# Artificials at night for trout and redfish



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

I primarily fish at night for trout and redfish with a light setup and a generator on the Texas City Dike. I primarily use shrimp under popping cork just cause I haven't done a whole lot of bay fishing and don't know what artificials (soft plastic or hard lures) to use and don't want to just waste money because there are wayy too many to choose from. So I need some assistance. Which lures should I invest in? Any artificials will work. Primarily trout in the lights and near the shadows of our lights. Which types and colors of lures would be best for this fishing? And I also like to catch redfish and have caught good reds in our lights.

I would think most lures you guys use for just night fishing would be good, but I don't really know of any, haven't heard a whole lot about fishing in the dark. If you have fished in lights for either species I would especially appreciate your input. Live shrimp just get pricey and I need an alternative that will last longer than a shrimp.

Thanks for all the input guys and girls!


----------



## Catch22 (Aug 26, 2009)

glo speck rigs, DOA glo shrimp and cork combo, gulps, small ttf paddle tails, mirrodine xl shad


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

Catch22 said:


> glo speck rigs, DOA glo shrimp and cork combo, gulps, small ttf paddle tails, mirrodine xl shad


I've heard of all these, but my main concern and reason for this thread is for color choice. Which colors are best for at night and would work for in the lights? That goes for the gulps especially cause I have tried some of them, the paddle tails, and the mirrodine. And which gulps in particular?

I'm not asking for all of your or anyones fishing secrets, I just kinda need some basic information to help me out


----------



## flatsfisher83 (Apr 23, 2011)

Anything that is stamped "GLO" will work. Sometimes fishing the glo further away from the light helps because the light spectrum is fading, yet the bait is pulling enough light for luminescence. If you're using paddle tails, they will help the fish key in on vibration, however, the baitfish under the light are going to destroy it. Kind of a double edged sword though, the more baitfish there are, the more predators are going to move in... theoretically. :rybka:

If you can, try Bass Assassin glow with the red fire tail. Always been a go to for me under lights.


----------



## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

Clear with blk glitter, white on white


----------



## xcharged (Aug 18, 2004)

The Hackberry Hustler soft plastics are on sale at academy right now for $2.72.
Small investment and they have glo and some with specs that should reflect the lights.

I haven't been able to get out to the TCD because of work but my cousin is going tonight.

good luck, if you try em, let me know how you did. one of these days I hope to get out there!

https://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/...gId=10051&N=0&krypto=iCh8P1m15tXJnSJzzSyPFw==


----------



## USMCBay (May 4, 2006)

Wanna reel 'em in one after the other - even two at a time on doubles...

TTF 3" Glow Shad - Hit em with the light every other cast.

It's ridiculous... but don't take my word. Just try it and find out if I'm right~!:cheers:


----------



## TexSpec (Jun 28, 2006)

USMCBay said:


> Wanna reel 'em in one after the other - even two at a time on doubles...
> 
> TTF 3" Glow Shad - Hit em with the light every other cast.
> 
> It's ridiculous... but don't take my word. Just try it and find out if I'm right~!:cheers:


x10


----------



## Team Burns (May 6, 2008)

Yo Zuri 3-d minnow in clear is my go to night lure. Then ttf plastics and silver spoons.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

teamburns said:


> Yo Zuri 3-d minnow in clear is my go to night lure. Then ttf plastics and silver spoons.


The 70 or 100?


----------



## Team Burns (May 6, 2008)

70's...green works also!


----------



## snappercatcher01 (Oct 5, 2006)

swimmin' image, small speck rigs, small swim baits with a lip, and fish the edge of the light


----------



## Mike77015 (Dec 27, 2007)

GULP under a popping cork.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

Mike77015 said:


> GULP under a popping cork.


Which gulp? Shrimp? What colors?


----------



## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

Spec rigs white, pink or chartruce (sp). If they are hungry they will hit almost anything.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

snappercatcher01 said:


> swimmin' image, small speck rigs, small swim baits with a lip, and fish the edge of the light


Which color swimmin image, if ya dont mind me asking


----------



## mdecatur87 (Sep 11, 2010)

i like how you specifically asked about colors, yet everyone keeps giving you the types of bait minus its color haha, i use red shad with a white paddle tail


----------



## trophytroutman (Mar 21, 2009)

Tandem rigged sparkle beetles in chartruce and clear w/ glitter flakes,spec rigs and opening night sand eel jr.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

mdecatur87 said:


> i like how you specifically asked about colors, yet everyone keeps giving you the types of bait minus its color haha, i use red shad with a white paddle tail


Glad somebody noticed! haha, some give color but not what actual bait, but most give just types but no color :headknock I appreciate any input at all, but I need color AND what kind of baits. I'm not really familiar at all with saltwater lures so specifics are ESPECIALLY appreciated :smile:


----------



## Dawg (Oct 4, 2010)

I like using the TTF Trout Killer II jrs. in plum with a chartruese tail, Berkley Powerbait 3" mullet in strawberry w/white tail on an 1/8 Norton jig head ripped across the surface,if that does not get a hit, then I change it up some.


