January on Sanibel Island is about as good as it gets for fly anglers who love technical skinny water sight fishing. Winter’s low sun and those steady northeast blows help pull the tides even lower than the charts call for, draining the grass flats and leaving sand bars high and dry across Pine Island Sound and the backcountry. For anyone chasing redfish, it honestly feels like the whole system tilts in your favor. You get clear water, concentrated fish, and plenty of shots if you are patient enough to slow down and really hunt.
The entire game this month and winter in general revolves around the bottom of the tide. As the water slips off the flats, reds slide off the grass beds and gather around potholes, slight depressions, and the little troughs that form next to exposed bars. When there is just a sheet of water left, you will start seeing backs, tails, and push wakes as they feed on baitfish, small crabs, and shrimp.
Stealth becomes everything in this ultra-shallow water. With winter clarity, the fish see and feel every mistake. Moving extra slow and using the wind to hide your approach makes a huge difference. Keep an eye out for birds wading on flats as redfish tend to be close behind feeding on the goodies they stir up. An eight weight with a floating line and a 9-foot 16-pound tapered leader with 2-3 feet of 20-pound shock tippet, dropping to 16-pound if need be. Around ten to twelve feet in total…