# Best Soft Plastics for Flounder



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Wanna add a few soft plastics dedicated to flounder... To be used in the surf and inside the inlets and creeks occasionally. 

I know I'm gonna get everyone saying Gulp, I have that covered with 2 colors of swimming mullet and shrimp. 

What regular soft plastics would you use? 3" twister tails? 3" paddle tail grubs like used for trout? DOA shrimp? What colors?

I will be tipping them with mud minnows, small finger mullet, or strips of some fish or squid.


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## Al Kai (Jan 8, 2007)

SmoothLures said:


> Wanna add a few soft plastics dedicated to flounder... To be used in the surf and inside the inlets and creeks occasionally.
> 
> I know I'm gonna get everyone saying Gulp, I have that covered with 2 colors of swimming mullet and shrimp.
> 
> ...


I catch them on curly tail grubs. Color depends on water color. White, Pumpkinseed, Motor oil.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Gulps,fin-s in the green or chartruese colors,twistertails motor oil to christmas tree color,as well as some of the swimbaits...


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## robc22 (Oct 20, 2009)

Pretty hard to beat a white 3 inch curly tail......I'm not big on gulp at all.....don't think they are worth the $$$$.........


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

5" Extreme Jerkbait by Fishbites in Chart/Glitter and White , Gulp , Fin"S" , BA's and 3 and 4 inch Swimbaits .


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## Ralph (Aug 1, 2002)

*Bass Assassin...*

makes a couple of plastic lures that i found work great as the waves swash at the OBX. they are called saltwater shad and shad assassin. a guy i meet several years ago in VA turned me onto them. we found them in the clearance bin at BPS. look for the color called albino.


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## fishforever (Aug 14, 2007)

if you have gulp in your bag then there is no need to have anything else. Some amazing flounder fishermen I know did extensive testing between gulp and regular soft plastics over the course of several days and gulp absolutely destroyed the other baits. For instance 4" white gulp mullet compared to 4" white twister and gulp out fished the twisters over and over again. If you are going to tip soft plastics with live bait why not just fish live bait?


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## robc22 (Oct 20, 2009)

*gulp*



fishforever said:


> if you have gulp in your bag then there is no need to have anything else. Some amazing flounder fishermen I know did extensive testing between gulp and regular soft plastics over the course of several days and gulp absolutely destroyed the other baits. For instance 4" white gulp mullet compared to 4" white twister and gulp out fished the twisters over and over again. If you are going to tip soft plastics with live bait why not just fish live bait?


Amazing how some folks have great experiences with gulp but others(my self and about fifty guys I can name) can't catch a thing with the stuff


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

robc22 said:


> Amazing how some folks have great experiences with gulp but others(my self and about fifty guys I can name) can't catch a thing with the stuff


Come see me in May or June .. I'll make you a believer  Seriously !

On another note I have fished Gulp from North Carolina to New Jersey and its been a killer bait . You'd be surprised at what will eat Gulp . There are times IMO that Gulp isnt the right choice or perhaps it doesnt make a difference in abnormally cold water or fast currents where the "scent" could be washed out or not strong enough to make a real difference .
Flounder , Weakfish , Stripers , Tog , Seabass , Blueline Tiles , Spot , Croakers , Bluefish and Grouper just to name a few frequently fall prey to Gulp for me 
In the past 4 years I have landed near or over 1000 Flounder over 18"

Let me know when your ready to believe


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Normark said:


> Come see me in May or June .. I'll make you a believer  Seriously !
> 
> On another note I have fished Gulp from North Carolina to New Jersey and its been a killer bait . You'd be surprised at what will eat Gulp . There are times IMO that Gulp isnt the right choice or perhaps it doesnt make a difference in abnormally cold water or fast currents where the "scent" could be washed out or not strong enough to make a real difference .
> Flounder , Weakfish , Stripers , Tog , Seabass , Blueline Tiles , Spot , Croakers , Bluefish and Grouper just to name a few frequently fall prey to Gulp for me
> ...


