# I need schooling....



## beavis

plastics, WOW! there are a lot, and you should get a bunch from everyone on here. Just go with what ou think you will like and have confidence in.

I like plastic shrimp, Gulp and DOA and just tried a Slurp. Slurp and Gulp in natural type colors with he owner keeper hooks preferrrably in 4/0 with 1/8oz weight or weightless. Doa also in the natural type colors like root beer and clear sparkled.


Berkley power bait just came out with a new minnow that looks just like a minnow. Haven't tried those yet but they are on my list the next time I go to the tackle store.


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## Spook

Everyone has their favorites. I like an Exude RT Slug on a 5/0 Gamakatsu G-lock hook. Still haven't found a flutter hook that I like.

Color is going to depend a lot on where you fish. Where I fish it's fairly clear, and the primary prey species seems to be pinfish. When we catch flounder, they always seem to puke up pigfish as well. The Exude color "Opening Day" mimics both pretty well, and we catch lots of reds, trout and a few flounder on slugs in this color. If you fish somehwere with more tannins in the water, maybe a color like baby bass or arkansas shad might get more strikes. [smiley=shrug.gif] In darker water, something like root beer might work as well. Color is a thing that I have a hard time figuring out. I mean chartreuse or electric chicken are ridiculous colors that you don't really see in nature, but they catch fish. Why would something hit a gold spoon? There's nothing gold out there. 

I used to use Gulp stuff, but the pinfish tear them up too easy and the fish that I target don't seem to be too picky. Exudes are a little stinky and hold together better. They work for me.


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## JRH

Same as what Elie (Spook) said for me. Lately, I've been using more of the 3" Gulp shrimp. Either the new penny color or pearl white.

I also normally always have a weight on my lure, even if I'm fishing in real shallow water. Either a small split-shot or a bullet weight that screws into the top of the lure.


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## Windsplitter

Thanks for the info guys, I'll try some of it out next trip.
I'll have to take only plastics and a sixpack of patience, or i won't give them a fair chance ;D
I will let ya know how i do. Duane.


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## Spook

In the right situation, they work great. I will tell you that if I'm trying to cover a lot of water or if the water is more than 2'-3' deep, I go to plugs, a spoon or one of the redfish spinners. I think that if you're sight fishing in shallow water, they should be one of your go-to baits. They land light so they don't spook the fish as easily. You're also able to work them very slow right in front of the fish and they still remain attractive. I love watching a red demolish one in 8" of water. Pretty awesome. Good luck man. Let us know how it goes.

Elie


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## beavis

Also to follow up on all the other good information given here. You generally work them slower. If I see a tailer, I will throw it in front of hi and let it sit and let the fish find it. If you cast too far you have to bring it back in front of him. Some fish will take it moving and that will spook other fish. Then you have the days where they will swim over it and give you the fin (like someone giving you the finger [smiley=finger.gif] ). Some days you can cast right next to a tailing fish and let him find it, other days your cast can be 20 feet off and still spook the fish. Give it patience and you will see patterns in what works. Remember it is called fishing for a reason, and not catching. But we know you can catch from your photos, this will give you more ammo.


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## tom_in_orl

One of the fishing shows had a quote I liked. "90% of the fish are in 10% of the water." Locating them first has been the part that eludes me. Even before I start worrying about what arties I am using I am still trying to hone my skills at locating fish and gaining knowledge about the waters that I frequent. This has been very difficult for me on ML. Mostly because I use to be a "near shore" fisherman. Usually kayaking off the beach in south Florida. The cool part about is that we got to dive all of the fishing spots and new what species were where and at what times of the year. Inshore fishing has proven to be much more difficult. I have a lot of respect for those who have it mastered.


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## Spook

You and me both man. You bring up a good point. Finding the fish is far more important (and way more labor intensive) than anything else. When I was starting out (kinda still am I guess), I was convinced that a lot of the lures I was trying just didn't work. In reality, I just wasn't on the fish. Eventually, I decided I was going to confine myself to a small, but productive section of water and just fish that area as often as I could, covering as much of it as I could each time, and keeping note of what was where and when. I've probably spent 95% of my time on the water in the last year in a 3-4 square mile area. It really has started to pay off though. I'm starting to figure out patterns and find that I now spend a lot less time looking for fish and a lot more time fishing. I'm learning. I read as much as I can, try to apply it to where I fish, and try to be as observant as possible. We don't always tear 'em up, but I can't remember the last time we didn't catch anything at all (probably this Saturday now that I said that). We've got a long way to go, but we're finding that paying one's dues takes a whole lot of the "luck" out of the equation. All part of the deal I guess.

Elie


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## deerfly

you guys are getting there.  

We all love to romance over how this lure and that fly etc just kills em'  When in reality they'll hit anything that remotely resembles something to eat, once you find some hungry fish!

Hint, you can catch just about any worthy gamefish with a white jig or if you really want to go overboard a yellow one too.


