Flatties on the fly

[Dave Sikorski]

Our favorite flat had been providing some fun flounder action over the past few weeks so I headed east on Saturday. With an incoming tide all morning and some decent cloud cover, I couldn't ask for better conditions.

I headed out to the section that I always start in, and as soon as the current got moving, I had my first fish. 18 1/4". He was just shy of keeper size, and while it might have been big enough, I didn't chance it. To measure in the water I have two marks on my rod, and it's not exactly easy to handle a slimy flounder and a fly rod, without losing the fish, or sending the rod swimming.



A few min later and I was hooked up with another fish. This one was about 16". A size that would be rather consistent through the day.

I move my way across the flat, and made quite a few casts before having a small flurry of action to get my release total to 6 fish. No keepers, but still not a bad day in my book. Flounder on the fly is definitely a unique experience. It's a game of patience and proper techniques that can vary throughout the tide. The changing contours and bottom conditions of the flat always make it fun to find your way back to the beach after the tide has come up.

I took a little break to make a few phone calls and share the good fishing news with friends, but made sure not to waste the last of the good tide.

I moved shallow and threw a perfect cast to the up tide side of a sandbar and BAM, there he was. The fish immediately began swimming into the current and his weight put a nice bend in my 8wt. As I got the first glimpse of his dark back, I was certain he would be joining me for dinner.

After some struggle to land him without a release I finally got him measured and on the stringer.

He destroyed the bunny strip dropper fly so I clipped it off and dug in my pocket for another. I stripped in some line to lessen the ball of spaghetti that had surrounded me, and much to my surprise the line came tight and fish #8 was hooked up. My fly had drifted only a short distance from my feet, and another flounder found it inviting enough to make it a snack. I guess you just never know when they'll bite.

One more short fish gave my line a tug, and with a smile on my face and a wet left leg, I headed back to the truck.

It was a much needed day of relaxation, and as a bonus I was rewarded with some lunch.



-D

[merry marlin]

What a great way to relax! I think I need one of those prescriptions... Great job on the fly.
MM

[SeaBiscuit]

Fine report Dave. Well written and photographed. That's some great flounder fishing. Incredible when considering it was done with fly tackle. Congratulations on a great day.
SeaBiscuit

[gottaflylee]

Now thats a sandwitch...er flatwitch...whatever is is but some good eaten there Dave. Nice work on the fly with the flaties, up there yellow seems to be key and here purple and chartreuse seems to work. Great report and pictures...
Oh ya, one more thing, there is a puppy Drun with your name on it, just waiting on ya...