Bait Recommendations

Hello all!
I just bought a tube and am new to FTFF. Nice to be here!
Just wanted some opinions on your favorite baits, artificial and real. Looking to expand my tackle arsenal. I'm from Irvine so I'll probably be floating around here, Dana Point, Newport, Huntington, etc. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

I only use one bait anymore... Hook Up Baits! It will turn a day of 8 fish day into 30 fish day every single time. they are a small company out of San Diego. They sell it at few tackle shops, the closes would be Hogan’s Bait & Tackle 34320 Pacific Coast Highway suite G,Dana Point CA 92629 (949) 493-3528. I personally buy them from there website hookupbaits.com. I found the best combos of color and size are the jig Red Crab 3" 1/4oz and the Red Crab 4" 3?8oz. They are a little expensive but worth every penny.

Welcome to the forum ysc1020.
I have not fished the salt water from my tube, but there is a huge group here who does. Good luck.

Welcome!

Strictly artificials for me.

I like the underspin jig heads with Keitech Swing Impact FAT swim baits. The Keitechs are soft and don't last well after being chewed on, but they catch more fish in my experience. In fact, I won't use any kind of plastic bait unless it feels squishy and soft.

I like the 3/16 oz CoolBaits underspin paired with a 3.3 in Keitech for most places.

I'm also a fan of greasing my baits up with Hot Sauce. I don't believe that it "attracts" fish, but I've seen enough underwater video to know that very often fish will give your lure a close look before deciding to strike and the Hot Sauce helps your lure smell right when they get in close like that. I think it might also make it taste right and help them hang on to it a tad longer before spitting it out.

Colors... also something that testing has made me a believer in. If you're not getting bit, change colors. I'm getting to know the places I fish pretty well and if I'm going to places that I'm sure hold fish but I'm not getting any action, I change colors. I usually have a couple of dark colors and a couple of bright colors. The conventional wisdom here holds true for me. I fish darker colors in low light and move to brighter colors as the light gets brighter.

In terms of tackle, I use 20 lb braid with 10 lb fluorocarbon leader. I shied away from fluorocarbon at first, but after seriously trying everything else I decided to give it a try and I noticed the difference right away.

Harbor fishing in general... don't forget the open water and know that every little sandy beach could be holding a halibut. Of course you want to work the docks, rocks and all obvious structure, but you also want to work the open water.

I used to think that as the sun got higher, it would make fish seek shady hiding places, but my experience has been that many times the opposite is true and as the sun gets higher, the fish move into the deeper water of the open channels. So definitely mix it up.

Hit me up when you're ready to hit Huntington Harbor, I'll show you Jeff's secret spots

Here is my most recent fishing related purchase...

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Glow Green Silver - Red Crab X 2 - Black Gold

Wlcome I to am artificial's as well, I like to fish zoom flukes and nice fat worms in the salt. I think having a profile to the bait can some times help it be found. I also have a unique way of fishing my lures, I do a jika rig with a drop shot setup. I call it my seeker rig, I can use to different types and colors of baits in t 2 different zones. when the fish start to bite I can make adjustments to the baits not getting hit and with my other rods decide to fish the bottom or above the bottom.

Of course I am also a big fan of just swimbaits, big hammers are my favorites and I really like the 3" versions. So believe you should fish big baits for big fish and I understand this but you can get big fish on small baits as well. Not matter what you do Lures or Live bait, as long as you are fishing you are having fun.

Thanks all for the info.
Keep it coming