Reds ghost along, gliding smoothly, stopping now and then to root a crab out of its hideyhole. This makes them tip forward, and if the fish is appreciably longer than the water's depth its tail pops up in view. On a calm day this can be seen from several hundred feet. In profile, the redfish's tail is squared off, reddish in color, its margin outlined in blue. Sheepshead are on the same flats, and also tail, but their caudal fins are nearly colorless, or tinged with green.
Black drum show their much darker tails when feeding.
In bonefish country, tailing reds can easily be distinguished from tailing bones by the latter's widely forked tail. Much of the time you will see only the top lobe of a bonefish's tail. When reds are hungry, the entire tail is exposed, including the eye-like spot at its base. Tailing reds are feeding reds. Waste no time, and move toward them quietly.