Spotting the Spots
By
Captain Keith Kalbfleisch
I ran into a fellow
fisherman the other day form Orlando that had fished for redfish for five months and
had not caught one—I caught two that morning and considered it quite
slow. He stated he didn’t even
see a decent fish, despite being in an area that typically holds fish.
Part of the reason for success on the flats, and a major part of the
excitement, is actually spotting the fish—something different from many
kinds of fishing.
In most kinds of
fishing we are looking for signs or conditions rather than the fish
themselves. For example, offshore we may look for rips, color changes,
bait, weedlines, or even free-jumping or skyrocketing fish. These give
us an idea that fish are in the area, but not have us target an
individual fish. But on the flats, we are actually trying to see the
fish, or where a fish might hold, to make a cast.
There is little in the
fishing world that compares to spotting a fish, making a perfect cast,
working your lure just right, and then seeing the fish pounce and scream
away as you set the hook. However, if you can’t spot the fish in time,
then all you are bound to see is a swirl as the fish flees, or nothing
as it quietly skulks away.
We basically have two
ways of seeing fish on the flats—actual fish, and water movements caused
by fish activities.
To actually see the
fish, we must look into the water—the exception to this is a tailing
fish since it is sticking part of its body above the surface. Looking
into the water is best done with the sun up and at your back. You are
looking for: long shapes, flashes, color differences, and body parts.
Long shapes are
typically a dark shape in a light-colored patch. There are few natural
long shapes on the flats, so throw your lure at all of them. A few
sticks and pipes will fool you, but it will often be worth the effort.
Many fish have shiny
sides, and redfish are particularly reflective with sides like a newly-stamped coin. When a redfish feeds he may roll slightly, allowing the
sun to “flash” off of his sides in a big copper burst. This can be
distinguished from mullet that flash small, quick, and silver.
While a redfish is
excellent at camouflaging itself to the environment, it is not perfect.
Watch for anything that is light against a dark bottom, or dark against
a light bottom. Sometimes this is a matter of degrees, with the
difference being quite small. Gray shadows are always worth throwing
to.
Look for body parts?
Absolutely. A redfish has distinctive orange-pink fins, blue tails and white lips. I
have often spotted fish by these characteristics. When you start
looking for these, it will surprise you how often you will see fish.
We can also often see
fish when they are feeding by noticing their tendency to “tail”. A
tailing fish is tipping its nose to the bottom in order to find food or
eat something. When this happens the tail rises and pokes above the
water. Be careful not to think it will be an apparent thing—often it is
only the tip of the tail quietly rising and falling above the surface.
But be alert, because this happens often.
Unfortunately, we can’t
always see into the water due to weather conditions—but we can still see
fish. When a fish is feeding or moving it creates a disturbance in the
water that can be “read” by the alert angler to find fish. I refer to
these movements as primarily wakes and swirls.
A wake is the
disturbance in the water when the fish is swimming. The trick is to
distinguish the wake from non-game species like mullet and catfish.
Normally, the wake of a game fish is steadier, not wandering in
circles. Also, the wake of a redfish or large trout often has a “hump”
look to it as it pushes water up and over its head.
I like to throw at all
wakes, even when I think it is a non-game fish. There could be a
big trout following those mullet, or it might be a good fish swimming
slowly. Last year I threw my lure at what I thought was a
mullet—it ended up being a trout almost 30
inches long! Remember that a wake is coming from behind the fish
as the water swirls to the surface, so you must compensate by leading to
the front of the fish.
Swirls are disturbances
made by feeding fish that are totally under the water. I watch for any
movement that is out of the ordinary. Often the water will just swirl
up when a redfish turns to feed on something. Anything that “raises”
the surface of the water momentarily is worthy of a cast. As with
tailing fish, this can be subtle, so watch carefully, casting even if
you are not sure what you saw.
While much of seeing
fish on the flats comes with practice, there are some things you can do
to give yourself an edge. Primarily, wear good polarized glasses and a
long-billed cap. These items will help cut the glare, assisting you in
seeing in the water.
