Protected beaches often have lush seagrass beds ending right at the
shoreline. Healthy seagrass beds that reach the shoreline bring this
productive habitat right to the feet of wading anglers. Although
these aren’t the kind of beaches that resorts prefer to boast, these
types of shorelines are fantastic for fly fishing and provide
excellent habitat for tarpon, bonefish, snook, and even permit.
In areas with shallow sloping bottoms, you’ll often find a thin
strip of sand between the beach and the beginning of the grass
bed, especially along semi-protected beaches with small but
consistent surf. The lower edge of this strip of sand indicates
the low water mark and the area where the small surf stirs the
sand. In many cases, minor wave action has carved out a slight
depression in this sand strip, and this slightly deeper
indentation can hold baitfish, juvenile fish, and crabs. Bonefish
often like to cruise this strip of open bottom in search of prey.
In general, very shallow seagrass beds that abut beaches have a
less diverse community of organisms than do deeper grass beds,
and often fewer resident fish species. Mobile prey such as
swimming crabs and small fish may be more important prey
items for gamefish along these shallow grassy shorelines. This
is in part because the shallower areas can be harsh
environments. For example, the shallows can become very
warm and very low in oxygen during calm, summer periods,
and during extremely low tides can be completely exposed to
air. This phenomena creates intolerable conditions for many
species that aren’t mobile, like clams and worms. Species that
are best able to tolerate these conditions, or easily move in and
out of these areas as conditions allow, are most adapted for
these habitats. Prey types that are of interest to fly anglers in
shallow seagrass beds include swimming crabs, hermit crabs,
mojarras, and mullet.Prey: mojarra sardine silverside