Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine

Five Trout and Redfish Lures for Fishing the Lights

The month of March signals the start of Springtime fishing trends along the Gulf coast. Soon, newly hatched finfish and crustaceans will swarm canal green lights and other sources of nighttime luminescence. Hungry trout and redfish won’t be far behind to gorge on these tiny treats.

Under the scrutiny of the lights, it’s best to downsize your lures and tackle. Use smaller, transparent lures to best imitate the prey of these evening predators. Lures that glow in the dark also draw attention. Although, there may be times where the fish are feeding so fierce that just about anything moving will entice a strike. Other times, you may encounter stubborn fish that ignore all of your offerings.

Try these proven lures next time you find yourself fishing a set of canal lights, causeway lights or your favorite lighted pier.

Rapala^® Husky Jerk^™ 

Typically thought of as a freshwater lure, the Husky Jerk^™ in Glass Minnow is an absolute killer under the lights. It can be retrieved straight but works best when twitched and paused. Pick the smaller sized HJ06 or HJ08 lures.

MirrOlure^® MirrOdine^™

The darting, side-to-side motion of the MirrOdine^™ mimics a wounded baitfish and presents an easy meal to nighttime trout and reds. Quickly twitch retrieve this bait to aggressively feeding fish.

Yo-Zuri^® 3DS Minnow^™

Yo-Zuri has taken its years of experience and technological research and created a formidable weapon for anglers targeting inshore gamefish. The 3DS Minnow^™ is a versatile lure that works well retrieved straight or twitched. The color Luminescent Aurora Chartreuse, new for 2014, should be perfect for fishing the lights.

Rat-L-Trap^® Tiny Trap^™

Another freshwater import, the 1/8 ounce Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap^® has the flash and sound to pique the attention of hungry fish. Buzz this lure through the edge of the lights and be ready for a vicious strike.