# cheap alternatives versus a got-cha plug



## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

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?


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

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


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

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


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

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.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

OBX_Nomad said:


> 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


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

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


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

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


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

bluefish1928 said:


> 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 .


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## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

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


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

SmoothLures said:


> 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.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

SnookMook said:


> 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


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

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.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

SnookMook said:


> 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...


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

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..


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## Mega Bite (Nov 7, 2009)

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.


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## Tracker16 (Feb 16, 2009)

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.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Gotchas*

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


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

Charlie2 said:


> 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?


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

any one ever try a straw rig?


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## Mega Bite (Nov 7, 2009)

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


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## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

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


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

chris storrs said:


> 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.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Homemade Lead Heads for Gotchas*



Tacpayne said:


> 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


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## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

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


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

brandonmc said:


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


Is this what you are talking about

http://www.seastriker.com/clarkspoon/clarkspoon_files/clarkcaster.htm


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## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

That's it.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

looks like a good lure for bluefish, no trebles.


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Fishman said:


> any one ever try a straw rig?












Fishman--We use these all the time down here in Florida. It's kind of like a straw jig.

Thanks for the link on those Clark Spoon Casters. I've never seen those before.


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## blaminack (Apr 10, 2009)

My favorite way to catch spanish is to use a 2-3' 30# flourocarbon leader tied to a long shank worm hook, like a Gamakatsi or Owner. Then Sabiki some small Scaled Sardines etc. what ever is holding under the pier that is attracting the spanish in the first place and cast those on light tackle. No weight. If it dies just twitch the rod tip every 20 seconds or so and HOLD ON!!!!!! Easy work and explosive strikes. I caught a 15# King last sunday doing this very thing. It is a total blast. Yes you get cut off a good bit, but the long shank acts as a bite guard. There is usually no need to set the hook. I really love doing this on the days when you can see them. That is the most fun, but it is a hoot even if you can't. Hold the rod tight and keep the drag light.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

That's a very good way to catch the larger spanish also. I find that usually the big ones prefer a piece of meat versus metal.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

SnookMook said:


> Fishman--We use these all the time down here in Florida. It's kind of like a straw jig.
> 
> Thanks for the link on those Clark Spoon Casters. I've never seen those before.


Snook glad to help out on the Clark Spoon Casters. I’ve never seen them before and I spent four years working in a tackle shop. As far as the straw lure goes it’s mainly made with a straw an egg sinker a hook and either some leader material or wire.


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Fishman--I hear ya on those Clark Spoon Casters. Part time saltwater writer and life long angler who devours fishing mags, scours the baitshops, and constantly surfs the web, and I've never seen them either. 

How new are they? Do you know how long they've been out?


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

SnookMook said:


> Fishman--I hear ya on those Clark Spoon Casters. Part time saltwater writer and life long angler who devours fishing mags, scours the baitshops, and constantly surfs the web, and I've never seen them either.
> 
> How new are they? Do you know how long they've been out?


Snook wish I could help ya out on that on. I found this on the seastriker website when I say the Clark Spoon Caster mentioned in the earlier post.


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

2" Clarkspoon = $3.99
Clark Caster = $3.49 for 2 pack

Will stick to my $3.00 Got-cha. . . tried and proven!


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## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

The Clarkspoon casters were developed by a local tackle shop owner. Tex, of Tex's Tackle came up with the concept a few years ago. In conjunction with a new Clarkspoon they are definitely more expensive than a Gotcha. That's why I said IF you had the spoons and wanted to try something different.

There is nothing on the market to replace my trusty Gotchas. I have caught blues, spanish, trout, flounder, pompano, bonito, false albacore, whiting and a variety of others on Gotchas! Talk about versatile! I've never done it, but I have even seen king mackerel caught on a Gotcha.


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

was just in Max-way a bit ago and saw they had the clarkspoon casters in there... $6.50 for a spoon and caster in the 1/2 oz size... still got a bunch of $3.00 gotcha's in there though...


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

I can still get gotcha's for 2.50 or 2.60 anytime I want them


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Gotcha Lures*



Tacpayne said:


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


My heads are made with a mold that is graduated(2 drill sizes). The smaller of the two is almost the same size as the inside of Bic pen so it's almost a friction fit.

I do apply a bit of adhesive to hold things together.

Sorry about the delay but I'm 'surfing' old posts. C2


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