Wu Tang and Tailing Reds

I can’t quite explain why, but when I look back at the memory of cruising down the road with the windows down, a skiff in tow, and Spanish moss draping from the live oak trees, in pursuit of tailing reds in the marsh, the first thing that strikes me is Ghostface Killah, but it is.

Charleston, South Carolina is an awesome place to visit. Lots of history, great food, good fishing. A laid-back beach town vibe with a good slathering of BBQ and country folk. I lived in Charleston several years ago. While I was there, I was looking for a steady hourly job that would give me the flexibility I needed to run up to the mountains and chase trout (and hopefully make a little money at it). I found the steady hourly job at a Field & Stream retail store. I enjoyed working at Field & Stream. We sold all the fun things I liked to play with, and I had found a way to lead the fishing department. What is more fun than getting people rigged up the right way to go chase their fish of choice? “Oh, you need a rod and reel to go snagging aggressive alligators out of neighborhood ponds. Well let me show you how I would do it. No man, 50-pound braid isn’t enough.”

It was there at Field & Stream that I had the opportunity to befriend Captain Caleb Andrews. Caleb was working the same angle that I was. Work at a sporting goods store for stability, but have enough flexibility to guide as much as possible. Caleb has one of those personalities. I have been lucky to meet so many kind-hearted, smart, creative, and fishy people, and Caleb is certainly one of them. Caleb’s game is tailing reds in the marsh. Now don’t get me wrong, ole boy is fishy, and can do it all, but in Charleston, tailing reds are the game. If you’ve never had the chance to see that Red Flag come up in the middle of the grass, and suddenly get that adrenaline pump (he’s right there), then you should, or at least watch some YouTube videos of it. It’s a blast.

I realized that Caleb and I were going to be good friends when I saw his boot lace fly. Apparently, some of the local fly nerds were commenting on some specific fly or another that you just had to have to catch the reds in the grass. Caleb knew just as well as anyone that when the reds charge into the marsh with the rising tide that they are looking for food. This or that color or material or what have you has a lot less to do with it than most would think. So, Caleb made a fly out of a boot lace. It did look clean to be honest, but it was just a brown and yellow boot lace about 4 inches long attached to a hook. It had a red collar, and a sand eel vibe. Yes, he did catch reds with it, and of course he mentioned it to the discerning fly nerds. Another reason to believe it's not always about how your worm looks, but more about how you present and wiggle it.

One day Caleb and I both had the day off from Field & Stream, and finally got the opportunity to go chase reds together. I had never caught a tailing red at the time, and I was certainly keen to try. Caleb was dry docking his skiff at a place called the Sewee outpost. This place is exactly where you want to start your journey. You can grab gear, sun shirts, have a sandwich made, get ice, get gas, and fill a cooler full of beer if there is a need. From there we were off, and there that memory is again. I was sitting in the front seat of Calebs ride listening to Wu Tang on our way to the boat ramp. I’ll never forget it.

So, I keep saying tailing reds in the marsh as if everyone really understands, and some do, but there is some context to this chase. It takes some work to really find the right sections to fish. Redfish seem to prefer swimming up into the shallow waters of a rising tide in some places rather than others. When they get into this shallow water there is tall grass that they weave around searching the bottom for whatever moves. These grassy spots, when the tide is low, host a plethora of critters, and when the water rises, they are suddenly accessible to our hangry friends. Now for the heart pumping part. When Redfish find their prey on the bottom, they plunge their head down and their tail comes out of the water. Sometimes only a little bit of tail will show, but other times a big ole giant tail comes out of the water and thrashes back and forth as they devour their meal. And in a moment they disappear forever. It is a remarkable sight. Sometimes you’ll just see grass being pushed around this way and that as they make their way down the buffet line, and that gets me pumped up just as much.

As I remember it, I had several shots that I blew before I made a good cast. It can be difficult to get your fly in front of their face with all of the grass, the inevitable wind, and the brief time that you have to take a shot. Finally, I did it. A nice tail comes up 50 or 60 feet out. Caleb makes sure I see it. I lead the fish that is pointed away from the boat, but I also put the line right over his back in the process. I was lucky that ole red was face down in the mud gobbling away. I didn’t have many options, so I just slowly stripped my bug into his face, and he devoured it.

Caleb wanted me to fish a 6wt because that was the sportsman’s way. So, I did, and the fight through the grass was worth it. Fish in the net let the celebration begin. I get ready for my hero shot and I throw the butt of the rod in my mouth and start to pick up the fish when Caleb says, “No.” I look up at him with a questioning look, and he says to me, “No one sucks cork in my boat man. Get that rod out of your mouth.” It makes me chuckle to this day that he said that, but it tracks with Caleb. It has been way too long since I’ve searched the marsh for Reds, but I get a similar vibe chasing tailing carp. I really need to make a trip down to see my buddy.

Nowadays, Captain Andrews is still at it in Charleston. You can find him at www.tailsofthetides.com . If you are interested in going to Charleston, eating the food, experiencing the history, and want to have a memorable fishing experience, then you should hit him up…

It might be worth whipping up some boot lace flies before you go.