Dredging shell for specks

The Texas and Louisiana coasts have lots of oyster reefs from large natural ones to small and medium-sized manmade reefs. The reefs on the south end tend to get red hot in spring but produce all year.

One of the keys to fishing these reefs is to match the hatch and during spring sand eels are prevalent on the reefs, which is why using eel imitations like Mr. Twister’s Slimy Slug and the Norton Sand Eel can produce.

As noted in my book, Texas Trout Tactics, the most important thing to keep in mind about any of these lures is to fish them on the right size jig head. Fishing with 1/8-ounce jig heads is great for shallow reefs with light currents, but you need something heavier that will get down to the bottom and be able to fight heavy spring currents.

Drift with the current and let the lure bounce, bump and crash into the oyster reef. Water conditions during spring usually range from off-colored to murky to just plain nasty so anything that might grab the attention of a trout is worth trying.

Make sure you have enough line out to where you are not vertically fishing. The lure will not be able to work properly that way. In addition, it is important to keep contact with the lure. These trout are not overly aggressive and they often lightly hit soft plastic lures. Use a super sensitive monofilament or braided line for best results.

Chester Moore