Underutilized Flats Baits texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout Some are old, some are new - all are rarely used. What are they? They're highly effective, yet underutilized flats fishing lures. Although these baits produce good catches of fish, they have somehow escaped the collective consiousness of today's bay fishermen. However, if you are looking for an “edge” over the summer angling crowd, consider tying on one of these lure selections. Chug Head: This innovative, and relatively new, bait from DOA Lures is actually not a lure in and of itself. This soft-plastic, molded chugger-style head is designed to fit over your favorite soft-plastic tail, essentially converting it to a topwater plug. Unlike a topwater, however, the Chug Head/soft-plastic combo is light enough and supple enough to land with scarcely a splash, even in the skinniest of water. Furthermore, when stopped, it slowly sinks, allowing it to be dropped in front of fish that refuse to come all the way to the surface. Allowing the bait to sink slightly below the surface also helps increase the hookup ratio when fish begin to “slap” at other surface plugs. Ribbit Frog: True, frogs do not normally swim in salt water. However, redfish either don't know that or do not care, because they attack Ribbit Frogs with abandon. Actually, the fish probably don't even realize what is sputtering across the surface when they attack. Rigged weedless, the Stanley Lures Ribbit Frog is the soft-plastic equivalent of a buzzbait. When pulled above a shallow grass flat, the Ribbit Frog draws attention from fish that are buried in the grass and may ignore more subtle offerings. Chatter Tube: Steve Walko, the man behind the Texas Rattlin' Rig, put a new twist on an old bass bait when he came up with the Chatter Tube. Essentially, Walko took a 4-inch tube, or Gitzit as the baits were originally known as in the bass world, and wrapped it around his magnum rattle chamber and fitted it with hooks. The result was a slow-sinking bait which dances on the surface or just below, depending on the retrieve, and combines fish attracting sound produced by the rattle chamber with the seductive sway of the tube skirt. Anglers used to fishing Corkys and other slow-sinking soft-plastic baits will be right at home using the Chatter Tube. By quickening the retrieve, this bait can also be used as a topwater plug. Another trick Walko suggests is to rig them tandem-style and use the duo to do a topwater dance. Baitbuster: Long a standard bearer of the DOA lure lineup, the Baitbuster is a single-hook mullet imitation. Reminiscent of the 51 and 52 Series MirroLures, the Baitbuster comes in two models - one has a head pull, the other has a nose pull. The nose pull version is the shallow runner, while the other is designed for deep water. Both are deadly affective on a variety of game fish, including specks, snook, tarpon and mangrove snapper. The #372 color pattern (green/pearl/read chin) is a great choice to cast into potholes when the fish are looking for a more natural offering. And, the single hook makes for safer fish handling than a set of trebles, especially for fishermen who spend most of their time wading. Hydro-worm: Manufactured by Carolina Lures, the Hydro Worm jig incorporates a tinsels skirt and swirl tail grub into a design that is topped off by the unique “shovel”-type jig head. When the Hydro Worm jig is retrieved, the head grabs water and is forced downward. Although it has a variety of uses in deep water, the Hydro Worm is also incredibly effective in extremely shallow water, particularly over a sand bottom. The Hydro Worm can be “dredged” across the sandy bottom, digging into the bottom and kicking up a sand trail as it goes. When this bottom “rooting” gets the attention of nearby fish, it is usually advantageous to stop the bait and let it remain motionless on the bottom for a few moments. Most often, interested redfish will simply pick it up and move off. Swimming jig: Looking like a cross between a spoon, a jig and a spinnerbait, the Stanley Swimming Jig has been seducing bass for decades. However, some saltwater anglers have discovered they are just as effective on redfish. The Swimming Jig can be thrown “as is” or “out of the box,” but some anglers prefer to add a soft-plastic swirl-tail grub, with or without the skirt. Because of its unique design, the Swimming Jig actually rises in the water as it is retrieved. That, combined with it's unusual wobbling action and the flash of the blade, make the Swimming Jig an excellent choice to throw when needing to cover a lot of water, since redfish will generally come from a long distance to eat it. Paddle tail grub: Once a favorite along the Gulf Coast - Mann's Stingray grub was all the rage in the 1970s - the paddle tail grub has faded from the collective conscience of Texas saltwater anglers. Last year DOA re-introduced the vulnerable bait to Gulf Coast anglers (actually introducing it to an entire generation of fishermen). The DOA version has a slightly more elongated body and has a more rounded tail than the popular baits of decades ago. However, they are just as effective as the originals. These baits prove particularly deadly on flatfish and reds, especially when a more subtle presentation is necessary. Broken-back plug: Like the paddle tail grub, broken-back plugs were once a mainstay along the Texas coast. In fact, they were once THE big trout bait. However, today there are only a few small concentrations of anglers - particularly around the Coastal Bend - who still throw broken-back plugs on a regular basis. This isn't because these baits are any less appealing, they have simply fallen out of favor, due largely to the increased popularity of walk-the-dog type plugs. But, broken-backs, such as the Cordell Redfin, can actually outproduce their noisy cousins in ultra-shallow or calm water. Not only do Redfins have an advantage under calm conditions, they also tend to have a better hook-up ration since the rear hook and body section hang below the water's surface. Swirl tail grub: This bait is so simple it has become overlooked. Most any “pre-packaged” bait selection comes with a few. However, few anglers ever deign to actually toss a swirl tail grub. This is a big mistake. Although they are simple, swirl tail grubs are effectively simple and are a great choice in clear water, when a subtle approach is necessary. The twirling tail gives a nice bit of action without causing too much disturbance. Another great things about swirl tail grubs is their ease of use. They can be retrieve in a typical “jiggin” fashion or simply reeled in, making them an ideal bait for beginners. They also are excellent additions to Swimming Jigs and spinnerbaits. Texas-rigged worm: Another bass favorite, Texas-rigged worms have been thrown by a handful of shallow water anglers on the Texas coast for over 30 years. Amazingly weedless, a Texas-rigged worm is excellent for working through sandy potholes in grassflats. An entire generation of anglers grew up throwing Culprit worms at reds and specks. Today, Culprits will still get the job done, as will a variety of other bass worms. The Stanley Wedgetail Worm is one of the new breed of bass worms which proves effective in salt as much because of color as style. The menthiolate color is as an effective an imitation of a marine worm as is on the market. Additionally, anglers looking to get away from the “two-part” Texas-rig can utilize the Stanley “frog hook,” which is a screw-lock worm hook fitted with a uniquely flattened jig head. When rigged on the frog hook, worms can also be made to “stand up” in potholes, closely resembling burrowing marine worms. None of the baits listed above are a “cure all” for catching fish under every condition. However, having them in your box and knowing when and how to use them can certainly increase the odds of turning around an otherwise slow day on the water. texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout