Today, I was fly fishing in the Rockport area for reds and came upon tailing reds. I was estatic to see the action and was lucky enough to not only encounter 1 group or 2 groups of tails but 4! Of course, I thought I had the fish on the stringer but the fish had other ideas. I casted my fly everywhere anywhere around them and finally into them with my only things to show for it a hard head and skip jack. What am i suppose to do in that situation? Switched flies several times with no success.

Stop casting to mullet

Seriously, I'm only joking, I have no idea.

Go big, go brite, go loud! Something ridiculous like this....

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o31/jockscot/DSCN0200.jpg

They probably have thier noses so deep in the muck that they can't see your offering. In a last ditch effort, I would cast the leader over em and drag it right through the pack. If I foul hook em, it's their fault for not getting out of my way!

you weren't kidding about big and bright. And yes I actually did end up trying to foul hook them I was so frustrated but my hook didn't stick in the end of it all. Thanks for the suggestions!

What were you using? You usually can't go wrong with a clouser or deciever. I like a bead chain eyes clouser in tan or tan/white.

I threw everything at them except for my deceiver which I left in the boat. I threw a shrimp pattern, clousers, and other minnow patterns.

I had the same problem a few years back but had some shrimp with rattles in them and they saved the day.

Did your flies have lead eyes? A lot of times you can tell a difference. 90% of the time I tie my flies with bead chain eyes as they make a difference when the fish are skittish.

A crab imitation works well too......

If they're tailing, they're bottom feeding, so a crab would have been better.
I spent an hour once trying to catch tailing fish. I couldn't get a bite at all. I was baffled. I tried everything in my book. Eventually one swam almost under my boat; it was a black drum, not a red drum...

http://www.redfishonthefly.com/DSCF4768.JPG is a fly that has worked really well for me in my limited salt. shannon

Wow, very easy fly to tie. I might give it a whirl.

I have also recently heard from the Lower Laguna Madre, and apparently size 2 and 4 chart. and white clousers (bucktail) - no flash - are working down there. shannon