Backcountry Fishing
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Backcountry flats fishing is a technical style of fishing that generally takes place in very shallow water. The boats our backcountry fishing guides use are specifically designed to get into these shallow flats while being ultra quiet so they do not spook the fish you are trying to catch. You will often hear these boats reffered to as a "Skiff" or nowadays they incorporate more high tech designs and building processes so the newer more expensive ones are reffered to as "Technical Poling Skiffs."
As you can see from the photo on the right some of the fishing grounds are in creeks and rivers not much wider than the boat. While traveling across the flats and river systems you will sometimes encounter migrating birds, alligators, crocodiles, manatees, and dolphins. |
Modern Day Technical Poling Skiffs |
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In South Florida Backcountry fishing can also take place on the open water flats. Biscayne Bay and all of the Florida Keys have an endless amount of flats to choose from and almost all of them are productive when the conditions are right. During certain stages of the tides fish like Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, and Redfish will come up on the flats and hunt for their food. Most of the time they are looking for shrimp, crabs, small baitfish, and other crustaceans. The backcountry fishing guides you see on this website understand when is the best time to fish a particular flat and what kind of bait or fly to use. It takes many years of experience and lots of trial and error to learn not only where to fish but also when and why you need to fish there. Our fish are constantly moving and conditions are changing frequently. This is why it is important for you as an angler to choose a guide that has years of experience and a proven track record. |
Rich Poling Blair Wiggins to a Bonefish on the Addictive Fishing Television Show |
| This photo on the right shows Captain Brian Helms a miami fishing charter captain quietly poling his cutomers to a school of tailing Permit on the flats of Islamorada. This style of fishing is just like an animal stalking his prey. It requires the guide and angler to be in perfect sync with each other to catch the fish. Catching one of these fish is surely not a given. But with realistic expectations and willingness to learn anyone can become a better angler. The Permit is considered to be the "Holy Grail" of fish to catch on fly. They are extremely spooky and with their large eyes can see you many times before you will ever see them. If you are lucky enough to hook into one of these fish, hold on because with their huge muscular tail and the fact that they are from the Jack family means you are in for the fight of your life. We have seen fights on light tackle go in excess of 45 minutes. |
Brian Poling his customers in Islamorada down in The Florida Keys |
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Often times we will pole down the edgeof a shoreline to catch Snook & Redfish
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Typical Snook Caught in EvergladesNational Park Flamingo area |
Miami Backcountry Fishing Guides in Florida
