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Boca
Grande Flats Fishing Charters
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Destin Flats Fishing Charters
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Tampa Bay
Area Flats Fishing Charters
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Jacksonville Flats Fishing Charters
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Port
Charlotte Flats Fishing Charters
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Miami
Flats Fishing Charters
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Sarasota
Area Flats Fishing Charters
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Everglades Flats Fishing Charters
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Punta
Gorda Flats Fishing Charters
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Flamingo Flats Fishing Charters
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Naples
Area Flats Fishing Charters
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Islamorada Flats Fishing Charters
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Sanibel
Flats Fishing Charters
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Fla. Keys
Flats Fishing Charters
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Fort
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Flats Fishing Charters
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Flats Fishing Charters
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10,000 Islands
Flats Fishing Charters
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Florida Flats & Backcountry Fishing:
is undoubtedly the
most popular venue to the resident & visiting angler. Fishing the Flats &
Backcountry takes place in the thick of Florida's
Estuary Systems. This is strictly light tackle & fly country. Put away the offshore rods,
and grab the 6lb, 8lb and 10lb tackle. You will be fishing in calm
protected water, usually 2 feet or less in depth.
The
scenery is breathtaking and the wildlife like that of a National Geographic
show, especially in the Everglades & SW Florida Region. Rough water as
a result of high winds associated with mild storms and cold fronts usually
do not affect the comfort level of anglers as well as the productivity of
the day. A 6" chop on the water in the backcountry is a rough day!
With that said, when you book a backcountry & flats fishing charter, feel
comfortable that you and your guest will fish unless a major storm or front
rolls in.
This is just like fresh water fishing back home, with
the exception that you will most often catch more, larger
and harder fighting fish. A 5lb Jack Crevalle will outfight a 12lb
Largemouth Bass any day of the week. Imagine hooking into a 40lb Redfish or
150lb Tarpon.
Throughout the day, you will be fishing within casting distance
of a shoreline; next to structure, such as trees, docks, jetties and oyster
bars; or in water shallow enough to run in. Depending on where you fish,
you may even have opportunities to see your target game fish (Sight
fishing).
Fishing with live bait
and/or artificial lures on light tackle (6 – 10lb test) in knee deep water
is what makes backcountry & flats fishing most exciting. Tarpon, Redfish,
Snook, Trout, Mackerel, Snapper, Pompano & Shark are common targets, yet only a few
of the species you may encounter. Bonefish, Permit and Barracuda are
common targets in our South Florida & Keys waters. Because of the variety
of species, the non-existence of rough water and the use of light tackle,
this is a type of fishing charter anybody can partake in. Children,
seniors, novices, as well as the most avid anglers seeking I.G.F.A. records
are all welcome. This is not the type
of charter where you drop a line down to the bottom and wait for a bite,
which can get boring very quickly. This requires a great deal of activity.
Accurate casting and presentation for certain types of backcountry & flats
species will dictate success. For kids and novices; free lining or drifting
with live bait is a simple method to catching most of our backcountry &
flats game fish.
Florida Light Tackle Backcountry
Fishing
Imagine casting a live Sardine to the base of a tree. You begin a slow
retrieve. Suddenly your Sardine becomes active. You feel your bait's
attempt to get away from what lurks near the tree. Twitch, twitch, twitch,
“Oh is he nervous”. Then suddenly you feel a solid thump, you reel down on
your slack and rear back. Your rod doubles over from the pressure and then
an enormous Snook shakes his head out of the water violently in an attempt
to rid himself of the pressure in his mouth. In a froth of white water,
the 40++” Snook lands back in the water and then rips 50 yards of line
against a tight drag. She runs adjacent to the shoreline looking for the
nearest root or oyster clump to wrap your line around. You apply maximum
pressure and are able to turn the trophy. Several head thrashing jumps
later, your guide lips the Monster Snook for a few pictures and releases her
to fight another day. Your guide says, “That’s what backcountry fishing is
all about….let’s get another one”
Jim Currie came to Florida in
search of; "A Total Fishing Adventure"! He wanted
to catch a "Huge Snook" among a few other species. I said, look no
further, you have found the right place, let's go get your Big Snook!
We started the day off catching some beautiful Redfish and a several Jack
Crevalle, and when the tide got right I told him; "It's time to hook that
Snook but it's up to you to land it", and without a doubt after a long
nervous fight he landed his trophy 18 pounder, & the smile on his face says
it all!
with
Capt. Derrick
Jacobsen
Just like fresh water fishing, you’ll be
casting lures, live bait and or flies to shorelines. The base & roots of
trees, submerged logs, rocks, overhanging branches, points, current rips,
eddies, oyster bars, shell mounds, troughs, boat docks, boat houses, sea
walls, jetties and weed lines are all forms of structure that act as
protection for bait fish and/or ambush points for game fish. This is
Everglades style fishing at it’s very best. You never know what will strike
your lure or bait. Snook, Redfish, Jack Crevalle and Tarpon are the most
common backcountry targets. This is non-stop action fishing for the
most seasoned angler as well as the first time fisherman/woman.
