# New Angler Has Questions



## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Hi guys

I've fished saltwater for years, but mainly from the beach or a pier and using a mixture of live and dead baits. My partner at work, recently bought a brand new center console and we are looking forward to doing a lot of bay fishing now. My questions all center around using artificials for catching Reds and Specs.
Which artificials do you vets use? Is there a certain time of the year to use certain lures? When using artificials, is it basically like Bass fishing, where you cast, retrieve, cast, retrieve? and last. I know that you guys dont give out your honey holes, so i wont even ask, but what kinda of area should you look for when searching out Reds and Specs? 

I appreciate any help that you guys can give?


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## Sight Cast (May 24, 2004)

FB, where are you going to focus your fishing efforts? Galveston, Matagorda? etc.


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## boashna (May 28, 2004)

to start with just use live shrimp on float or light weight with trible hook, galveston bridge or any bridge will do , fishing is hard enough with the wind we are geting this month and there is no need to confuse yourself with shape and color. gold spoon is #1 art for reds. bull reds can be caught at jetties and galveston surf in the sand. the surf requires no boat .


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Sight Cast

We will be fishing the Galveston, East and West Bays.

boashna

I've never used a float before. Why would you? and how do you use one? And what is a gold spoon? I am very much a rookie when it comes to using artificials and want to learn some new tricks.

Thanks Guys


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## Michael Dill (May 27, 2004)

hire a local guide.


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## flash (May 23, 2004)

*worms*

There are several tried and true colors [for me that is and I am sure Bad Habit will agree]. I usually go with a Gambler like a shad, various lengths and tail configurations [paddle tail being a great on], and stick to my favorites: red and white, root beer with a chartruesse tail, a salt and pepper with chart. tail. I have found that a light action rod makes a lot of difference. Try a variety of jig heads, ie 1/8 to 1/2 ounce. However, I carry a big bag with a variety of them all.


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## Copzilla (May 21, 2004)

Good intro to fishing with artificials will be bass assassins, variety of colors but chartreuse, pumpkinseed, firetiger, red with white tail are all very popular. Just the straight assassins, not split tail, not wiggly tail or paddle tail.

Use them with a 1/4 oz screw-on jighead in the summer, 1/8 oz jighead in the winter. Bounce them slowly across the bottom, probably 6 inch rod tip movement. They'll catch any of the big three, trout, redfish or flounder.

Spoons are very nice, gold seems to be most popular. They're very effective for redfish, and will certainly catch the other two as well. The retrieve on them is more constant and a little faster, with some fluxuation on the rod tip to make them dive and climb, move around. But you don't bounce them off the bottom, they stay farther up in the water.

Topwater plugs are also very popular, the favorite patterns range from chartreuse, woodpecker, black with yellow head, grape, blue and silver, bubblegum, and more. Favorite brands tend to be Producer's Ghost, She-Dogs, Top-Dogs, Super Spooks. They primarily target trout, but redfish will kill it too. I've heard of flounder attacking it, but haven't had it happen yet. I've had more than one hungry hardhead munch it, though... LOL. Retreive on them is just popping them across the top, try to make noise with it without jerking the rod. You want it to hop two inches... pop pop pop back and forth.

Conditions to look for will be an abundance of bait fish, mullet, green water. Moving tide is important, incoming is probably best, but outgoing is better than slack tide.

And, a freebie honey hole... Try Mosquito Island this time of year, there always seems to be some nice trout there. It's at the base of the Texas City Dike, and the best spots are just outside of wading range.

Hiring a guide would certainly answer a lot of your questions, and wouldn't be a bad idea to get you started with artificials.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

*Thanks for the tips*

hey guys I just wanted to say thanks for all the tips and the freebie honey hole. I probably will end up hiring a guide. Appreciate it.


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## ComeFrom? (May 21, 2004)

*Here Are Some Types of Spoons*

Johnson Silver Minnows and Johnson Sprite.


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## Stay Bent (May 22, 2004)

*As easy as it can get*

Start at Academy and have them direct you to the above mentioned baits. IMO, I'd ask them so show you the already rigged plastics. (Shad, assasins, Johnson Sprite Gold spoon, etc.) On the live bait note, they can show you the corks, but ask for the split shot weights.
Tactic: Go to Causeway Bridge, put a shrimp out with just enough split shot to cast/sink into a current that pushes your offering under/close to the bridge. Practice casting your new plastic baits while waiting for a bite on either. There's plenty of bridge, so by end of the day, you guys ought to be a bit more experienced. (Backlashes, different retrieves and all)

Good luck,
Bernard


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## CaptDoug (May 24, 2004)

FatB, Copzilla gave you some great advice and covered quite a bit. Just to add another good summertime spot when conditions are right (not a lot of wind) is Hannas Reef. Get a Top Spot map or Hook-n-line map and just start checking out some of the areas you will hear about on this board. One thing that was mentioned, when using a float and live shrimp, PLEASE do not use a treble hook. Trebles with live shrimp kill small trout or any other trout that you may want to release. Anyone that needs to use live shrimp under a popping cork, please use a single hook. They are easier to get out of a trout's mouth that is to be released without the mortality that is caused by trebles. I've found that flounder hooks work best. They are curved just enough so that when a fish bites down the hook turns so that it usually hooks the fish before it is swallowed.


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