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## Windsplitter

Went shopping today at West marine, they did'nt have any of the recomended hooks.
hope these work (the hooks)


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## Spook

Looks good man. I think that both those colors will be "the business". Pearl is pretty much my default color. Those hooks look almost identical to the model we recommended before, so I think you'll be happy with them. Catch 'em up dude. 

Elie


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## tom_in_orl

Speaking of hooks........

I have heard two schools of thought when it comes to weight. One one hand a heavier hook will allow you to cast further. On the other, a lighter hook will allow the bait to sink slower and remain in the fishes view for a longer period of time. 

What are your guys thoughts? Do you go for the extra weight and distance or do you keep it light and go for a presentation that suspends the bait in the water rather than sitting on the bottom?


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## JRH

> I have heard two schools of thought when it comes to weight. One one hand a heavier hook will allow you to cast further. On the other, a lighter hook will allow the bait to sink slower and remain in the fishes view for a longer period of time.
> 
> What are your guys thoughts? Do you go for the extra weight and distance or do you keep it light and go for a presentation that suspends the bait in the water rather than sitting on the bottom?



My school of thought has always been if you're sight-fishing for redfish, more than likely when you spot one it will have its face buried in the mud. So you want to get the bait down quickly to where the redfish is looking.

Also, when you're sight-fishing, you want to see the fish before it sees you. If the bait is on top the water and is sinking slowly, the redfish will have to look up to spot your bait. When the redfish has to look up, it increases the chance that the redfish will spot you or the boat and spook. So keeping the bait down in the water will keep the fish's attention down and not up.

Casting further is just an added plus, including when it's windy.


Hopefully that diatribe made sense.......... :-/


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## tom_in_orl

It does make sense but what about thick grass flats. If you are using a weighted hook and an unscented jerk bait does it end up being more difficult for the fish to find it?


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## Guest

> Speaking of hooks........
> What are your guys thoughts?


For me, "light is right". Depending on what I'm using (Zoom, Exude, Power Tube, Gulp, etc), I either use a very small split-shot or no weight at all.

I do need to get pretty close to fish (which is exciting and fun) but my experience is that a tailing or finning red in shallow water is very easily scared by a big splash.

Also, I use the lightest hook possible (1/0 or 2/0), again depending on which plastic bait I'm using. I've never had a red (although I've never caught one over 35") straighten a hook. Again, for me, it's a keep it light approach.

My 2 cents.

Ron


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## JRH

> It does make sense but what about thick grass flats. If you are using a weighted hook and an unscented jerk bait does it end up being more difficult for the fish to find it?


Yeah, I would agree with you there. If I was in very shallow water with really long, thick grass, I'd probably take the weight off.

But in my experience, the fish will still find the lure even in thick grass. I'm only using a 1/16 or 3/16oz. weight on jerk baits like Exudes and maybe a little heavier for Gulp shrimp, so it's not enough weight to where it's dragging through the grass. 

The 1/16oz like these that screw into the lure are my favorite:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_58029_100010003_100000000_100010000_100-10-3


Just enough weight to get the lure down a little quicker, but when working the bait you can jig it up out outta the grass without it dragging.


Just my $.02.


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## beavis

I use the owner keeper hooks in 4/0 with the 1/8oz weight on them. It gets it down in the bottom where a majority of fish look anyways. Ican work it shallwer if needed and the weighted hook gives it a little bit quicker action when I want it. Don't worry about it sitting in heavy grass. A little twitch twitch is all you need to get the fishes attention. I catch way more fish on weighted hooks than unweighted.


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## jmarkklock

> On plastic's. I catch some Reds with spoon's and topwater's, but would'nt mind catching more per trip
> (i spook a lot) Sooo any clues on what soft lures to try, what color,best hooks, how to work em???
> Thanks in advance for any advice.   Duane.


On plastics/soft baits: one thing that I have got a lot more hook ups with is tying a uni knot to the jig/hook but leaving a loop. the loop seems to let the hook/jig provide a much more life-like presentation with the plastics. Just my .02 
Mark


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## Windsplitter

Ok, sounds like slow and low is the way to go. Thats so different than what i've been doing.
i've been going for the reaction strike. Well it's blowing out there but i'm going anyway.
Thanks again. Duane.


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## beavis

some days its one
some days its another
some days its something all together different 
some days its none


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## Windsplitter

Well the wind blew and lures flew, not the best day to be out there but i did catch my
first slot red on a soft lure. I'll try again on a better day. Thanks for all your help.
here's the fish.


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## beavis

I think you're hustling us. :-X;D ;D ;D

Nice fish


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## Windsplitter

I think you're hustling us
Come play in my hood sometime B-dog, i'll put you on em.
might cost ya a little gelcoat tho.
seriously, that was all i boated, the wind was blowing HARD  i hooked a real bruser late
but he cut me off on a rock.


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## Guest

> I think you're hustling us
> Come play in my hood sometime B-dog, i'll put you on em.
> might cost ya a little gelcoat tho.
> seriously, that was all i boated, the wind was blowing HARD  i hooked a real bruser late
> but he cut me off on a rock.


Where were you? Chaz?


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