

Never have fished in this situation....cannot wait to really do it with a fly! I'd say stay in the skiff for a better vantage point.

 

[scissorhands]

stay in the boat

 

[FlyBy]

If your boat will get to them stay in it.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

The boat is quieter and you’ll be higher allowing longer casts. If the fish is tailing let the fly or lure drop so the fish has a better chance of seeing and sensing it.

 

[georgiadrifter]

Thanks for your input. Redfish-in-the-grass is a new game for me.

Now if this storm will just head north (fingers crossed).

 

[BrownDog]

Stay in the boat for the above stated reasons.

Also I tend to see more fish staked out on a flat and waiting, then moving on fish. I see a lot of people around here polling through a flat quickly trying to cover as much as fast as possible then leaving.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

Stay in the boat for the above stated reasons.

Also I tend to see more fish staked out on a flat and waiting, then moving on fish. I see a lot of people around here polling through a flat quickly trying to cover as much as fast as possible then leaving.

This is often an overlooked technique for flats fishing. Many times I have staked out in my skiff, kayak or even wading and sight cast fish for hours until I got tired of it. It’s not an every trip occurance but if you find the right spot and conditions it can be epic.

 

[lemaymiami]

Agree with everything said for redfish - but for bonefish.... go on foot if the bottom is hard enough. You're a lot harder for a big bone to see wading - than that skiff is....

 

[Smackdaddy53]

Agree with everything said for redfish - but for bonefish.... go on foot if the bottom is hard enough. You're a lot harder for a big bone to see wading - than that skiff is....

Sometimes reds will definitely spook because they see me before I see them, especially in gin clear water and after a lot of boat traffic has run over an area too much. I had to switch to clear Monic Henley fly line because colored line was spooking fish while it was in the air.

 

[georgiadrifter]

I have waded sight casting fish thousands of miles and had a very good skill set, but after the first time I hunted fish from a skiff in 2003 sight fish wading ceased as I realized how many fish I was not seeing. I notice some people stepping out of skiffs when the wind is blowing due to hard work poling and fly line management but a quiet, straight track skiff is much more efficient.

This makes a lot of sense! Thanks.

 

[Sublime]

My butt stays in the skiff. I see too many rays from up there. @sjrobin has probably noticed that in our area, the more rays you are seeing often translates to seeing more reds as well. Not always but I have noticed it over the years.

 

[crboggs]

I can get closer on foot and enjoy it, but can see better on the skiff. So it depends on conditions.

 

[Backcountry 16]

My butt stays in the skiff. I see too many rays from up there. @sjrobin has probably noticed that in our area, the more rays you are seeing often translates to seeing more reds as well. Not always but I have noticed it over the years.

The stingray shuffle is what we do here in Florida.

 

[georgiadrifter]

So this evening we had another flood tide event. I moved out of the main channel, got on the platform....and started slowly poling onto the flat. Water was slightly stained. I spotted four tailers about 75-yards away. My son is not very proficient with the fly rod....so we swapped. He poled the skiff to within 25-feet of the fish. I was able to place a fly close to the fish....but don’t think I let it sink deep enough. Those fish had their noses in the mud, tails up...in about 18-inches of water.

So none brought to hand this evening but I learned a lot.

 

[TieOneOnJax]

If I'm on a solo flood tide mission and it's breezy out, I'll pole as close as I can without spooking and then hop off the skiff and stalk the fish on foot. I'm just not coordinated enough to pole the boat and cast a fly rod while effectively managing my line from on top of the platform without making an ass of myself.

If it's not too windy, I'll usually just quietly pole into range, hope down and cast from the bow. I usually set the rod up on the deck in advance so all I need to do is make the cast when the time comes.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

If I'm on a solo flood tide mission and it's breezy out, I'll pole as close as I can without spooking and then hop off the skiff and stalk the fish on foot. I'm just not coordinated enough to pole the boat and cast a fly rod while effectively managing my line from on top of the platform without making an ass of myself.

If it's not too windy, I'll usually just quietly pole into range, hope down and cast from the bow. I usually set the rod up on the deck in advance so all I need to do is make the cast when the time comes.

Solo is tougher for sure.

 

[Net 30]

If you've never wade fished before, managing your fly line is a major PITA! Having your line dragging behind you and getting caught on every piece of grass or junk in the water makes your head explode as you begin your cast and it only goes 10' before any snag stops it.

You can always use a stripping basket like guys in the surf use, but trying to move and intercept a fish while you're wearing a basket makes it tough to stay quiet and mobil with a tub hanging off your gutt.

My vote is to stay in the skiff but I'm still learning this flood tide stuff and making lots of noob mistakes.

 

[TieOneOnJax]

If you've never wade fished before, managing your fly line is a major PITA! Having your line dragging behind you and getting caught on every piece of grass or junk in the water makes your head explode as you begin your cast and it only goes 10' before any snag stops it.

You can always use a stripping basket like guys in the surf use, but trying to move and intercept a fish while you're wearing a basket makes it tough to stay quiet and mobil with a tub hanging off your gutt.

My vote is to stay in the skiff but I'm still learning this flood tide stuff and making lots of noob mistakes.

After many years of trial and error, I have a solution to this problem that actually works (once every 30 tries).

Before I step out of the boat I strip off any line I anticipate I may need. When doing so I take into account that I’ll be knee/thigh high in the water with tall grass in backcast so I obviously won’t have the range I do on the boat. From there, I cast out all the line and then strip it in, coiling it over my left hand (I’m a righty so I strip with my left hand). When coiling, I make sure the line that will shoot first is closest to the tips in my fingers and the line coming out last is closest to my palm. Once I have my line coiled in my hand I step off and stalk myself into position. Once in casting range I lay my coiled line in the water, making sure to leave the loops that were closest to my fingertips floating on top. If I’ve done it correctly I should be able to cast without my line tangling or getting snagged. If the fish moves out of range I either (a) redo this process and chase him, (b) impatiently drag my line behind me and dog curse the tall grass when I inevitably get snagged, or (c) go back to the boat and finish my beer while looking for a more cooperative fish.