Young Boats’ Guide to Better Flats Fishing

Spring is one of the best times of the year to go flats fishing, and it’s not because of Florida’s beautiful, year-round tropical climate. As the water heats up, bass migrate into shallow waters to begin their pre-spawn ritual, making flats the ideal place to find this species of fish in droves. Perfect for anglers of all skill levels, flats fishing is the best way to spend a sunny Florida day – just read on for our professional guide!

Flats Fishing 101

Before diving in deeper, let’s start by covering the basics of flats fishing. A flat is any part of a pond or lake’s bottom that is significantly above the lowest depth of that body of water. For example, a lake may go 50 feet down at its deepest point but closer to shore will be shallow flats that are only 10 feet below the surface. During spawning season, bass often feed and reproduce entirely in flats.

Key Flats Fishing Strategies

After locating flats, it’s time to cast a line! During pre-spawn, bass typically feed using heavy eating patterns. Due to their aggressive nature, we suggest using jerkbaits – the classic way to lure in pre-spawn fish thanks to its erratic and shimmying movement. In their feeding frenzy, it is very easy to snag some bass with this bait!

Ideal Conditions

There are plenty of conditions that alter an angler’s chances of success whilst afloat the flats but we’re going to focus on the most important and core fundamentals: tide, wind, light, and water clarity.

• As the tide goes out, the water may become too shallow, and fish are likely to move to deeper waters in search of forage.
• Gentle breezes can dampen your noise and cover your movements, allowing for silent approaches towards fish, while heavy wind can make fishing more difficult.
• Sunny days make it easier to peer through the water and spot your next catch – use the light to your advantage!
• For obvious reasons, if the water clarity suffers from murkiness, it will be much harder to locate your next catch in the flats.

Know the Structure

To yield the most fruitful fishing results, you must first study your flats of choice and understand the structure that you are fishing. For example, you may find rock piles or large rocks on the floor of the flat. Try dropping a lure around structures at the bottom the flat where bass may be hiding – that may be all it takes to bait them out.

You’ve got the basics of flat fishing now, all that’s left is knowing what not to do while waiting for your next bite! There are some common mistakes that are sure to hurt your chances of a successful day on the water, such as:

• Avoid tunnel vision at all costs. Sure, you may have your eyes on one particular fish, but don’t forget that there are plenty more in the sea.
• Be ready to move spots if you’ve been fishing a dud. Conditions change easily and fish move quickly – don’t get left behind!
• Take careful notes of each flat that you fish so that you can be the resident expert next time you return with friends. At the very least, you will have tangible progress of your evolution as an angler to look back on.

The flats can be deceptively difficult to fish but with a little luck and lots of practice, you’ll be reeling in lots of bass in no time! Before hitting the water, you’ll need the best angling boats in class – that’s where Young Boats comes in! We believe that there are no shortcuts in building quality custom boats, only meticulous attention to detail and tireless customer service. Rely on Young Boats for a true, one-of-a-kind boat that you can take pride in year after year!