Different weights and sizes of hooks can have different effects on lure action.

This helps you choose the BEST possible hook option depending on the situation.

Find out more here!!

How Paddletail Action Compares Based On Hook Weight [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

Mentioned Gear:

• Slam Shady 2.0 Paddletail
• 3/0 Hoss Helix Hook 1/8 oz.
• 3/0 Hoss Helix Hook 1/16 oz.

Hook choice is critical.

Depending on the situation, weather, and other conditions, you’ll want to use the BEST possible weight and size of hook to maximize your results.

You’ll notice how the Slam Shady 2.0 on the 1/8th oz. hook has more lively action to it on the descent.

While the same lure on the 1/16th oz. hook has much less kick to it.

Why is this important?

Most of the time, fish will strike your lures on the descent as it falls to the bottom.

So more action on the fall will lead to more strikes.

There are situations when you don’t want as much action if the fish are spooky.

This is why lure and hook choice is so critical.

If you want to see the rest of the comparison video, you’ve got to be an Insider Member.

Not only will you be able to view the full video, but you’ll unlock all of our exclusive content and more.

Insider Mastery Courses, the Insider Community, as well as Smart Fishing Spots are all at your fingertips to instantly boost your inshore saltwater fishing knowledge so you can up your game and impress your buddies.

Oh, and you get 20% OFF or more on just about everything in our online tackle shop.

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

90/10 ZONE INSHORE FISHING NEWSLETTER

Oh, and be sure to sign up for FREE Access to Salt Strong’s 90/10 Zone Newsletter!

It’s the Ultimate Inshore Fishing Blast with the MOST RECENT on-the-water updates, weekly trends, hot lures, catches of the week, fish tales, conservation news, and everything else for Inshore Fishing…

Sent to your inbox free 2x per week!

90/10 Newsletter

The post How Paddletail Action Compares Based On Hook Weight appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

Is there a specific time you should be using rattles in your soft plastic lures?

Or, a time when you should completely avoid rattles altogether?

Let’s find out!!

Rattles VS. No Rattles [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

FEATURED GEAR:

• Alabama Leprechaun Jerk Shad
• Prawn USA Junior Original
• Battle Rattles

Every fishing scenario is not the same.

There is not a one-size-fits-all lure for all situations either.

Lately, I’ve been having success sight fishing heavily pressured fish in clear, shallow water.

I used two different lures both with and without rattles.

This test featured the Alabama Leprechaun and the Prawn USA Junior.

Again, I fished both lure styles with and without a rattle.

The leader and line were the same for both and I used two near identical rod setups for the experiment.

I fished two days with the Alabam Leprechaun and one day with the Prawn USA Junior.

I alternated rattles to no rattles for each fish I saw and sight casted to.

These fish definitely had a favorite.

Using both lures with a rattle embedded inside the lure either spooked the fish off or the fish was not interested.

Every fish I caught while sight casting over these three days DID NOT have a rattle in it.

My initial hypothesis before the experiment was in favor of the rattles helping call those fish in to bite.

But that was not the case.

However, I did catch bigger trout on the lures with rattles.

This was mainly while blind-casting deeper cuts, mangrove lines, or open-flats.

If I were to sightcast again under similar conditions with spooky fish around, I would lean against using rattles.

But if I am blind-casting an open flat trying to locate fish, rattles might be a good play.

Please go ahead and let me know what you think of this test.

I’ll continue to conduct similar experiments in different situations and conditions.

What works best for you in your area – rattles or no rattles?

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

90/10 ZONE INSHORE FISHING NEWSLETTER

Oh, and be sure to sign up for FREE Access to Salt Strong’s 90/10 Zone Newsletter!

It’s the Ultimate Inshore Fishing Blast with the MOST RECENT on-the-water updates, weekly trends, hot lures, catches of the week, fish tales, conservation news, and everything else for Inshore Fishing…

Sent to your inbox free 2x per week!

