Salt Water Tackle Tweakin' texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout Most serious saltwater anglers see February as one of the best big trout months of the year. However, it is also one of the worst weather months. Relatively speaking, Texas anglers typically have more `down days' due to weather during February than any other month of the year. But, rather than spending foul weather days sulking about missed opportunities, intrepid anglers make good use of their time by tweakin' their tackle. Whether it's a new paint job, a flashy spinner-blade or creating a `broken-back Zara Spook' - anglers are only limited by their imaginations. By spending this downtime refurbishing old plugs and modifying new ones, coastal anglers can get an edge on the competition by adding their own flare to their favorite baits. PAINT AND REPAINT Paint is one of the most commonly used modifications for lures. It can be used to either customize the color scheme on a new plug or to `refurbish' an old, beat up lure. Paint can also be used to create a color scheme not offered by the lure manufacturer. For painting and repainting lures, do-it-yourself anglers can get by with as little or as much equipment as they like. Those wishing to keep it simple can get by with a couple of cans of spray paint or a few bottles of model paint and a handful of disposable paintbrushes. Brushed on model paint tends to give lures more `depth,' but the lure must be turned occasional while drying to ensure an even cure. Brushes, nail heads and other devices dipped in paint can also be used to add eyes, spots or stripes to lures. Spray cans are fast and economical when it comes to painting lures. Several light coats are best when applying spray paint. Additionally, a slight overspray from a spray can can be used to give a bait a `feathered' look when adding a second color, such as a black or blue back on a plug. Anglers who expect to modify lures on an ongoing basis and wish to achieve a more professional finish are wise to invest in the miniature airbrush kits sold at craft stores. These kits allow for mixing of custom colors, the use of higher quality paint and the ability for more precise painting. BAITFISH FLASH Another way to revitalize a faltering paint job is the use of prismatic tape. Not only does prismatic tape add color to a plug, it also gives the bait tremendous reflective qualities. Prismatic tape comes in a wide variety of colors and also comes in various `scale' patterns. It is also extremely easy to work with. The simplest and most efficient manner of applying prismatic tape is to cut a strip which fits the profile of the bait and apply it to the side of the plug. When applying to a flat-sided plug, cut the strip roughly in the shape of the lure's profile. On round bodied plugs, rectangular and triangular strips works best. Remember, when applying prismatic tape to both sides of a flat-sided lure the two pieces of tape must be cut in reverse of one another in order to fit properly. OLD BAIT, NEW SPIN Anglers wishing to add flash to a bait can actually do so without paint or tape. One of the easiest and most overlooked ways to add flash is to add a small spinner blade to a lure. Tiny Colorado blades can easily be affixed to the split ring holding the rear hook, just as a pink plastic `tab' is often added to a spoon. Although these blades won't `spin,' they will wobble back and forth and provide flash. Small propellers - or props - can also be added to lures that don't typically come equipped with them. Walking baits are ideal candidates for props when a bit more `commotion' is called for. To apply a prop, simply unscrew the tie-on eyelet at the front of the bait or the rear hook eyelet at the back. Slip the prop over the screw of the eyelet and reattach. Another great thing about props is they can be removed as easily as they can be added by simply reversing the process. Therefore, the modification is not permanent. BREAKING A PLUG'S BACK Another way to increase the commotion of a walking bait is to transform it into a broken-back lure. Floater/diver broken-back's have long been popular along the Texas coast, but a dog-walking broken-back gives fish an entirely different looking bait. Making this transformation possible is the “Tweakin' Kit” offered by Texas Rattling Rig. This kit comes with five `Rattle Tubes,' which are small rattle chambers, wrapped in prismatic tape and fitted with front and rear eyelets. The conversion can be done in three simple steps: 1. remove the rear hook from lure (leave the split ring on the eyelet), 2. replace hook with rattle chamber, 3. add split ring and hook to rear of rattle chamber. The `broken-back dog-walker' can be fished the same way as a traditional dog-walking plug. However, the broken-back section swings independently of the main lure, giving the bait much more action. Additionally, the broken-back section and rear hook ride lower in the water, increasing hook-up ratio. REMOVING A VERTABRAE The opposite of creating a broken-back plug would be destroying one, or at least dismantling one. And, that's exactly what redfish pro and guide Capt. Jimmie Dooms learned to do in order to make finicky fish bite. The Cordell CJ9 - the most popular broken-back floater/diver along the Texas coast - is perfect for this operation. To make this modification, snip the rear section off of the bait (make sure to snip the eyelet connected the rear section, not the main section). Then add a split ring and hook to the remaining portion of the body. The result is a short, fat diving plug. The wobble of the bait when retrieved is increased dramatically, which Dooms says makes all the difference when reds get lockjaw. TWO POINTS ARE BETTER THAN THREE One of the most common problems for fishermen throwing topwater baits in Texas bays is floating grass. Although there is no sure-fire way to keep you favorite surface plug from becoming a `bay rake,' there is a way to minimize the amount of grass your lure picks up. To make a bait `more weedless,' simply cut off the forward facing point on both the front and rear treble hooks. The remaining two points, which face backwards, will grab some grass, but not nearly to the extent the front point does. This is also helpful when working baits over shallow oyster beds or other obstructions which tend to `grab' lures. SINGLE HOOK OPTIONS When situations require a wider hook gap for more `bite,' it is often helpful to switch from treble to single hooks. The reason is simple - in order to appreciably increase the gap size on a treble hook, the hook size must be increased disproportionately. Utilizing oversized trebles can unbalance plugs and, at times, actually hinder the hookset by making it more difficult for fish to inhale lures. Single hooks can be added to any plug or spoon (which is most commonly the case). The hooks are switched in the same manner as changing out treble hooks. However, on multi-hook plugs, make sure the front hook faces forward and the rear hook faces backwards for maximum hooking ability. And, as a cautionary note, when converting to single hooks on any lure or spoon that requires the use of split rings, make sure to get a `wide-eye' hook, as split rings rarely pass smoothly through traditional single hook eyes. It is important to remember that any modification should be made only if it improves a lure's ability to attract and catch fish. Not every bait needs to be modified. However, having the ability to alter the appearance of a lure to fit a need can give an angler a welcome advantage in tough situations. texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout