Bass are always looking for an easy meal. The soft
plastic jerk shad mimics a dying baitfish and keys in on the bass’ craving
for an easy meal. Although it takes time to master the lure, it is
well worth the
effort when you can add fish to your livewell.
Soft
plastic shads, like Bass Assassins’ shad or Berkley’s
jerkshad, are versatile and productive baits. With a few basic tips,
any angler
can add these baits to their arsenals.
Bite
detection is the key to fishing soft jerk baits. Knowing when a bass
has taken the lure is by far the hardest aspect of fishing these lures.
Most bites are undetectable since the lure floats on a slack line after
being worked by the angler.
The
shad is often worked slowly with several seconds between twitches or
series of twitches from the angler. Most bites occur as the lure falls
during the pause between the cadences of the retrieve. When the lure
is falling, the slack in the line is enough to allow the bass to engulf
the lure without detection.
Three techniques
that will help you catch more fish are line watching, bait watching,
and bait checking. First, watch your line as the lure falls. I often
let the lure fall for a few seconds or more. Watch the line for a jump
or twitch which will indicate a strike. Also, the line moving rapidly
or not moving at all may be another signal.
Watching the bait is effective if the water is clear. However, if
you know where the bait is at all times, a boil may indicate a
strike.
Finally,
always check the lure before you perform the next set of action on the
bait. When I began to use the soft minnow bait, I would miss fish because
I jerked the bait to work it only to find that a fish had it. Of coarse,
the fish detected something was awry and dropped the bait. Simple take
up the slack line with reel between the lure and the rod tip before
working the bait. If you feel a heavy or mushy feeling, set the hook
with a sweep of the rod.
With these tips and some practice, the lure will begin to produce fish.
Use a medium action rod to produce the side-to-side action of the lure.
Imagine walking the dog under water. You want the lure to jump to one
side then to the other. Make several twitches with the rod before a
pause. Do not move the lure forward with each twitch. Instead try to
keep the lure in the same spot. Remember, the key is to mimic a dying
baitfish.
Use
14 # to 17 # test line with a high-speed reel. An Abu Garcia Eon would
be a good example of a reel that will cast weightless soft plastics
and quickly take up the slack of a strike. Also, hook choice is a preference
between a Mustad Ultra Point Mega Bite and a Bass Pro XPS Offset Round
Bend hook (see insert) in 3/0 to 5/0. If the shad balls up on the hook
point, the hook will not penetrate the fish’s mouth. Often
this is a major cause of missed strikes. Use a good wide gap hook
that will
allow the lure to slide out of the way during hook set.
Since
this lure will go through almost any type of cover, it is great to
fish in most situations.
I rarely use weights of any kind. However, weights can be inserted
in the bait, added to the line, or added to the hook. Techniques
such
as
Carolina, split shot, drop shot, dead sticking, and Texas are others
ways to produce fish.
Next
spring when the shad migrate to your favorite fishing hole, try using
the soft plastic jerk shad. With patience and practice, it will become
a powerful part of your fishing arsenal.
Special thanks to Berkley Power Baits, Bass Assassins, Mustad, and Bass Pro
Shops.
About the author: Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.
