Lots of salties that I know that use artificials only during winter because there's little to no live shrimp available.

The results are generally the same.

To answer the OP my 5 must haves for the flats are:

1/4oz Johnson Silver Minnow: colors differ for day & night
5" Kalin Grub: Gold Hologram
Super Spook Jr: colors differ for day & night
Strike King Redfish Magic Glass Minnow: what ever color I have confidence that day
Bass Assassin 3" Salt Grub: what ever color I have confidence that day

1. Bass Assassin - Pumpkinseed/Chartreuse
2. D.O.A. Shrimp - clear and brown
3. Top Dog Jr. - white body/red head
4. A gold spoon
5. 3" curly tail grub (various colors and jig heads)

Good stuff guy's - plum/chartreuse needs to be added to the list.

I am dying to get out to port a to try out my batch of tackle. Hopefully Friday...

Surprised at the lack of "Corky" appearances in the lists above...

Is that still a good lure for trout in the winter?

Amazing isn't it ?

Corky's and Rockport Rattlers are all I have heard about the last 10 years.

Just give me a good reef and I am set - no matter the bait or lure I choose to use.

Hogie shrimp tail in shrimp sparkle
Hogie major minnow in chicken on a chain
Hogie major minnow in root beer
Spook jr in bone
Pink Skitter walk

Did not have any Chicken on a Chain or electric chicken or whatever that pink and green color is yesterday...and it was the only thing they wanted.

Even when it's cold? I didn't try topwater yesterday because I thought they would be too deep.

nuclear chicken

plum chartreuse - glow fire tail - gold spoon - rattling cork w/ you name it underneath - silver spoon

Which of these might be better in Jan and Feb?

For me:
large shrimp fly (lightly weighted)
small shrimp fly (unweighted)
spoon fly
chartreuse/white or olive/cream Clouser
crab fly
and, if I could add two, a small glass minnow fly and a
small white gurgler.

For you:
gold or chrome weedless spoon
bone or clear (black at night) spook (w/ single hooks)
clear / gold flake DOA shrimp
swimbait w/ 1/16 to 1/4 oz. head, depending on wind & grass
mullet or trout pattern shallow crankbait

Those would be my choices, FWIW. And remember, my opinion and six dollars will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks any time......

so after reading this...

the only really synonymous decision here is a gold spoon... thats what im seeing so far haha.