Your guide is poling you across 8” of water. In your view you see the tips
of grass barely breaking surface, an occasional mullet flipping and “Shaky”
water hear and there. “This water is alive this morning” your guide says.
Seconds later you notice the tip of a fishes tail barely breaking water 100
feet off the bow. Simultaneously, your guide softly speaks, “O.K., we have
a tip
of
a tail at 12 O’clock 100 feet. Strip out 50’ of line on the deck and hold
your fly in your hand. Be very quiet, don’t move and I’ll get you within
30’ for a cast.” Although it seems like hours, a minute later you’re
within casting range. Your guide then whispers, “O.k., he’s moved to the
left a few feet. He’s stopped. O.K. he’s got his head in the mud, there’s
his tail. Go ahead and shoot your fly five feet behind him and inches in
front of him. Don’t slap the water with your fly” You make perfect cast.
Your fly sinks to the bottom. You make 3” strips until you see your bright
colored fly inches from the Redfish’s nose. You allow your fly to hit
bottom. You begin another short strip and suddenly the Red “Feels” the
presence of your shrimp fly and in a mass of white water, explodes on your
offering. You strip set and suddenly you have 15lbs of muscle clearing your
fly line within seconds. In excitement, your Guide shouts, “Now that’s was
picture perfect…that’s what flats fishing is all about”
Florida Flats Fishing:
is one of the most challenging and exciting forms of fishing. Here is where
you are on a level playing field with your quarry. This is sight fishing
to the extreme. The ability to read the water and identify targets as fast
as your guide is of the utmost importance. One you’ve identified a target
and determined direction & rate of movement, you’ll in many cases have to
react lightning quick with a precise cast followed with a perfect
presentation. If everything falls in the place, you’ll be rewarded with a
strike. That’s the thrill behind flats fishing, landing your fish is just a
bonus. You’ll be casting small jigs, weed less spoons, soft plastic jerk
baits, flies and jumbo shrimp on ultra light tackle.
On the Flats,
expect to see Redfish, Bonefish, Permit, Snook, Trout, Cobia, Sharks, Jack Crevalle and even
Giant Tarpon.
Maximum Number of
Anglers:
If you are
looking to share the experience with the entire family and are looking for a
“Fun” day with a second emphasis on catching fish, then let’s load up the
boat. If you are serious about maximizing your day and catching fish, then
do so with a limited number of anglers. The suggested number of anglers per
trip type is noted as follows:
Backcountry:
Up to four or six
depending on boat (Prefer up to three)
Flats:
Up
to three or four
depending on boat
(Prefer one or two)
Backcountry &
Flats Combination:
Up
to three or four
depending on boat (Prefer one or two)
Fly-fishing:
Any kind of fly-fishing will be limited to one angler fishing at a time
(Unless wading)
Often we receive
requests for four or five anglers wishing to fish the flats and/or
backcountry. We will always conform to our client’s requests and put as
many or as few anglers on our boats, provided the total number of anglers
fall within U.S. Coast Guard & state licensing and safety guidelines. We do
however, want you to be aware of some very important facts:
#1..
Florida Flats
fishing:
More lines in the water almost always means the less fish you will
catch. Sight fishing the flats with spinning or fly tackle is always best
with one angler or two anglers alternating casts. A third angler will get
in the way, weigh the boat down restricting access to certain shallow water
flats and will provide for less actual fishing time for all parties
involved. Boats best equipped to access shallow fish holding flats are
small, lightweight and quiet. These boats only weigh a few hundred pounds.
The more weight you place in the boat will also result in a less comfortable
ride for all anglers on the boat. Parties wishing to fish four anglers are
encouraged to book two boats so all anglers can experience the true
definition of flats fishing.
#2.
Florida Backcountry
Fishing:
Backcountry fishing does not involve as much sight casting to single fish as
it does casting to structure likely to hold fish or groups of fish staging,
swimming or feeding in open water or adjacent to structure. While it
is still shallow water, many of the areas fished are surrounded by water
from 1 – 3 feet. This enables us to use our larger flats boats or bay
boats, enabling us to fish from one to four anglers. Fishing the
backcountry can involve anchoring & casting to structure, sight casting
and/or slowly working shorelines with a trolling motor while anglers make
casts. Often we can fish three or even four anglers. The
more anglers however, will always result in fewer options for the group.
One or two anglers is always best and will open the day for an unlimited
number of options. Three to four anglers usually limits the trip to
anchoring on structure likely to hold fish.
#3.
Florida
Backcountry & Flats Combo: A total of two
anglers can decide to fish either the flats or backcountry or both. Three to four
plus anglers will
almost always be limited to fishing the backcountry.
#4.
Don’t
be misled: Contrary to what you may have heard, please don’t
be misled.
You cannot proficiently fish the backcountry and certainly
not the flats
with three or more anglers, for all of the reasons noted in
the paragraphs
above.
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