Jul 19, 2016
Inshore Fishing Tackle Basics
While every seasoned fisherman has their secrets….there are a few basics to think about before heading into the creeks for inshore fishing. Let’s take a look at a few popular choices for catching trout, redfish, and flounder.
Scented Soft Baits
Anglers like these lures because of their versatility and they can be used in a number of ways. For fishing under docks or bridges, a popular tactic is to rig a jerk shad body to a Carolina rig without the jib head. Flounder and Redfish alike will smash the jerk baits that are fished slowly near the bottom. Another technique is using the baits on a jig head and slowly crawling or hopping them just off the structure. Popular brands include Berkley Gulp and D.O.A. lures.
Hard Plugs
These are very popular inshore for inshore fishing provided there is enough water that you don’t get them hung up. The best time to fish with hard plugs is on the rising tide or the first few hours of a falling one. A trustworthy tactic revolves around casting your plug into a heavy current and letting it roll downstream as the tide lowers. Don’t move your plug, but let it get carried along until the current begins to slack.
Keep your line tight since the possibility of a hit can come from anywhere down the line. Begin to give the lure a couple of jerks as you slowly retrieve it. The point of this lure is to imitate a baitfish that is caught and struggling with the current. If you are fishing specifically for Redfish or Trout, it’s better to try and catch them in the deeper water where the current begins or around boils and cuts in the marsh bank.
Live Bait
Effective use of live bait includes mud minnows, pogies, small pinfish, and finger mullet. Any small baitfish will work well, but these are some more popular choices. Live shrimp work well for fishing speckled trout, as long as you remember to keep them away from bait-stealer fish. Some anglers recommend tossing a live minnow as close as possible to a piling and letting it sit. The commotion on your minnow being picked at by smaller fish will cause larger fish such as redfish and flounder to investigate. You will find it easy to catch your target fish by slowly hopping your bait away from the scene.
These are just a few baiting techniques that are proven to have success. Have any other techniques that work for you? Leave us a comment.