Just because flats boats can get you in very skinny water does not mean you should fish from the boat when you get there. You will have a lot better luck if you get out of the boat and wade in clear, shallow water. When wading, you present a smaller, less threatening profile, you make less noise, and you don't have to worry about drifting out of casting position or drifting too close to fish.

Effective wade fishing requires methodical preparation. The farther you wade from the boat, the more critical your preparations become. Don't wade in bare feet. An old pair of sneakers will do. So will a cheap pair of beach shoes. Either will protect the soles of your feet from many sharp objects you are apt to encounter; oyster shells, crab shells, rusty stuff, catfish, etc. Shoes won't help if you step on a stingray, so shuffle your feet and take your time.

A fishing shirt with lots of pockets is convenient. Carry a few extra hooks, some lures, some leader material, and anything else that may save you an annoying trip back to the boat. Jerk baits are ideally suited to wade fishing. You can carry a bunch in a plastic bag with extra leaders and hooks. I even carry a small box with a tiny screwdriver, an extra bail spring, and a tube of reel lubricant (I hate squeaks). Live bait calls for a trolling bucket, which won't slow you down a bit.

I always wade in shorts with a belt from which to hang my fishing pliers, my knife, and my fish stringer. A bathing suit may dry quicker, but I need pockets and a belt.

I release most fish, but occasionally I eat one. With various slot limits for different fish, it can be hard to know what's legal without a ruler. To solve the problem, I tied three wraps on my rod with gold winding thread, each carefully measured from my rod's rubber butt cap. One marks 18 inches for the redfish minimum, one marks 26 inches for the snook minimum and one marks 34 inches -- the snook maximum. The redfish maximum length is 27 inches, so I just estimate an inch beyond my snook mark. Besides, the best eating reds are those closer to the 18-inch mark. It's not very sporting to haul a fish around on a stringer if the length of the fish is in doubt. I suspect that if FMP catches you with a short fish on your stringer, they will assume you mean to keep it and act accordingly. Also avoid wading with fish on a stringer in deeper water where sharks or alligators are present.

Wade fishing is probably the most effective way to catch wary fish in shallow water. Aside from stealth, wading makes you fish slower, cast better, and it presents the best opportunity to catch fish that you can see first. For spooky fish in skinny water, wading is just the ticket, so abandon ship!