One of the popular ways to fish in Key West and the Keys is sight fishing on the flats. Primary fish targeted fishing on the flats are permit, tarpon and bonefish. Other fish that also often targeted at barracuda , sharks, and jacks.

The waters surrounding the keys in many places do not get deep for quite awhile, creating acres and acres of shallow saltwater flats. These flats can be hard bottom, mud or grass. Many of these flats around Key West have channels running through them for example Calda channel.

Anglers can target fish by sight in these shallow waters , kind of more like hunting then fishing. A flats boat is used with a poling platform in the back. The guide will stand on this poling platform and push the boat along silently with a pole.  The noise of an electric engine will spook fish like bonefish and permit in these shallow waters.

Light tack or fly gear is then used primarily for bonefish, permit, and barracuda. All these fish put up a tremendous fight on light tackle. Bonefish and permit are considered the most elusive and prestigious. If its a bad day, bad conditions, fish not biting etc usually barracudas and sharks will bite when nothing else will.

Here is a video by Lenny Leonard catching barracuda on the flats