90/10 Newsletter

The post Rattles VS. No Rattles [When Is ONE Better Than The Other?] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

Popular thinking is topwater lures won’t work in winter because the fish are lethargic and want to save energy due to the colder temperatures.

Now that we’ve added NEW Moonwalker colors to our lineup, I wanted to put that theory to the test.

Get a closer look at the action below!!

Debunking Winter Topwater Fishing Myths [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

Get the Greenback Moonwalker Topwater Lure

I was out working an oyster bar on a calm winter morning tossing the Greenback Moonwalker Topwater lure for bites.

After a few casts, the redfish were fired up to crash the surface along with a SOLID trout.

Cast after cast, redfish and speckled trout could not get enough of the topwater action.

The topwater bite does NOT die in between cold fronts or even in the middle of a temperature drop.

The post Debunking Winter Topwater Fishing Myths appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

I don’t think anyone out there can get enough of topwater action.

Getting those fish fired up and aggressive to strike the surface is unmatched.

So can frog lures trigger the same behavior from inshore saltwater fish as hard-body topwater lures?

Let’s dive into it!

Z-Man Goat ToadZ Review [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle shown below, and much more.

Featured Gear:

• Z-Man Goat ToadZ (White or Redbone)
• Z-Man ChinlockZ SWS Weighted Hooks
• Mustad Grip Pin Hooks

Topwater lures come in all different shapes and sizes with treble hooks or single hooks at different points on the lure.

As we exit summer and head into early fall, floating grass becomes a problem.

But, what if I told you there was a lure out there that triggered topwater strikes without catching any grass?

And on top of that, it needs no special retrieve at all…

Introducing the Z-Man Goat ToadZ Frog Lure!

A lot of people out there may not consider this as a bait for inshore saltwater fishing.

We’ve just recently added these to our online tackle store.

Perks Of Topwater Frog Lures

Topwater frog lures have the hook right on top of the lure.

So this does not collect floating grass because of that hook placement as opposed to traditional topwater lures.

Additionally, most topwater lures are walk-the-dog style or you need to impose action on the lure.

That is not the case with frog lures.

You can simply toss these lures out and reel them straight back to you.

The lure will sit right on the surface and the dangling legs behind the body of the lure displace water and create attraction.

Also, you can pause and retrieve this lure to have it sit right on the surface whenever needed.

When To Use Frog Lures

To start, first thing in the morning is always a good time for topwater bites.

However, frogs can be used at any time.

Moreover, these frogs are easily skippable beneath mangroves or docks.

Hook Choice

For these Z-Man Goat ToadZ, my go-to hook choices are Z-Man ChinlockZ SWS Weighted Hooks or Mustad Grip Pin Hooks.

Any type of hook that is exposed along the backside of the lure will match up well with these frog baits.

The reason I recommend the hooks I just mentioned is because of the lure keeper on the top of the hook shank by the nose of the lure.

That keeps the bait in place and prevents it from sliding down the hook.

3/0 or 4/0 hook sizes will work just fine.

When it comes to the weight of the hook, I recommend using a 1/16 oz. or 1/8 oz. weight.

Anything heavier than that can cause the lure to swim a bit deeper than intended.

Furthermore, the weight placement helps the bait land flat on the surface.

Z-Man Lures

Z-Man lures are extremely durable and can withstand catching a bunch of fish over a few trips.

However, because of that, they are not very dense.

They don’t cast as far as other frog lures might.

But they will last longer than other frog lures simply due to the material.

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

The post Will Frog Lures Work Inshore? [Z-Man Goat ToadZ Review] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

We’re pinning Slam Shady VS. F.R.E.D. on the Donkey Rig to see what gets more bites.

One rig, two lures – who wins?

Let’s find out!!

White VS. Pink Jerk Shads Lure Experiment [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle shown below, and much more.

How To Tie A Simple Donkey Rig

Gear Used:

• Slam Shady Jerk Shad
• F.R.E.D. the Jerk
• Hoss Helix Hooks (3/0 weighing 1/16 oz.)

