# areas of the "flats" around pcola



## lighttackle2fun (Dec 22, 2007)

I am fairly new to inshore fishing, with a boat and I have seen a lot of post were people are fishing the "flats". Where are these flats nearest to the 3 mile area / shoreline. Not your spots of course but general areas and kind of detailed directions. I live in pcola on Chemstrand and Kingsfiled, Dont want to go super far knowing I have to go 30 mins anywhere at least.

Anyone wanna give me some good tips, also have a 12 ft skiff so need launches closed to the areas if possible????


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## Jasooon (Jun 4, 2008)

www.maps.live.com use birds eye view


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## -- Saints Domination -- (Jun 24, 2008)

Id love to hear a good tip concering this also...ive wade-fished the flats near shoreline but thats really all i know..hopefully getting a jon boat this summer so ill be in the same boat as you w. wanting to get on some flats


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## mjfishin (Oct 4, 2007)

When fishin the flats is used, it is a discriptive word not specific to a certain area in the bays, or intercoastal. Fishin the flats may be an area of water that is between 6 inches to 3 feet. Areas like this are abundant around here from the rivers to the intercoastal. Sight fishing is the technique used mostly when fishin the flats, although blind casting works well when water clarity is bad or when fish are abundant in an area. Sight fishing is an art in my oppinion, either you know how, or you don't, you can learn but it takes alot of time on the water and/or learning from someone who is capable of fishing this way. Hope this answers your question.


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## BloodyWaters (Nov 22, 2008)

mjfishin is right! you can look on google earth to find grass beds and flats, good luck. Capt Ollie, Bloody Waters Kayak Fishing Team


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

There must be some key to flats fishing. I'm from northern Alabama and have only been inshore fishing for two years. I've never seen a tailing red and have had limited sucess on the flats. Most of the time if I catch fish on the flats it's throwing a DOA shrimp under a popping cork. And, it's almost always drifting the centerof themonth of a creek.I've found if there is a creek from into the bay and awind pushing the waterthere are usuallyfish in the mouth of the creek.I try to find thechannel of the creek andget one side and cast and retrieve across the channel.*As far as site fishing forredsor finding a school of reds like you see on TV I really need help.*I'll fishing the flats of Mobile bay and see some areas that look just like Venice, LA and I'll think Ok this is the spot and get shut out. I'mbeginning to think we may nothave the flats fishing in Perdido and Mobile bay likewe see in other places. Help would be appreciated. Like the first post in this conversation, techniques and what to look for would be great, but no spots. Exploring and finding new spots is 75% of the fun.


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

I am no expert at sight fishing the flats, if you want that ask the professionals like Bob Quarles, Eric Holtsman, or Chris Phillips, they really know how its done. And mjfishing's description of what a flat is, is about as well written explanation as you will find anywhere. While I am strictly a saltwater fly fisherman, i routinely blind cast the flats looking for reds and specks. 

The problem with explaining where the flats are is one of numbers, for they can literally be almost everywhere. But not all flats are the same and even flats that seem similar will not hold fish equally. You have grass flats, sand flats, mud flats, and oyster bars, all can hold fish but due to variations in temperatures, water clarity,winds and currents, usually not at the same time. I think for beginners grass flats are the easiest to locate and learn. When sight fishing this area, I don't rely on seeing tailing reds, I have fished here twenty years and only seen a couple of tailing fish and believe they were actually black drum not reds. I know reds do tail here but not in reliable numbers, it is my belief there is a great enough abundance of food in water deep enough to not require them to root bait out by tailing. A tailing red is a vulnerable red, vulnerable to both fishermen and attacks from above. But this is just an opinion. 

If I am wading a flat I will usually fish my way across it and concentrate my efforts over grass from 2-4 feet deep, especially those pocked with sandy pot holes. When encountered,I will spend more time casting a ledge where the water drops off suddenly. I will also spend extra time on points. Usually one side of the point is deeper than the other due to tidal flows. However if you don't get fish on the deep side don't give up without trying the other. 

It is very difficult to sight fish our area while wading due to the infrequency of tailing fish. However you can look for other signs such as pushes [a small wave or "V" created in front of a swimming fish] or skipping or jumping baits. These will often occur very near shore and may indicate a feeding red or speck. 

Sorry this is so lengthy but hope it helps.


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## lighttackle2fun (Dec 22, 2007)

Thanks for all the tips, especially the detail of some!


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