We’re in the home stretch of Maryland’s trophy Rockfish season, and what a Spring run as it has been. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn’t been impressed with the size and quality of Striper coming over the rails. All that cockpit high-fiving aside, many Chesapeake fishermen still like to play the game, “How can I fine-tune my trolling rig?” No doubt the thousands of angler’s who competed in the Championship on the Chesapeake, hosted by the MSSA, and the Rod N’ Reel Captain Association’s “Pro-Am” tournament had that concept on their minds.
Ensuring your lures are free of winter jellies and other debris takes vigilance. Reel up, check, clean, reset line, repeat regularly. But what if it is a slow bite, or if the jellies are particular heavy where you’re trolling? Then what? Well, in this scenario, that begs the question: Stick with parachutes or go all Tsunamis?
We’re big fans of both types of lures; that’s why we carry Umbrella Rigs and Parachute Tandem Rigs in both Bullet Heads and Ruby Lip styles plus other assorted styles of painted lead heads with skirts.
Yet there are days when switching from parachutes to the lifelike Tsunami swim baits might be exactly what the doctor ordered to turn a fish-less day into one that puts a keeper Rock in the box. Tsunamis swim in a very real manner underwater. Made with realistic 3-D eyes that peer out from the sides of the lure’s lead head and the tough but super-soft body mimic the Shad and Herring that trophy Rockfish crave this time of year. And you can’t beat the premium Mustad Ultra-Point hook, which stays put after the fight is on. Tsunamis come in several weights—3 oz. to 4.5 oz. to 6.25 oz.; the lead is integrated into the lure—and Golden Bunker and Blue Back are good colors to match the hatch here on the Bay, in 6” and 9” versions.
So the next time you’re looking for a solid changeup from the parachutes and umbrella rigs, the Tsunami Swim baits may be the answer.