Get Twitchy! When and How to Fish a Twitchbait for Inshore Success

There are tons of ways to chase after inshore saltwater species. The right method to choose can depend on a ton of different factors, so it’s not always easy to know what’s going to work best on any given day. That said, one great option you can try is fishing a twitchbait. 

Let’s start with what a twitchbait actually is. These baits are either a suspending or slow-sinking hardbait. They do a great job of mimicking an injured baitfish when you fish them with a twitch in the rod. When done properly, it will produce a bright flash, have a subtle vibration, and an irregular motion that can trigger a strike from a hungry fish in the area.

Species like speckled trout, redfish, snook, and even flounder will react really well to a twitchbait. They instinctively feed on a twitchbait because of the erratic movement when fished with a dart and pause action.

The fish you’re going after with a twitchbait are going to be visual predators, so the flashes and movements are key in making them strike. Additionally, during the cooler months when water temps can drop to their lowest, baitfish are going to move much slower. A subtle twitchbait is perfect for mimicking this behavior, keeping a more natural looking presentation. Because these are submerged baits, they are going to twitch back and forth right in the strike zone for longer than a faster lure or something you’d fish on topwater. 

The main thing to keep in mind when fishing a twitchbait is the cadence you use. You want to make sure the rhythm of your twitches and pauses during the retrieve is as natural as possible, while maintaining the right speed to match the aggressiveness of the fish in the area.

To start, use a twitch-twitch-pause method. Cast your twitchbait out, do two quick twitches, and then let the bait pause for a few seconds. The pause is critical, as that’s when most of your strikes are going to happen. If the water is colder, keep doing the pause for longer. If the water is warmer, you can speed up the length of your pauses.

If you notice the fish are particularly aggressive, you can move to a twitch-pause-twitch method. This helps keep the bait moving more, helping to keep aggressive fish keyed in on your presentation.

There are a few other factors to keep in mind when you’re using a twitchbait for inshore species. If you’re fishing on a grass flat, use a slower suspending model and add longer pauses into your cadence. This helps the fish to more easily track the lure before striking.

If you’re fishing on an oyster bar or shell bottom, try to keep your rod tip high and speed up your cadence to avoid getting snagged on the bottom. If instead you’re fishing magrove edges, try to cast parallel to the roots and let the bait pause first before twitching to allow for reaction strikes once the lure breaks the surface of the water.