Artificial Bait

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Shadowman
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Artificial Bait

Post by Shadowman »

I'm not new to fishing, but I've never used artificial bait. I got a tackle box full of lures and another full of rubber things (worms, frogs, etc...) from my step father. He used to fish long ago and dug these out of his attic for me. It seems to me that artificial bait would be easier to use while learning to fish from my new kayak.

My main question is: do you tie the line directly to the eye of the lure, or can you use a snap like you would with a bottom rig? Seems like the snap would make changing lures faster, but I don't know if the excess metal near the lure would cause the lure to be less effective.

Any advice would be appreciated.
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by Snookfish »

In general it's better to tie directly to the lure. True a snap would make it easier to change bait, but unless it's a spoon or some other lure that twist, tie directly to the line. And the other rule of thumb is use mono filament or a long mono leader to top water lures. It help keep it higher in the water column. And you are correct, artificials are easier to use in a kayak unless you have a good live bait well.
Shadowman
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by Shadowman »

Thanks, I suspected that might be the case. I do use monofilament in general, though I've tried the Kevlar stuff in the salt.
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gonefishin
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by gonefishin »

I tie a loop knot to the lure if I have plenty of time to fish. If my time on the water is limited, and I want to try a variety of Crank baits to find the bite, I use Norton Speed Clips. No swivel just the clip, I haven't really noticed any difference in my results. I also take 3 rods, one rigged for hard baits, one for soft plastics and one with a popping cork. This allows me to use different methods and cover more of the water column to find the bite.
superbovine
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by superbovine »

All the pros tie directly to the lure. Hard baits are designed to swim without snaps. However, if you are using jigs you can probably use a snap and be ok.
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by texnomad »

I have found snaps to work just fine on all my lures. The key is to use just a snap not a snap swivel. Also most folks use way too big a snap. I use 20# braid and 30# snaps which are quite small. The reason for the 30# snap is that is the smallest model that my arthritic fingers can manipulate.
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by TroutSupport.com »

Some of the speed clips are ok. I prefer tying directly with a loop knot.

There's not a lot of reasons to have to switch lures super fast or often. in fact one bad habit of those new to lure fishing is the thought that 'maybe they'll eat this one' and keep changing lures too frequently.

The truth most of the time is a person in either casting in fish or not and that's what you want to focus on.

for now use baits that you or others already have confidence in and focus on finding the fish.

Fall and spring - topwaters are great search baits. If there are fish present you will at least get a strike.
Good tops ..my personal favorites. You can borrow my confidence by using these until you build your own.

Spook Junior in calm or super skinny water over grass or oyster
Sandy water - Clown
Green water - Bone
Dirty water - White with red head

One knocker Spook if the wind comes up and you get a little wave action on the water and you have a little more depth say waste to chest deep. Same colors as above. Another good color set in clear water is both the speckled trout and the Oakie Shad (Char, silver, white belly).

Really you could just throw bone in both of those lure and be fine in 90% of the water.

If you are starting out throwing plastic I'd use a click cork like a Mansfield mauler. Really these are great even if you're a pro. Many 'advanced' anglers forget about them but they are a great way to break yourself in and they catch fish. Rig a 1/8th oz jig head 16-20inches under the mauler (cigar click cork). Use any soft plastic you like. Chicken boy, Kelly Wiggler, tidal surge, down south ect.
Good colors are pumpkin seed chartreuse tail, plum char tail, or pearl or bone. The other option is just reeling a paddle tail, or reeling a spinner bait with a paddle tail. Gold spook in another option.

Like I said above, focus more on finding the fish. If you are in fish and throwing one of the above you're likely going to get bites / strikes. If you are getting blow up on the topwater switch to the mauler. That should be the only time you switch baits really. Focus on learning to find structure and reading the water over that structure. There's tons more info to learn about reading the water and that's what the TroutSupport.com DVD's focus on. We cover plenty on lures as well, but you'll quickly gain confidence with all lures if you are getting bites because your throwing them in fish as compared to empty water.

Hope the above helps you get started; feel free to PM me any time or write me at tobin@troutsupport.com
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by TKFStubb »

TroutSupport.com wrote:Some of the speed clips are ok. I prefer tying directly with a loop knot.

There's not a lot of reasons to have to switch lures super fast or often. in fact one bad habit of those new to lure fishing is the thought that 'maybe they'll eat this one' and keep changing lures too frequently.

The truth most of the time is a person in either casting in fish or not and that's what you want to focus on.

for now use baits that you or others already have confidence in and focus on finding the fish.

Fall and spring - topwaters are great search baits. If there are fish present you will at least get a strike.
Good tops ..my personal favorites. You can borrow my confidence by using these until you build your own.

Spook Junior in calm or super skinny water over grass or oyster
Sandy water - Clown
Green water - Bone
Dirty water - White with red head

One knocker Spook if the wind comes up and you get a little wave action on the water and you have a little more depth say waste to chest deep. Same colors as above. Another good color set in clear water is both the speckled trout and the Oakie Shad (Char, silver, white belly).

Really you could just throw bone in both of those lure and be fine in 90% of the water.

If you are starting out throwing plastic I'd use a click cork like a Mansfield mauler. Really these are great even if you're a pro. Many 'advanced' anglers forget about them but they are a great way to break yourself in and they catch fish. Rig a 1/8th oz jig head 16-20inches under the mauler (cigar click cork). Use any soft plastic you like. Chicken boy, Kelly Wiggler, tidal surge, down south ect.
Good colors are pumpkin seed chartreuse tail, plum char tail, or pearl or bone. The other option is just reeling a paddle tail, or reeling a spinner bait with a paddle tail. Gold spook in another option.

Like I said above, focus more on finding the fish. If you are in fish and throwing one of the above you're likely going to get bites / strikes. If you are getting blow up on the topwater switch to the mauler. That should be the only time you switch baits really. Focus on learning to find structure and reading the water over that structure. There's tons more info to learn about reading the water and that's what the TroutSupport.com DVD's focus on. We cover plenty on lures as well, but you'll quickly gain confidence with all lures if you are getting bites because your throwing them in fish as compared to empty water.

Hope the above helps you get started; feel free to PM me any time or write me at tobin@troutsupport.com
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by txspeck »

I use nothing but speed clips except for top waters. Not so sure if speed clips would work well in clear water. All my reels are spooled with spider wire then 2 foot of mono for my leader.
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Re: Artificial Bait

Post by TroutSupport.com »

txspeck wrote:I use nothing but speed clips except for top waters. Not so sure if speed clips would work well in clear water. All my reels are spooled with spider wire then 2 foot of mono for my leader.
I don't think a speed clip will hinder you in clear water. Most of the fish did not get that memo ;-) something that small might even look like an injury if it's sitting still. if it's moving they'll have a hard time seeing it through all the commotion.
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