Favorite Lures (information for newbies)

[ronaultmtd]

I get asked a dozen times a year about specifics on lures, techniques, when and what to use for each species I fish for- decades and decades of experience behind me, thousands of fish caught all over the world...and the most amazing thing is one lure stands out above everything- a 1/4 oz. jighead and a 4 inch swimming mullet Gulp- and it really doesn't matter how you fish it- it will catch fish if you keep it wet- slow trolling- check- deep jigging off the bottom- check- fast retrieve- check- fished under a popping cork-check...I always have one wet when I go anywhere and fish for anything...and I have bags of different colored Gulp and bags of clone lures like Gulp...I always have at least one rod rigged with Gulp...and usually a rod rigged with a top water popper...and a rod rigged with an XRap...can't go wrong with just those three rods in your yak...

[Pc4sun]

Thanks for sharing this information. I am going to look up how to deep jig off bottom, but if I can't find anything I will be asking you how I do this. There must be a heavy weight involved. And do I do this while trolling? Again, thank you.

[DanMarino]

Hey Ron, do you use the salt water X-rap versions, or fresh water X-raps?

[ronaultmtd]

Peggy- deep jigging weight of the jig head depends of how deep the water is where you are fishing, current, drift etc. I rarely use anything over 3/4 oz. and usually not even that heavy- braid line is your friend when deep jigging as it is thin diameter and has no stretch so you can feel the lure and any changes to that feel is a signal to you to set the hook- about 75% of all my strikes is on the drop after jigging the lure off the bottom, so being able to feel the lure is very important- the only time I use heavy jig heads is for offshore jigging in really deep waters or in really strong running current around pilings, rockpiles, etc.

[ronaultmtd]

Both- I rinse my lures in fresh water after every trip...and a secret I will share with our forum buddies...WD-40 spray- it is fish oil based and is an attractant- it actually increases my strikes over a lure right out of the package- free secret-

[Pc4sun]

Peggy- deep jigging weight of the jig head depends of how deep the water is where you are fishing, current, drift etc. I rarely use anything over 3/4 oz. and usually not even that heavy- braid line is your friend when deep jigging as it is thin diameter and has no stretch so you can feel the lure and any changes to that feel is a signal to you to set the hook- about 75% of all my strikes is on the drop after jigging the lure off the bottom, so being able to feel the lure is very important- the only time I use heavy jig heads is for offshore jigging in really deep waters or in really strong running current around pilings, rockpiles, etc.

Thanks a lot for the explanation. Except for a kayak, I have what I need to go deep jig fishing.

[kevinfry]

I'd agree with those 3 rods and at certain times one other foundation lure
Pole#1-- jig w/ gulp swimming mullet (or any of a number of paddletails)
Pole#2-- topwater popper (or walker)
Pole#3-- Xrap (or other Rapala or other minnow-shaped plug)
Summer Pole #4--Spoon --either a troller (like a Drone, Crippled alewife or Tony) or one to cast into breakers (like a Kastmaster or Krocodile) or a good jigging spoon (like a Hopkins or stingsilver)

I doubt you'd go home empty with those basic lures, but I do think a spoon is an essential lure when fishing the Chesapeake. On 3 trips last year, trolling spoons broke through and prevented a skunking....all 3 times they caught multiple keeper puppy drum (though in general I think they are best for rockfish and bluefish).

[Fishinfool]

Great post Ron, and excellent tip on the WD-40 on the X-rap or other hard lures!

Your three rods and lures are pretty much what I use too, depending on the time of year too as top water kind of heats up later in the season. Other than a quarter or even one eighth jig with 4 ' chartreuse or white Gulp for 2 - 4 ft. of water, the other rod will have a soft storm shad, or a yellow spinner bucktail with a paddletail bait.

