Most dedicated fishing anglers do their best to stay well clear of water where the prop is likely to contact bottom. Those days of running with the skag buried in seagrasses are long gone. With a little planning and ingenuity, shallow water fishing can be a breeze.

Thats why it is important to keep abreast on shallow water fishing. One site is shallowwaterangler.com that hosts up-to-the-minute information on fishing near coastal waterways.

Florida is the top coastal fishing state harboring many varieties of shallow water fish due to its average water temp. of 70 degrees. An abundance of shallow water fish can be found amongst tidal creeks, mangroves, and grass beds, hence the name Mangrove Snapper. The Indian River Lagoon and Halifax River host scores of pumps, bass, flounder, and sheepshead. Snook, redfish, pompano and trout inhabit our Intracoastal waterways and bridges. It is a fishermans paradise with rivers sheltering rich oyster beds, abounding mud, shell bottoms, grass beds, bridges, and countless docks luring numerous fresh water friends.

Seeking the right gear for shallow water fishing can be time consuming. Your best bet is to latch on to an experienced fisherman at the bait shop. Here youll find how Lipless vibrating crankbaits are favorites among many bass pros for combing large stretches of shallow water. He may even share that Spinnerbaits work best on windy days because the wave action scatters the lure’s flash and gives the appearance of a more realistic fish.

For those days when nothing seems to be biting, a Jig-and-pig is a good choice for probing dense shallow waters when it is murky or muddy. In fresh water springs, floating lures entice fish best. When fishing in shallow cover try buzzbaits, prop baits and poppers if it is early or late in the day. Yet, Grubs have to be one of the best lures you can use for smallmouths.

Shallow water flat boats are a must for transportation. A flat bottomed hull is able to run smoothly and efficiently. It houses a trolling motor and will float in the shallowest of all rivers and waterways. It might not offer the performance of a v-hulled craft, and the ride might be wetter, but theres an abundance of storage space for fishing equipment.

The shallow water anchor drives an upper arm to a raised position, and engages a push pole to keep the bottom out of shallow water. Using shallow water anchoring, provides a minimum amount of damage to sea life, including oysters, and grasses or other vegetation growing on the bottom of the water.

Shallow water fishing entices all types of fisherman. Great anglers come prepared.

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As viewers of the Fishing the Flats TV show already know, the state of Florida abounds in prime locations for that sport. Fishing the flats may be done anywhere from Mosquito Lagoon to Indian River, from Fort Myers to Naples, not to mention the Keys themselves at the tip end of the state.

The host of Fishing the Flats, Henry Waszczuk, has himself dipped into the skinny waters of Charlotte Harbor for cold-weather hunting of redfish, as well as many other Floridian fishing grounds. Fishing the Flats in Florida could be a weekly series all by itself.

The appeal of fly fishing the flats is easy to understand. Perched on a fishing platform on a typical shallow water skiff, an angler first of all takes in great scenery. To fish the flats means to enjoy the peace of the Florida shoreline, with miles of salt marshes, native birds and swaying pine trees.

Then there’s the thrill known only to the angler who dares to fish the flats of the Florida Keys for tarpon, a creature known to tip the scales at one hundred pounds. Speaking of fishing the flats in Florida, feisty reds can also be found in the mangroves of Clearwater, an experience unequaled for those seeking pristine outdoors scenes.

Florida is not the only east coast site to provide angling pleasure. Fishing the flats of North Carolina, in Pamlico Sound, is known to yield giant reds for the sportsman willing to be guided by Waszczuk.

Down around Sanibel and Captiva Island in the southwestern part of the state offers the chance to fish the flats for snook, tarpon and sea trout. To fish the flats here, which are thick with turtle grass and studded with oyster shell bars, is practically guaranteeing catching some redfish, which hunt the baitfish hiding in the oyster shells.

I’ll never forget one morning in particular, last summer, when I spotted a bunch of redfish hanging around a rocky creek mouth, going to town on some mullet. I landed the fly right in front of ‘em, and before you knew it, I was fly fishing the flats like the pros on Fishing the Flats TV.

Any question you may have about fly fishing the flats is sure to be answered in the course of watching this show, or perusing Waszczuk’s magazine called “Fins and Skins.

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