The Old Lucky 13 Trailer Rig: A Forgotten Gulf Coast Fish Catcher
The Old Lucky 13 Trailer Rig: A Forgotten Gulf Coast Fish Catcher
By Randall Cobb | The Marshline Method
Long before popping corks, soft plastic shrimp, and today’s high-tech lures filled tackle boxes, Gulf Coast anglers had a few tricks that consistently put fish in the boat. One of those forgotten techniques was a modified topwater setup built around the classic Lucky 13.
Many old-timers along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Louisiana marshes, and surrounding waters fished a Lucky 13 differently than most anglers think of today. Instead of simply working it as a topwater plug, they added a short leader to the rear hook and tied on a soft plastic bait.
The result was a simple but deadly combination that fooled countless speckled trout, redfish, and other inshore species.
The Setup
The rig was surprisingly simple:
- Heddon Lucky 13 topwater lure
- 6 to 18 inches of monofilament leader
- Soft plastic eel, worm, shrimp, or baitfish imitation tied to the leader
The leader was typically attached to the rear hook hanger or rear treble hook of the Lucky 13. Behind the lure trailed a soft plastic that looked vulnerable and easy to catch.
Many anglers referred to it simply as a Lucky 13 trailer rig.
Why It Worked
The beauty of this setup was that the Lucky 13 served multiple purposes.
Surface Commotion
The Lucky 13 created noise, splashes, and vibration. Every pop and chug called fish from a distance.
Casting Distance
Before braided line and lightweight jigheads became common, the Lucky 13 provided enough weight to cast a soft plastic a considerable distance.
Fish Attraction
Predators are naturally attracted to commotion. The splashing Lucky 13 looked like feeding fish, fleeing bait, or a struggling mullet on the surface.
Easy Target
While fish often investigated the noisy topwater, many ultimately attacked the trailing soft plastic.
To a trout or redfish, the soft plastic looked like a baitfish trying to escape the disturbance. Instead of chasing the noisy surface lure, they simply inhaled the easier meal following behind it.
The History Behind the Rig
The Lucky 13 was introduced decades ago and quickly became a favorite among saltwater anglers across the Gulf Coast.
Before modern popping corks became widely available, fishermen often improvised. They discovered that a topwater lure could function much like a popping cork while also providing additional attraction.
Along the Mississippi Coast, stories still circulate about anglers fishing modified Lucky 13 rigs around oyster reefs, grass flats, marsh drains, and shoreline points.
Many used black eel-style trailers. Others preferred white worms, shrimp imitations, or soft plastic jerkbaits.
While the exact origins of the rig are difficult to trace, it became part of Gulf Coast fishing folklore and was passed from one fisherman to another rather than being featured in magazines or television shows.
Why It Still Works Today
Although tackle technology has evolved, fish behavior has not.
Predator fish still respond to:
- Noise
- Surface disturbance
- Vulnerable prey
- Reaction strikes
In many ways, the old Lucky 13 trailer rig was simply ahead of its time.
Today’s anglers routinely fish:
- Popping corks with shrimp
- Teaser rigs
- Topwater teaser systems
- Birds with trailing baits offshore
The Lucky 13 trailer rig combined several of these concepts decades before they became mainstream.
How I Would Fish It Today
If I were recreating the rig on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I would use:
- Bone Lucky 13
- 12 inches of 20-pound monofilament
- 4-inch pearl paddle tail
- 5-inch soft jerkbait
- Soft plastic eel imitation
I would focus on:
- Marsh drains
- Oyster reefs
- Shoreline points
- Grass edges
- Rock jetties
The retrieve would be simple:
Pop… pause… pop… pause.
Most strikes would likely come during the pause when the trailing bait settles naturally behind the Lucky 13.
Final Thoughts
Fishing techniques come and go, but effective ideas tend to survive.
The old Lucky 13 trailer rig may not appear in many modern tackle catalogs, but it remains a clever solution created by anglers who simply wanted to catch more fish.
It combined noise, attraction, casting distance, and a natural presentation into one rig.
Sometimes the best new fishing trick is actually an old fishing trick that most people have forgotten.
Maybe give this old rig a try to see how effective it still is today. Comment below your experience or thoughts with this rig.
See you on the coast!!!!!
Randall