A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
When spring starts to heat up, what are your favorite rigs? Say you wanted to prerig 4 poles to hit the flats what would you have on them? One with what topwater lure? One with a jig/Doa and thunder, how deep?..........etc. I'm about to go crazy I want to go fishing!!!!!! Thanks Also what depth would you start your search?
I hear you on the wanting to go out. I went shore fishing last Sunday and we had 7 trout hookups between the two of us. A family was close by they had a total of 10 hook ups. It felt so bad to be so good and let the guys back in the water. I've caught trout on live shrimp slowly bounced along the bottom, a red jig head with an electric chicken sweetened with shrimp tail, and a Storm Swim Shad (1 oz) sweetened with shrimp tail.
Last week suspending shrimp on my home-made cajuns and the real cajuns did nothing. I even removed the beads on my home-made thinking the noise might be spooking them, still no bites on a suspended shrimp. Last week anyway was all bottom, there was nothing on top except mullets.
I may be going back to the same shore this weekend to see if I can get my wife to catch a nice big fish, so far she thinks I'm putting money in a black hole since she's never seen anything nice pulled up. Hopefully we'll get a nice one to let her throw back this weekend.
Hit-n-Miss wrote:Tight lipped aren't we???? This isn't the F S forum is it? I'm not asking where you fish just how.
I missed it the first time round
I usually have three poles rigged, one with a CT 18 inch leader, one with a top water plug and one with a diving plug I usually start shallow "1 to 2 foot" and work my way toward the deeper water if they aint shallow
My approach is similar to wevans.....
Three poles, 18" leader under a CT for live shrimp or pinfish....throw that out the back and start throwing a chug bug top water early......if that doesn't work pull out the other rod rigged with an electric chicken or candy corn SA. Work it slow, bounce it off the bottom, work it fast. Move to a deeper spot...move back shallow.
If none of that works....drink beer and watch the cork float and enjoy the time on the water!
The pattern of responses here is pretty clear. I stick with topwater as much as possible. I think 1 fish on top is worth about 4-5 under. My preference for trout is the Chug Bug. Otherwise a CT with a soft plastic white bait mimic. I think that leader length under a CT is really important -that & the weight of the jig to "fall right". I agree with Wevans on 18" but if it didn't work make the length longer. I also agree with starting shallow and working out until you find fish. When you do hook up pay attention to where you are, the depth & nearby topography.
If the grass isn't too thick yet try some of those eel-type grubs or some of what I have been calling 'flair-tail grubs'. Just stick on a jig head and retreive it with medium speed near the top of the water column.
Murdered trout early one day last year with that little set-up. It was all I threw all day. (water was clear)
I normally only carry three with me, but then again I'm fishing from a kayak mostly.
1. Light spinning combo with inline spinnerbait or soft jerkbait. Color is normally electric chicken or candy corn in a 4" curly tail grub.
2. Medium baitcasting combo with an 1/8 or 1/4 oz Strikeking jig. Color is normally white/pink tail in a 4 or 6" curly tail grub. May change to DOA CAL grub in a dark natural color if targeting flounder.
3. Medium heavy spinning combo with a Mirrolure Catch Jr. Color is normally mullet or glow.
4. Heavy spinning combo with a Cajun Thunder. Leader length varies depending on how deep I am fishing.
Color for all baits depends on water clarity. However, chartruce works 90% of the time. Length of leader on the Cajun Thunder will allow the jig to suspend at the top of the grass.
I interpereted your question to ask what I would have tied on when I leave the house. Everything is subject to change. Keep changing up until you find what works.
One with straight grub
Two with CT (different lenghts)
Two with topwater
One with soft jerk
Two with hard jerk
One for live bait
Two extra if some of the above screws up
One with what topwater lure? One with a jig/Doa and thunder, how deep?..........etc. This isn't the F S forum is it?
Two and a Zebco.