----------



## Hdfisher427 (Jul 7, 2008)

*Best night time lures*

Yozuri 3D Glass Minnow white/clear.
Texas Tackle Factory 2 inch glo shads tandem rig
Small Spoon


----------



## snappercatcher01 (Oct 5, 2006)

silver swimmin image for trout and gold for reds, although i have caught trout on the gold as well.


----------



## Hdfisher427 (Jul 7, 2008)

Icetrey said:


> The 70 or 100?


70 they sell them at Academy and FTU.


----------



## Chopwater89 (May 27, 2011)

*FIN S lures*

FIN S lures in silver they look just like glass minnows and trout and redfish slam them in the lights there made to be used for bass and crappie...i think they are small and require jig heads that are tiny but are by far the best artificial for the lights in my opinion. I usually make a rig with two of them staggered on some flouro and they are killer.


----------



## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

Caught over a million sassy trout on this little rig! It's a Zoom Super Spook in Rainbow Shad color rigged with a 2/0 worm hook and Spro swivel on 20 pound leader material! Cast in the dark and pull back just before it hits the water so it makes a soft splat (Like worm fishing for bass) and let the current carry it into the lights...then twitch to make it dart like a glass minner. The weight of the swivel helps it dart!

Try to keep the fish from thrashing on top while fighting them as this spooks all but the dinks out! If it does thrash the top...put the rod down till you see actively feeding fish again before you cast!

In my experience...popping corks, weighted jig heads and tops spook everything out of the lights unless they are in so thick they'll even hit your discarded cigar butt...happened on more than one occasion! :biggrin:


Sent from my lap top using peck-a-type!


----------



## tank8677 (Apr 20, 2010)

USMCBay said:


> Wanna reel 'em in one after the other - even two at a time on doubles...
> 
> TTF 3" Glow Shad - Hit em with the light every other cast.
> 
> It's ridiculous... but don't take my word. Just try it and find out if I'm right~!:cheers:


agree with usmcbay..i use the tandem setup and it works for me everytime, glow shad tail on 1/8oz jig head.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

Thanks for the input fellas, keep the info coming. I would love to hear as many peoples opinions as possible


----------



## DPG (Aug 13, 2005)

*Rapala Husky Jerk HJ08 in Glass Minnow (GMN)*


----------



## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I don't do alot of fishing the lights at night, but when I do I use BA's Red Shad and my fishing partner was using shrimp and shad when we first started night light fishing. And I was outfishing him so he switched out to the red shad and eversince.


----------



## chapman53559 (Jun 19, 2009)

tank8677 said:


> agree with usmcbay..i use the tandem setup and it works for me everytime, glow shad tail on 1/8oz jig head.


We have been using 2" killer glow shad on 1/16 jig with success in the San Bernard. Or Pan fish Assassins in glow. They just don't want to hit the bigger baits yet for some reason. But we're not talking fish over 20" either.


----------



## yakattack (Feb 18, 2009)

For green lights, I am with DPG, the Rapala Husky HJ08 is it. Not silver, glass only. I lost mine and hit 3 Academys until I found another one. I bought all 4 in stock. I went to Rapala's webpage and the Husky and the Shad rap are the only lures they offer in glass.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

I'm not using green lights, I have the 1000w white lights on stands shining down into the water


----------



## alldaylong (Mar 6, 2011)

_*I've thrown a lot of the same soft plastics in glow that others on this thread have used with fantastic results, they truly all work. I've also thrown a Catch 2000 Jr. in the glow on the outside edges of the light and caught some specks running from 20 to 25 inches, when they hit you know you have a quality fish on!!! Give it a try.*_


----------



## topwatrout (Aug 25, 2009)

I like a slower movin bait..such as a crazy croaker. Any color with some clear/glitter in it.


----------



## Icetrey (Oct 8, 2007)

I know the thread is old, but I'm starting to get my fishing gear ready and just thought I would bring this back to the top to see if anybody would like to post up some of their go-to baits for night fishing or just fishing in general that I should look into picking up


----------



## Smackdaddy53 (Nov 4, 2011)

Glow maniac mullet and crazy croaker for short strikers. Caught a few nice trout on them the other night. If the big ones are around youll catch them with these lures. 1/4 oz silver spoon, heddon swimn image in speckled trout color, cant forget speck rigs and worm puzzlers in a few different colors and a glass minnow mirrolure

-mac-


----------



## greenhornet (Apr 21, 2010)

1/2oz Rat-l-trap in just about any color, these draw more strikes in the lights for me than plastics.


----------



## .800KING50 (Jun 30, 2011)

white gulp swimming mullet


----------



## mikereds (Jul 1, 2011)

I've caught trout under the lights in Arroyo City. Same lures should work in your neck of the woods. DOA clear shrimp under a popping cork, gulp natural color under a popping cork, Mister Twister pearl shad, tandem or single, Tsunami clear/glitter shad.


----------



## capt. stealth (Jul 7, 2008)

Try not to put to much thought into it. I fish at night all of the time. I rarely use lights and throw lures 75% of the time. It does not matter if the moon is full or not. On a new moon using a black lure the fish will hammer it. :texasflag


----------



## Jean Scurtu (Dec 6, 2011)

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=389529


----------



## teamriptide (Apr 9, 2012)

Salt water assassin pearl glow swim bait with red tail.


----------