The Donkey Rig can be extremely effective during late summer and early fall.

Bait is getting larger and this rig causes both lures to dart around and create lots of action.

To start, the F.R.E.D. was on the bottom hook, and the Slam Shady was a bit higher up.

But after every fish, I’ll switch the lures to collect better data on which one the fish prefer.

The first fish of the day was a snook that came up and hit the Slam Shady Jerk Shad!

After I reeled that fish in, I switched around the lures so the F.R.E.D. sits higher than the Slam Shady.

Later on, we moved out to a trout flat and hooked into another fish on the Slam Shady.

The tail got bit off the Slam Shady so I tore off the tail of the F.R.E.D. to maintain consistency.

F.R.E.D. got on the board a few casts later reeling in a small grouper followed by another trout.

After fishing those cut lures for a while, I swapped out the lures for two fresh ones.

With two lures out there, I thought I’d hook into two fish sooner rather than later.

And I was right!

I pulled up two trout on the Donkey Rig one on the Slam Shady and one on the F.R.E.D.!

Final Thoughts

When it was all said and done, Slam Shady had the clear advantage on this trip defeating the F.R.E.D. 8-3.

But if you have a solid lure with good action, you’ll hook into hungry fish.

Both of the lures used in this experiment caught fish.

It’s all about finding the zones with the feeding fish.

If you’ve been struggling to catch fish, it’s usually more about the spot rather than lure color choice.

That is what we do at Salt Strong.

We help you find the feeding zones in your area within seconds.

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

The post White VS. Pink Jerk Shads Lure Experiment: What Triggers More Strikes? appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

Rattles VS. No Rattles…what triggers more strikes?

Most topwater lures have rattles in them for additional attraction to call those fish in and strike.

But what would happen if you took those rattles out?

Get the scoop below!!

Topwater Lure Experiment: Rattles VS. No Rattles [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle shown below, and much more.

Moonwalker BOGO

(Use code Moonwalker at checkout to get an extra Moonwalker FREE with the purchase of one!)

No-Rattle Setup:

• Rod: 7’6 Slot Machine Custom Rod
• Reel: Custom Prototype
• Mainline: 10lb Daiwa J-Braid x8 Grand
• Leader: 20lb Ande Monofilament Leader with a 30lb bite tippet
• Lure: Moonwalker Topwater Lure (Prototype without rattles)

Rattle Setup:

• Rod: 7’6 TFO Professional Series Medium Power
• Reel: Daiwa Legalis 2500
• Mainline: 10lb Daiwa J-Braid x8 Grand
• Leader: 20lb Ande Monofilament Leader with a 30lb bite tippet
• Lure: Moonwalker Topwater Lure

For this test, I tied two Moonwalkers on similar setups to find out if rattles really make a difference.

One of these topwater lures is a prototype without any rattles.

After 3 casts, I switched to the other lure and kept that going for the entire test.

Topwater action is tough to beat.

Especially as we enter late summer and early fall, topwater fishing is going to light up before the sun rises each morning.

Early on in the test, a redfish came up and swallowed the lure with rattles.

When I switched over to the rattle-free lure, the fish kept coming up to hit the lure but would shy away after the initial strike.

It wasn’t until a few rounds of swaps later that I hooked into a fish on the rattle-free lure.

A couple of casts later using the lure with rattles and the snook were all over it!

The single inline hooks tend to avoid hooking into the smaller fish.

But the bigger fish will hear the commotion and smaller fish feeding which get them fired up and interested in taking a swipe at your lures.

My average catch size definitely goes up with single inline hooks.

The sun came up a little while later and shut down the topwater bite for the day.

Final Thoughts

This is not enough to arrive at a definitive conclusion.

There will definitely be more tests in this series.

However, it did seem as though the lure without rattles got more strikes.

But they had fewer follow-up hits.

For this test, I caught 1 snook on the no-rattles lure and 1 snook and 1 redfish on the lure with rattles.

