It could very well be a sign of age, but I find that kicking back and tossing lures into a never ending tableau of grasses and sand holes is my idea of relaxing with a buddy and making for a very agreeable day of fishing.
 
Sure, coaxing that big snook from under a dock or mangrove stand still makes my pulse quicken. And should I spot a huge herd of redfish “tailing” around shallow oyster bars, my bait would be the first to fly out past them like a bullet.
 
 But, for me, the sheer pleasure of a laid back drifting day on the water is awfully hard to beat.
 
 It has often been said that most fishing trips with friends are in actuality “social events” – wise cracking, telling jokes, talking about our favorite sports teams, the opposite sex, etc. It is known in fishing circles “The BS Factor.”  Whatever you call it, the setting that ideally accommodates these personal fishing forums is drifting those tranquil miles of rich green flats.
 
However, the main joy of this fishing mode is, in reality, never knowing exactly what kind of critter will strike my baits. One might say that it’s virtually like participating in a joyful grab bag of fishes.
 
During these laid back trips, my angling friends and I are constantly amazed at the great diversity of species that one encounters on a drift. A short list would include the ever-present sea trout, flounder, jacks, ladyfish and lizardfish. But there are invariably other surprise fishes that show up --- mackerel, bluefish, even an occasional snook, redfish, shark, tarpon or cobia.
 
 Of course, no drift would be complete without hooking the occasional sailcat, puffer fish, sea bass, pinfish or grunt. It just goes with the territory. But as we often say, “if it pulls back, we like it.”

If you’re like me, you enjoy working these drifts using artificials. No bait wells ruining, no noise at all -- just the peaceful serenity of the great Florida outdoors as our setting.

And speaking of artificials, my primary choice would be sub-surface lures, mainly jigs, swim baits, and the ever-popular artificial shrimp. Occasionally, I might rig my jig under a cork, slurping the cork which in turn, pops the lure upward. Then on the release, it drops and becomes a very enticing presentation for many of our most popular species. 

 
When the fish are feeding heavily, we break out our surface lures and plugs. Top walkers and chuggers are my favorites. I have had great success using MirrOlure Top Dogs, She Dogs, the “suspending” Catch 2000, and the new MirrOdine.  And I still haul out the venerable old favorites, like the 7 MR and 52 MR plugs that still catch fish. 

I also have great fun slurping a Storm Chug Bug across the waters surface, which seems to get lots of angry strikes from many larger fish. And certainly, most agree that there is nothing more exciting than watching a large fish “wake” after a plug and then unleash that punishing strike.

And while these surface type baits attract lots of attention anytime, early morning or late afternoon is when they are at their peak effectiveness.

Oftentimes, my fishing companions and I will inadvertently hook a pinfish or two jigging the flats. That’s when we haul out the cork and set up the pinfish under it. Then, as the boat drifts with the rig in one of the rod holders, that pinfish become a mighty enticing bait for some of the larger species. While we continue fishing  with our lures, that pinfish under a cork has been known to catch huge trout, bluefish, sharks, Spanish mackerel, even snook, reds and snappers. And the best part is that it’s like fishing on auto-pilot. When that big fish hits, just go back to the unattended rod and crank that baby in.

Drift fishing sites are not only very easy to find, they are available virtually everywhere along our expansive and rich Florida coastline.
 
The first thing we look for are the broad meadows of lush grasses, pock-marked with numerous sandy “potholes.”  We cast along the transitions between the sand holes and the grasses or along drop-offs and other structure. These are all natural ambush points for foraging predators. Those sandy depressions are invariably where many forage species like pinfish and greenbacks hang out. Again, one of the best and most productive techniques is to work the edges of these sand pockets. That’s where most of our favorite target species will be feeding.

Those same potholes also hold species that enjoy setting up shop in sandy areas next to grasses or other structure. This includes founder and sheepshead. Many is the drift where I’d slowly drag a jig or shrimp lure across the sand and hook a good sized flounder

When seeking an ideal stretch of grass flats, the best most productive areas will be  those close to bridges and passes. That’s because at those venues there is more likely to be increased tidal flow. 

If it’s a breezy day and difficult to work your lures while zooming quickly across the flats, it’s quite easy to slow down the drift with some of the fine available drift chutes – or if that’s not in your budget, try  the “poor man’s drift chute” – a 5-gallon bucket.

Finally, if you get tired of constantly cranking up the engine, anchoring, poling, or dropping down a trolling motor, then flats drifting is definitely for you.

It’s all a blast. But then the main attraction is spending the day with friends, sitting back, relaxing, conversing and casting. Then it’s just a matter of time before we learn what variety of species the fish gods have to offer.
 
 From this angler’s perspective, it’s awfully hard to beat a day of drifting the flats.