Gear

Palmer’s Florida staples tacklebox

See the bait rotation that Elite Series pro Luke Palmer relies on for fishing in Florida.

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Photography by
Kyle Jessie
Falcon Rods pro Luke Palmer has come to love fishing in Florida over the course course of his career due to his shallow water power-fishing style.
The state of Florida offers a variety of different fisheries, but Palmer relies heavily on a standard rotation of baits throughout the state.
Palmer’s deck is full of Falcon Rods with a number of moving baits in addition to a few options that help him slow down.
BOOYAH Mobster Swim Jig paired with a Yum Chunk
“A swim jig is a staple in Florida for covering water,” said Palmer. “You can effectively throw a swim jig through pretty much any type of vegetation, but I love it around pad stems and shallow grass.”
Texas-rigged YUM Wooly Bug
“You always have to have a Texas-rigged creature bait like the YUM Wooly Bug when you’re in Florida,” Palmer said. “There’s always going to be cover to flip, and it it also a great choice for bed fishing.”
YUM Thumpin Dinger
“A swimming worm like the YUM Thumpin Dinger has been a staple in Florida for a long time,” he said. “I like to Texas rig this bait with a light weight and slow wind it around vegetation or even drag it on the bottom around shell beds.”
YUM Dinger
“You simply have to have a YUM Dinger when fishing in Florida,” Palmer said. “I throw it the most on a Texas rig with a light weight, but I also love to use it on a wacky rig when I’m fishing in canals or around boat docks.”
War Eagle Finesse Spinnerbait
“I pretty much always have a spinnerbait tied on,” he said. “The vibration and flash tends to do well in the tannic water color in Florida. A spinnerbait also tends to get big bites.”
Smithwick Devil’s Horse Topwater
“The Devil’s Horse has always been a staple for topwater fishing in Florida,” said Palmer. “Whether the fish are on beds or guarding fry, this thing just gets bit.”
BOOYAH Hard Knocker
“A Hard Knocker is my go-to bait for fishing over the top of submerged grass or offshore shellbeds,” he said.

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