Last month we took a stab at IDing five must-have freshwater fishing lures for freshwater beginners, and since we live here in Bay country it’s only natural that we follow that up by picking a top five for stalking the salt. Sure, opinions will differ as to which lures are best. But if you’re filling up your first tacklebox we think you’d be nuts to go without these epic goodies.
A Selection of Jigheads and the Plastics to Match
The stock and trade lure for rockfish, speckled trout, redfish, and more, the simple leadhead and plastic tail probably account for more lure-caught fish caught in the Bay than any other offering. You’ll need a selection of heads from a quarter-ounce up to at least one ounce (there will be times when a strong current or breezy conditions warrant using larger), along with a variety of tails. A few of the finer points about each:
Jig Heads
Don’t stress over color too much, but remember that most anglers agree that contrast between the head and tail is a good thing. Those with aggressive keepers work best when you slide on regular plastics, but when using the bite-proof variety a head with no keeper is far easier to rig up; use a drop of Gorilla Glue to secure the front of the tail to the back of the head. And get plenty of each size, because you will snag and lose these things—don’t get frustrated, that’s simply part of the game. G-Eyes are the Cadillacs of the jighead world, while heads like Got-Chas provide a lower-cost alternative (with lower quality paint, hooks, eyes, and keepers).
Paddletails
Feel free to stress over the color, because in this case it matters. White, pearl, and chartreuse and the big three. Pink and/or Electric Chicken (pink and chartreuse together) are must haves and will beat out the big three some days, especially for specks. Purple or black should be in the box, too, for very low light conditions. Paddletails like the Killer Jigs Swimbaits, Bass Assassin Sea Shad, and NLBN work great but don’t be afraid to try others because truth be told, there are few paddletail plastics on the market that don’t provide an enticing wiggle. When toothy critters are around bite-proof versions like Z-Mans are in order. Paddletails are usually the best pick for beginners since they provide their own action, but once you get used to imparting some wiggle of your own with the rod tip, fluke-style tails or straight tails like the classic BKD will sometimes out-catch them. Four- and five-inch tails are a happy medium, but three-inchers are often better for finesse fishing in the shallows and you can go all the way up to 10-inchers when fish over 30” are the target.
Bomber Saltwater Grade Badonk-A-Donk and/or Heddon Spook
Take your pick between the the Badonk-A-Donk and the Spook (and there are a number of extremely similar topwater baits that are similarly productive), because both work great when there’s a topwater bite. They cast well, can be skipped under docks, and create a super-sweet walk-the-dog zigzag. Remind yourself that these lures do have their limitations; they won’t catch fish in much over a few feet of water unless a surface frenzy is taking place, and they aren’t a great pick for sunny afternoons. But when cast near structure at daybreak and dusk these lures generate adrenaline-pumping blow-ups that will keep you coming back for more. We do have one beef with them: they come rigged with treble hooks. Conscientious anglers will grab their split-ring pliers and swap ‘em out for inline single hooks to minimize the damage done to fish outside of the slot. A VMC 1/0 or 2/0 Inline will come close to matching the weight so the lure’s performance won’t suffer, and you’ll feel better about yourself when you slide that 18” rockfish back into the water unharmed.
Bill Lewis Lures Chrome/Blue Rat-L-Trap
When it comes to probing midwater depths for species ranging from stripers to bluefish and everything in-between, the Rat-L-Trap is tough to beat. It’s effective when cast and retrieved and is particularly well loved for slow-trolling effectiveness. The eighth-ounce Tiny Trap is a great offering for white perch, but on the Bay the half-ounce version (a three-incher) will prove most versatile. As great as the Rat-L-Trap is we have the same beef as with the other plugs we’ve mentioned thus far: they come rigged with trebles, so swapping the hooks out is in order.
G-Eye Jigs Rain Minnow
No saltwater angler’s tacklebox would be complete without some jigging spoons, and while there’s a wide range to choose from we give an edge to the Rain Minnow thanks to its compact, fast-sinking body and glittery flashabou teaser. These are great for vertical jigging, tying into tandem rigs, and ripping through a frenzy for Spanish mackerel or blues. They also work great as a bait delivery system when you’re dropping down to deep structure. One downside: they’re only available in half- and one-ounce models, so when going uber-deep on windy days you may need to use a different brand that offers two-ounce spoons.
Alltackle Bloody Point Baits Chomper Head Parachute
No self-respecting troller on the hunt for rockfish would pull a spread of lures without at least a few of these lures from Alltackle in the mix, generally in two different forms: tied in tandem rigs, or pulled as the hook bait behind an umbrella rig. In either case they should be dressed with six-inch plastic shad for slot fish and summer trolling, or with nine-incher shad in late fall, winter, or early spring when you’re hoping to catch and release a trophy. In fact, these and similar parachute-style lures dressed with plastic shad work so well that many anglers will pull nothing but a mix of tandems and umbrellas when they’re targeting rockfish in specific.
You say that tacklebox is overflowing? Well, when you hit the tackle shop to pick up all of these goodies you’re bound to find another lure or three that’s too enticing to pass up, so you know what that means: it’s time to get a bigger tackle box.