It is essential that the fly be cast so that it lands slightly past
the redfish, somewhere in its line of vision. Redfish are not like
bonefish which spook when a fly is coming at them or lands too close. In
some instances, it’s better to make a long cast past the fish, and then
strip the fly in front of it.
When fishing reds on the flats, I like to use a stripping rhythm that
incorporates small, short jerks that give the fly a lot of life but
doesn’t move it away from the fish. The drawback is that a red can lunge
forward to get closer and you can miss seeing the bite. If you think a
red might have eaten the fly, simply take one long strip, and if he’s
there, you’ll feel him. If your fly gets heavy at any point, set the
hook. If the fish didn’t eat it, just continue with the short strips to
try to get it interested again.
If you encounter tailing fish where their heads are buried in the
grass, the best cast is to hit them on the head or directly in front of
their faces. Often, the fish will hear the fly land, look up and see the
morsel and strike. This is a reactionary-type strike that takes place
quickly, so be prepared to set the hook the second the fly lands.