Using Bass Lures for Specks and Reds Bass fishermen have long been known for experimenting with new tackle, tactics and techniques. Traditionally, saltwater anglers have been a little less experimental. However, in recent years, a growing number of Texas bay fishermen have been taking a page from the bass anglers' handbook - not just by developing their own new techniques, but also by outright borrowing some from their freshwater fishing brethren. Although it may strike some of the more traditionally-minded saltwater fishermen as odd, there are actually quite a few freshwater lures and techniques that can be quite deadly on speckled trout and redfish. Here's a few of the most productive crossover lures and techniques. Texas-rigged soft-plastics: Perhaps no other lure has accounted for more Texas bass than the Texas-rigged worm. Worms - and other Texas-rigged soft-plastics - work equally well in saltwater for speckled trout and redfish. For those unfamiliar, a Texas Rig consists of a weedless soft-plastic lure trailing behind a bullet weight. This combination can be effectively worked through and over thick cover without fouling. It is an ideal system to use through grass beds or over bottoms that have scattered debris. Bass-style worms work well, especially during spring, but a variety of other soft-plastics, such as curl-tail grubs also perform well when rigged Texas style. A Texas rig is a great choice when fish are picking baits up right off the bottom.   Carolina-rigged soft-plastics: The basic difference between a Carolina rig and a Texas rig is a Carolina rig utilizes an egg sinker in addition to a barrel swivel and leader to put some distance between the weight and the bait. However, like a Texas rig, it drags a weedless soft-plastic behind it. The main advantage to using a Carolina rig is it allows the bait to ride somewhat above the bottom. This is a good rig to use when employing soft-plastic jerkbaits. Grubs of all types also work well. It is especially effective when working around sandy potholes on grass flats. Crankbaits: Both shallow and deep-diving crankbaits have plenty of uses for inshore anglers. In recent years, some companies such as Heddon have begun marketing saltwater crankbaits. The vast majority of these saltwater-specific lures are of the shallow running variety. Anglers looking to use deep-diving cranks are still generally forced to grab freshwater models and change the hardware. Both models can be helpful to inshore fishermen and anglers are well-served to carry a full compliment of different sizes and colors, as well as baits designed to track at different depths. A good selection of floating/diving crankbaits can actually cover every portion of the water column, from surface to bottom. One popular technique for shallow water crankbait use is 'waking.' Several wide-bodied, short-lipped lures are manufactured just for this application. However, pretty much any shallow-running floater/diver crankbait can be used for 'waking.' To ensure effective waking, use heavy line, a high rod angle and slow retrieve. Waking, though, isn't the only use for crankbaits in saltwater. Deep cranks can be used around pilings and jetties or used for "diggin'" over sand or mud bottom flats. Floater/divers of all depth ratings can be used to bounce off/over shell pads. Crankbaits are also good to use for diving into potholes. Creature baits: Recent years have seen an explosion of creature baits in the freshwater fishing realm. These baits really don't imitate anything, but resemble a lot of things. Most range between 3 and 4 inches and have a number of appendages. They are often fishing on Texas or Carolina rigs, but can also be used on open hook jig heads or weedless heads like the Stanley SwimMax. Freshwater fishermen usually assume these baits resemble crawfish. In saltwater, squinting your eyes causes them to look something like a mantis shrimp or squid or lobster. Regardless of what they look like, redfish can't stand them. When reds are working over shallow flats, they seem to become enraged when faced with a creature bait bouncing off the bottom - particular 3-inch models in pumpkinseed color schemes. Tube jigs: Hollow-bodied and sporting a skirt of tentacles, tube jigs have long been the go-to finesse bait for bass fishermen. However, saltwater fishermen can use them with same effectiveness. For inshore fishing, 3 and 4 inch tubes are the most useful. These baits can be fished in a variety of manners - on an open hook jig, weedless jig, Texas rigged, Carolina rigged, etc. Basically, when the fish are finicky, you can toss a tube in the manner that you're most comfortable. They stand in for well for grubs and tails in a variety of techniques. Anglers looking for a little extra edge can stuff the hollow bodied with scent soaked foam or bits of FishBites. This is particularly deadly when fishing for flounder. Spinnerbaits: One of the first modern bass lures to be used on a fairly wide scale for redfish is the spinnerbait. And, although it is still generally used for redfish, a spinnerbait can be just as effective on speckled trout. As is the case in bass fishing scenarios, a spinnerbait is a great choice to cover a lot of water quickly. It can fished at a wide variety of depths, buzzed across the surface or slowly crawled across the bottom. For the most part, saltwater fishermen replace a spinnerbait's factory-rigged silicon skirt with a soft-plastic tail. C-tail, split-tail and paddle-tail grubs are good choices as spinnerbait bodies. Biggest drawback to a spinnerbait is castability. Single-blade models typically cast a bit further than double-bladed ones, but no spinnerbait will travel as far a jig or topwater plug when cast. One way to put a little extra distance into a cast when using a spinnerbait is to use a bit more of a lobbing motion while casting downwind - in much the same way popping cork fishermen launch a cork rig in a high arc - in order to allow the wind to transport the lure further through the air. Frogs: No, frogs do not live in our coastal bays. Yes, frog-imitating lures do catch fish in those same bays. The frog lures referred to here are the soft-plastic, solid-bodied baits with kicking legs, such as the Stanley Ribbit and the Creme FishFrog. These baits can be "buzzed" across the surface at surprisingly slow speeds and cause some dramatically violent reactions from fish in the area - particularly reds on shallow flats. Since they are typically rigged weedless, frogs are great for fishing over shallow grass flats later in the year when the grass reaches near the surface of the water. Buzzing a frog over such a grass patch will cause reds buried in the grass to leave their lair and strike with abandon. Swimbaits: Of all the freshwater bass baits used in saltwater, the swimbait most closely resembles what traditional Texas bay fishermen are used to throwing. There are actually two distinctly different styles of swimbaits. The first is an "all inclusive" bait that houses the weight and hook inside the body. The Creme Spoiler Shad is a good example of this type of swimbait. The second style of swimbait closely resembles a traditional saltwater shad tail. These baits are soft-bodied with a large paddletail. Although they can be rigged on an open hook jig head, they are meant to be rigged on either a worm hook or weedless head - thus they have a belly slit for weedless rigging. The YUM Money Minnow is a good example of this type of bait, although several saltwater manufacturers have begun offering their own versions, such as the Texas Tackle Factory Big Mino. The "all-in-one" swimbaits are usually fairly heavy and restricted to deep water use. But, this doesn't mean they're not useful to inshore fishermen. Quite the contrary. They are excellent around jetties, piers, and bridges, as well as for use over deep shell pads. Unrigged swimbaits are quite versatile. When rigged on an open hook jig head, they can essentially be fished in any situation that calls for a traditional shad tail. However, it is extremely important that these baits be rigged straight in order to perform well. The thin body cavity (due to the belly slit) makes this a little dicey with a jig head, but it can be done. When rigged weedless, these baits can be drug through grass or over shell. Basically, they can be fished anywhere you want to use a shad tail but are scared to get hung up. They also are excellent baits for "skipping" under docks. The baits listed above are the core of bass lures that can be effective in saltwater. But, really, any lure that is designed to attract predators can be adapted to inshore saltwater use with a little creative thought. In fact, it is often useful when perusing a tackle shop or catalog to look at other "categories" of lures. Very often you'll find a lure under bass, walleye or some other species that can fill a niche in our saltwater fishing environment. So, relying on the packaging to tell you what a lure can catch, look at the characteristics of the bait. If it looks like it will work, give it a try, regardless of what the package says.