FE NovemberSaltwater Lure of the Month: Sea Striker's Got-Cha Lures

FishingEnthusiast.com November Saltwater Lure of the Month

Sea Striker's Got-Cha Lure

Sea Striker’s Got-Cha Lure is a must when it comes to fishing for Spanish mackerel. This particular lure is designed for blue fish, trout, stripers, Spanish mackerel, lady fish, jacks, and many others. They are particularly effective when you throw them off a pier, bridge, or jetty.  The Got-Cha lures have proven effective from the Florida Keys to the great lakes (for Musky) and all along the eastern seaboard.

Anglers can fish the Got-cha lures in several different ways.  You can cast them straight out with the current, letting out some slack in your line so it sinks.  You may also cast against the tide, so the Got-cha starts sinking and coming back towards you immediately.  When using this technique, it is recommended that you cast out diagonally as opposed to straight out.  Once you feel the bait touch the bottom, start jigging it up so it does not snag.  Make sure to jig with your rod tip down.  The stripers and trout are hanging out near the bottom, and this is best way to go down and get them (yes you will catch some snags, but you will also catch more fish!). 

When fishing off the bridge, work the shadows (the area where the lights shining down reach the shadow of the bridge itself).  The area directly below the bridge is more shallow than the water in front, so be careful of snags! Some fishermen allow for the Got-Cha plug to just go straight to the bottom during a slacking tide and just bounce it up and down.  A longer rod is recommended for this maneuver.

If fishing from a boat, Got-cha plugs are good for jigging trout, stripers, and blues.  Let them sink towards the bottom, and then jig them back up.

FE November Freshwater Lure of the Month: Luhr Jensen's Nip-I-Diddee

November Freshwater Lure of the Month: 

Luhr Jensen's Nip-I-Diddee

One of the most popular topwater baits on the market are the propeller baits, better known as prop baits.  These baits come in two variations.  The first variation has a single propeller on the rear in front of the back treble hook.  This style spits out water to one side, or both, which then allows it to sit with the back propeller end slightly lower in the water than the head.  The second variation of prop baits has a prop on both ends of the lure, and makes twice as much commotion on the surface.  Both styles run fairly straight due to the propeller.  It is recommended with both styles to work with a continual retrieve, or jerk it through the water to create as much commotion as wanted in an irregular pattern across the water

The single prop lures tend to be better imitations of shad than the double prop styles. The double prop baits (like the Nip-I-Diddee) have been around since the 1950's.  The Cripple Killer and the Devil's Horse have been widely marketed since the early to mid 1950's.  Both of these lures (as were most other pop baits) used to be made out of wood. Today's lures are primarily made from hard plastic.  The Nip-I-Diddee has a low-resin, sugar pine body that is meant to continue the consistency of the old wood lures.

A light action rod and 6.3:1 gear ratio reel works best with the Nip-I-Diddee.  This lure is deadly for bass, pike, walleye, pickerel, channel bass, weak fish, and many other species.  Fish cruising slowly along weed beds, shore line, and lily pads will note the lure as it rides high preventing snagging while it's twin propellers flash, gurgle, and splash, enticing the big ones to strike.