Redfish and bonefish, do it quite often. Permit do it, as well as sheephead and even large seatrout. It’s one of the most exciting sights for the fly and light tackle flats angler. I’m speaking of tailing. Some days may see just a tiny tip of a tail breaking the surface. You might see the whole tail sticking out of the water waving at you. Other times, you see half of their body out of the water while the fish stands on its head sometimes flipping itself over. The tail my pop up for just a brief second and disappear. On other occasions, it will stay up for quite some time. Whatever the case may be, seeing tails is always a good thing because there is one thing you know for certain, tailing fish are hungry feeding fish.

While tailing fish are always great to see, they can sometimes be frustrating. These fish are rooting on the bottom in the grass and mud searching for small crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans. They are willing to eat but the challenge is getting them to see your lure or fly. Some tailing fish are so oblivious to their surroundings you can touch them with your rod tip. Others will bolt off the flat at with the sound of your fly line touching down on the water. In any case, it is best to approach slowly and quietly. Light tackle anglers should cast at least ten feet past the target so the sound of the lure landing does not spook them. Drag your lure along the surface until you are 8-10 inches in front of the fish and let it drop to the bottom. A very slight twitch or two should get their attention. If it does not, reel in and try. Fly anglers have even more of a challenge. Tailing fish have a very small zone of interest. To get a bite, you may sometimes need to put a fly smaller than a dime in a target the size of a coffee can. Add to this a fish which is constantly changing directions and multiple casts can be the norm.

Giving your fly or lure some sound will help tailing fish find your lure. Woodies Rattles cab be put into most soft plastics or tied on the hook shank when building flies. I have seen many occasions where casts made behind tailing fish caused them to turn around when they heard the rattle.

Winter is an excellent time to find tailing fish. Many of the small baitfish have vacated the flats leaving crabs and shrimp as the primary food source. While some fish can be found tailing in water as deep as two feet, most tailers will be found much more shallow than that. Approaching the fish without spooking them is critical. A shallow draft poling skiff, a paddle craft, or wading are your best options.

For more flats fishing information or to book a charter visit my Orlando Fishing Guide website.

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