 Add Cobes,drum,and triggers for me...


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Al Kai said:


> I catch them on curly tail grubs. Color depends on water color. White, Pumpkinseed, Motor oil.


Yep. Up here in Yankee land pink, chartreuse and red/white work grate. I also use the small storm shads. They work as well.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Drumdum said:


> Add Cobes,drum,and triggers for me...


What no Specks


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Normark said:


> What no Specks


 Whoops,forgot them,and seabass... They'll probably catch anything that swims,caught a bunch of different species on gulps though..


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## MDubious (May 10, 2008)

Ron-Z's man those became my go to plastic for everything a couple years ago. Probably the most confident lure in my surf bag


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

Normark said:


> Spot , Croakers


Which type, size, color, scent, etc.... of Gulp works for spot and croaker? 

Thanks


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

Normark said:


> Come see me in May or June .. I'll make you a believer  Seriously !
> ...
> Let me know when your ready to believe


Can I take you up on this also?!?!


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

BTW I have told this story before but my first drum (a nice slot) was caught on a guld shrimp! Everyone else was jigging pink worms for trout but my red was the only one caught and on Gulp!, Made me a believer!


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

spydermn said:


> Can I take you up on this also?!?!


Certainly


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Thrifty Angler said:


> Which type, size, color, scent, etc.... of Gulp works for spot and croaker?
> 
> Thanks


Croakers and Spot will hit the Gulp Mullets 3 and 4 inch .. any color but the best Gulp for Croakers is the Gulp Shrimp in the 2 or 3 inch size . Last year I was cutting them into 1" chunks and ripping lips off them hardheads


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

If you twitch it right, all you need is bass assasin IMO.


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## robc22 (Oct 20, 2009)

*gulp*

I'm not trying to stir the pot here but gulp baits work for crap up this way....they are expensive and couldn't catch poop!!!
Maybe they are great baits in the southern part of the country but they don't seem to work in New England water's.......

I have friends and family that fish in the U.K. and they are not to impressed with gulp baits......

http://www.sea-fishing.org/ftopict-22563.html

http://www.sea-fishing.org/ftopict-21986.html

http://www.sea-fishing.org/ftopict-21559.html


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

robc22 said:


> I'm not trying to stir the pot here but gulp baits work for crap up this way....they are expensive and couldn't catch poop!!!
> Maybe they are great baits in the southern part of the country but they don't seem to work in New England water's.......
> 
> I have friends and family that fish in the U.K. and they are not to impressed with gulp baits......
> ...


Rob it sounds to me like they want an alternative to bait to use deadsticking . It also sounds like they dont often use lures . What kind of fish are they after ?
You could be right that Gulp doesnt work "Well" up North but I doubt it .. A Flounder is a Flounder and it will eat GULP .


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## robc22 (Oct 20, 2009)

Normark said:


> Rob it sounds to me like they want an alternative to bait to use deadsticking . It also sounds like they dont often use lures . What kind of fish are they after ?
> You could be right that Gulp doesnt work "Well" up North but I doubt it .. A Flounder is a Flounder and it will eat GULP .


Cod, dabs,european bass,flounder,plaice,mackerel,etc..... gulp does not seem to get the job done......About one month from now there is the remants of an old new england shore fishery that kicks off......beach fishing for atlantic cod.....I will try gulp baits....water is very cold....32 degrees F to 40 degrees F.......guys, lets see if gulp can get the job done......any input is welcome!!!


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

robc22 said:


> Cod, dabs,european bass,flounder,plaice,mackerel,etc..... gulp does not seem to get the job done......About one month from now there is the remants of an old new england shore fishery that kicks off......beach fishing for atlantic cod.....I will try gulp baits....water is very cold....32 degrees F to 40 degrees F.......guys, lets see if gulp can get the job done......any input is welcome!!!


Think of Gulp like a Lure and NOT Bait .


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## robc22 (Oct 20, 2009)

*coldwater fishing the gulp bait.....*



Normark said:


> Think of Gulp like a Lure and NOT Bait .


