In order to fish Pedasi, do you really need a tackle box full of 100 or more lures? Nope; Not at all. I would be perfectly happy to fish Pedasi, or for that matter any warm saltwater ocean with just 4 lures. It’ll never happen as I love buying lures and tackle too much, but I would not feel handicapped with these 4 lures.
First and foremost give me a 6” unpainted cedar lure. This lure is deadly on Tuna, and we have caught just about everything that swims on one; Dorado, Sierra, and Jack Crevelle. Heck, we’ve even had a sailfish try to eat one.
When using the standard spread of three lines, we will always have one line rigged with a cedar plug, and more often than not we’ll have two or all three of the rods rigged up with cedar plugs. I’m as guilty as the next guy when it comes down to colors, I’ve tried them all, but we always seem to come back to the unpainted cedar plug. However, we have had good luck with red and white and purple, but it really depends on the day, and the fish will turn off on color sooner or later. The biggest key to selecting the plug is to make sure you get one from a quality manufacturer. In order to be truly effective, the plug needs to be slightly off balance in order to give it the proper swimming action. The one I consistently buy is made by Sea Strike; however, as long as it’s a quality lure, you should be fine. If the plug you are using is perfectly weighed, and tracks perfectly straight, you will not catch nearly the same number of fish.
The second lure I’ll never leave home without is the Rapala Magnum. I cannot count the number of brands of swim plugs I’ve used in Pedasi and elsewhere; however, nothing, and I mean nothing out fishes the Rapala Magnum. I love the Yo-Zuri Hydro Magnum for its durability, but the Rapala will out fish it three to one. Just like the cedar plug, the Rapala will catch just about anything the swims in the ocean. The biggest Wahoo Brett ever caught, and my one and only Rooster Fish both came on a Red/White
However, unlike the cedar plug, you definitely have to pay attention to color when fishing with the Rapala Magnum, or any swim bait for that matter. When using Rapala’s the first color I always use is red/white. The next most successful color for us is purple mackerel. However, I can’t stress enough the need to change colors early and often if you are not boating fish. You must also take into consideration the weather conditions. The cloudier the day, the darker the color of the lure should be.
The next lure I reach for is a 6 ½ Zuker tuna feather. My first color of choice will always be Mexican flag (2nd from left in the photo), closely followed by purple. Although they are called tuna feathers, these lures really shine when it comes to Dorado. Most all of our Dorado are caught on Zukers, and of course we still catch a ton on tuna on them as well.
Just like the Rapala, you need to play close attention on the color of the lure. The Mexican Flag works well in all weather conditions, but sometimes the fish turn finicky and will only eat one color of lure. Keep mixing and matching lures and make your changes when the bite slows down.
The fourth lure I always carry is the Yo-Zuri Bonita. This lure probably catches the least amount of fish, but it has accounted for some of the biggest tuna we have ever caught. Brett and I were out one day, and the only thing that would catch tuna was the Bonita. We caught some many fish with that lure in that the fish literally ate the paint right off of it.
Our standard practice is to start the day off with an unpainted cedar plug and a tuna feather on the outside lines and then run a Bonita off the center line, which should also be your heaviest rig.
OUR MOST FAMOUS LURE:
The following Yo-Zuri lure is anything but pretty. It has however caught a lot of fish of all species. We would usually setup 3 lines and put this one on center. Everytime this one’s in the water, we get fish.
Written by Eric P. Editted by Luis V and Brett M.
