www.insideline.net

 

By Shane Beilue
South Central Staff Writer

May 11, 2010 

Swimbaits are all the rage as a result of the recent success on the national tournament trails, and understandably so when considering the size and number of kicker fish that can be added to a bag of five when this bait is employed.  However, this is a specialized technique that requires the right conditions, place and time for these big baits to produce.  As much as I love to “power fish” by moving quickly with flippin’ sticks, spinnerbaits and crankbaits, I believe being skilled in the “finesse” presentations will reward anglers when the bigger, fast-moving baits we commonly throw fail.

Consider the following scenario: late April in Texas, where spinnerbaits and 6” lizards were previously dominating on the spawning flats.  Gradually, the bite slows to a crawl with these presentations.  Out of desperation, I grab my seldom used spinning gear and a thin plastic worm rigged wacky-style and go right back through the same spawning flats.  Bingo!  Multiple fish in the 3-6# range were still in the same areas in 2-3’ of water; however, they were not active and could only be caught with the more delicate approach.

Whether it’s post-spawn, post-cold front, ultra-clear water or heavily pressured lakes, the conditions often require some sort of finesse presentation that entices the reluctant fish to open their mouths.  Let’s review four basic finesse presentations that professionals on the national circuits are using to fill their limits.

Wacky Rig

This set-up has been around for many years; and, as mentioned in the earlier scenario, the wacky rig can be magic for lethargic, post-spawn bass.  I learned the value of this little bait many years ago during a spring tournament on Lake Sam Rayburn.  Three of the top four finishers used this set-up around shallow buck brush to catch limits from 18-25 pounds.

Though there are some variations, the basic set-up couldn’t be easier: take a 1/0 straight shank hook and insert the point through the middle of a Senko or 5” Thin Senko.  You should have both ends of the worm dangling on either side of the hook shank.  Many anglers will add a straight tungsten “nail” weight (a piece of 1” wire coat hanger also works well) into one side of the body, causing the bait to spiral softly to the bottom.  In the spring, pitch the bait on 6-10# flourocarbon next to shallow bushes on spawning flats.

Again, this will produce when the spinnerbaits, jigs and big lizards are refused by the bass.  A recent off-shoot of this technique involves rigging the same style worm on a 1/32-1/4 oz jig head that allows the bait to hover just off the bottom (without a weight inserted into the worm).

Drop-Shot

With its roots out west, the drop shot was originally a deep water, vertical technique; however, the drop shot can also be fished shallow, along docks and other cover by slowly dragging the worm and weight like a Carolina rig.  The drop shot set up is rigged with the small, 1/8-1/2 oz weight below the worm, allowing the bait to suspend 1 foot or more from the bottom.  Nose-hooking a soft plastic onto a small, light wire hook is the best way to get optimum action from the worm; however, Texas rigging these baits works better around heavier cover.

Ideal worms for the drop shot presentation are the Yamamoto 4” Shad Shape Worm, 4”Slim Yamasenko or the Kut Tail Worm.  The drop shot rig really shines in the summer when bass are on deep structure and not aggressively feeding, or anytime the bass.

Shakey Head

The Shakey Head is really nothing new – it’s simply a light weight, round ball jig head with a thin, finesse worm but it’s received a lot of attention from the number of bass caught on the tournament trails.  The worm can be rigged open hook in open water, or with the point buried if fishing around cover.  Yamamoto’s Shakey Heads come in 1/16 oz to 5/16 oz and can be paired with a Senko, 4” Slim Senko, Kut Tail Worm or similar style soft plastics.

As the name implies, the bait is simply dragged across bottom until it contacts a rock, stump or any other cover.  At this point, simply shake the lure in place to allow the worm to quiver and entice the bass.  Rocky points, rip-rap, shallow bushes and boat docks are perfect for tossing the Shakey head rig when the bite slows down.  Fluorocarbon line in 6-10# test works great for this approach.

Split Shot Rig

Similar to the Carolina rig, the split shot is a more subtle approach that uses a split shot pinched 1 to 3 feet above the trailing worm.  A small swivel can be added to avoid twists that can form as the weight drags across bottom.  A variety of worms work great in this situation: Kut Tail Worm, 4” Shad Shape Worm and Senkos.  The split shot rig really shines when dragged across open points with scattered cover.  You can drag the rig in short bursts across bottom, or just allow the wind to drift your boat as you drag the bait over the structure.  This little split shot set up will produce when the bass are finicky or highly pressured and not chasing larger Carolina rigged baits.

By no means are we breaking new ground with the techniques above and each of these methods have countless articles detailing the finer points of refining the rig.  However, as often as they are discussed, many anglers outside of the west coast simply won’t pick up the light tackle when conditions mandate a change from the 80 pound braid and ½ oz baits.  Granted, these finesse presentations typically require decent water clarity (at least 1 foot visibility), but they will often work when everything else in the boat fails.  I’ve made a commitment to become more proficient in all of the above this year, as too often I’m fishing behind a cold front or another boat and need a fall-back plan.  Now it’s just a matter of convincing my wife I need to go buy another spinning rod and reel!

About the Author

Based in Texas, Shane Beilue is a freelance outdoor writer for various national and regional fishing publications.  As a former bass fishing guide, Shane has a passion for fishing instruction and tournament competition, evidenced by his frequent donations to various tournament organizations.