The rattles had way more follow-up hits when fish came up to hit the lure and missed.

It seemed as though they were able to track down the louder lure after missing it better than the lure without rattles.

The topwater bite is just starting and will only get better.

There will definitely be more tests to come!!!

Please go ahead and let me know what you thought of this experiment down in the comments!

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

The post Topwater Lure Experiment: Rattles VS. No Rattles [What Gets More Bites?] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

I haven’t really focused much on nearshore fishing in the past until this year.

But it has quickly become one of my favorite ways to target fish and get tight lines.

Take a look below at the #1 jig I’ve been relying on to consistently get the job done!

The Recipe For Success When Fishing Nearshore Reefs [VIDEO]

Head over to the Smart Fishing Spots Platform

FEATURED EQUIPMENT:

• Lure 1: Power Prawn USA – F.R.E.D.
• Lure 2: Power Prawn USA – Original
• Jighead: Hoss Weedless Football – 3/4 oz with 5/0 Hook
• Reel: Daiwa BG MQ – 3000
• Rod: TFO Tactical Inshore MH 10 – 20 lb line
• Mainline: Daiwa J-Braid x8 Grand – 20 lb
• Leader: Ande Mono – 30 lb with 40lb bite tippet
• Scent: Dr. Juice Saltwater Slam Exclusive Scent

Here are the nearshore reef combos that I have personally used and highly recommend:

$385 BUDGET

• Rod: TFO Tactical Inshore MH 10 – 20 lb line
• Reel: Daiwa BG MQ – 3000

$305 BUDGET

• Rod: TFO Tactical Inshore MH 10 – 20 lb line
• Reel: Daiwa BG – 2500

$234 BUDGET

• Rod: TFO Pro MH 10 – 20 lb line
• Reel: Daiwa BG – 2500

My strategy as of late has been to actively jig the Power Prawn USA lure rigged on a Hoss Weedless Football Jighead in addition to a swimmer crab on a bait hook if we find them.

This approach has absolutely paid off on every nearshore trip.

The key is to remain stealthy and know the reef.

Don’t motor the boat across the reef and kill the bite.

If you know the reef in relation to the boat, you’ll be in the strike zone every time.

Smart Fishing Spots is the easiest way to stay in the right spot.

Head over to the Smart Fishing Spots Platform

The post The Recipe For Success When Fishing Nearshore Reefs appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

What I found was shocking given that a seemingly small color change seemed to make a massive difference for getting the big fish to bite.

The first day my wife had all of the big fish action when I gave her the shrimptreuse color, and then I had all of the action the following day when I was fishing with Joe and I claimed to lure with the chartreuse tail.

Here’s a fun video showing the action:

Chartreuse Tail vs. Natural Test

Featured Equipment:

• Lure 1: Power Prawn USA – Shrimptreuse
• Lure 2: Power Prawn USA – Original
• Jighead: Hoss Weedless Football – 3/4 oz with 5/0 Hook
• Reel: Daiwa BG MQ – 3000
• Rod: TFO Tactical Inshore MH 10 – 20 lb line
• Mainline: J-Braid 8 Grand – 20 lb
• Leader: Ande Mono – 30 lb
• Scent: Dr. Juice Saltwater Slam Exclusive Scent

Conclusion

Lure color can make a difference in some cases, so I’ll be sure to document as much testing as I can for us all to be able to have some data to support our colors used based on the conditions.

So far, it seems like the Chartreuse tail is helpful when the visibility is low vs. the natural which seems to get the top bites after the sun is higher up in the sky.

But much more testing is needed in order to say that for certain.

Please share any findings you’ve had for color options like these using the Comments section below.

Your Feedback Needed

I’ll be doing MANY more trips to nearshore reefs this summer, so please let me know about any specific topics you’d like me to focus on using the Comment feed below.

Tight Lines!

The post Chartreuse Tail vs. Natural Color Test [Power Prawns Nearshore] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.