The bait will fishing on a droppa rig in a 4-5 knot current......This rig is longcasted.....The rig will bounce along the bottom......35-50 feet of water....cape cod canal.......any input welcome....


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

Normark said:


> Croakers and Spot will hit the Gulp Mullets 3 and 4 inch .. any color but the best Gulp for Croakers is the Gulp Shrimp in the 2 or 3 inch size . Last year I was cutting them into 1" chunks and ripping lips off them hardheads


Thanks. One more question...which variety/color of the 2-3 inch Saltwater Gulp Shrimp do you use...either whole or by cutting up? I'll be fishing the Virginia Saltwater areas only.

new penny
pearl white
molting
natural shrimp
glow 
lime tiger glow
rootbeer gold
camo
sugar and spice glow
mango ripple glow


Thanks again.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Thrifty Angler said:


> Thanks. One more question...which variety/color of the 2-3 inch Saltwater Gulp Shrimp do you use...either whole or by cutting up? I'll be fishing the Virginia Saltwater areas only.
> 
> new penny
> pearl white
> ...


new penny
pearl white
molting
natural shrimp
glow 
sugar and spice glow

All of those are tried and true .

I use them whole but when its just right you can conserve and cut them up .. The ones I normally cut up are the larger 4" Shrimp .

Its kind of funny that we (many of us in DE) try to stay away from Croakers , Spot and Bluefish when using Gulp (We use cheaper plastics like BA's and Fin"S") but when the "place" is packed and you just want some pullage amongst way too many deadstickers you have to settle for what you get and many times thats means hunkering down in one spot and catching Hardheads with an occasional Flounder , Striper and or Weakfish .. not to mention Shad , Seabass , Oysyercrackers , Porgy , Searobin , Skate , Rays and Crabs


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

I'm on a crusade to use more artificial soft baits this upcoming season.
Sorta tired of the messy real thing.

Sure wished you had mentioned the junk fish earlier...._Oysyercrackers, Searobin , Skate , Rays._ Guess they will hit anything ....real or artificial. 

Hope they don't clean me out of the pricey Gulps.  I prefer to have quality fish such as croaker, spot, blues take the good stuff. 

I might try to chop up the Gulp pearl white swimming mullets I used last season. Too many tails taken off...yet not many hook ups.

Thanks again.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Any reason there's not many people recommending the DOA and Saltwater Assassin 3" paddle tail grubs used for trout? Just curious.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

The Gulps have worked well for me but Mirrolure is coming out with a bait that is similiar to the gulp and it also has a sent to it.


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## seajay (Dec 18, 2005)

SmoothLures said:


> Any reason there's not many people recommending the DOA and Saltwater Assassin 3" paddle tail grubs used for trout? Just curious.


Now there is two Great Plastics. The DOA Shrimp under a popping cork is deadly on Reds,Flounder and Trout. :fishing::beer:


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

It might be a little different down here, but my two favorites on the flats along the Gulf Coast of Florida are the Gulp shrimp or a D.O.A. CAL shad tail on a jig head. 



















These two baits in a variety of colors have produced the most flatties for me over the last few years. 

I've had success on the East Coast of Florida as well around Fort Pierce and Sebastian Inlet. Conditions there are more similar to what you up north East Coasters get.


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## troutfishr (Nov 30, 2005)

*Best soft plastic for flounder*

I don't think there is a "best" soft plastic or lure for flounder or any fish for that matter, they all work good if the fish are eating in that particular water at the time. There have been times here around southport/oak-island that I have outfished both live and artificial bait with flies, white halfandhalf, when I'm flyfishing for flatties, that is my fly of choice.


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

MDubious said:


> Ron-Z's man those became my go to plastic for everything a couple years ago. Probably the most confident lure in my surf bag


I came across this article while looking into Ron-Z artificials. Perhaps the beginning of a trend.
http://fishingblog.projo.com/2010/01/cape-cod-lure-m.html


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