Pushing
Your Way Around the Flats
By
Captain Keith Kalbfleisch
I’m often asked what is
the biggest contributor towards success on the flats, and my answer is
always the same—stealth. One of the best ways to help accomplish this
is by using a push-pole to propel yourself quietly along the flats.
Here are some tips on the skill of using your push-pole.
A push-pole is typically
an 18-22 foot fiberglass or composite pole with a pointed end and a
cupped end. They are available commercially in a wide variety of
prices—typically from $200-$600. However, in reality, any pole can be
an effective push-pole, and I have seen people successfully use PVC
pipe, wood, etc. Due to lightning concerns, I wouldn’t use an aluminum
pole.
The pointed end of the
push-pole is used for hard bottoms like rock and coral, and for staking
out, while the cupped end is used to push along in softer bottoms like
mud and grass.
Many flats skiffs, like
my boat, The MTC, have a poling platform at the rear of the boat. This
allows you to get higher for fish-spotting purposes, and push the boat
forward without having the motor in the way. If your boat is not
equipped with a platform, don’t give up on poling; just adjust to your
boat. One effective way to pole is to push the boat backwards from the
front of the boat. You won’t have the height, but will accomplish the
stealth.
When you use a pole,
remember that you are pushing from the rear, so to move the boat to the
right, you push from the right side. One key is a gentle touch—a little
off to the side will correct, while well off to the side will put you
into a sharp turn.
Place the pole behind
you at a 45-degree angle, reach up the pole, and walk your hands up the
pole, slightly leaning against the pole to provide the force to propel
the boat. You can adjust the force as needed to push the boat faster
(you will be amazed how fast and far you can pole), or creep at a
snail’s pace.
How do you handle the
wind? First, try to work with the wind all you can, poling to set up a
drift. Second, it is often easier to pole directly upwind, rather than
to continually adjust to a side-wind. To drift in a windy situation,
pole upwind, along where you just drifted, then move over for the next
drift.
Another successful
wind-management tactic I use is to get on the lee shoreline and pole
along the shoreline, casting out (downwind) as I work along.
What do you do as you
pole or drift along and you see a redfish tailing ahead? Or you hook a
fish and don’t want to keep drifting? Stop the forward progress by
quietly pushing the boat backwards, alternating one side then the other,
to keep the boat from turning. Practice makes perfect for this
maneuver!
In some bottoms you can
“stake out” by pushing the pole into the bottom. To do this you must
push the pole in at a 45% angle—if you stake straight down you can break
your pole. You must also have a sandy bottom that will support the
weight—sometimes our softer bottom in the waters near Orlando is not conducive to staking out. The
easier option is to have a mushroom anchor ready and quietly lower it.
Since stealth is the
main concern, be careful not to bump the pole on the boat, tap it on
hard bottom structure, or splash loudly. This can be a particular
challenge during the excitement of seeing, or hooking, a fish.
Finally, some safety
concerns while poling. Be careful up on that platform! I have had the
questionable pleasure of falling off, and it is not fun. There is not
much room, so watch where you place your feet, and move slowly. Watch
your pole when switching sides of the boat—most anglers are not thrilled
to get whacked on the ear.
Poling is an effective, if
not essential, technique for fishing the flats. Practice it on your
boat, and before you know it you will be poling like a pro and will
catch more fish!
Setting
the Hook
By Captain Keith Kalbfleisch
We’ve
all seen it on TV—the fisherman hauls back on his rod in a
lightning-quick upper sweep, slamming the hook home with all his might,
and uttering those obligatory words “There he is!”. This lip-ripping
technique may be just the ticket for winching a big bass out of heavy
cover, but if you try it on the flats, you will marvel at how those fish
manage to get away!
Hooking a fish on
the flats is a totally different situation, and must be treated as
such. I find that if I take two anglers, one experienced and one not
(typically the wife, girlfriend, or youth), that the hook-up ratio on
the inexperienced angler is much better. Why? Because that person will
listen to me, and set the hook properly. The experienced angler will do
it their own way, and lose fish in the process. Usually the angler is
not being obstinate or pig-headed, but just has some ingrained habits to
overcome.
