Fishing the Edges for Redfish

Sink a fly for bonus hookups on redfish.

On a slick, low-tide flat, you might only get one shot at shallow-water redfish. When the fish move off, what next?

Orange and blue rays of a low sun supplied a picturesque setting as a school of redfish made its way through shallow water near Amelia Island. Multiple subtle wakes disclosed their presence and intentions as we waited patiently with both Power Poles engaged at the deep edge of the flat.

As the reds arrived at the shallow side of an oyster mound, Amelia Island's Dr. Richard Haines loaded his 8-weight fly rod with a pair of false casts then dropped his black Clouser Minnow fly perfectly in front of the school. Haines made a long strip, resulting in a good hookset, then raised his rod as the fish powered back onto the oyster-laden mud flat. Playing his fish with the line in his hand, Haines brought the fish safely to the boat for release. We hoped for another shot, but the school of reds had simply

disappeared.

“I know exactly where that school has slipped off to,” Haines said while gesturing to a deep slough located between that same oyster bar and a nearby dock. As quick as a redfish sucks in a small blue crab, Haines had retied with one of his special Dr. Jaws Crab pattern flies (good guess: Dr. Haines is a dentist!). Following a perfect cast, Haines allowed his crab imitation to drift slowly into a deep depression that ran between the nearby oyster bar and boat dock. A sharp twitch in Haines' fly line indicated a redfish had found his crab pattern fly smack in the middle of the 5-foot slough. Another fat Amelia Island redfish was photographed and released.

Haines and I have worked together in designing a crab pattern that slowly drifts deep where there is both current and redfish. The Dr. Jaws Crab is tied on a No. 2 hook employing either 1/24-, or 1/16-ounce lead dumbbell eyes which aid the fly in drifting deep. Also unique is a scent-impregnated orange sponge tied to the shank of the hook and enclosed by a natural colored mesh body. Fish scent may be added occasionally

to the sponge. Orange rubber legs complete this deepwater redfish crab pattern.

When fly fishing for redfish that have slipped off the flat, the same 8-weight fly rod and reel with a 9-weight, weight-forward floating fly line can be employed which is also used for skinny water redfish. My fly line of choice is Jim Vincent's Rio that has a short head for fast casting to redfish and a mid length taper that tends not to spook redfish.

Also, Umpqua's 9-foot, 16-pound-test “Redfish” tapered leader features a long, heavy butt section that transfers much needed energy from fly line to fly resulting in longer casts in heavy winds.

Finally, in many cases redfish on the edge will hold in water depths of 2 to 5 feet of water where the water is just deep enough to disguise their presence until a flooding tide beckons the school back onto nearby shallow structure. Also keep in mind that redfish schooling at the deep edge of a flat are also pretty consistent in their migration pattern and can be targeted on the fly time and time again. Too much pressure, however, may and most often will prompt the school to find a new deepwater home at low tide. FS

First published Florida Sportsman January 2015