# Looking for lure suggestions



## Brownfisher (May 11, 2015)

My wife and I have a home next to the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge. I am just a short walk to the 3 miles of Bon Secour beach. I have fished there since we bought the home in 2009, basically setting up with sand spikes and fishing shrimp and sand fleas with pompano rigs and pyramid sinkers. I catch whatever comes along and have had good luck over the years with everything from 50 lb blacktips and black drums to catfish and remora. We are retiring and moving to our home this summer and I want to learn to fish with lures along my 3 mile stretch of paradise. I have no lures or skill in that arena.

If you were going to start a lure collection what would be the one lure you would want to use in the surf for:

Pompano
Flounder
Redfish
Trout

Thanks!

Mike Brown


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## jc9812 (Jun 15, 2015)

I'm no expert on the matter as you can see from my location and my number of posts. I have done a lot of reading on here though and Chris V has given some great suggestions. In fact I took the plunge and ordered a couple of his suggestions for my upcoming trip in February and June.

I ordered a few "unfair lure Rip N Slash 70's" and also some "Tsunami Swim Shads". 

You can search some of Chris' posts in the forums (top right). 

Again just a couple of suggestions from an very Novice surf fisherman.


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## Brownfisher (May 11, 2015)

Thanks. I have great admiration for Chris V. And his knowledge. Thanks for your help.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Did you get my messages? I replied to your visitor messages. If not let me know and I'll dig them out.


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## Brownfisher (May 11, 2015)

I did not, unless I am too goofy to find your response. Mike


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Johnson Gold Spoons are your friend... Cheap and Basic.

I have been slinging a Rapala F11 on a light rod when Specs are around with success.

Ever hear of a "Matrix Shad"???...............................lol


(My 22" Spec. on the Rapala F11 )


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## Brownfisher (May 11, 2015)

Nice trout. Thanks for the info!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Ok...

First thing I'll say is your lucky to have that stretch of beach so close to you. There's far less foot traffic there and the beaches are relatively quiet most mornings. You're also lucky because the beaches here offer outstanding action for a variety of fish.

The four species you mentioned and more can all be taken most spring through fall mornings using lures and covering water. It's one of my favorite types of fishing to do.

The above mentioned baits will work well, but I'm assuming he caught those fish inshore, not from the surf. They will work there for sure, but I'll add a few baits I wouldn't go without. I carry a small waist-pack with me when I work the surf and stream-lining your gear helps tremendously. The less you carry, the more effective you'll be covering ground and scoping out spots further from the "beaten trail". My bag always contains the following baits:

1- UnFair Rip-N-Slash 70 
2- UnFair Arrowhead or Greenie (or both)
3- Rat-L-Trap (standard size)
4- Tsunami 3" swim shad
5- Chrome Spoon in 5/8oz-3/4oz
6- A small assortment of Pompano jigs in various colors and styles

There's various others that I carry at times and plenty of other lures that will work. Topwaters are another good option to have. Mid to full sized topwaters will do best and my two favorites are the UnFair Dawgwalker and Rapala Skitter Walk. 

The reason I choose the baits listed and the styles are so:

A) They match the most abundant sizes and species of baits found off of our beaches
B) All of them can be cast and worked effectively with the same action and length of rods, cutting down the need for carrying multiple rods. While many mornings I do carry multiple sticks, on the days I'm really covering water and "searching", I want one do-all rod that throws everything I have to offer.

Most surf baits will work best when used with a more erratic action than usual. The slow, twitch and pause retrieve is dynamite inshore and will catch some fish off the beaches, but a faster, rapid twitch retrieve with little to no pause will generate more strikes from beach-running predators than slower actions. Remember, these fish are working the currents and waves and are used to fast moving, disoriented food items so speed needs to be there to some degree. Even on soft plastics being bumped for Flounder and jigs for Pompano; keep the rod low and avoid reeling too fast but use very rapid, small twitches with the tip while retrieving the smaller increments of line. 

I can go on and on....


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## Brownfisher (May 11, 2015)

This is great stuff. Thanks so much. As you might guess, I look forward to my retirement and your future tutelage!!

Thanks, 

Mike


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## TarponDan (Nov 29, 2011)

I like to use 1-2 oz. silver or chrome diamond jig type lures and pin minnow lead jigs about 1 oz. They cast well, sink so that you can cover the entire water column, and offer a lot of flash just like a fleeing baitfish.


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## Brownfisher (May 11, 2015)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the help. I have a few of those in my box and will give them a try.


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