Tournament Plastics & Cork Systems

By Stacy Fretina

Professional redfish tournaments require anglers to fish with artificial lures only, making soft plastics and cork systems critical tools for covering water and triggering aggressive strikes.

Across the Gulf Coast, many tournament anglers rely on a combination of Matrix Shad plastics and Four Horsemen Popping Corks to consistently locate and catch competitive redfish.

Matrix Shad Plastics

Tournament anglers across Louisiana and Florida depend heavily on Matrix Shad paddle tails because of their realistic baitfish profile and strong tail vibration.

These plastics are commonly fished on:

• 1/8 oz jig heads for shallow flats
• 1/4 oz jig heads for deeper edges and drop-offs

Consistent redfish-producing colors include:

• Shrimp Creole
• Lemon Head
• Chartreuse Shad
• Magneto

The paddle tail vibration allows redfish to locate the lure even in stained marsh water or windy conditions.

Four Horsemen Cork System

Many professional anglers rely on Four Horsemen popping corks to create sound and attract fish from a distance.

The system works by:

• popping the cork to imitate feeding fish
• suspending the plastic lure below the cork
• allowing the lure to fall naturally during the pause

Most strikes occur during the pause, when the soft plastic drops naturally into the strike zone.

Source:
Insights from professional tournament angler Stacy Fretina and techniques used across Gulf Coast redfish circuits.