The only other rod I bring, and now it's three total since I don't want to get cited, is a 24 inch ultra-light with a double hook bottom rig. These are great little rods, inexpensive, and sit on my lap with no need to be in a rod holder. The 24 inch ultra-lite works better under piers than a longer rod, it's just easier to maneuver between the pilings, and there's no need to cast. Just drop it straight down or toss is a couple of feet to get to the dark deep areas where the perch hang. A 10 inch perch feels like a blue fin tuna on it! Since I confess to a pan fried fresh white perch addiction, this is my skunk insurance rig. I use it under piers with any cheap live bait available like grass shrimp I catch just prior to going out, or if I am lucky a peeler, or razor clams from Anglers if I am feeling extravagant that day, or even minnows which also work for the larger perch which I crave. I 've made it a rule not to keep any perch under 10 inches, and usually bring home at least two to fry up fresh. Yum!

[ronaultmtd]

I really got into popping corks after a trip to South Carolina last year- my kayak guide had three rods all rigged with popping corks, and small gulp shrimp on 1/8 oz jig heads- about two to three feet under the cork- fished in the shallow waters of the creeks they were deadly on redfish and specks- I had anchored up and was fishing a small feeder creek emptying into the larger creek- had a nice redfish on so I just tossed my 2nd rod out behind me to get it out of the way and stuck it in the Jackson Coosa rod holder- I was unhooking the 20-22 inch redfish when I heard drag running- looked over my shoulder and noticed the 2nd rod bent double and drag pouring out- had to toss the anchor out (it had a float attached) and chase the 36 inch redfish on light spinning tackle- I did nothing to get the fish to strike- the gulp was just sitting under the cork and the current was running, but not too hard- When I got back to Maryland i setup a rod just exactly like the one my guide had- same results - redfish love the gulps under a cork-

[DOGFISH]

Good thread Ron. I must agree with the X-Rap. In the fall I use the Glass Shad Rap, deep diver, in shad color, which looks like the color glass ghost. That is the way I start every trolling trip, with the Glass Shad Rap and a YoZuri Hardcore Drum, lipless crankbait, in painted shad color on the other rod. Those two are a deadly combo in the fall. I do use the saltwater X-Raps in the spring or when trolling up larger fish. Again, my favorite color is the Glass Ghost color.

[Slobber Bob]

I really got into popping corks after a trip to South Carolina last year-

That's the one thing I keep trying but lose interest in quickly because it hasn't produced for me yet. I always end up switching back to a jig head or topwater when targeting specks and reds. This year I'm going to try and make an effort to stick with the popping cork a little longer.

[crabsnbeer]

I really got into popping corks after a trip to South Carolina last year- my kayak guide had three rods all rigged with popping corks, and small gulp shrimp on 1/8 oz jig heads- about two to three feet under the cork- fished in the shallow waters of the creeks they were deadly on redfish and specks- I had anchored up and was fishing a small feeder creek emptying into the larger creek- had a nice redfish on so I just tossed my 2nd rod out behind me to get it out of the way and stuck it in the Jackson Coosa rod holder- I was unhooking the 20-22 inch redfish when I heard drag running- looked over my shoulder and noticed the 2nd rod bent double and drag pouring out- had to toss the anchor out (it had a float attached) and chase the 36 inch redfish on light spinning tackle- I did nothing to get the fish to strike- the gulp was just sitting under the cork and the current was running, but not too hard- When I got back to Maryland i setup a rod just exactly like the one my guide had- same results - redfish love the gulps under a cork-

I am heading to SC in a couple weeks. Where were you fishing?

[ronaultmtd]

Black river kayak fishing near Myrtle Beach

[kevinfry]

Good thread Ron. I must agree with the X-Rap. In the fall I use the Glass Shad Rap, deep diver, in shad color, which looks like the color glass ghost. That is the way I start every trolling trip, with the Glass Shad Rap and a YoZuri Hardcore Drum, lipless crankbait, in painted shad color on the other rod. Those two are a deadly combo in the fall. I do use the saltwater X-Raps in the spring or when trolling up larger fish. Again, my favorite color is the Glass Ghost color.

When the main feed is sliversides, like it often is in summer, it is hard to beat a glass ghost xrap

[AbuMasgouf]

Great post Ron and great tips! I've heard about WD-40 having fish oil but wasn't sure. Thanks for confirming it!