CATCHING fish in the shallows rewards good fishing skills. Seeing a cruiser before it detects your presence requires keen eyesight and a stealthy approach. Casting accurately and drawing a strike is rarely straightforward and a refusal is always a letdown. When you get a take, it is highly satisfying. As a bonus, the fight is often frantic as the fish seeks the sanctuary of deeper water.
Success in shallow water can be elusive because this zone has a way of exposing an angler’s shortcomings. Skinny water teaches hard lessons about what stealth really means. Casting accuracy is tested. On some waters the challenge to hook that elusive species can be extreme, and anglers can spend many sessions working for that first fish.
Many species patrol the margins so anglers in a variety of areas can participate. Apex predators in trophy sizes like Murray cod, barramundi and flathead are caught in shallow water. Meanwhile species like whiting, jew, bream, trevally, threadfin, “tuskies” and trout are taken in “skinny” water too.
The shallows are rarely easy, and anglers soon see the need to refine their approach. The following article discusses the tactics and techniques required to be successful in the shallows.
Shallow encounters
There are several iconic experiences Aussie anglers
can have fishing the shallows. My favourites are all about stalking and fooling big fish using a quiet approach and long-cast tackle.
In winter big Murray cod enter the margins of an impoundment to hunt. Most cod specialists will be on the water well before dawn and work hard for a strike until the sun is up. This time of day is bitterly cold and frozen fingers and face make three thirty starts hard.
As the inky darkness turns to pre-dawn grey, bobby cod and other forage fish start to pop and flick on the surface. The boat will be under electric drive on the lower settings. The lake may glass-off before a sneaky dawn breeze sends a ripple across the surface. Swimbaits, surface walkers and wake baits are sent a long way and each cast is a tense affair.
My best “shallow” cod so far went 97cm and smashed a paddler only a few metres from the boat. There are much bigger ones out there.
In recent times big flatties have become a popular target. Anglers work large minnows, swimbaits and soft plastics over the shallows looking for a crocodile. A dawn high tide is a good time as fish are undisturbed by boat traffic and other anglers.
My first big one came on a breezy blue-sky day in spring. High tide had peaked, and the run out was just starting. I twitched the Sluggo, so it rolled and dived in emulation of a dazed mullet.
The 88cm flattie launched from the seabed and created a table-sized boil as it engulfed the lure. The clear water made everything visible, and we watched the flattie as she worked against the drag.
My companion then took a 90cm plus specimen from the same patch. It left the water as it struck. Flatties in the shallows can be fickle but when the big girls are feeding it is some of the best estuary action an angler can experience.
In a river in Central Queensland, I recently “discovered” an area that dries on low tide. Then it is just a vast expanse of desolate mud flat. When the water pushes up around the spindly, waist-high mangrove saplings, big fish move in to chase pop-eye mullet and other bait.
The first time I checked this spot I spooked several threadfin that raced past the boat leaving muddy boils in their wake. I turned the motor off and drifted. After a few minutes I saw signs of other fish in the shallow water.
As the tide pushed the boat along, I saw activity indicating fish hunting amongst the flooded plants. A swirl betrayed a feeder and I cast to the area. The take was immediate and violent. The fish left the edge and took thirty metres of line as it raced for the channel. Minutes later a metre-long threadfin lay in the net. Before the tide filled, I landed another, then a barra. They were all caught after I saw and cast to them, and they all fought like demons.
The right shallows
While any shallows might be productive, we are interested in shallows that attract fish. Why they visit this zone is not known for sure, but food and comfort seem to play an important part in their behaviour.
A food source is a proven drawcard for predators. It could be the presence of baitfish or prawns. It might be a yabby or crayfish bed. It may be water carrying food out of a drain at low tide.
Look for signs like holes in the bottom, bait fish dimpling or prawns flicking. You won’t see too many birds near a lifeless flat so prioritise areas that attract pelicans, shags and other baitfish feeders.
Wind drives food including insects and bait into the shallows. Wind generated current concentrates bait and as a bonus churns up the edges. In some areas it creates a “soup” line off a bank that is attractive to hungry fish like barra and trout. Wind can also concentrate warmer water into a downwind bay and bring fish in seeking warmth as well as food. Water one or two degrees hotter than the main body is a great fish magnet in cool weather.
If you find shallow water that offers a feed, higher tempertures or some other benefit, you have the makings for some great fishing.
Night shallows
Some shallows are devoid of fish during daylight hours. However, after dark predators will leave the sanctuary of their snag or hole and cruise about looking for a meal. Jewfish, jacks, big brown trout and barra are just a few of the species that will enter the shallows at night to hunt. In many cases they are looking for food so, just as for the daylight period, shallows with bait are where you start.
Stealth is still important at night. Prior planning to mark edges and casting spots by day will pay off after the light fades.
Shallow thinking
Shallows force anglers to get good at the basics. Skinny water tends to nullify technology like sonar, including side scan and 360. Scoping on scout mode is still effective but in shallow water the range can often be too short to get a fix before flighty targets race off.
In tight areas motors, both main and electric, can chop up the bottom and scare fish away. Successful anglers develop skills including careful scanning, thoughtful boat positioning, use of the breeze, current and sun, as well as their hearing.
