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
Does anyone know anyplace that I might find information on using artificial bait. I usually use shrimp or catch pinfish to use as bait. This means I either have to fish before I can fish or I catch more "trashy" fish that I care to with shrimp. I would like to be able to expand the ol tackle box a bit.
Anyway if ya care to help out a newbie, leave a post with what type/color/etc. or lure you use, or someplace that I can get some knowledge.
I have gotten deceit results with spoons and such but I have never gotten the hang of the other stuff. Thanks
Mid Depth
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Mirrolure 52M (I use these exclusively in winter)
Spoons ½ oz. Johnson Silver minnow, Nemire Red Ripper, # 1 Clark Spoon (Spanish)
Colors -- Mirrolures (red/white, red /orange, orange/green/black)
Spoons (Gold and Silver)
Bottom
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Jigs Sureketch 1/8 and ¼ ounce, Pink or Green(mostly pink) for use with soft plastics
Nylures ½ ounce (red/yellow, chartreuse)
Use 1/8 for depths up to 6 feet, use ¼ for depths over 6 feet or with a Cajun Thunder
Soft Plastics
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For Jigs -- Salwater Assassins 4 and 5 inch Sea Shad
Riptide 4 inch Mullet (super ayu color)
Jerk Baits Bass Assassin 6 in Twitch
Zoom Fluke
Colors A good assortment of light and dark colors. Such as bone diamond, electric chicken,
rootbeer, champagne, candy corn, chartreuse, pink etc. Also chartreuse twin tail for the
Aucilla.
Specialty
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Cajun Thunder Popping Cork (I like red)
I fish mostly 8 10 pound spinning gear on a 7 foot rod and rig everything with a 20 # fluorocarbon leader about 24 - 36 inches long. For bait casters I use 15 pound Trilene Inshore with a 20 # fluorocarbon leader.
Depending on tide I normally start with a topwater bait in the morning. If it is slick I use a walking bait, slight chop a prop or chugger bait, moderate chop a chugger bait. If the fish are short striking or just mouthing the bait I will go to a minnow jerkbait and slow down my retrieve. If you fish at or near the shoreline or in a creek or river mouth chances are good that you will hook up a redfish as well. If I am specifically trying for reds I will throw a spoon or a 1/8 ounce jig with a chartreuse twin tail or a rootbeer color grub.
Later in the day if I need to find fish, I use a cajun thunder with leader long enough to just touch the tops of the grass and a ¼ ounce jighead with some color assassin. On bright days I use lighter colors, on dark days I use a darker color. I tend to work the cork faster than most people, but I am looking for actively feeding fish so this tends to help. When I find fish I will either stay with the cork if Im catching good fish or switch to a jig or soft jerkbait to slow down and entice a bigger fish.
Later in the summer I almost exclusively fish a jig in 8, 10, 12 even 15 feet of water. The fish tend to move to the cooler deeper water in the summer. Nearly all my fishing, except early morning, is done outside the Stakeline. Im not saying you cant catch fish shallower, Im saying I have better experiences in deeper water. Also I dont have to contend with the scallopers from July to September.
When targeting Spanish mackerel in the spring, its a no brainer. Fish just about anywhere with anything with a 50# mono leader and you will catch Spanish. Later in the summer I run and gun the bait schools. I run the stakeline on a mid-falling tide and watch for the schools of bait that show up. Then I motor up to within casting distance and throw a chartreuse ½ ounce nylure jig in the school, let it sink, and give it a couple of quick jerks, let it sink and repeat. I have caught Spanish, blues, trout, ladyfish, and rockbass with this technique.
This is just a brief overview of techniques for our area. I can go into much greater detail and get you totally confused. I realize that I dont have all the answers, and that for every thing I have said, there are 5 exceptions. I can just write about what works for me and hope it helps someone else.
I'm glad the chartruse(sp?) twin tail works for you. I bought a couple of bags of them on accident, tried them and didn't have any luck. Switch to the normal chartruse jig and BAM!
There is a reason that JR's has them in a big box in the tackle section. That is just about the only jig he uses. I learned that years ago. When the guy makes his living on the river, you tend to listen to what he says.
Also, a super artifical bait is D.O.A.'s 1/4 oz. shrimp in the rootbeer gold glitter color this has been super productive this year under a cajun thunder.
The stake line is the row of pilings on the flats between St. Marks and Aucilla. They are marked on NOAA charts as "Pile PA".
I have no idea what brands I use. So few folks make them, that I just buy them when I see them. Most times they are sold as spinnerbait trailers for bass.
Thanks
