5 PLACES TO THROW SALTWATER SWIMBAITS
The swimbait is one of the most user-friendly lures ever invented, as the self-explanatory category title bespeaks a straightforward presentation that literally does the work for you. LIVETARGET elevates this premise with incredibly lifelike swimbait designs like the Menhaden, Sardine and Mullet — spot-on replicas of the highly-favored southern coastal forage favorites.
With clear motion-generating oscillators extending past the incredibly lifelike body details, these swimbaits benefit from meticulously engineered fish-attracting motion, while maintaining anatomically correct proportions. Nothing wrong with cast netting live bait, but LIVETARGET swimbaits offer a convenient, time-efficient option that puts fish in the boat.
Appealing to a wide range of coastal and inshore predators, these baits are balanced for an upright motion, so they track straight. A heavy duty hook ensures solid connections, while the dorsal fin alignment helps the bait smoothly navigate sea grass or any other potential obstructions.
Rig these lures on stout baitcasting tackle of beefy spinning gear spooled with 30- to 50-pound braided line and a fluorocarbon leader appropriate for habitat and targeted species. Any predator accustomed to hunting menhaden, mullet or scaled sardines (aka “pilchards” or “whitebait”) will be drawn to the perfect imitations of their well-known dietary staples.
Common scenarios include:
Coastal Marsh Points: From the Carolina-Georgia coast, to Florida’s northwest marshes, to the Mississippi Delta, grassy points are natural feeding zones for over-slot“bull" redfish. Thundering across the shallows, these bulging behemoths aggressively pursue bait schools and LIVETARGET swimbaits offer profiles they’re well-accustomed to eating.
Mangrove Edges: Throughout the Florida Everglades, Charlotte Harbor, Tampa Bay and anywhere tides draw scaled sardines and finger mullet along the mangrove shorelines, LIVETARGET swimbaits allow you to make precise casts to the deeper holes and island tips where snook, redfish and juvenile tarpon ravage passing meals.
Deep Potholes: Sandy depressions scattered throughout seagrass beds are prime hunting grounds for speckled trout. Most will readily eat the LIVETARGET Sardine swimbait, but where giant “gator” trout roam, don’t hesitate to throw the LIVETARGET Mullet swimbait. Big fish eat big baits.
Light and Darkness: When tarpon patrol bridge shadow lines, late night missions that involve retrieving a LIVETARGET Mullet swimbait along this boundary often yield heart-pounding adventure.
Targets of Opportunity: Cobia are one of the sea’s toughest fighters and their firm, white filets make them a prized catch. They’re just not the savviest of species.
Fact is, many of the cobia caught in coastal to offshore waters present easy sight fishing opportunities when they literally swim up to a transom, apparently searching for food. They’ll certainly pounce on any live bait tossed their way, but netting a livie from the well, hooking it and making the presentation takes time. It may be only seconds, but cobia can disappear as fast as they appear, so keeping that LIVETARGET swimbait handy can help you capitalize on sweet opportunities.
Moreover, in any scenario, burning a live bait back to the boat to make another cast often washes out the bait and renders it weak and less appealing. Not so with a form of plastic and metal. Just another reason to keep a LIVETARGET swimbait on standby.