Fishing the flats

Note: Capt. Kirk is on leave for a while. In the meantime, enjoy a version of this classic from our archives.

Here in Southwest Florida, we are lucky enough to have hundreds of square miles of skinny water — “flats,” as they are referred to by fisherfolk. The flats are anyplace where there is very shallow water over an extensive area (if the area is small, then the shallow area is called a sandbar), although here I refer mainly to saltwater bodies.

Flats can be found throughout the world. The Bahamas is known for the excellent bonefish population on the very many shallow out islands. All around Florida, on both coasts, there are many wide shallow areas that make for great fishing.

While no specialized craft is required to fish the flats or travel over them, there are many not suited for this purpose. Deep “V” hulls draw too much water and are used mostly for offshore trips and rougher water. But skiffs and other wide, shallow hulls are specifically designed for flats operation.

Of course, kayaks and paddle craft are always an excellent choice. I know several guides who take passengers with their own kayaks on fishing and exploratory trips. The kayaks are loaded on the guide’s boat and tied down. Then, when they get to the area they want to explore or fish at, they offload and use the kayaks. This is a great way to get into even more spots that are not accessible to the regular Joe. (As always, one has to be mindful of the direction of the tide — or you might spend a few hours waiting for the water to rise.)

For many years I used a Carolina Skiff for guide trips. This vessel, contrary to the name, is built in Waycross, Georgia. Many commercial fisherfolk use this brand, especially up in the Carolinas, Virginia and Chesapeake Bay for catching blue crab. It is a wide, stable, load-carrying boat and simple build. There are other vessels — the Hewes, Pathfinder and dozens of other brands, too — that are all good, but the price goes up accordingly.

A boat that has been around since the early 1960s is a type of craft called a Panga, named after the pangasius fish (common in many areas). It was designed by Yamaha to be built easily in Third World countries and started in Mexico. This is where the one I own was built. They are light, strong, narrow and made for pounding through surf after being launched off a beach. The return to shore is achieved by speeding back through the surf line and just running it up on the sand — lots of fun! Due to this type of boat being light and narrow, it doesn’t need a large horsepower engine. There have been many copycat designs that are Panga lookalikes, but they are heavier and need larger engines.

Boat design is a personal preference. In my opinion, you can’t have just one boat because different areas you go boating require a different hull design. My wife and I have owned numerous boats, but the one we’ve used most is our Panga. It has a high bow with nice lines and a deep “V” forward, but very shallow running. It is great for drifting the flats and exploring places that are off the beaten path.

Since retiring from chartering, guiding fishing trips and operating a restaurant and marina, our time has been spent even more out on the water. We always take our fishing gear and tackle of some sort, but our main goal now is to just get out, relax and go slow.

One of our favorite routines is to drift the flats. To those who don’t fish really shallow water, the term “flats drifting” might not mean much.

During this time of year, the water is clear due to the temperatures being cool. Many fish and bait schools, as well as dolphins, manatees, turtles, sharks and rays move over the warmer water of the flats looking for food. As we drift quietly, the shadow of our boat attracts a lot of them to investigate. We stay quiet, as any noise will alert the marine life and they will scatter.

Going slow is the key, and you will find you have a renewed energy doing it that way. Even if you don’t have a boat, getting a rental boat or joining one of the boating clubs is a great way to experience this relaxing way of enjoying our great outdoors.

Fair winds; calm seas. ¦

— Capt. Dennis Kirk and his wife, Nancy, are avid mariners and outdoor enthusiasts currently living in North Port. Since the 1970s, their love of nature in Southwest Florida has allowed them to experience the dream of writing about their travels and adventures of sailing, fishing and flying.

The post Fishing the flats first appeared on Charlotte County Florida Weekly .