Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

I really enjoy lure fishing. I use to only fish bait but now I lure fish about 60% percent of the time. For me artificial lure fishing is More enjoyable, less messy and less time consuming then bait fishing. I always keep a rod and tackle in my car and at a moments notice I can be fishing. I would like to hear what types of lures you use for what and why.

For what and where ?

Alright I guess some people need some specification, I saltwater fish and I am boatless and I live in South Florida. I am interested in what types of lures people use in my General area that fish and are boatless. I will start, I fish two types of lures exclusively. When conditions are right I love to fish topwater plugs. Bomber lures seem to work the best for me. Those Yozuris are pretty but I do well on the Bombers. I mostly jig fish though, and that's my favourite and you can catch every saltwater fish in South Florida jigging. My favourite is a Docs Goofy Jig. I have caught a wide variety of fish on them. Believe it or not I catch more keeper Snook on them than anything else. I also believe in Gulp baits they produce for me .

I pretty much always use two lures down here. A white bucktail jig from 1/4-1 1/2 ounces and a hard jerkbait like an xrap and yozuri crystal minnow.

Fresh water canals, X-rap and/or Zoom Worm
Salty Inshore, Spook Jr and/or DOA Shrimp

I use cut bait when I fish 90% of the time up until about a month ago. I usually keep a yozuri popper on one of my rods at all times and will hit parts of the intercoastal for jacks in the morning before work occasionally. Ive also had some success with xraps, both in freshwater and salt. I bought some paddletails that I was planning on using up north that have been good for jacks but I want to give them a shot from the beach. Also picked up some gulp swimming minnows since your recommendation mike but haven’t gotten a chance to give them a good try from the beach yet.

Do any of you guys have any recommendations for artificials for tarpons swimming and rolling around the intercoastal? I caught one on a spooltek but I lose the spoolteks all the time in the intracoastal and they’re expensive. Maybe the paddletails will be a cheap replacement? Tried xraps, gotchas, topwaters on rolling tarpon in the morning and none hit.

For topwater Yozuris topwaters are my go to lures. Snook or tarpon Flarehawk would be my choice in current. Pier would be ghost Xrap or crappie jigs in white. Flats I love DOA shrimp in penny. Bass fishing Heddons Tiny Torpedo.

I have caught some large Flounder on those swimming mullet. Large Mangroves like Gulp also, I use a half ounce jighead and work it slooowly on the bottom. I usually catch Snook on them but have caught a wide variety of other species with it.

I must confess Tarpon are troublesome for me and on artificials almost impossible. I hook up on them when targeting other fish. Almost always it ends up with them throwing the lure. Some of the D.O.A lures I've had some luck with . I do remember times when I use to fish the Indian River and schools of Tarpon wouldn't sniff at a xrap cast into the middle of them. Only about three months ago I caught my first really nice sized Tarpon in the surf fishing for Blue Fish, It was on a black bomber. I do believe I've watched some local fishing shows where they were catching them on D.O.A Baitbusters and their Cal jerk baits.