# The "creepers", the "crawlers", or the "tailers"???



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

The hardest ones to fool is the one type you left out, the "sleepers!"
Those are the ones that have been feeding all night by the light of the moon.
All they want to do is lay up and relax, no interest at all in any fluff coming their way.

                                        [smiley=happy.gif]


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

I am going to say the tailers. The reason for this is because when they are tailing, not only do you have to make the perfect cast, but when they are rooting around on the bottom, standing on their head, they may turn away from the fly while chasing something else down and never see your fly (redfish ADD). Then you have to re-present which may cause a spook. When they are crawling with their backs out of the water, IMHO they are looking to get a spook out of some bait and then chase it down. Casting to them is easy because you know what direction they are going, you just have lead them enough. Hop the fly, then you will usually get an eat.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

X2 


> I am going to say the tailers.  The reason for this is because when they are tailing, not only do you have to make the perfect cast, but when they are rooting around on the bottom, standing on their head, they may turn away from the fly while chasing something else down and never see your fly (redfish ADD).  Then you have to re-present which may cause a spook.  When they are crawling with their backs out of the water, IMHO they are looking to get a spook out of some bait and then chase it down.  Casting to them is easy because you know what direction they are going, you just have lead them enough.  Hop the fly, then you will usually get an eat.


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## thawk (Apr 1, 2011)

Tailers are kickin my ass right now...I've yet to get my first red on fly . I get more spooks than anything...but I've yet to give up, so I'll eventually get the hang of it.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

The toughest reds I know of down in the 'Glades are found in winter up inside Whitewater Bay. That time of year the water is crystal clear, there's no vegetation, the fish are a bit picky since they don't need to feed much.... and they're just plain spookier than a big bonefish. I swear some of them see us at 200 feet- particularly the bigger ones. If the water's stirred up or the slightest bit muddy they go back to being ordinary reds but when it's clear and cold, oh boy!


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## Clouser (Mar 15, 2011)

Shadowcast ,I'm with you . The tailers often frustrate me for what seems like an hour or so and then disappear with the rising tide.


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## nightfly (Jul 7, 2011)

im going with tailers. you can make a perfect cast and they still might not see it. it gets frustrating when you have over a dozen chances and still cant get one on. it makes you want to do it the easy way and throw a live shrimp in front of them


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## Hicatch (May 10, 2011)

> I am going to say the tailers.  The reason for this is because when they are tailing, not only do you have to make the perfect cast, but when they are rooting around on the bottom, standing on their head, they may turn away from the fly while chasing something else down and never see your fly (redfish ADD).  Then you have to re-present which may cause a spook.  When they are crawling with their backs out of the water, IMHO they are looking to get a spook out of some bait and then chase it down.  Casting to them is easy because you know what direction they are going, you just have lead them enough.  Hop the fly, then you will usually get an eat.


Couldn't agree more....Crawlers are the most fun to catch bar none. The take can be so visual that it exceeds the thrill of the catch itself. I love it when there coming right at you and eat.


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## oakislandbum (Sep 11, 2011)

Hey Chuck, another NC guy here.  The tailers for sure.  Had 20+ casts at two different tailing fish last weekend, and couldn't get the attention of either.  He zigged when I zagged.  I am convinced that they never even saw my fly, they were so focused on rooting up a meal.  Also, even as a veteran of redfishing, I made a rookie mistake.  I saw a dinner plate sized tail waiving at me in the back of this little pocket.  Excitedly, I stepped out of the skiff to get a better angle.  As I approached the fish and stripped out line, the pocket exploded, as I spooked three fish that were closer to me.  Always fish the water closest!  Oh well, got a few, just not these.


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## Capt_TD1 (Jul 15, 2011)

IMO got to be the tailers. Not only are they stirring the bottom up and usuall facing only one direction, demanding a perfect cast. But the most important thing is that "tailers" are almost always already attempting to feed on something. Their attention is completely fixated on one thing, have you ever had a redfish on your fly and tried to get him to lose interest?
Nearly impossible.


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