Trout Thumpers were designed specifically for Speckled Trout. They imitate bait fish, come in a wide range of weights, and will absolutely help you catch fish! They sink more slowly than a soft plastic on a jig head because the weight of a Trout Thumper is in the middle. That means they're also easier to keep off the bottom in shallow water.
BuggTail Jigs are also effective on Speckled Trout. They imitate bait fish, and will fall more quickly than a Trout Thumper. Both of these Buggs look alive in the water. They're best fished in two feet or more of water. They'll definitely help you catch Speckled Trout!
Curl-Tail Redfish Jigs and Beastie Buggs are really effective in shallow water, three feet or less.
I've accidentally caught lots of Speckled Trout on Curl-Tails in shallow water when I've been fishing for Redfish. When Specks are up shallow, they're equal opportunity consumers of the same smaller baitfish, shrimp, and crabs that Redfish eat. The same goes for Beastie Buggs, one of the best Buggs for sight fishing in shallow water. Speckled Trout cruising the shallows will definitely eat Beastie Buggs. They work great when jigged above the grass or when bumped along a sandy bottom or in pot holes.
Let's say you're seeing fish chasing small shrimp or glass minnows...
Click-Bait Shrimp imitate small shrimp and are super weedless. They land softly and work great both blind casting and sight casting. You have to keep them moving, however. I prefer a straight retrieve when casting to feeding fish, and to mix in twitches when blind casting.
Click-Bait Minnows imitate glass minnows and are super weedless as well. They land softly and work great both blind casting and sight casting. You also have to keep them moving. I prefer a straight retrieve when casting to feeding fish, and to mix in twitches when blind casting.
Ned Buggs are effective when sight fishing and when the fish want a slower retrieve. They imitate small crabs or shrimp and look alive just sitting on the bottom. Ned Minnow Buggs are tied on the same jig head and have a longer profile. Same idea: fish it slowly, bumped along the bottom.
These Buggs will definitely help you catch Speckled Trout. I have another idea in my head that will get made at some point in the future. It's a bigger baitfish imitation that will sink slowly and will kind of walk underwater from side to side. If you like this idea, drop me a line and let me know what colors you'd like to see: heath@buggsfishing.com.
