Florida Keys Flat fishing can be an exciting and rewarding experience for fishermen of all ages, whether just beginning or accomplished angler. Flats are long, level, shallow water areas next to deeper water. They are found in bays estuaries and marshes. They are also found atop reefs and atolls, and along shorelines.
When choosing the best areas for permit fishing, look for flats that are 8 feet deep or less. More productive flats usually contain stumps, brush piles, grass beds or other types of cover. Flats that contain shallow ditches or humps are especially attractive to bass. Also look for bonefish, crabs and other “fish foods”.
The bottom of a flat may be made up of grass, sand, rock, mud, gravel, or a combination of these. Flats with grass or other aquatic vegetation offer cover and food for a variety of fish as well as shrimp and crabs. The most sought after fish when flats fishing include redfish, tarpon, seatrout, bonefish, permit and snook. Other popular catches are striped bass, bluefish, barracuda, shark, cobia and mutton snapper.
Flats are usually fished with fly gear or light spinning gear. Light tackle is the rule. Fly rods should be 8 or 9 weight. If you are using a spinning outfit, load it with no stronger than 12 pound test. Live bait such as mullet, pigfish, pinfish and shrimp works well. If you are using artificial lures, any size with attractor colors may be used from May through June. If you are permit fishing flats during July through August, natural colored lures work best.
