How To Catch Tailing Redfish, Black Drum, & Speckled Trout
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on
- Found In: *Tackle & Gear, Fishing Tips, Weekly Newsletter: 8-8-21
It can be really frustrating to see tailing fish but they won’t bite.
You find them.
They’re feeding.
And they are not interested in what you’re offering.
So in this video, you’ll learn:
- Where to find tailing fish
- Why fish are tailing and what that means for you
- The best lures to use
- How to cast to tailing fish
- And much more
Check it out!
How To Catch Tailing Fish [VIDEO]
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We reviewed a ton of information so here’s a timestamped table of contents:
- 0:57 – The golden hours of fishing during the summertime
- 1:26 – If these fish are tailing, it’s because they are feeding
- 2:06 – Tailing redfish on the flats are eating this
- 3:11 – Presentation is key when you find these fish
- 3:36 – What types of environments will you find tailing fish?
- 4:06 – Find the food, find the fish
- 5:46 – The depth of the water to find tailing fish
- 6:33 – Types of bottom to locate
- 7:53 – Colors of lures to use
- 9:07 – Where to cast for tailing fish
- 12:24 – Put your bait on their dinner plate
- 14:05 – What you do after your cast is really important
- 16:20 – The best retrieve to get tailing fish to strike
- 18:40 – A go-to lure for tailing fish
- 19:45 – Scent is really important
- 21:08 – Best hooks for your lures when you’re targeting tailing fish
- 23:26 – The size of your lure that works best
- 25:32 – Shrimp lures force you to slow down (that’s a good thing)
- 29:20 – Go light on leader line but not TOO light
- 30:45 – Success is preparation plus luck
Here are the lures, rattles, and scent we recommended:
- Slam Shady 2.0
- Gold Digger (Insider Only)
- Power Prawn
- Alabama Leprechaun
- Dr. Juice Saltwater Scent
- Battle Rattles
Conclusion
Presentation is key.
But there are so many other factors that go into being successful at catching tailing fish.
Have any other tactics for targeting tailing fish?
Do you like the “tea times” with our coaches?
Let me know down in the comments!
And if you know someone who wants the best chance at catching tailing fish, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Great instructions for lure placement and retrieve. Thanks
Thanks Bill!
What length should the leader be?
Great question, Steven. I would say start with about 18″ of leader, and you can go longer that that if you feel you would rather have more leader line in the water. A safe gauge would be 18-24″ of leader material.
Great discussion. Really enjoyed it !! Your discussion with the appropriate cast – would be nice to demo what you are indicating to get a better idea on the best cast to use and what to avoid -thx
I love that idea Pablo! Will do! Thanks!
Enjoyed the video team. Great points.
Thanks Willie!
would love to hear more specifics about strategies in Chesapeake Bay & vicinity…..lure choice, etc.
Yea I can imagine tailing fish would be exciting the only problem being here in northeast Florida it only happens on rare occasions when the flood tides in the spring come in and in the fall but not everywhere it happens it’s very hard where to predict when and where it will happen because both spring and falls weather patterns are very inconsistent and change constantly unlike where you are and most of the saltstrong nation in central and South fl also your water is 99 percent clearer then here in northeast fl were it’s the opposite mostly murky most of the year those rare times when it does happen here in spring and fall the water is much clearer
You’re correct, Steven. During the late Spring, Summer and early Fall on those Flood Tides, it is possible to find Redfish tailing up in the Northeast part of Florida. Otherwise, I find them in the Winter Months way back up in the creeks of Jacksonville (Haulover Creek, Clapboard Creek and Brown Creek, to name a few). On super cold days on the outgoing tide, or bottom of low tide, I can find these fish in extremely shallow water in the Mud and they are usually gorging themselves on Shrimp and Mud Minnows. I don’t think the clarity of the water has much to do with whether a fish Tails or not, it’s moreso the type of bottom that they feed in that determines their behavior. As mentioned, muddy bottom is a great starting point, regardless of water clarity. Good luck Steven!
Great video! I’ve continually been frustrated that I couldn’t get the attention of tailing redfish and now I’m fairly certain it’s because my presentation was wrong. Will definitely be working on more subtle accurate casts and slowed down retrieves.
Good luck, Joel!