Corkys: The Art, Science, and Mysteries

In this month’s article I am going to talk about why I believe Paul Brown lures, or Corkys as most folks refer to them, seem to be most effective during the cooler months of the year. However, before we get any deeper into the perceived seasonal effectiveness of these lures, I believe it is important to recognize that there are more than a few accomplished anglers who use them year-round with considerable success. Personally, while I have always been mostly a fall and winter Corky guy, over the past several years I have also begun thinking about using them during the warmer months.

Background: All the bay systems in Texas that have reputation for consistently producing trophy-class speckled trout have several things in common; higher and relatively stable salinity levels, longer growing seasons, primarily mullet-based food source, and less fishing pressure. For the record, I had a bit of a hard time with the less fishing pressure thing, due to knowing firsthand just how much fishing pressure all the areas that qualify as trophy trout systems receive nowadays. Also, and again for the record and definitely somewhat of an anomaly, I am informed that the Galveston Bay System produces the fastest growth rates of speckled trout; something I would have never thought could be true.

For me, the key and most important of the four ingredients mentioned above is the mullet-based food source; which is also the basis of my belief in the effectiveness of the Corky-style baits during winter months; which ironically arises not from an abundance, but a shortage of smaller mullet at that time of year. What we typically see in winter are mostly large concentrations of larger mullet. I remember back in the day when commercial fishermen in the Rockport area would cast net what they called “roe mullet” during the winter months along the barrier islands.

In fly-fishing, we see anglers matching the hatch with unbelievable creations of flies that represent different stages of insect life. Some bass fishermen and saltwater anglers throw big baits for big fish. The argument for me when this topic comes up on the boat is one that involves the size of the bait fish trout prefer, versus what they will eat (or try to eat) if they have no other choice.

Back when we used to keep lots of trout, stomach contents at the cleaning table revealed a distinct preference for mullet and menhaden that were three to five inches long. So, if matching the hatch is indeed a valid strategy, it certainly makes sense that wintertime trout display a marked preference for Corky-type baits at that time of year.

We could also base this seasonal preference upon the aggressive manner in which trout tend to strike a Corky-type bait. If you fish very much at all, you have likely felt that distinct “KA THUMP!” My thought process is that the aggression is many times brought on by the shear excitement in seeing a bait fish of that preferred size. By having the luxury of being able to see trout eat a lure in many of the areas I fish, I recognize that type of aggression even when I am not able to see it.

One of the reasons that I personally don’t throw the Fat Boy in the summer months as much is that there are lots of choices in the size of the fish’s available food sources. To put it simply, three to five inch mullet and menhaden are common during summer, and I definitely see a decrease in the numbers of bites I receive on Corkys. Note, that I said “I.” This does not mean that this is the case for other anglers in other bay systems. I have friends that throw Fat Boys year-round with good success. I can also say that I do not have as much confidence in the big bait-big fish theory in saltwater that many anglers have. I cannot help but believe that the reason for the increase in the production of the Corky-type lures during the colder months has more to do with the absence of the preferred size of bait fish.

Not many would disagree that the so-called Corky Thump is a real thing, and it is the reason so many anglers find themselves almost addicted to it. It is definitely hard to forget once it has been experienced. Which brings up another very interesting aspect of these baits ― how is it that we can hardly remove them from the bag without bleeding, yet a trout can inhale one, bend it like a taco, and not get a hook in her? A trick to removing a Corky from the bag is to open the bag and fill it with water. The lure slides right out with zero effort. Thanks to Jay Ray for that little tip he showed me a few years back.

The way one works a Corky depends on the person. For the record, I work mine rather aggressively most of the time, with quick lifts and quick but short twitches as the lure falls, all while pretty much reeling slack constantly as it is created. I do dead-stick the lure from time to time, but break that cadence up with lifts and twitches. In my mind’s eye, I want the lure to behave as though it is reacting to the presence of the fish that is looking at it, or following close behind.

Fish are cold-blooded animals and once acclimated to cold water temperatures can actually become quite active. I do not work my Corky slowly unless we have had a drastic drop in water temperatures within a 24-hour period, or unless the fish are obviously not wanting to feed and have sought the warmth of deeper water. Severe cold and deeper water positioning go together in short periods of extreme cold. Let the sun pop out and shallow waters begin to warm, and they are headed straight to these areas to warm up.

I fish with a lot of good Corky fishermen and see various ways in which many of them work their lures. I typically have my rod tip high in the first portion of my retrieve, but if the wind is strong I will lower it off to my right side and lightly twitch or bang my rod tip, creating a walk-the-dog action just beneath the surface. One can also use quick bursts of reeling to create a side-to-side wobble and swimming action that can be productive on calm days over heavy grass and broken bottom.

I tend to work all my subsurface and suspending lures more aggressively than most might think appropriate during the winter months. This comes from years of observation that tell me that once trout have acclimated to the cold they can become seriously aggressive. As is quite often the case, though, this method works for me due to my confidence in the patterns I have observed over my years winter trout fishing.

Why do we fish shallow flats and coves during winter? The main reason is because this is where we typically find the primary winter food source for both trout and mullet. Mullet are filter feeders. The algae and plankton they feed on thrive in soft mud. Trout come to these areas looking for a warmup and an easy meal. So, basically, the trout are following the mullet and we are following the trout.

It is true that the muddy bottom in shallow bay waters warms quickly and holds heat better than shallow areas with bright sandy bottoms, but it is not necessarily the warmth that attracts the mullet or the trout. Both species would likely be just as happy in areas of bright sand bottom, so long as a reliable food source remained in place. The same could be said for us as anglers.

Quite often during winter we see strong northeast winds that create a “dirtying” effect that provides opportunity for larger trout to feed in shallow water where bait fish remain plentiful due to warming trends between fronts. These trout might set up and live along slightly deeper drop-offs or other structural edges, but when the winds blow and the shallow waters become dirty, they will move shallow and use the dirty water as cover while feeding. Shallow water enables greater sensitivity through the trout’s lateral line and also a smaller zone in which to attack their prey. Both factors play in favor of the trout getting an easy meal.

The same is true for periods when we have strong southeast wind prior to a frontal approach. The waters up shallow become dirty and here they come. It can be hard for many to gain confidence in fishing the dirty stuff but without a doubt, mine and Jay Ray’s career-best trout have come in water with almost zero visibility. I will purposely search for areas of dirty water with the proper bottom structure in bay systems that are predominately clear under normal conditions. Areas where dirty water meets up with cleaner water can be great to target after fronts have blown through and winds are subsiding. Last winter it seemed that when we located these types of water color changes along windward portions of the flats we found good numbers of quality trout hanging in the dirty stuff. As the waters cleared throughout the day, becoming clear by day’s end as the wind died, the trout in the flat become much harder to catch.

I was raised in a clear water fishery, so I have no issues with the clear stuff. I realize I need to wade slower, cast farther, use long leaders, clear-bodied lures, and be able to keep the lures from fouling the grass, while at the same time being able to barely tickle the grass edges as the lure enters and exits the potholes and scattered grass beds. Upper slot trout use the grass beds the same way they use potholes, and this can change from day to day or hour to hour. It is the anglers job to be able to interpret which one of the types of structures the fish are holding on. The best way to do this is by continually paying attention to where your lure is throughout the retrieve and by recognizing exactly where the strike was received.

I think this coming winter season is going to be really good for most anglers and I am looking forward to seeing some colder water temperatures and bigger trout for my clients.

May Your Fishing Always Be Catching -Guide Jay Watkins