| Among the millions of saltwater fishing lures are a | | | | other setups have a single hook which is the trailing |
| few designs which are considered to be essential for | | | | lure. |
| catching striped bass and bluefish along the Atlantic | | | | Spoons |
| Coast of the USA. These include umbrella rigs, | | | | Spoons are essential lures for striped bass and |
| tandem rigs, parachute jigs, bucktail jigs, spoons, and | | | | bluefish. Used for trolling, spoons come in a variety of |
| plugs. | | | | shapes, sizes and colors. Trolling with spoons is a time |
| Jigs | | | | honored technique that requires a certain amount of |
| This family of lures have a wide variety of | | | | experience. Rigging spoons is critical, with leader |
| applications in saltwater fishing. Jigs are available in | | | | length, the use of drails (weights) and proper choice |
| sizes for any fishing situation, with the most popular | | | | of swivels being important factors. |
| lure weights ranging from 3/8 oz. to monster jigs of | | | | Speed is a very important variable when fishing |
| 16 oz. or more. Lead head jigs are divided into 2 basic | | | | spoons. For peak performance, lure speed must be |
| categories; bare hooks and skirted lures. Both types | | | | adjusted by watching the rod tip for a tell-tale |
| of jigs are standard equipment for catching striped | | | | "thump-thump-pause" action. This pattern occurs at |
| bass and bluefish. | | | | different speeds, depending on lure model, size and |
| Skirted jigs usually have a painted head and are | | | | other factors. The series of thumps and pauses is |
| dressed with a body made of deer hair (called | | | | created as the spoon wobbles several times and |
| bucktail), feathers or synthetic materials. These jigs | | | | finally makes a complete rotation. |
| can be fished alone or combined with soft plastics or | | | | A correctly rigged large spoon will wobble 2-4 times |
| natural strip baits such as pork rinds, squid, | | | | before rotating, repeating this action continually. |
| bloodworms, fish belly, eel skins, cut crab or other | | | | Depending on the size of fish targeted and prevailing |
| local options. | | | | sizes of local baitfish, spoons may be chosen from |
| Bare jigs are meant to accommodate soft plastic | | | | 2-3 inches to enormous models of 12 inches or more. |
| bodies or in some cases natural baits. A myriad of | | | | The depth of spoons are controlled by speed, line |
| soft plastic bodies are available, including designs that | | | | type and trolling weights (drails) which are attached in |
| mimic shad, herring, bunker, silversides, eels, ballyhoo | | | | front of the spoon. A 20-30 foot leader connects the |
| and other species of baitfish. | | | | spoon to the drail. Some anglers replace inline drails |
| Parachute jigs are popular for catching striped bass | | | | with large jigs which are connected via a 3 way |
| and bluefish. These special jigs are characterized by | | | | swivel. The jig provides the necessary weight, while |
| their large sizes and unique skirts. The jigs have | | | | acting as an additional lure. These tandem jig-spoon |
| synthetic hair, tied in reverse so as to create a | | | | combos can be deadly in some environments. |
| "parachute" shape when trolled or jigged. Parachute | | | | Swimming Plugs |
| jigs are usually dressed with large plastic shad bodies. | | | | Plugs are another option for striped bass and bluefish. |
| Tandem Rigs | | | | Plugs vary greatly in size, shape and action but all |
| Tandem rigs come in several forms. The basic | | | | share a few common aspects that contribute to their |
| tandem rig for striped bass or bluefish consists of 2 | | | | effectiveness. Plugs have a hard body, either one |
| jigs attached to a 3 way swivel. The rig can utilize | | | | piece or jointed. Most plugs today are produced with |
| matched jigs, or pair a large jig with a smaller but | | | | plastics which are formed in a mold. This process |
| similar lure. The leader lengths are always staggered, | | | | allows lure makers to insert a segment of wire which |
| which lessens tangles. Other tandem rigs can include | | | | includes the front eye as well as connection points |
| combinations of jigs with spoons, plugs, soft plastics | | | | for one or more hooks. |
| or other lures. | | | | A few plugs are rigged with a single hook although |
| Umbrella Rigs | | | | most are armed with 2 or 3 sets of treble hooks. |
| Umbrella rigs have been around for decades, but had | | | | The depth and action of the plug is determined by its |
| a surge of sales when striped bass rebounded along | | | | size, shape, weight and other factors. Some plugs |
| the Atlantic coast in the 90's. These odd looking rigs | | | | have a lip or cupped protrusion on the front which |
| have 3-6 arms which spread out from a center | | | | acts as a steering device. Plugs with large, angled lips |
| weight. A snap on the weight allows a connection for | | | | tend to run at greater depths while other variations |
| the main lure which trails some distance behind the | | | | have a small, less angled lip which serves makes the |
| arms. | | | | lure sway back and forth rather than track |
| Teasers can be attached to the arms via rings that | | | | downward. |
| are located midway and on the ends. A less | | | | Anglers that troll for striped bass and bluefish often |
| complicated variation is a lightweight "mini" 4 arm | | | | include a deep diving plug in the spread of lures. Lure |
| umbrella which is rigged with a single teaser per arm. | | | | selection is limited to high quality, sturdy built versions |
| Umbrellas are rigged using a variety of components | | | | as either species will destroy cheaply designed plugs. |
| including shad bodies, plastic grubs, surgical hose, | | | | Favorite colors for swimming plugs include red and |
| bucktail jigs, parachute jigs, swimming plugs and | | | | white, silver, chartreuse or blue. |
| others. In some cases the teasers have hooks, while | | | | |