cheap alternatives versus a got-cha plug

[bluefish1928]

any ideas of lures that catch as well as the got-cha plug?
that will catch Spanish and blues off piers or other elevated spots

bucktail jigs
jighead and grub

any other ideas?

[Drumdum]

As versitile and as many different species as a gotcha catches,I'll stick with the real deal...

[OBX_Nomad]

Nothing, absolutely nothing, catches blues and spanish like a Got-Cha. Why mess with perfection?

[SnookMook]

Clark Spoons work great down here in Florida as well. As a matter of fact many anglers prefer a Clark Spoon over a Gotcha Plug especially from an elevated pier, jetty, bridge.

A good technique is to tie a small egg or barrel sinker above a swivel and have the spoon trailing on about three feet of leader. The weight gets the spoon down in the water column a bit while retrieving from the higher elevation.

However, a Gotcha Plug is still a go to lure down here as well.

[bluefish1928]

Nothing, absolutely nothing, catches blues and spanish like a Got-Cha. Why mess with perfection?

rising cost. they used to be 2 dollars, now its about 3 at cheaper places, and 4 dollars at many tackle shops

[OBX_Nomad]

Let me know if you find something cheaper that works better.

[SmoothLures]

You've used tree rigs haven't you? Slow them down a bit and you'll usually find a few small blues.

[hengstthomas]

rising cost. they used to be 2 dollars, now its about 3 at cheaper places, and 4 dollars at many tackle shops

Have you tried Walmart ? They used to and still may carry them in 3 packs for around 6 bucks .

[brandonmc]

Three packs in Southport are about $9.00 but it's still a deal considering the amount of fish it can yield.

[bluefish1928]

You've used tree rigs haven't you? Slow them down a bit and you'll usually find a few small blues.

yeh in fact i did remember one instance when i just left my rod there to get a can of soda and came back with 2 blues hooked without jigging it at all.

[bluefish1928]

Clark Spoons work great down here in Florida as well. As a matter of fact many anglers prefer a Clark Spoon over a Gotcha Plug especially from an elevated pier, jetty, bridge.

A good technique is to tie a small egg or barrel sinker above a swivel and have the spoon trailing on about three feet of leader. The weight gets the spoon down in the water column a bit while retrieving from the higher elevation.

However, a Gotcha Plug is still a go to lure down here as well.

i happen to have a clarkspoon lying around(came with a tree rig), thanks for the idea. was never sure how to cast that light thing

[SnookMook]

Bluefish--Trust me I've caught many a Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and bonito with a Clark Spoon in that fashion. It definitely works and is highly effective. It's a very popular technique down here in Florida on both coasts.

[Drumdum]

Bluefish--Trust me I've caught many a Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and bonito with a Clark Spoon in that fashion. It definitely works and is highly effective. It's a very popular technique down here in Florida on both coasts.

We've done the same here in NC for yrs,although it seems a higher percentage of fish are caught with gotchas... If fish are feeding on siversides,a clarkspoon is the stuff... Kinda hard to get rid of a gotcha...

[Jesse Lockowitz]

find gotchas all day here under three bucks. up til last year when one shop closed near MHC their price was 2.15 for a long time. dunno how much cheaper ya can get.

the remakes like the tsunami gotcha imitations dont work good in the water.



always have a half dozen of the small, and a handful of MAG gotchas in the boat bag...never know..

[Mega Bite]

Clark spoons work really well on the Troll they also work casting.A small 1 oz trolling weight usually makes them even more effective.As soon as the water reaches 72 degrees we start to catch the Spanish.We caught about 2300 Spanish on a Clark spoon this season. Alot of them were caught less than 40 yards away from the Sandbridge and Virginia Beach piers.A cheep alternative would be to pour your own 1 oz trolling weights and smash them in a vise afterwards put a snap ring on one end with a treble hook,spray paint them gold,silver,red,white or chartreuse.

[Tracker16]

I like Gotchas but I've been catching Spanish and blues with Clarks for as long as I can remember. I always trolled with them but I'm gonna try that trolling lead and casting idea a couple of you mentioned.

[Charlie2]

I make my own Gotchas from old BIC pen barrels.

Some wire, a couple of treble hooks and a homemade lead head. A swivel on the front end and a dab of paint. C2

[Tacpayne]

I make my own Gotchas from old BIC pen barrels.

Some wire, a couple of treble hooks and a homemade lead head. A swivel on the front end and a dab of paint. C2

I remeber reading your post about making the lead head before. how do you attach teh lead heads to the body?

[Fishman]

any one ever try a straw rig?

[Mega Bite]

Yep we make them out of drinking straws,coffee stir sitcks,heat shrink tubing and other fly making materials.

[chris storrs]

i hate gotcha plugs..catch plenty fish..but dont like the jiggin part..i use stingsilvers...and catch as many as anyone around me

[Jesse Lockowitz]

i hate gotcha plugs..catch plenty fish..but dont like the jiggin part..i use stingsilvers...and catch as many as anyone around me

hater.

[Charlie2]

I remeber reading your post about making the lead head before. how do you attach teh lead heads to the body?

I make the heads using a two stage hole(s) in a block of wood. They are close to being a friction fit but I do use a dab of two part epoxy to hold it inside the tube. C2

[brandonmc]

If you already have some Clarkspoons try out the Clarkspoon caster.

[Fishman]

If you already have some Clarkspoons try out the Clarkspoon caster.

Is this what you are talking about

http://www.seastriker.com/clarkspoon...larkcaster.htm