Flats and the three basic moods of fish

Board Archives

Date: December 26, 2002 at 22:51:05
From: ken, [pool-64-223-38-62.prov.east.verizon.net]
Subject: Flats and the three basic moods of fish

Flats

Summer 2001

[ Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]

Flats

From: Ken
Date: 30 Jul 2001
Time: 13:41:46
Remote Name: 207.180.0.8

Comments

Flats fishing is a special kind of fishing and because it is so visually exciting and intense it can become difficult to see clearly what the fish are actually doing because seeing the fish so clearly can short circut observation. When I fish a flat I have learned to never predetermine how I am going to fish. I do not know ahead of time how I am going to fish because the fish themselves and how they are behaving are the only factor that is necessary to notice if you want to have a successful day. If the fish are moving around on the flat in large groups and are moving steadily without group feeding then they are not feeding at that time. They may be open to picking up a small crab or shrinp or sand eel but they are not focused on deliberate feeding when they are ghosting along heading somewhere. Often these moving fish can be caught easily with streamer patterns fished with simple strips that are cast across their line of movement. The color and size of the fly is important and natural patterns are not always the right answer. Wild coloration and strong action can often be the ticket to catch large numbers of fish because they are vulneable to reaction strike methods when the are moving (active) but not focused on feeding. This is why spin fishermen often do very well with small and large lures on the flats when the fly fishermen are trying to catch single fish through stealth. The high energy of the spinning presentation gets results, not because it is the best method all the time but it is the method that is best at that time. Fly fishermen can also get good results if they change their method to harmonize with the mood of the fish. To view the bass as always acting in one way or being in one mood and fishing for them with this mindset of "One size fits all" is self defeating and a handicap that is unnecessary. Fish that are actively feeding with their noses in the sand and their sides flashing in the sun are different. Bottom presentations are in order dragging the fly or hopping a little jig fly in the line of movement of a single feeding fish or school of fish can be very successful and extremely satisfying when it works. It is a lot of fun and there is a lot of expertise to this method. Static presentations are in order on fish that are neutral to negative in their mood. How do you tell the difference? It is relativly easy. When the fish move away from you and keep the distance from you constant then they are neutral; when they bolt away from you at the slightest move than they are negative. Neutral fish are not negative and do not run away from your presence or a boats presence but they keep their distance and keep an eye on you so to speak. Negative fish do move away quickly and will swim across the flat or bolt to deep water at the slightest intrusion. A fly cast over negative fish will send them off in an instant. Static presentations are in order. The fly itself can be left stationary on the bottom and the fish's curiousity will do him in if the fly does not move quickly. The fly itself if moved will spook the fish. Certain colors that are muted and match the backgound of the environment, that do not have mass or lots of interior motion are sometimes very effective and there is such a thing as the right color for a particular day. This kind of fishing is very challenging and addictive. The thing to keep in mind is that the fish are not feeding but can be caught if their activity level and mood is taken into account. The three terms of; active, neutral and negative are ways of catagorizing fish into activity levels and determining their level and using methods that are matched those levels will be most helpful for having a successful day on the flats. Using methods that are not in sync with the fish's mood and activity level will leave you frustrated and scratching your head. There are days when the fish are all negative and if your expectations of catching a large number of fish are not modified by noticing their mood then a day that brings three negative fish or seven negative fish which can absolutly be viewed as a great day, will be lost on you because you had expectations that were based on other days when the fish may have been activly feeding or activly moving and were easily caught. The use of sinking lines or high density tip lines is unimportant as a tactic. What is important is using whatever line you use with real control to accomplish the presentation that you want to use to catch the fish that you are trying to catch. Lines do not catch fish for you and often if you stop and think of how you could catch the fish with different tackle such as light spinning tackle with small jigs or plugs that kind of out of the box thinking will reveal a good approach to take with your fly rod. Focusing on equipment is not the path to experiment with. Focus on the fish and learn how to catch that or those fish with your observation skills and learn good presentation with any kind of equipment or tackle. If you believe in tackle as the answer to fishing problems you are severely limiting your options for being successful. I would recommend that if you only use floating lines to not bring them for a few trips and develop the skills that will catch fish on sinkers and if you have a religious belief in the supremacy of of sinking lines than leave them at home and develop the understanding of floating lines and their use as a tool that can help you, and develop the skills that will enable you to become a well rounded un-biased fly fisherman that has not cut himself off from many possibilities for growth through limiting routines that are based on belief systems and social acceptance. Static presentations work on the flats but so do many other ways of presentation and they are all good at certain times and no method works at all times. Focusing in on minutiae limits your view and is not the way to expand your understanding or skill as a well rounded fisherman. How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" All of them. Stripers are not Northern bonefish and bonefish can be caught very well in current and on poppers and on wooly buggers and on streamers. Don't believe everything you read about flats because there is much more to be learned about fishing on them productivly than the methods that have been written about and re- written about and re-written about and never expanded on because it is easier to re-write and re-do what is acceptable by men than to set out on your own and find out and discover new ways to fish that are acceptable to the fish. The flats are an open book with endless possibilities, write your own book and let the fish dictate their ideas and see if you can listen to them clearly. There is a vast area to be explored in the area of patterning the movements of fish on flats. It is the real secret of flats fishing but it is the one that is hardest of all to learn because nature is the teacher and she demands patience.

Last changed: November 05, 2001

Posted with TalkShop version 2.71-8

[Previous Message] [Next Message]

Follow Ups:

[ Board Archives ] [ FAQ ]