HARD BAITS & PLUGS

Bottle Plug

A chunky, wooden, bottle-shaped surf plug from the US Northeast that swims slowly with a heavy roll; a niche night lure for big fish on Caribbean rocks.

DepthSubsurface (1-3 ft)

ActionSlow heavy roll

WhereRocky points, jetties, surf

LevelAdvanced

How to fish it

1
Pick a night with some swell and white water; this plug is made for rough conditions, not calm water.
2
Cast into white water around rocky points or jetty tips, especially at night.
3
Reel as slowly as you can while keeping it swimming; it should push water with a wide roll.
4
Let it drift and swing in the wash; big jacks and snook will hit a big, slow target.

BigJoe Tips

It was built for striped bass in the Northeast and is rarely needed here; buy one only if you fish rough rocks at night.
Watch your footing on wet rocks at night; wear cleats and fish with a buddy.
Rinse wooden plugs with fresh water and let them dry so the paint and wood last.