Swimbait Fishing: 5" Bull Shad

Date: 2.4.12
Weather: Overcast with 70% chance of rain 0-4 mph winds
Temperature: 63
Water Temperature: 51
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous 98% full 
Scenario: Pre-spawn bass chasing schools of shad in 19-23 feet of water

Today, I headed up to a beautiful North Georgia reservoir to test out one of my new swimbaits: the 5" Bull Shad custom series by Baitwerks.

5' Bull Shad custom series by Baitwerks in a threadfin pattern

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I had great success, in the previous months, probing the deep haunts of wary, winter shad with my homemade C.U. Rigs.(castable-umbrella rigs).  Even though I hate putting down a hot hand, I needed to test some of my new baits.   I found some shad holding in mostly the same areas, however, with the warmer temperatures they were not so concentrated and hard to pinpoint.  I attempted to find a steady patter, but the bass seemed as confused as this angler.  Some bass thought it was early Fall; pods of baitfish skimming the top and hungry bass crushing them mercilessly.  The majority of the fish, though, were still hung up in their winter patterns; suspending and inactive, only moving when they got hungry enough to take a swipe at shad who venture too close.  Most of my strikes came in open water over a 20 foot bottom where schools of active bass corralled the shad on the surface.  Although some fish can be caught blind casting,the key is to anticipate the movement of the fleeing prey and intercept the melee with your swimbait.  This bait is a dead ringer for threadfin shad; producing violent strikes.  Most fish had the bait completely in their mouth.  No slaps or short strikes here; these bass were out for blood.

This bass had a need that could only be filled by more Bull Shad.

The Bull Shad is a slow sink, hard bait that is most effective in the upper water column.  So in the lulls between surface action I swapped out for a small, Storm paddletail shad.  These baits are great for working the bottom and produced two smaller bass around two pounds. 

These little Storm swimbaits really match the hatch.

I also used the "burn and kill" trick where you speed the bait up and then "kill" it and let it sink.  I had a largemouth bull rush, and whiff,  my bait when I was burning it back to re-cast.  On the very next cast I slow rolled it back to the boat, burned it the last few feet, and then killed it right at the boat.   The bass came out of no where, in 20 feet of water, to crush the bait with only a couple of feet of line out.  Thank god for my mono shock leader.  This trip was equally satisfying and disappointing.  I am very pleased with the performance of one of my little 5" Bull Shad.  It accounted for five nice bass; one around five pounds.  This bait looks like it will be a great tournament bait because it attracts larger fish without discouraging the smaller keepers you need.  Ultimately, I could not quite get on a consistent pattern and my camera was dying so I could only take quick snap shots, but, I will consider it a victory for early February.

Its only a flesh wound.

This nice bass took my swimbait right at the boat after a burn and kill retrieve.