# fishing the flats



## awsome wyatt (Oct 15, 2009)

me and my friend have been fishing the grass beds one the calm side of jonson beach in my john boat and we've been sunked the last 3 times we've been out. I just need your input about the time tide and bait is best from fishing here. Also what tip of fish are there.


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## Shop Keeper (Oct 17, 2009)

Inshore fishing is about to take off if you're looking for reds, specks and flounder.

In that areaI would be targeting both reds and specks and you will also fins skipjacks and catfish.

Best times to fish are ususal, watch the tide go three hours before high tide, or start as the tide is falling, a neap (said nip)tide will not be advantageous either. I love this skinny water stuff.

In my opinion you can try three attacks.

1. LiveBait: shrimp under a popping cork, use the cork to attract the fish, not to cause a tsunami, and do not retrieve it, let it sit and make sure the shrimp cannot reach the bottom or he will bury up. Or catch a pin fish , hook 'em up and send 'em out. 

2.Use a top water plug and walk the dog, this is best early morning, great for topwater explosive action. try a zara spook, or a dc minnow.

3. My favorite way, get a swim bait hook and hook up a jerk shad, either a gulp , color changes with conditions or a bass assassin jek shad and try a 3/0 with 1/8 oz on it. toss it and work it right over the grass.

These are only opinions and I am sure you will have different replies with other effective methods. Good Luck!


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## j_purdy (Oct 9, 2007)

Another thing to consider is the time of day you're fishing. Early and late you may find fish shallower, but mid-morning to mid-afternoon you'll find a majority of your fish on deeper portions of the flats(holes, ditches, channel dropoffs, etc). Hope this helps

-Jason


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## Benniwise (Mar 9, 2008)

Hi, I fish the grass beds on Johnson's Beach on a regular basis.



First off, neap tides are really hard to fish. I rarely catch anything on a neap tide. 



Secondly, baits. I have caught fish on everything from shrimp (live and fresh dead) under a popping cork, to LY's , live Pinfish, Gulp (3 inch New Penny), gold spoons, plastic jerk shad baits, and finally the Chartreuse Mirrodine Mirror-Lure (item number 17-MR). The last one has produced more fish than I can even count. I've caught Reds, Specks, and even Flounder on this lure. If they don't hit that, then they aren't biting.



Just remember to take into count, what you see around you. I have seen bait that goes from one end of the sound all the way down to the other end. Buy a bait net. Match the bait and get ready.



I hope this helps



-Ben


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## dailysaw (Jan 22, 2008)

> *Shop Keeper (10/20/2009)*Inshore fishing is about to take off if you're looking for reds, specks and flounder.
> 
> In that areaI would be targeting both reds and specks and you will also fins skipjacks and catfish.
> 
> ...




+1 :withstupid great advice coming from a top noch shop!! Steve is that you brother. if so glad to see you with some extra time. :toast


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## mjfishin (Oct 4, 2007)

Previous reply's are good advice, one thing I didn't see anyone mention was your, profile on the flats. When you have a jon boat, you tend to make twice as much noise in the water than with a fiberglass boat. Make sure that when you are in the shallow water that you try to be as quiet as possible, talking is fine, the banging of the boat, by you or by wave splash, can spook many fish. These fish in the shallows are hunting for prey, and they in turn are vulnerable to bigger predators, so loud noises, or the fishes ability to see you before you see them, makes a big difference. Spooked fish will swim past the prettiest lure or juiciest bait you put in front of them. Best way to describe it is that while fishing pretend you are hunting them first, be as quiet as you can and try to blend in with the sky.(lol) Good luck.


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## ammo angler (Oct 21, 2007)

Good advice about "boat profile". I have a 16 foot jon boat which i recently improved with new flooring and carpet...the noise reduction was incredible.......and it seems my red fish catchhas improved since the investment. 

Good luck

Rich

23" Hydra Sport and a stealthy jon boat

26 year Vet


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