[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ell by this writing, December 15th, our Gulf water temps are moving from around 50 on up to 56-57 degrees most afternoons, which is considerably colder than a few weeks ago. Twice on charters we have had to switch to MirrOlure Catch 2000’s and MirrOdines to catch our fish as they wouldn’t swing at live bait. 50 – 55 degrees will chill the trout such that they will quit attempting to eat a live shrimp, maybe because the shrimp bury up around that temperature or perhaps their metabolism is so slowed their instincts say, “why bother?” as they “know” they simply can’t catch the darn thing.
It is here that I emphasize why the MirrOlure Catch 2000 is so deadly. Realize the very name of this lure is describing to you how to fish it and how it “catches” fish? The word catch as in the sentence, “Willie Mays sure could catch those high flies!” is trying to tell you something. You really don’t have to “work” the Catch 2000, just let it drop and the fish will catch it as it is slowly dropping.
If you just have to do something, twitch it back up and let it drop again. Realize you don’t make them hit it, as with some plugs, but rather they hit it as it “drops.” Cold-blooded fish in water temps below 55 degrees catch the lure because of the built-in tantalizingly s-l-o-w drop rate (which is the only action it requires) not because of any action you might add or impart to the lure. The drop rate of this lure matches the metabolic speed, if you please, at which fish at this temperature are able to move. Work it any faster and they simply watch your bait go by and don’t even bother to move towards it; much less try and eat it!
Now, go out and prosper with the Catch and the MirrOdine series of baits, as they work based on the same identical principle, only di fference is, the MirrOdines have a “pin fish” shape and flash for more action when the trout are still eating pin fish. When they shift over to shrimp the Catch series are the more e ffective choice.
Gulp and live shrimp rigged under Cajun and Back Bay Thunders will still take a few January fish but only if those water temps come back up closer to 60 degrees. Remove your jigs and fish unweighted under your Thunders for more strikes and limits in January. Also double or triple your pause or wait between “pops” and give the trout time to respond and get over to your o fferings. Until Then!
Let’s Go Fishing!