For BOOYAH pro staffer Chris Holleman and his father, Frank Holleman, a winning tournament strategy is as easy as 1-2-3.
The Hollemans, who just locked up first place in the Jacksonville, Florida Division of the Xtreme Redfish Series points race with a victory in the final event of the season, have done almost all their damage with three baits: 1) BOOYAH Samurai Blades; 2) Cotton Cordell Red-Fins; 3) Heddon Super Spook Jrs.
The father-son duo’s most recent victory was their second win in the seven-event series, and they also notched two second-place finishes and two other top 20s. And while the events were spread from April through October, the Hollemans relied on the same three baits throughout the tournament season.
"Those three baits are all we have needed," Chris said. "They have produced fish for us in every tournament."
1 – BOOYAH Samurai Blade
The Samurai Blade is a ¼-ounce heavy-duty spinnerbait that was created with redfish in mind. A big single Colorado blade creates an enormous amount of thump in the water, and the bait comes dressed with YUM Samurai Shad tail, which swims like a live baitfish.
"The spinnerbait is perfect for really high tides," Chris said, "We cast it up into the flooded spartina grass, where the fish feed during those tides."
2 - Cotton Cordell Red-Fin
When the tide goes the other way and water is low, the Hollemans pick up their Red-Fin rods. A shallow-diving "minnow bait," a 5-inch Chrome/Black Red-Fin is a perfect mullet imitation, in Chris’ opinion. "We reel them down and then fish them with two jerks and a pause," he said.
The only bad thing about their Red-Fin technique – at least from a tournament fisherman’s perspective – is that it attracts an enormous amount of speckled trout. "The trout eat a lot of finger mullet around here, so they cannot resist that bait," Holleman said.
3 - Heddon Super Spook Jr.
The final component in the Hollemans’ arsenal, a Heddon Super Spook Jr., comes into play when the redfish reveal themselves.
"We sight cast the Spooks," Chris said. "When we spot redfish, we cast just past them and use a slow walking retrieve. They usually jump right on it!
Chris and Frank Holleman’s strategy almost sounds too simple, but who can argue with their success?