What are Pilcher’s?

Pull up a folding chair and a cold drink and hear me out as a seasoned Tampa Bay charter captain. I’ve traded a few curses, for dad jokes. If you want a fool proof bait that Makes Tampa Bays fish forget their manner, pilchers are your secret weapon. Here’s the lighter, funnier version of how I use them-rigs spots and the occasional fisherman’s story.

What are Pilcher’s?

They smell like dinner, flash like a lure on a budget, and stay on the hook long enough for you to panic and set the hook at the wrong time. My dog Samie accompanies me on charters and she love to eat them. Pilchers work on snook, redfish, trout, tarpon and every opportunistic Jack that thinks its’s a comedian.

Where to find them In Tampa Bay

Passes and inlets: Egmont, Skyway approaches-Where water moves bait gathers

Grass edges and flats: look for the boil lines and birds acting dramatic.

Channels, drop offs and structure: pilchers hug the current lines pilings and anything with an angle.

Best times to use them

Tide changes are your friend. Incoming or outgoing-pick one and pray.

Dawn and dusk=prime time. Overcast days =extended prime time.

Bird activity=free scouting crew

How I rig’em

Hooks: 1/0,2/0 and 4/0 live bait circle hooks for the best fish.

Hooking: Through and through gill plate or lips for live swim.

Leaders: 20-40 LB fluorocarbon for snook/redfish: 60-80 LB for Tarpon or big jacks.

Weighting: Free Line or flats, light split shot, for drifting use a slide sinker.

Bait Care: Aerate the live well and keep em shaded. Dead pilchers =catfish.

Presentation tips

Natural bets flashy. Let a pilcher swim like it means it.

When a big fish hits, don’t set the hook like you are swatting a fly. When using a circle hook the fish will hook itself and reeling sets the hook.

If the bite goes quiet change, it up- sometimes fish was variety.

Conservation and Common sense:

Use circle hooks for easier releases. Fish faster, guilt less.

Follow Fish and Wildlife rules: size and bag limits matters

Don’t be the boat tearing up the grass beds. Drive like you own the place-but consider you are borrowing it.

A quick tale

One morning Off Rattlesnake Key I had a free lined pilcher on with the rod doubled over. I handed it to the client and after 25 minutes of fighting a big fish we landed a beautiful fish. Turned out to be a Cobia that posed for photos like it was on vacation. I still brag about that fish because it was landed on light tackle. We let it go to be caught another day.

Want hands on Help?

Book a trip with Five O’clock Charlie tours and I will show you where pilchers hide, how to rig them without embarrassing yourself, and try to leave the bay better than you found it. Bring sunscreen, a camera and an appetite for terrible fishing puns.

Tight Lines and terrible jokes- Your seasoned Tampa Bay Charter Captain, www.fiveoclockcharlietours.com

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