Capt. Tommy Thompson's Saltwater Angler's Guides

Cold weather means sluggish redfish and slow-moving ‘gator’ trout.  And catching them means counting on Paul Brown Lures.  Those lures, known to many of us as ‘Corkys’ or ‘Corky Mullet’ have been the mainstay of serious Gulf anglers for years.  They are responsible for several Texas and Louisiana records.  The only problem was getting them.  The lures were originally made by Paul Brown in his small shop in Houston and were always so much in demand that it was nearly impossible to buy more than a few at any time.  In 2009, Paul sold the molds and the ‘secret formula’ for the Corkys to MirrOlure, who now manufacture and distribute them.  While there have been several knock-offs from Kalin (Dorky Mullet) and Tsunami, no one else but Paul (and now MirrOlure) could get the sink rate correct.

Paul Brown Lures come in several configurations.  I like the Devil, but other prefer the Original (which was designed around the original Heddon Spook, Jr.) or the Fat Boy.  The Originals and Fat Boys (both with 2 hooks–the Devil has only one) come in floating and suspending versions.  The lures are made in a variety of colors.  My preference for the clear shallow water at Steinhatchee is either the #01 (pearl chartreuse back) or the #95  (dayglow).  If the water gets dirty, or you’re fishing in deep river channels this winter, you might want to try a darker color like the new #16 (tequila sunrise).

Paul Brown Lures are becoming more and more available, but usually at smaller specialty tackle stores and marinas.  Gary’s Tackle Box in Gainesville has a good stock, as does the Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee.  I’ve also had reports that Economy Tackle in Sarasota is stocking them.  Or you can order them directly from MirrOlure.

One word of warning:  these are soft-bodied plugs and they are relatively expensive.  Losing one (or half of a Devil) to a bluefish or pufferfish can be tragic, so carry a few spares.  You’ll be glad you did at the end of day.

My weekly online Florida Sportsman Big Bend Fishing4Cast column has just been posted on the FS Web site. If you’re looking for older forecasts, I’m afraid that FS doesn’t post archives, but my 2008 Fishing4Casts are archived on my editorial Web site .