Approach quietly and carry the big stick

Having eliminated unproductive water, the angler's next task is to quietly move through the water while attempting to locate fish. While tailing and cruising fish are relatively easy to spot in shallow water, they're even more easily spooked. Like most shallow-feeding predators, the redfish is very aware of what's taking place in its immediate environment.

The redfish uses its lateral line (a series of nerve endings) to detect low frequency vibrations in the water. Normally, the redfish uses this sense to locate potential prey; however, the lateral line also works to alert the predator to potential danger. An angler carelessly wading through the water easily pushes enough water to alert the redfish of his presence. Although an alerted redfish may not speed off, it will often stop feeding and is certainly tougher to catch.

Experienced guides like Rockport's Elton Hudson begin practicing caution as soon as they approach the shoreline, anchoring their craft well clear of the area they intend to fish. Hudson is careful to quietly set the anchor and enter the water. Again, the shallower the water the more cautious and quiet the wading angler must be.

Often, the best strategy to adopt is to mimic the wading and hunting habits of the great blue heron or great egret.

"Anglers, whether they be fly fishers or conventional anglers need to be very patient," advises Hudson. "It's important to stalk these fish very slowly and very carefully. Most of the fish that we catch while wading are caught in water that is knee-deep or less."

If an angler can hear himself pushing water, the chances are real good that he's moving too fast to spot cruising fish.

Angling stealth is only one reason to move slowly through the water, though. The greatest incentive is the threat posed by the many stingrays that - along with the redfish - roam and feed along the flats. By sliding and not lifting their feet, anglers can successfully avoid stepping on an unwary stingray and suffering a trip-ending wound from the creature's barbed tail.

Admittedly, when practicing the "sting- ray shuffle," doing so quietly and still maintaining balance is tough to near impossible. Much of the bottom that anglers will be wading is soft and uneven. "If you get into a real boggy place there's not a whole lot you can do about it. You have to learn to lift your foot enough to clear the depression and then slide it along," tips Hudson. "If you do it often enough, you develop a type of balance."

Working the water and the fish

Reading the water, not covering it, is the key to successful sight-fishing for redfish. In order to read the water both above and below the surface, anglers must have a good pair of polarized sunglasses. In addition to looking for the more obvious signs - tailing, exposed backs, and wakes - experienced anglers also look for the less obvious clues, such as shadows, unusual movement, changes in bottom color and flashes from moving baitfish.

Experienced fly fishing guide Capt. R.J. Shelly explains, "You're not always going to see the entire fish. You might only see a fin quiver or a shadow and that's the only clue you have that a redfish is there. Many inexperienced anglers walk right past or right over the fish."

The Port O' Connor guide finds that by reducing his field of focus from a broad area to a narrower window, he's able to get a better picture of what's going on. "I try to target what I call the high percentage areas," he explains. "For example, I am not going to try to scan all 30 yards of a sand flat for fish. Instead, I am going to keep my eyes glued on that line where the vegetation starts and the sand ends. I am watching that edge, looking for a little movement."

As one might expect, the most successful fly anglers spend more time carefully watching the water and less time casting. When fly fishing, it's often better to hold casts until the situation is carefully sized up. Shelly first determines the direction the fish are moving and the number of fish in the immediate area, and then plans his cast accordingly. Redfish often move in small pods, so it's important to target the nearest, lead fish in the pod. Anglers targeting the wrong fish risk placing their fly line over the heads of other fish in the pod and spooking the entire group.

According to Shelly, proper line management is often overlooked by many fly anglers. Casts to fish should be a soft presentation that lightly touches down on the water surface. It's equally important that both the fly and fly line exit quietly out of the water on the backcast.

Ideally, the fly angler should place the fly 3 to 4 feet in front of the oncoming redfish, not on top of it. "When wading Texas' backwater," shares Shelly, "accuracy and placement is more important than casting distance. If you can place your fly in an area the size of a hula hoop 40 to 50 feet away, you can consistently catch fish. In most cases, stealth and casting accuracy are all you need to catch redfish all day long."

Equipped to fly fish the flats

No matter what the fly fishing endeavor, fishing a balanced outfit - rod, reel, fly line, leader and fly pattern - is essential to success. This is certainly the case with sight-fishing for redfish on Texas' backwater bays and flats. While most guides prefer to fish a 6-weight outfit when targeting redfish, the strong ocean breezes often make a 9-foot, 8- or 9-weight outfit the better choice.

Although the average-sized redfish found on the flats can quickly take you to the backing, it's not necessary to have a large-arbor reel with extra capacity. A reel that matches the rod and line weight, has a smooth drag system and the capacity to hold 100 to 150 yards of backing is more than adequate. A weight forward, floating fly line matched with a 7- to 9-foot, tapered 10- to 12-pound-test leader will deliver the typical redfish fly pattern.

Many fly anglers choose to fish patterns that meticulously match the small crabs, shrimp and baitfish the redfish naturally encounter on the flats. However, more times than not, the opportunistic redfish is willing to take a number of the fly patterns used in bass fishing.

While redfish will typically take a bigger pattern, smaller patterns are easier to cast in the wind. Try smaller versions of sliders, poppers, divers and streamers in both light colors like tans, yellow, chartreuse, pink and white, and darker colors, such as brown, red, purple and black.