“Bill Scholze Fishes for Saltwater Fish with the D.A.R.T. and the RT Slug”

Part 1: The RT Slug Catches a Variety of Saltwater Fish

Editor’s Note: Bill Scholze of Stuart, Florida, tournament pro and member of the Mister Twister Pro Staff team, has competed in redfish tournaments using the RT Slug and the D.A.R.T. He also fishes for snook, speckled trout and other saltwater fish for fun using these baits. “There’s hardly a fish that swims inshore along a coastal area that won’t take the Mister Twister Exude RT Slug or the Exude D.A.R.T.,” Scholze says.

Question: Bill, what’s your favorite place to fish?

Scholze: I like to fish between Stuart and Sebastian, Florida. To fish this region, I prefer the pumpkin-pepper with chartreuse-tail colored RT Slug because it’s productive in the ever-changing water color. With this color lure, I’ve caught inshore saltwater fish in crystal-clear water with a dark bottom and in stained water.

Question: How do you rig the RT Slug?

Scholze: I rig the RT Slug with an H & H Flutter Hook to fish it slowly. I’m generally fishing the RT Slug on 10- to 15-pound-test line with a medium to light-action 7-foot Redbone rod and a Shimano Stradic 3000 Reel. With this rod, line and reel combination, I’ll catch redfish, snook and trout.

Question: Do you blind-cast or sight fish?

Scholze: I’ll often blind cast. I have four or five flats in this area that hold redfish, snook and speckled trout. I’ll go to these spots and fan-cast the RT Slug. If I’m fishing shallow water (8- to 18-inches deep), and I spot tailing redfish, I’ll cast 3 feet past the fish and 3 feet in front of the fish, dragging the RT Slug very slowly and stopping it when I get really close to the redfish. Then I’ll give the RT Slug a slight twitch. Those tailing redfish annihilate the RT Slug whenever I use this technique.

Question: How big are the redfish you catch?

Scholze: They’re mostly slot-sized fish. But I’ve gotten into schools of 27- to 35-inch redfish using this technique. Rarely do we catch a redfish in this section of Florida’s Atlantic Coast less than 18-inches long. The average redfish is around 25-inches long and weighs roughly 5-1/2-pounds.

Question: How did you learn about the RT Slug?

Scholze: I was fishing in Titusville, Fla., where I met Ray Stansbury and Mark Wright, and they gave me a couple of RT Slugs to try. I began catching more redfish than my fishing partner. When I saw the effectiveness of the RT Slug, I asked about joining the Mister Twister Pro Staff. Well, I sent in my resume, and I’ve been on the Mister Twister Pro Staff ever since.

Question: What redfish circuits do you fish?

Scholze: I fished the FLW Redfish Series until it ended and the International Fishing Association (IFA) Redfish Tour for 4 or 5 years, qualifying for its championship. I won the Southern Redfish Tour (SRT) in Homosassa, Fla., using the golden-bream-colored RT Slug, and finished in 3rd place in St. Augustine, using the golden-bream color, as well.