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

Part 3: Walk the Dog with the RT Slug for Big Trout

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, I know you like to catch speckled trout and the Stuart area has a reputation for producing monster-sized specks. How do you catch these trout?

Scholze: My favorite color for trout is a baby-bass Mister Twister Exude RT Slug rigged on an H & H Flutter Hook. I fish the RT Slug on 10-pound-test line around several flats in Stuart where I usually catch speckled trout. I call these areas salt-and-pepper spots because these places have white sand surrounded by darker sand. These sand regions are 3- to 5-feet across, and they’ll often be surrounded by heavy grass and resemble potholes. Our trout from this region usually weigh from 2- to 7-pounds each.

Question: What kind of action do you give the RT Slug to attract trout?

Scholze: I’ll use a walk-the-dog type of retrieve. I want the RT Slug to pop-up in the air and then move from side-to-side, as it drifts down through the water. Then, I’ll pop the RT Slug up toward the surface, giving it that side-to-side action again as it sinks.

Question: Those big trout often will hit on the surface, right?

Scholze: Yes, they will. Most people try to set their hooks on trout when they see the trout strike, causing them to miss the fish.

Question: When and how do you set the hook to catch more trout?

Scholze: When the trout blows-up on the RT Slug, I’ll let it take the bait and try not to get too excited. Remember that a trout has a soft mouth, and if you set the hook too hard, you may rip the bait out of its mouth. Using a No. 3/0 hook, I give a firm hook set but try not to cross the trout’s eyes or jerk it out of the water when I set the hook.

Question: How many specks will you catch in a day of fishing?

Scholze: I’m upset if I don’t catch 20 speckled trout from daylight until 1:00 pm. This doesn’t include the redfish, the snook and the flounder I’ll also catch during this time. Plenty of fish in this region will eat the Exude RT Slug. Catching only one species of fish when fishing the RT Slug is rare. All these fish will eat the baby-bass-colored RT Slug, which is my favorite for speckled trout.