Sight fishing on the flats is one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences in fly fishing. The difference between getting an eat and getting ignored often comes down to how and where you present your fly.

Key Elements of a Perfect Flats Presentation

1. Lead the Fish Correctly – Unlike trout fishing, where you dead-drift a fly into a feeding lane, flats fish are constantly moving. The trick is to put your fly far enough ahead of them that it lands softly without spooking them, but not so far that they never see it.
   1. For bonefish: Lead them 2 to 3 feet in normal conditions, closer (1 foot) in deep water where they have less reaction time.
   2. For permit: Lead them 5 to 8 feet and let the fly sink naturally before they reach it.
2. Don’t Overwork the Fly – If a fish sees your fly and keeps coming, let it sit or give it a subtle twitch. Flats species often key in on a natural, lifelike movement. Aggressive strips can spook permit or bonefish, especially in shallow water.
   1. Shrimp patterns? Short, gentle strips (imitating a shrimp flicking away).
   2. Crab patterns? Let them sink and give a slow, crawling pull.
3. Control Your Casting Angle – Your angle to the fish matters as much as your distance.
   1. quartering cast (45 degrees in front) gives the fish a natural view of the fly as they approach.
   2. Straight-on cast (directly ahead) often makes the fly look unnatural and forces the fish to change course.
4. Be Ready to Adjust Strip Speed – Bonefish and permit feed differently.
   1. If a bonefish charges your fly, keep stripping steadily but don’t pull it away too fast.
   2. If a permit follows slowly, pause slightly or barely twitch the fly—permit often eat on the stop.
5. Know When to Pick Up and Recast – If your first cast is off, don’t drag your fly out of the zone—that will spook the fish. Instead, wait for them to move past before re-casting. A bad pickup is worse than a bad cast.

Final Thought

The key to great flats fishing presentations is reading the fish. Are they moving fast or slow? Are they aggressive or cautious? Adjust your lead, strip speed, and fly movement accordingly. The more time you spend watching how fish react, the better you’ll get at making the perfect cast.