If you’re getting multiple refusals from tailing redfish, the issue isn’t just your fly—it’s how you’re presenting it. Tailing reds are actively feeding, but they’re also laser-focused on a specific food source. Here’s how to dial in your approach:

• Lead the fish by inches, not feet: Unlike bonefish or permit, redfish aren’t chasing down flies from a distance. Cast 6-12 inches ahead of the fish’s nose, so the fly lands naturally within its feeding zone.
• Go weightless or lightly weighted: If a redfish is tailing, it’s eating crabs, shrimp, or worms near the bottom. A heavy fly that plops too hard can send them running. Use a bead chain or no weight at all in calm conditions.
• Slow down your retrieve—way down: Many anglers strip too aggressively for tailing fish. Instead of fast strips, use small, barely noticeable twitches to mimic natural prey movement.
• Use a fly that suspends or sits just above the bottom: A well-tied Redfish Crack, Kung Fu Crab, or Spoon Fly will hover naturally in the strike zone without getting buried in the sand.
• Match the water clarity with the right color: In clear water, go natural (tan, olive, or gray). In muddy water, use contrast (black, purple, or red).

Final Thought

Tailing redfish are locked into a feeding mode, and success comes down to precision presentation, realistic movement, and subtle adjustments. If they’re ignoring your fly, you’re either too far away, too fast, or too unnatural. Slow it down, place it right, and you’ll start getting those eats.