This is my first year going after tailing reds at flood tides. I have tried 5 times, and they were really only tailing once (awesome experience). The other times they were very hard to find until we spooked them because they would not give their positions away.
My questions is this: Does this behavior change day-to-day (is it worth trying again the next day), or is it different from spot-to-spot (try somewhere else)? Do they rarely tail or do the do it most of the time and my luck has been bad?
What is the best way to figure out when they will be tailing at a certain location?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Tailing is just how they eat because of the location of their mouth and nose. When they are up on those flats it’s to eat. Which generally means they will be tailing but it doesn’t mean every fish is constantly gonna have his nose stuck in the mud. How deep is the water up on the flats where you are fishing? If you’re not seeing any fish than possibly the water is to deep and they are feeding you just can’t see them. You have to learn to look for other signs to locate fish like wake pushes and mud puffs from the bottom from a fish moving/swirling. Also I would try to target where the water is coming onto the flat first. There is a staging area where the fish will be “waiting” until the water on the flat is deep enough for them to have access to it. Then you can start seeing the fish when they first swim up on the flat and have a better chance at them from the start. Their behavior can change from day to day and it can be worth going back. Try not to put to much pressure on fish tho.
07 Scout Winyah Bay 221 Yamaha F150
You will never nail down when/where. Its no more concise than a “drop” or a “go to” spot. Sometimes they are there, sometimes they aren’t. The only advice I can give you is the whys of tailing. First - they are looking for food - primarily fiddlers and juvenile blue crabs that hide back in flooded grass. Cut open a bass’s stomach next time you clean one - 75% crab pieces to 25% shrimp/minnow. Second - thier mouth is on the bottom of the head - rearward of the nose/snout. They can’t attack/catch prey straight on like a trout. So - in shallow water flooded grass as they root around on the bottom for food they often get their tails exposed.Mouth down tail up orientation. I have seen them tailing real shallow and then just 10 feet away in water just a little deeper - they don’t tail BUT if its calm enough you can see them bumping the grass as they move around. Awesome -to say the least. Drive you crazy when they won’t take what you offer.
186 Bone Flats Boat
140 Suzuki fourstroke
MADFIRE has good advice.
186 Bone Flats Boat
140 Suzuki fourstroke
thanks for all the advice! I was in mid-shin to just above knee deep water most of the time. So maybe I was not shallow enough. It was pretty windy last night, and that did make it hard to see. I saw another guy wading and a flats boat flyfishing, so maybe the pressure hurt the situation.
madfire is right on…
Your luck is invariably going to change if you stick with it. Do try it on calm to nearly calm water if you want to see the fish. Almost impossible to see them in the ripples and waves. And pay attention to g8rnsc…you will see them bump the grass and “push” a wake more often than you’ll see a tail. Main thing is…if you’re on the flat and you are pretty certain the fish are there, try casting blind…you are likely to get lucky and often the fish give themselves away without you spooking them.
With other anglers working, plus a flats boat casting a fly, likely the fish felt the pressure and went into lockjaw mode.
You didn’t indicate what you were using…live, artificial or fly. If you’re not “above” it, try freelining a large live mudminnow and let it sit. The fish will likely find it if nearby.
Good luck!
Great to know. I plan on trying the high tide Sunday morning. I actually was wondering about the mudminnow idea- so good to know that might work. My luck before (3 fish total) has been on a grey mantis Gulp! shrimp hooked on an offset weighted bass hook. Seems reasonably weedless and I think they might smell it because they have hit it when I let if sit still for a several seconds thinking that I missed the spot.
I really appreciate everyone’s advice- I have to say that this “hunting” for fish in the flats is the most fun I have ever had fishing.
My favorite frustration. And I do mean FRUSTRATING! 
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1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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Mud minnows are good and stay on well in the grass. Fiddlers are a bit more of a hassle - but they are hands down the best.
186 Bone Flats Boat
140 Suzuki fourstroke
Don’t forget a small piece of Cut Mullet. Split shot and a circle hook cast beyond the fish and reel close when the fish is tailing works great for inexperienced anglers. Presentation is the key for tailing fish.
Quartered blue crab is irresistible if you put it in front of them. But that’s almost like cheating.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
Madfire- you were right on!!! I went back sunday and went to the edge of the creek before the flat was deep enough for them to get in. I thought it might be a staging area for them. I saw nothing but one piece of grass that kept wiggling on the bank. So I tried it and BAM! (grey mantis shrimp Gulp bait). I saw about 6 later in the grass but never close enough after that. Had so much fun that when we walked back to the boat it was high and dry! (Had to get picked up and go back and get it in the evening.)
Thanks again for everyone’s help. I am going to try the mullet or the blue crab with my 5 year old son, since we are walking in too far to bring live bait.
We were down to fish yesterday in Coosaw area. Once high tide we looked and looked and never saw any tailing fish. I know some of the spots must have been promising cause other boats would pull up stop and look for 10-15min and move on. I never saw any of them making cast into the grass so their luck must have been like ours. We had a hard time finding any sizable amt of bait. Ended up being a slow day. It was nice on the water and didn’t get rained on. Did scout some future duck holes.always nice to be on the water.