Flats Wade Hazards?

chuckp

Will be wading the flats around Big Torch Key the end of May. I have never been to the Florida Keys, I know about sting rays but what else if anything should I be on the look out for or be ready to respond to/treat? what precaustions if any are reasonable. I heard something about jelly fish? I have run into them in Belize but their bite was little more than a bee sting, are the jelly fish on the flats in the lower keys worse? and what else should I worry about or be prepared for? Thanks in advance, again!

gerrys

the rays are probably the biggest hazard. Watch your step as the hard bottom frequently opens up into deeper holes.

Backlash

Man-o-wars are really the only jellies you gotta watch out for... But by late May, they're not an issue.

Marl, quicksand-type bottom can get you in a jam pretty quick.

The big southern stingrays are easy to see, it's the tiny little brown & yellow rays you gotta watch out for... shuffle,shuffle.

Bull sharks, crocodiles, and man eating ospreys....

gatormonroe

Depending on what you're wearing on your feet, urchins may be a problem. Stingrays are easily avoidable if you shuffle your feet instead of lifting them. There are also smaller things like scorpionfish that could be an issue if you're not wearing boots. I would consider that a remote chance, though. They will probably take off before you step near them.

aquasport190

X2 on the sea urchins. We saw a lot of them on the flats in front of Summerland. Wear good shoes as there's all kinds of stuff that can cut your feet. Oysters, coral, rock, etc....

Dogman

Guess I'll be bringing my wading boots with me in July.

Reel Tease

some of that mud can get really nasty! Im sure a few guys have left a few shoes in the mud before :rotflmao

NauticalWheeler

Does anyone else get itchy after contact with the mud, or is that just me? Seems like there's some kind of irritant in there.

gatormonroe

NauticalWheeler wrote: »

Does anyone else get itchy after contact with the mud, or is that just me? Seems like there's some kind of irritant in there.

There is something called a hydroid that can be found in pretty much any marine environment including grass flats. It's a small, attached creature that looks like a plant and stings like a jellyfish. That may not be what it is, but they are definitely out there. Some people barely notice them while others have pretty good reactions to them.

capt louie

Soft muddy bottom is the main problem.

chuckp

Thanks all! great info. I have heavy duty wading shoes as does my son and wife...Thanks again.

aquasport190

Those should do the trick. You don't need a suit of armor, just decent soles. Even an old pair of sneakers would work in a jam.

Bobber

just be glad there ain't no Mantis shrimp down there.....

Backlash

Bobber wrote: »

just be glad there ain't no Mantis shrimp down there.....

Oh, there are mantis shrimp. The big squilla shrimp are usually out in 20' on the sand though. But I have got them on jigs inshore, on the flats. Those slashing claws aint no joke.
They're very good with butter though.

b.kelleher87

crocs

NauticalWheeler

b.kelleher87 wrote: »

crocs

The first thing I thought of when I read this was footwear. Yes, Crocs (the footwear) are a wade hazard. I always wear them on the boat, but one time we got stuck on a grass flat and I jumped in to push the boat off and sunk about a foot and a half into the mud. Then they got stuck in the mud, got all slippery on my feet and almost made me lose my balance...then had to dig them out of the mud. So yes...wade hazard there.

The other type of crocs could be a wade hazard too - maybe in some places.

:-)