Angler chooses a light-weight plastic mullet on a flat teeming with the real McCoys.
There are exceptions to the steady-and-slow rule. For example, Chris Ramil of Tampa, Florida enjoys outstanding results with what might be called the whip-and-pause retrieve with plastic shrimp. As soon as the lure lands in a likely spot, he gives it a sharp pull to send it scooting forward two or three feet, then hesitates and lets it sink. The effect is as if a shrimp has been flushed out of the grass, and it often triggers strikes when a slower or more natural presentation fails to trigger a strike.
Some anglers also do well by skipping the shrimp in under mangrove trees. By keeping the boat in close and firing the lure in a sidearm presentation, very hard and close to the surface, they’re able to send the lure skittering back into overhung holes that can’t be reached with conventional casts. And the shrimp flipping along the surface is often too much for snook and reds hiding in the shade.
Shrimp and crab baits also work well under a float, just like the real thing; set the float so that the lure drifts along just above the grass, and pop it vigorously every now and then. On every pop, the bait flits up away from bottom, then slowly drifts back down. Fish usually strike on the drop, and the cork acts as your strike indicator.
Most anglers prefer to fish these artificials on a small loop knot for freedom of movement. Just make sure the loop is no more than a half-inch in diameter, so that it doesn’t detract from the natural profile of the lure.
Colors are a point of contention among regular users of natural fakes. Some contend that the closer the shades are to the natural, the better. Others opt for high visibility, catching just as many fish on shades that don’t ever exist in nature. Bottom line is to try several shades and see what works best in your local waters.
It’s usually best to fish fakes with as little weight as possible. If you have to use some lead to get down in deeper water or strong currents, one good approach is to add a splitshot a couple feet up the leader. This doesn’t detract from the natural buoyancy of the lure, but does get it a bit deeper.
Some manufacturers provide small pre-molded pockets in their lures where you can insert a weight. The good thing about these is that they are positioned so that the lure maintains its upright posture as it is retrieved—a shrimp or mullet that travels on its side attracts few strikes.
Because soft-plastic lures are sometimes swallowed, it’s a good idea to reduce the barb on the hooks a bit; take pliers and squeeze the barb, just enough to depress it a little. This will make the hook much easier to remove if it goes deep, and for delicate species like trout, being able to twist the hook out without ever touching the fish will mean that a lot more of your releases survive to fight again. SWA
Swimbaits: Baitfish Clones
If you’ve checked out the latest baitfish swimbaits on the tackle shelves, you’ll agree that lifelike just hit a whole new level. Swimbaits are one-piece, “hard-and-soft” baits that, unlike the typical jighead-and-shad tail combos, feature a lead head totally encased in the plastic body. Also, many models have a foil finish on both the heads and inside the translucent swimming tails, and molded eyes and a scale finish. The effect is impressive, but the action may be the clincher. Hook eyes are typically on top of the head, so the lures ride hook-up, a definite advantage when bounced along the bottom. Anglers are discovering that the lures are deadly effective wherever they fish traditional jigs, and many are experiencing increased hookups, and from some species that typically shy from artificial lures.
Swimbaits can be cast and retrieved at the surface, at mid-depths, bounced along bottom, and are especially adaptive to vertical fishing, such as is the drill when drift-fishing in passes and inlets. Sizes, weights and colors run the gamut, and you have the choice of shad tails, split tails, curly swimming tails and more. In time, it is conceivable that most major lure manufacturers will offer them.
A Case for Braided Line
I like braided lines for fishing the fakes, and so do most of the experts I know. These no-stretch lines transmit the slightest tap on the line, and this is often all the warning you get when a fish takes one of these lures; they generally don’t slam them as they do a faster-moving wobbler or a topwater. Ten-pound test is about right for most flats fishing, 15- to 20-pound for the passes. Add three feet of clear mono or fluorocarbon leader in 20- to 60-pound test, depending on your target species.—F.S.
First Aid for Plastics
Like any soft plastics, the natural imitations have a limited life in combat—you have to have plenty of replacements to last a full day on the water. But I’ve been able to stretch the lifespan of a lot of my lures by using a weird product known as “Gorilla Glue” to secure the lure body to the hook when the original hole gets worn or torn so much that the lure will no longer run true. The glue reacts when it touches a wet surface, swelling up and forming a bubbly, brown weld that sticks well to both the hook and the soft plastic—it’s enough to allow you to catch another three or four fish on the lure before retiring it permanently. The stuff will also secure the liner inside a line guide because of the way it swells up, making a sort of press fit. For more information, visit www.gorillaglue.com.
