As tough and enjoyable as catching an inshore slam can be, some folks like to take it up even a notch higher; enter the inshore slam on a fly.
Capt. Owen Plair of Bay Street Outfitters loves catching a slam any way possible, but admits, “An inshore slam on the fly is by far one of the most rewarding things in the Lowcountry, and an experience that will not soon be forgotten.”
The biggest difficulty in taking an inshore slam on the fly is the limited time in which to accomplish it.
“Fly-fishing for the slam is best at or near the low tide, because once the water gets too high it’s hard to catch all three,” Plair said.
Focusing on oyster beds in two to three feet of water is a good way to locate all three species, because the baitfish, crabs and shrimp with which redfish, flounder and trout like to fill their guts hang near and feed off of these structures. Also, mud flats with ditches or creeks draining into them are also great locations to place a fly.
Just as with spin-fishing, it is wise to use current whenever possible. Current can come from the drainage of small creeks and ditches or from the wind pushing water, even at dead low tide. If you can’t catch a flounder around structure, fishing a fly a little deeper in the creeks and ditches should get the job done.
Plair’s gear of choice is a 9-foot, fast-action fly rod in anything from a 7- to 9-weight with a floating, weight-forward line and a 20-pound, 9-foot, tapered leader.
“The Crafty Shrimp and the EP Everglades are both my flies of choice,” Plair said. “Both flies have lead eyes, which put them down low for the flounder in the shallow, low-tide water, and (they) also have a great action like shrimp or mud minnows for the reds and trout cruising the flat for bait.”
A good way to work these flies is to let them sink and bounce them along the bottom with short strips. Keeping the rod tip high can help minimize the chance of the leader being cut by sharp oyster shells, but it still should be checked for damage often.
Editor’s note: This article is part of the ‘Slam’ the Broad River feature in the July issue of South Carolina Sportsman, which is now on newsstands. Digital editions also can be downloaded right to your computer or smartphone.
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