Fly Fishing & Flats Fishing Charters in New Smyrna Beach
Fly Fishing & Flats Fishing on Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon
Experience technical flats fishing in some of Florida's most productive shallow-water fisheries with Captain Bach Charters. Based in New Smyrna Beach, Captain Bach specializes in private fly fishing and light-tackle trips on the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon, where anglers can sight-cast to redfish, speckled trout, snook, and seasonal migratory tarpon.
With 7 years in business, Captain Hunter Bach brings firsthand knowledge of local tides, fish behavior, seasonal patterns, and shallow-water presentation to every trip. Charters are private and limited to 1–2 anglers, allowing the trip to be tailored around your experience level, target species, and preferred fishing style.
Whether you're an experienced fly angler looking for a technical redfish shot or you're new to sight-casting in skinny water, the goal is the same: put you in position to make accurate presentations to actively feeding fish.
Fly Fishing the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon
Fly fishing the flats is one of the most technical and rewarding ways to experience the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River Lagoon. These shallow waters create opportunities to see fish before you cast, read their movement, and make a precise presentation rather than simply casting and waiting for a bite.
Captain Bach targets redfish, speckled trout, snook, and seasonal tarpon using fly setups selected around the conditions, target species, and current fish behavior. Sight-casting may mean watching for a cruising redfish, identifying subtle movement in shallow water, or presenting a fly to a tarpon moving through the area during migration.
Trips can include custom flies and fly-fishing gear, with instruction on casting, positioning, presentation, and reading the water throughout the day.
Sight-Casting and Light-Tackle Flats Fishing
Flats fishing is about much more than making a cast. It requires anglers to read the water, recognize fish behavior, manage their movement, and deliver a presentation without spooking the fish.
Captain Bach Charters offers both sight-casting and light-tackle angling, giving anglers the opportunity to pursue fish with fly gear or conventional tackle depending on their goals and the conditions.
On the flats, you may spot a redfish cruising through inches of water, a school of fish moving across a grass flat, a snook holding along a mangrove edge, or tarpon traveling through the area during their seasonal migration.
The quiet, shallow-water approach allows anglers to stay focused on the fish and the presentation rather than spending the day simply traveling from one spot to another.
Fly or Spin - Your Choice
Captain Bach guides both fly anglers and conventional fishermen, offering full flexibility and equal attention to both disciplines.
Fly Fishing the Flats
Perfect for anglers who want to improve or test their accuracy in skinny water. You’ll cast to visible targets using shrimp, crab, or baitfish imitations—often within 30–50 feet. Leaders, flies, and rigging are all optimized in advance.
Spin Fishing the Flats
Whether you're sight fishing, blind casting, or utilizing live bait, you can choose to challenge yourself or just hammer them!
Both methods require controlled body movement, line awareness, and discipline—something Captain Bach helps refine throughout the trip.
What Makes Shallow-Water Fly Fishing So Technical?
Fly fishing the flats is demanding because fish can see you, the water is often extremely shallow, and there may be very little room for error. Wind, sunlight, water clarity, tides, fish movement, and casting angle can all determine whether a fish eats the fly or disappears before you get another opportunity.
Successful sight-casting requires more than simply being able to cast a fly rod. Anglers need to control their line, make accurate casts at changing distances, lead moving fish correctly, and present the fly naturally without creating unnecessary disturbance.
Captain Bach helps anglers refine these skills throughout the trip, providing practical instruction based on the conditions and the fish in front of you.
For experienced anglers, that creates the technical challenge they are looking for. For newer fly anglers, it provides an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of sight-casting in a real Florida flats fishery.
