Some Lures And Techniques

EDITOR'S NOTE: Anthony Randazzo works as a guide for Paradise Plus Guide Service. For more information on fishing the Mississippi Delta, write to 201 Bergeron Drive, Belle Chasse, LA 70037, or call Anthony Randazzo at (504) 656-9940.

QUESTION: What do you call this rubber-tailed jig?

ANSWER: This is the Riverside Croaker Tail. We use a 1/4-ounce jig head with a long shank hook, and we fish the 5-inch model. You can find it in a 4-inch and a 7-inch in an assortment of colors. It's got a real broad tail on it that enables you to fish it slowly. You can jig it on the bottom or swim it up off the bottom to give it the action you desire.

QUESTION: Why do you like this bait rather than other soft plastics?

ANSWER: I like the Riverside Croaker Tail because of its toughness. It's so durable that we can catch a lot of fish without having to change the lure out frequently. The Croaker Tail comes in some natural colors that we like to fish with, such as watermelon and chartreuse, and the makers also have impregnated it with Yum, a scent attractant that works extremely well in the saltwater arena.

QUESTION: On what pound test line are you fishing the Croaker Tail?

ANSWER: Mostly 12-pound test.

QUESTION: Why do you like 12-pound test line?

ANSWER: You get a little bit farther casting distance out of the line with 12-pound-test line than with heavier line. We double the line and tie a rigid knot called a spider hitch, which creates a leader twice the strength of the main line and enables us to handle large fish quite readily.

QUESTION: What rod and reel do you like?

ANSWER: I use a 7-foot medium-action Quantum rod and a 4-ball-bearing spinning reel.

QUESTION: What kind of action do you give the lure?

ANSWER: I give it an erratic twitching action, allowing it to sink a little bit and then jerking it up quickly off the bottom.

Tomorrow: The Best Time To Catch Speckled Trout