D.O.A. LURES (Softbaits)

[215explorer]

I'm starting to use some soft baits in saltwater for Flounder, Specs, Stripers. I've seen and read about DOA shrimp, tried them recently in Pamlico Sound with some success for Specs. Anyone have any experience, good or bad, that you wanna share?

[bigjim5589]

I've got some of their shrimp in a few colors, but can't say I've had any great success with them. Haven't really used them all that much, because I do better with other soft baits. I've caught a few small flounders with them in OC, MD, and used them some a few weeks ago down in the Myrtle Beach, SC area. I didn't catch a thing on them in SC. Gulp shrimp work far better for me. Even regular double curl tail grubs have worked better for me than the DOA shrimp. They just lack the built in action of these other baits IMO.

[carey]

fish the shrimp with the cork...buy the doa rattles that fit in the shrimp...if u straight jigging...fish the terror eyezzz(better action than the shrimp) ....chart/sparkle or rootbeer gold....they are good baits...and do have scent...

cheers
carey

[toddkfly]

I use quite a few of the D.O.A. products when not fly fishing and they have been very productive. I like the paddle tail grubs, CAL swim baits and the shrimp patterns. When fishing the shrimp patterns, I find that the slower you fish it, the better the result. If you think you are fishing it slow, slow it down even more. The DOA jig heads are some of my favorites too, 1/4 and 3/8 are all you need. For stripers, try out their jerk baits with the worm hooks. Great baits!

[silverfish]

A friend gave me some Z Man baits and I have had great luck with them. They also don't seem to break apart like the DOA baits when the small bluefish tear at them. That is definitely a plus. The negative is that they cost more.

Here is a link Z-Man® Fishing » Home

[Fishman]

Ive never used the DOA lures for flounder Im sure they will work. The best bait that I have used is the 4" Berkley Gulp Swimming Mullet in either Pearl white or in Chartreuse.

[rexking]

Picked up DOA Mullets in Fla this spring and caught snook right in the surf. Brought some home and have been successful on stripers on Susky Flats this spring and flounder in Roosevelt Inlet in Lewes, De. Didn't work as well as other baits for the flounder, but they did work.

[yellowdog7]

Try working the DOA shrimp with the current next time. Without a cork, cast upcurrent and as said above, fish it slow! Let the current move the bait back toward you. This will mimic the natural movement of the shrimp being flush out of the creek with the tide. You will feel the bait bounce on the bottom as it comes back. Reel just enough to keep the line tight enough that you can feel the bait bouncing. Also, fish them with something like Power Pro braid. The braid will allow you to feel the bait much better. Just finish the braid off with a 3 foot length of flurocarbon leader. Remember, the colder the water, the slower you work the bait. You can do the same thing with 4" gulp Mullet mentioned above. Cast it out with a jig head just heavy enough to get it down in the current so it will bounce on the bottom as you retrieve it. Drag it SLOWLY across the bottom. Deadly on redfish.
I have best success under a cork with the Gulp shrimp. Experiment when fishing them. Sometimes a light jig head is the ticket. Sometimes no weight on the hook is best. And if you can downsize your leader. You will be surprised how many more strikes you will get by dropping from a 20 lb leader to a 12 or 10.
My $0.02 worth. Hope it helps.