# What is your go to lure for sightcasting to reds?



## Copperspoonfly

I have a trip planned next week to the Texas coast. Usually I would be flyfishing, but my friend has never cast a fly rod before. We plan on poling the flats and sightcasting to reds with conventional gear. 
What are your favorite lures for sightcasting to redfish on a spin casting rod?


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## Edfish

I prefer a 4" z-man paddlerz on a zoro whiplash 1/4 oz head, or a strike king rage crab on a 1/4 oz bitsy flip jig (minus the skirt). I like the paddlerz more in grass and the crab more on mud/shell. The hinged head of zoro and buoyancy of the paddlerz lets you use it like a shaky rig for hesitant fish. The crab should be dragged, and was shown to be by Capt. Ray Van Horn (in the interest of giving appropriate credit where it's due).
Obviously lots of things will work, these are just my current favorites.


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## Vertigo

I have no idea what works in Texas, but here on the Nature Coast of Florida a 1/4 oz Johnson gold spoon is the lure of choice for redfish. On a still morning a Rapala Skitterwalk is good for topwater.


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## permitchaser

My 2 cents. I like Zman because you can rig them weedless. Paddelz or shadz work. I like 1/16 oz jigs in shallow water over grass. Don't forget the Bass Pro redfish lure a single gold blade spinner bait. I caught the fool out of reds on it


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## Indy

Nice calm morning. Zara Spook


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## fishicaltherapist

Z man & if they are a bit reluctant, a bit of Pro-cure.


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## blackmagic1

Gulp sinking minnow pearl cut down to about 3-3.5" on a 1/16 or 1/8 oz Mission Fishin head. It's unobtrusive and can easily be slipped up to fish and eat it without hesitation. Also a Lil Jon in salt/pepper or red and gold glitter.


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## pt448

Matrix shad/Vortex shad rigged weedless or on a jig head. I like lemonhead, tiger bait, spartacus, or purple haze. Spoon, top water plug, or spinnerbait with a gold blade work great too.

http://matrixshad.com/


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## bryonf1

Copperspoonfly said:


> I have a trip planned next week to the Texas coast. Usually I would be flyfishing, but my friend has never cast a fly rod before. We plan on poling the flats and sightcasting to reds with conventional gear.
> What are your favorite lures for sightcasting to redfish on a spin casting rod?


Texas Tackle Factory Hackberry Hustler- Morning Glory color


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## MariettaMike

live shrimp


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## scissorhands

Buggs!!!


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## No Bait / Lures Only

scissorhands said:


> Buggs!!!


Jr. Spook in Redfish color, 1/2 oz Johnson Silver Minnow Gold, Tsnami 3" Purple Haze, Gold Blade Spinner Baits.


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## TGlidden

Another vote for Buggs, those are great for sightcasting with people that don't fly fish, weightless soft plastics on keel hooks work too. If you're blind casting Spook Jr. in bone or redfish, or 1/4 to 1/8 oz copper spoons.


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## TGlidden

The Rockport Orvis shop and Fishing Tackle Unlimited in Houston carry Buggs jigs, not sure where you're located.


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## windblows

Surprised to see so many spoon and topwater suggestions. We're talking sight fishing here, right? My go to in North Florida is a Stinky Fingers shrimp in root beer rigged weedless. In clear water, I like a DOA RT Slug rigged weedless, with little to no weight. A Gulp jerkbait in watermelon is also a good catch all for me.


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## WhiteDog70810

I like a 4" H&H Cocahoe on a 1/4 oz jig head 99% of the time. If blind casting, I like to have it on a gold spinner, but if sight casting, I go without. I always start with either an avocado/red fleck/fire tail or a pearl/black back and my dad always starts with smoke/red fleck because they are reliable producers, but the fish in Louisiana (I've no Texas experience to draw from) had a tendency to be very discrimate about color on certain days. You can fill the boat if you have what they want and barely catch anything if you have the right color with the wrong glitter. If the water looks good and you aren't catching fish, switch colors. Don't be scared to try those crazy colors you let your kid pick out on those days.

Nate


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## Finn Maccumhail

scissorhands said:


> Buggs!!!


This. If you're fishing in really skinny water you want something that won't spook the fish when the lure hits.

On the handful of occasions when I'm not fly fishing I'll throw Buggs, DOA shrimp (I've had success with rootbeer & white tail), or Gulp shrimp rigged weedless on a flutter hook.


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## Roy Anderson

berkley gulp shrimp on 1/4 ounce jig head


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## Vertigo

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it doesn't matter too much what lure you use so long as it has a hook in it. What does matter is being at the right place at the right time and being able to properly deliver the lure to the fish. Once you find yourself in a place and time where redfish are eating, the castability of the lure is probably the most important factor. A lure that casts poorly in wind or is limited in range is no help.


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## EdK13

Saltwater Assassin Pro Elite 1/16 or 1/8 heads with a paddle tail or small Gulp shrimp, Jerk Shad. 
Conditions, bottom color and water clarity determine my color choice.


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## Whiskey Angler

bryonf1 said:


> Texas Tackle Factory Hackberry Hustler- Morning Glory color


Yes sir! That's my shiz! I use it nearly exclusively, unless I'm in the surf where I use a norton sand eel Jr. In glow.


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## hooked

View media item 680I use these...on semi overcast days I like the black one. The spoon is resting on a dimeView media item 615


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## wolverinefan

I would say Johnson gold spoon, Root beer doa paddle tail, live shrimp, Mirrodine and 4'' zman paddle tail.


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## Roger Douglas

My favorite is 1/8oz gold weedless spoon with marabou feather trailer. Next is Shad Assassin Texas rigged with a heavy hook or a weighted hook with small weight (enough to get it so sink). I normally fish all day with these, but start early morning in the channels with rattle traps and topwater blind casting.


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## Big Tex

Anything paddletail in the 3-4" range black/plum or pumpkinseed with chartreuse tail and 1/16-1/8 head. Caught more reds sight casting on that combo, all along the Texas coast, than all other patterns and lures combined. 

But that might be because my confidence in the lure causes me to use it more often...


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## anytide

1) tail hooked live shrimp / twitch -it 
2) spook jr
3) gulp
4) cast net


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## floridascuba

Have pretty good success with aqua dream spoons.


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## CPurvis

1/4 ounce gold flake DOA shrimp. Keep it simple.


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## Rowjr

Jig D.O.A. 1/4 oz. maybe 1/8 oz.


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## JRyno10

Mirrodine 17MR


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