Last Updated on February 26, 2025 by Eric Bonneman
Are you looking to catch more fish on the flats? Inshore fishing can be a blast, but it’s no fun if you’re not catching any fish.
We’ve prepared some great information on flats fishing to help you hook up and land more fish. Whether you are an absolute beginner or an experienced Floridian fisherman, these tips will help you improve your fishing skills.
Here are five tips to help you catch more fish on the flats:
Tip 1: Make Sure You’re Using the Correct Gear
If you want to catch fish on the flats, you need to use the right gear. Choose a light rod and reel combo that can handle small lures and light line. A spinning reel combo is an excellent setup for flats fishing and can handle a wide variety of inshore saltwater applications.
Now, some folks like baitcasters, and if you know how to handle one, more power to you. But the truth is, for most inshore fishing on the flats, a spinning setup just makes life easier. Quick to cast, easy to control, and it won’t backlash on you when that wind kicks up—which it always seems to do just when you don’t want it to…
That’s why a good spinning reel combo is just about perfect for this kind of work—pair it with a light or medium-light rod, and you’ve got yourself a setup that’ll toss a soft plastic shrimp, a topwater plug, or a live bait under a popping cork with ease. A braided line, something around 10-15 lb test, will help you cast farther and cut through the grass if a redfish decides to run you through the salad.
Don’t forget a fluorocarbon leader—these waters are clear, and fish that live on the flats aren’t stupid. They’ll eyeball a thick, bright line and turn tail.
Tip 2: Fish The Right Water
St. Augustine has more than its fair share of flats, especially in the Intracoastal Waterway and around the Matanzas River. All those shallow, grassy, and sandy areas are great spots to catch redfish, trout, flounder, and even snook depending on the season. The combination of grass beds, oyster bars, and tidal flow makes for some excellent inshore fishing, and that’s especially true around places like Salt Run, the Tolomato River, and the backwaters of Anastasia Island.
Now—all that said, not all flats in Florida are the same. For example:
- Flats that offer some sort of cover are better than those that do not.
- Fishing flats close to deep water can pay huge dividends.
- In particular, grass flats are excellent places to hunker down and fish.
In other words, flats that include features that set them apart from featureless flats are better habitats for fish to lie in wait for food or set up to spawn.
Those same waters that seemed lifeless in the midday heat come alive with movement when you’re on the flats at night. Speckled trout love to lurk just outside the edges of these flats, sliding into the shallows under the cover of darkness. Redfish will tail quietly in the moonlight, rooting around for food, while snook move up onto the flats from deeper water, using their keen senses to hunt in low light.
Even flounder will creep along the sandy patches between the grass, waiting to ambush prey that drifts too close. The trick to fishing these flats at night is all about working with the conditions. A calm night with just enough moonlight can be perfect—gives you enough visibility to spot movement but still keeping the fish feeling secure in the shadows.
A wise fisherman also keeps a record of his catches—marking down what bites where lets you see the patterns in the flats and know where to cast next time. Tracking your catches on a fishing app can make it a little (or a lot) easier to recognize patterns in productive flats over time.
Tip 3: Look For Signs Of Life
When you’re flats fishing, keep an eye out for signs of life. Pay close attention to things like baitfish schooling or birds working the water. These are good indications that there are fish in the area. If you see baitfish, there’s a good chance that predators are nearby. And if you see birds working the water, they’re usually after the same thing you are – fish!
A lone pelican dive-bombing the surface might not mean much, but if you see terns or seagulls wheeling and dipping, there’s bait in the water. And where there’s bait, there’s fish. Watch the birds’ movements—if they’re moving slow and low, they’re tracking something below, waiting for their moment.
If they’re diving aggressively, that means the feed is on, and you’d do well to get in on it.
Tip 4: Use Stealth in Your Approach
Flats fishing is all about stealth. When fishing the shallows, the fish can detect your presence from a long way off, so it’s essential to be quiet and approach your area silently. Be careful to avoid any sudden or abrupt movements if wading, and be mindful of how you are moving. If you’re in a boat, avoid dropping things on the deck of the boat. Sounds reverberate and travel long distances underwater, so extra caution is crucial to your success. The more stealthy you can be, the more fish you’re likely to catch.
Tip 5: Fish the Moment
Preparing a fishing strategy based on the anticipated conditions is important, but you must stay flexible and ready to adapt to current conditions. For example, you may have a plan to start with topwater in the morning and then transition to something slower and more methodical as the sun gets high. However, if overcast skies extend the low light period, you may want to stick with topwater longer to take advantage of a longer morning bite scenario.
Final Word
Flats fishing can be a blast, especially when you’re employing the best strategies to help you hook up with more fish. By following the five tips above, you’ll be catching more fish in no time.
Grab your rod and reel and get ready to wet a line. Time to get your fish on!