What Makes Flats Fishing Unique
Fishing the flats isn’t just about casting—it's about reading the water. You’ll learn to spot push wakes, shadow movement, nervous bait, and the subtle tail flicks that signal feeding fish. This style of fishing rewards awareness, patience, and control. Whether on fly or spin, flats trips provide:
The visually engaging elements of SIGHT fishing
Whether you are fly fishing or spin fishing, Mosquito lagoon and the Indian river are famous arenas for targeting highly sought after inshore game fish
Blind casting
From throwing topwaters for explosive eats, to covering water with artificials, you never know what the next cast can bring
Live Bait
A great option for the beginner or someone looking for their personal best of a species. if you want to max out your day, there's nothing like the real deal
Flats Fishing
Flats Fishing: What makes this fishery so unique is that all this action is happening in less than three feet of water, often making for a visual and exciting bite! The scenery is unlike any other, with sprawling pastures of marine grass and clear water.
It’s both a technical and immersive way to fish—one that sharpens your instincts and improves your fishing overall.
Target Species on the Flats
The flats around New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon are home to several shallow-water game fish. These species often feed aggressively on the right tide and offer real shot opportunities for skilled anglers.
Primary Targets Include:
Redfish
Redfish are one of the premier targets on the Mosquito Lagoon flats. Anglers may encounter cruising singles, schools, or tailing fish in extremely shallow water. Sight-casting to a redfish is a technical opportunity that rewards patience and an accurate presentation.
Speckled Trout
Speckled trout are another important target throughout the lagoon and surrounding inshore waters. Depending on the season and conditions, trout can provide exciting opportunities for both fly and light-tackle anglers.
Snook
Snook can be found around mangroves, shorelines, structure, and other areas where current and bait come together. Their speed and power make them a challenging light-tackle and fly-fishing target.
Black Drum
Occasionally seen tailing in slightly deeper flats or cruising in schools
Tarpon
Seasonal migratory tarpon provide one of the most exciting opportunities for anglers in the area. During the migration, anglers can pursue these powerful fish with fly or spin tackle when conditions and fish movement line up.
Jack Crevalle
An aggressive, tenacious game fish, comparable to the infamous GT, often found in schools
Trips are available 7 days a week, weather and tide permitting. Once booked, Capt. Bach will personally coordinate the best launch time based on the goals and the optimal conditions
A Private 1–2 Angler Flats Fishing Experience
Every Captain Bach Charters flats trip is private and designed for one or two anglers. That means you aren't sharing the boat with strangers, and the trip can be structured around your goals.
Whether you're focused on catching your first redfish on fly, improving your sight-casting, targeting a trophy snook, or pursuing seasonal tarpon, Captain Bach can adjust the approach around the conditions and your experience level.
Your charter includes the necessary fishing gear, flies or artificial lures, fishing licenses, safety equipment, and a quiet poling skiff designed for shallow-water fishing.
Why Fish the Flats with Captain Bach Charters?
With 7 years in business, Captain Hunter Bach has built his guiding operation around personalized instruction, technical fishing, and intimate private trips.
Anglers choose Captain Bach Charters for:
- Private trips for 1–2 anglers
- Fly fishing and light-tackle options
- Sight-casting on shallow flats
- Redfish, speckled trout, snook, and tarpon opportunities
- Custom flies and quality fishing equipment
- A quiet poling skiff for stealthy shallow-water access
- Personalized instruction and casting guidance
- Tide- and condition-focused trip planning
- Launch options around New Smyrna Beach, Mosquito Lagoon, and the Indian River
Book a Private Fly Fishing or Flats Fishing Trip
Ready to test your casting against Florida's shallow-water game fish?
Book a private 1–2 angler flats fishing trip with Captain Bach Charters and spend your day sight-casting the Mosquito Lagoon or Indian River Lagoon. Whether your goal is a tailing redfish, aggressive snook, hard-fighting trout, or a seasonal tarpon on fly, Captain Bach will plan the trip around your goals, the tides, and the conditions.
Call or contact Captain Bach Charters today to discuss your target species, preferred fishing method, and available dates.
Trip Rates
Full day trip
8 hours
Launch from an hour before sunrise to 9am
$700
¾ day trip
6 hours
Early morning or early afternoon
$600
Half day trip
4 hours
Morning or afternoon
$500