Here are some of
the differences you are dealing with on the saltwater flats versus a
freshwater situation. First, you are using much lighter line. I
typically use 6-8 lb test line, and most bass anglers would not consider
anything that was at least twice that heavy. Second, a freshwater fish
often hits near the boat, while we are often reaching out 50 to 100 feet
in order to catch fish. Third, Freshwater fishing is usually more
sheltered from the wind, while you are out there in the open on the
flats, Fourth, we are dealing with fish that can put up some serious
resistance, while having a mouth that is not as tough as a bass.
These
considerations come together to provide a situation that requires a
different way to set the hook. Here’s how to do it properly. Upon
FEELING the indications of a bite (don’t get fooled with a splash or
swirl), usually a “thunk” or weight on the line, do the following:
1.
With your pole pointed
in the general direction of the fish, start to reel quickly until the
line comes tight enough to bend the pole or the drag starts to slip.
2.
Set the hook with three
short, sharp strokes in the direction away from the fish. These strokes
should be parallel to the water, not straight up, and you should hear
the drag.
Step one removes the belly from the line
that might have developed from wind, boat movement, and fish movement—it
sets you up for a proper hook set. Why three short strokes instead of
one big one? Remember, you have light line and a big jerk might snap
your line. Also, you get a better hook set. Why? The same reason you
don’t drive a nail with one smack of the hammer. A series of smaller
impacts drives it in straighter and deeper.
I’ve noticed that if I take a piece of
line with a hook tied to it, put the hook over a board, then have a
volunteer try to set the hook into the board by hand, i.e. with the line
wrapped around their hand, then they instinctively give a couple of
short pulls, rather than one giant yank. The physics on the hook end of
the line is the same, whether you are using a pole or not.
So, if you want
to up your percentage of hookups on the flats, remember: tighten the
line, then give three short hooksets (and you can leave out the "There
he is!").
Why Charter?
By Captain Keith Kalbfleisch
Why
should you charter a fishing trip rather than just do it by yourself?
There are some times when chartering a captain and boat are far more
appropriate. In this article we will look at when it makes sense to use
a captain, and when it is better to do it on your own. I will primarily
address the points to my specialty, inshore fishing, but it is just as,
or more, applicable to offshore fishing.
The
most obvious time to charter is if you are in an area visiting. For
example, tourists to our area often would like to sample the famous
Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon fishing for redfish and spotted
seatrout. When you don’t have the time (like years!) to learn the area,
and don’t have the proper type of boat and equipment, it is absolutely
imperative to charter a captain for any serious chance of success.
But
what about locals? Is there ever a reason to charter? Absolutely.
There are two circumstances where you should consider chartering a
trip. The first is when you have the boat and equipment (or you at
least think you do), but need to learn how to fish the area, or second,
you don’t fish often, and it is more cost effective to you to charter.
If
you are local, and have a boat with the appropriate fishing gear, then
there is no reason you can’t go out and learn the local fishing
yourself. However, these fish are not pursued in common ways, and it
may take you years to learn it on your own. It is well worth the money
spent to take a charter or two and see proper techniques used—it will
save you much money in the future.
Speaking of money saved, let’s look at the second reason why a local
would want to charter. If you do not fish very regularly, it is very
cost effective to charter when you go fishing. In order to show you
what I mean, let’s see what it would cost you to have a decent boat,
with the costs involved (I’ve tried to be very realistic with
middle-of-the-road costs and based it on a decent tow vehicle from the
greater Orlando area):
Per-Month Expenses:
Boat
and trailer payment
$250
Insurance
$45
Yearly
maintenance (per year divided by 12)
$58
Registration (per year divided by 12)
$4
License
(per year divided by 12)
$2
Total
Monthly Costs: $359
Per-Trip Costs:
Vehicle
Gas
$40
Boat
Gas
$30
Boat Oil
$5
Bait/Lures
$10
Line
and gear replacement
$10
Total Trip Costs:
$95
These are not the same costs that a captain running a charter incurs,
since he has a number of additional costs for higher insurance
licensing, etc., nor is it indicative of the costs of nearshore or offshore boats and
trips, which are much higher.