In shallow water, fish including apex predators are extremely alert. Despite excellent camouflage and other adaptions, skinny water often exposes fish as they look for prey. The best way to approach a fish in shallow water is to see it from a long way away, and then stalk it. The angler
must stay undetected, so noise, vibration, and movement must be minimised. If things go well the angler can cast to an unsuspecting fish and get a hook up.
The concept of “personal space” is relevant in the shallows. Each angler has a zone around him or her where other animals will detect them. Stealthy fishos have a tiny zone while noisy thoughtless anglers create an enormous presence. They scare fish away before they have a hope of seeing or casting to them.
Your zone is reduced if you drift silently and minimise noise and vibration. The challenge is to ensure the edge of your zone is well within casting distance so you can see and cast to fish which has not sensed your presence.
Success in the shallows relies heavily on stealth. Stealth is how we minimise our “zone” and cast to fish while they are catchable. There are several ways an angler can achieve this outcome.
Stealth on the flats
Stealth starts with planning. Anglers with time on their hands can do a reconnaissance and find the shallow areas they want to fish later. A route in can be identified, and a way point added so you know when to go stealthy. In other cases, stopping well short of a flat will ensure your presence is not broadcast to any fish nearby.
Wind is often a great asset when working the shallows. It aids in achieving long casts while the surface ripple helps disguise the angler’s presence. It drives the boat without the need for power. The waves also mask a lure landing and help disguise line laying near or over a fish. It also moves bait and water around which we discussed earlier. A five to ten knot breeze is fine but anything over 20 knots is much more difficult.
Wind chop can also slap the boat creating an unnatural vibration. Some hulls are worse than others. Turning the craft will sometimes minimise this noise.
The sun assists us to see targets. When high in the sky the sun will cause targets to cast a shadow which is often easier to see than the well-camouflaged fish itself. The sun can also disguise an angler. By positioning it behind the boat relative to the drift, fish looking into the sun may have more difficulty in seeing you.
Many species prefer to face or feed into the flow. This is more relevant in streams and rivers, but current direction is worth considering on any shallow flat. By approaching from down current, the angler remains less likely to be detected. The current will also move any stirred-up bottom matter away rather than send it over the area you are trying to see fish in.
Drifting is one of the best ways to cover a flat. An electric motor on low settings is a quiet way to move the boat when factors like wind or current are not in your favour. A push pole maybe a better form of propulsion than an electric, particularly in hard-fished waters.
Wading is also an excellent way to go if crocs and stingers are not an issue. Again, slow and quiet is ideal to keep you “low profile”.
Shallow senses
Without technology, anglers are obliged to use their senses to find fish. Scanning is made far more effective if you wear good sunnies and a hat. Search the area for signs. Scan methodically, near to far and left to right, as you move along. Bulges, bow waves, ripples and swirls are all indications something is there. Dark shapes and shadows are also signs that fish are present. Flicking bait or prawns can give away a fish.
Some species make a distinctive noise when
they feed which can be heard a long way off. Barra “boof” and bream “smack”. Reading sign is hard at first but with practice and patience, it is possible to differentiate between nervous bait and a predator “bulging” the surface.
Shallow tackle
In many scenarios the shallows are free of snags. Where this is the case, gear can be optimised for long casts which is an advantage. Longer rods and lighter mainline allows you to “stand-off” which helps avoid detection.
Use reels that contribute to longer casts such as thread lines. Those extra metres can make a big difference. Bait casters and can achieve very acceptable distances particularly if they are upgraded with high grade bearings.
Most anglers have found that thin braid will assist in longer casting. Some brands are silky smooth and leave the spool without much friction. After using mono for years, it is amazing how much further a lure will travel when a slick, fine braid is used.
It pays to pack the braid down hard when placing it on the reel. Do not overfill the spool by ensuring at least a few millimetres are left free between the line and the rim. Check regularly for loose loops and other signs you need to manually lay the line after the next cast.
There is a set of trade-offs when considering leader size. Barra, cod and flatties have raspy mouths and require heavier leaders. However, lighter leaders will often get more bites. The challenge is to use just enough diameter to withstand the fish’s efforts to escape but not sandbag a lure or put fish off.
Some lures work better on lighter leaders. These include bent minnows and some swim baits. Leaders are less of an issue in low light or discoloured water or where fish are known not to be leader shy.
As a guide, use the lightest leader you can get away with, noting this might well be 25kg. Use longer lighter leaders for clear water and leader shy species. If fishing around dawn, consider downsizing as light increases.
Clunky connections reduce cast distances and can cause back lashes. The leader to mainline knot is worth minimising by using an FG or PR knot. These are slick, small connections and should be tied so the loops are packed flat and lying hard against their neighbour, the knot is pulled up firmly, and the tag end is cinched down tight. As with line laying, check knots often and retie any that look dodgy.
Shallow reflections
Fishing in shallow water requires anglers to use a variety of skills. Prior preparation is repaid as you stealthily approach a shallow flat in the pre-dawn gloom. You haven’t spooked that giant and it’s just mooching along in there waiting for your lure.
In the shallows, fishos employ their senses to detect fish. Your eyes and ears identify movement and sounds associated with fish activity. Then an accurate cast can generate a hook up you’ll remember for years.
Gear that suits shallow-water techniques includes longer rods, fine braid, the thinnest feasible leader.
When it all comes together catching fish, particularly big ones, in shallow water is hard to beat. Huge boils, savage wrenches and sizzling runs are part of the flats experience and bring many of us back again and again.
