by Fishin’ Frank
Coastal Angler Magazine can give you insights into what and when the next hot bite will be. When you read a report from north of you and the fish are really hitting along the gulf and the water temp starts to drop it is most likely that the fish will start to move south, and just the opposite cold weather getting warmer will start the fish moving from the south back north so don’t just read your area check out other areas to see what is coming your way, and you can easily do this as Coastal Angler Magazine covers the entire Southwest Florida Region! I also suggest that you want to know the next big flats lure, read some fresh water fishing articles. Why fresh water? Because almost everything crosses over. As I was traveling Europe selling fishing tackle I found myself trying to fish many places I had never seen or even heard of, some fresh and some saltwater. With no time to learn the water, different fish new lures and styles, I decided to just do what I knew how to do. When I did not catch fish, I would find out what the locals used and how they used it. But to be truthful in a humble brag, I often out fish, and out caught the locals. So, use what you know and are good with before you try the local way. You might have the best lure or style ever used there.
Many times a new lure which the fish have not seen before is very likely to be very interesting maybe the fish strike it to kill a new species or hey like a new candy bar in the store just would like to try something different. Cross over lures and rigs from fresh to salt is nothing new but we tend to give rigs different names. A Knocker rig for grouper fishing is the same as a Texas rig for bass fishing. And a Carolina rig as a salt water slip sinker rig. I can name two lures that go from fresh to salt easily – Number 1 the Storm twitch stick, which was invented for the Canadian Bass fishing market but catches everything in salt water. Once you understand that good lures are good lures no matter where you use them, you start to get the idea that if a lure is hot in the Bass Tournaments it will find its way to the flats. And many flats lures find their way to the fresh water market. My point is that you never know where the next great thing will come from. Good luck and try doing what you do best, if that does not work check with your local tackle store for help. If what you are using what really works great, let me know. I would like to stock them. After all I do own a tackle store!