Obviously, if you are able to go out often, your monthly expenses are
spread out over the trips and each trip becomes more reasonable. This
works out as follows for up to four trips per month (for those of you
that are lucky enough to go out once a week!):
Per Trip
Per
Month
One
Trip per Month ($359 + $95): $454
$454
Two
Trips ($359 + $95 x 2 then divided by 2)
$274.50 $549
Three
Trips ($359 + $95 x 3 then divided by 3) $226.66
$680
Four
Trips ($359 + $95 x 4 then divided by 4)
$184.75 $739
If
you compare this to a trip with me on The MTC, a 5-hour trip on
the flats is about $375, and I can take two anglers, so the trip is less
than $190 each.
As you can see, it is very competitive, and you don’t even have to wash
the boat!
I’ve left for last the most important reason for chartering a
captain—knowledge. If your time is worth anything in life, then you
know how precious fishing time is. If you are with a knowledgeable
captain, then your chances of catching fish seriously improve, saving
your time and giving you great memories. You can see why some clients
opt for a continuing relationship with a captain, and schedule regular
trips instead of having boats themselves.
Big
Fish, Small Boat
By Captain Keith Kalbfleisch
“The weather’s great for
tomorrow—Let’s go!” You’ve planned for this day, when the weather would
let you take you small fishing boat offshore. It is a relatively new
boat, and you are relatively new fishermen, but you have worked
carefully on your gear and lures, and are anxious to get your shot at a
big fish.
You head out of the port in your small boat
(small is a relative term—think whatever size you want here), and head
for the fishing area your buddies at the fishing club said is holding
fish. BAM! Fish on, and it is a big one! The reel, rod, angler, and
captain do their job well, and the fish is at the side of the boat…
OK, now we are at the time in the scenario that I
want to talk about. You may have on any number of different types of
fish, and in a small boat the actions required at this point are
crucial, and vary depending on the size and type of fish. We are going
to assume it is a big fish, and look at what to do.
On The MTC, my flats skiff, I have had to deal
with a number of big fish situations, including Dolphin to 30 lbs, four
Sailfish, Tarpon over a hundred pounds, Wahoo
over 40 lbs, and the usual
Kings, Jacks, and Cobia. I've even hooked a Marlin on The MTC. I
think you may benefit from some of my small boat/big fish experience.
A smaller boat has some advantages and
disadvantages over a larger boat when it comes to landing a large fish.
On the disadvantage side is the lower freeboard. You are in a more
precarious position when the fish can jump onboard easier, or it is
easier for you to tumble overboard. However, the same low freeboard
makes it easier to pull a large fish onboard. The other advantage a
small boat has is that it is more maneuverable—you can chase that fish
all over the place.
When the fish is near the boat, and it is a fish
you want to gaff, have the boat moving forward at a steady, but slow,
pace, leading the fish beside the boat. With the gaff over the top of
the fish, strike down, behind the line, pulling towards you. You should
make the movement in one fell swoop, pulling the fish all the way
onboard and immediately into an open cooler or fish box. On
rambunctious fish like Dolphin and Cobia, you may need to sit on the
lid! Don’t worry about removing hooks until the fish is dead.
If it is a billfish you are releasing, when you
lead the fish beside the moving boat grab the bill with GLOVED hands.
The bill is rough, and there is a hook nearby, so don’t forget the
gloves. The proper way to grasp the bill is with your thumbs together
(like you hold a push lawnmower or do chin-ups) so that if the fish
lunges you can push the fish away from you. After grabbing the bill,
hold the fish away from the boat until it settles down, then remove the
hook, snap a few pictures and release it. A proper release is to slowly
pull the fish through the water with the boat until it is revived, then
slightly push it away form the boat to keep it away from the motor.
A tarpon is a little different, since you do not
have a bill, so when the fish is spent, stop the boat, and grip the
lower jaw with both hands—again gloved. After that the procedure is the
same. New Florida laws have made it illegal to bring a tarpon
onboard for pictures, so leave the fish in the water!
It is important to be careful in the last stages
of handling a large fish in a small boat—for the safety of the people
onboard, and for the health of the fish. Now all that’s left is for you
to go get a big fish!
Florida Sportsman Article on Fishing
for King Mackerel
