Post by Adam Brister on Jan 2, 2008 13:53:51 GMT -6
The "Shakyhead"
I am a power fisherman at heart. I love to pick up a stout baitcasting outfit, put the trolling motor on a high speed, and cruise the lake casting and burning a big crankbait or spinnerbait. Some days I catch bass after bass on these power techniques. The action is usually fast and furious, especially when you're targeting smallmouth bass like I do the majority of the time. If you've ever felt a smallmouth nail a spinnerbait or crankbait and nearly take the rod out of your hands, you know that not much else compares to that rush.
But sometimes you have to slow down and finesse the fish into biting. Whether it be a cold front, hot summer months or the post-spawn, their are times when my tried and true crawdad patterned crankbaits won't elicit a strike.
My favorite lure to fish in times such as these has become the shakyhead worm. As a matter of fact, the little shakyhead has become my go to bait under any conditions. Its a bait that catches fish for me under any water and weather conditions, or high fishing pressure during any season. It is one of the hottest lures on the pro tours, and due to recent wins by well-known anglers using this diminuative little beast, many anglers from weekend warriors to tournament regulars have one tied on during most of their outings.
The shakyhead is comprised of a simple 4 to 6 inch finesse style worm on a jighead. It usually has a straight tail and thin body, and primarily natural colors are used. Most soft plastic companies make a few of these types of worms, so pick one in green pumpkin or a similar color and you're in business. If I'm using the shakyhead as my primary lure, which is often the case, I like to use a Berkley Gulp! Slim Shaky Worm in green pumpkin. But since the Gulp! tends to dry out when left sitting on the deck of the boat, I will use a Berkley Finesse Worm Hand Pour, a Roboworm, or a Strike King Elaztech Finesse Worm if I'm using it in conjunction with other presentations.
The jighead itself is available in many forms as well, and all of them will do the job. In some situations, I even use a regular leadhead jig that I would normally fish a small grub on. But the newer heads designed for this technique offer better hooksets, better feel, and better action for the bait. Here I prefer the Ikey Heads made by Tru-Tungsten. These heads feature an offset Texas-style hook that allows the worm to perfectly align with the head. They are expensive compared to some other offerings, but they are worth the price to me for the excellent bottom tranmsission they provide and for their ability to hold the lure on the hook. Some companies offer a screw-lock type keeper to hold the worm in place. In my opinion the best head that features this keeper is the Picasso Shakedown. Also consider the Bagley's Shakyheads as well for a simpler jighead style. Buy a few heads in 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 ounce sizes. The 1/8 is the size I use most, but I will switch to the heavier sizes when fishing the shakyhead in deep water in order to maintain a good feel of the bottom.
Rod and reel selection is a matter of personal choice, but I recommend fishing the shakyhead on a 6'6" to 7' medium or medium heavy power rod. Spinning outfits are the most popular choice, but finesse style baitcast reels like Daiwa's Sol will work equally well. I generally use a 6'6" medium spinning rod and prefer 6 or 8 pound test flourocarbon line.
I fish the shakyhead anywhere and everywhere. The retrieve I use varies according to the mood of the fish and conditions at the time. I usually begin by casting letting the bait sink to the bottom, then working it back with a hopping type motion, and short pauses and shakes in between. If the fish are in a negative mood, the pauses will be longer and the shakes more subtle. It is also important to pay attention to your lure as it falls as many strikes occur as the lure is falling in front of a fish.
The shakyhead is also my favorite lure during the spawn when bass are on their beds. A lure like this that you can leave in one spot yet still impart some action to is deadly for these fish. In this situation I will sometimes use a pink worm instead of the natural hues I use most often. The bright color makes sight fishing easier in clear water, and smallies will readily hit a bright colored lure.
The aforementioned techniques are very general, and apply to most situations where the shakyhead would be a deadly tool. However, I also like to experiment with the presentation and lures to fish a variety of conditions. For example, a soft plastic crawfish on a heavier shakyhead can be a awesome in deep water. I will use a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce head on a 7' medium heavy baitcast rod to probe deep channels and ledges.
The shakyhead worm has become one of my confidence baits, and its effectiveness has been largely responsible for increasing my interest in other finesse style presentations. If you haven't tried it yet, buy a few jigheads and finesse worms before your next trip. If the bite is tough, tie one on. After catching some fish on it you'll probably start to rely on it more and more. And that's a good thing.
Adam Brister
Thanks for reading! This article is also posted on my website bristeroutdoors.com
I am a power fisherman at heart. I love to pick up a stout baitcasting outfit, put the trolling motor on a high speed, and cruise the lake casting and burning a big crankbait or spinnerbait. Some days I catch bass after bass on these power techniques. The action is usually fast and furious, especially when you're targeting smallmouth bass like I do the majority of the time. If you've ever felt a smallmouth nail a spinnerbait or crankbait and nearly take the rod out of your hands, you know that not much else compares to that rush.
But sometimes you have to slow down and finesse the fish into biting. Whether it be a cold front, hot summer months or the post-spawn, their are times when my tried and true crawdad patterned crankbaits won't elicit a strike.
My favorite lure to fish in times such as these has become the shakyhead worm. As a matter of fact, the little shakyhead has become my go to bait under any conditions. Its a bait that catches fish for me under any water and weather conditions, or high fishing pressure during any season. It is one of the hottest lures on the pro tours, and due to recent wins by well-known anglers using this diminuative little beast, many anglers from weekend warriors to tournament regulars have one tied on during most of their outings.
The shakyhead is comprised of a simple 4 to 6 inch finesse style worm on a jighead. It usually has a straight tail and thin body, and primarily natural colors are used. Most soft plastic companies make a few of these types of worms, so pick one in green pumpkin or a similar color and you're in business. If I'm using the shakyhead as my primary lure, which is often the case, I like to use a Berkley Gulp! Slim Shaky Worm in green pumpkin. But since the Gulp! tends to dry out when left sitting on the deck of the boat, I will use a Berkley Finesse Worm Hand Pour, a Roboworm, or a Strike King Elaztech Finesse Worm if I'm using it in conjunction with other presentations.
The jighead itself is available in many forms as well, and all of them will do the job. In some situations, I even use a regular leadhead jig that I would normally fish a small grub on. But the newer heads designed for this technique offer better hooksets, better feel, and better action for the bait. Here I prefer the Ikey Heads made by Tru-Tungsten. These heads feature an offset Texas-style hook that allows the worm to perfectly align with the head. They are expensive compared to some other offerings, but they are worth the price to me for the excellent bottom tranmsission they provide and for their ability to hold the lure on the hook. Some companies offer a screw-lock type keeper to hold the worm in place. In my opinion the best head that features this keeper is the Picasso Shakedown. Also consider the Bagley's Shakyheads as well for a simpler jighead style. Buy a few heads in 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4 ounce sizes. The 1/8 is the size I use most, but I will switch to the heavier sizes when fishing the shakyhead in deep water in order to maintain a good feel of the bottom.
Rod and reel selection is a matter of personal choice, but I recommend fishing the shakyhead on a 6'6" to 7' medium or medium heavy power rod. Spinning outfits are the most popular choice, but finesse style baitcast reels like Daiwa's Sol will work equally well. I generally use a 6'6" medium spinning rod and prefer 6 or 8 pound test flourocarbon line.
I fish the shakyhead anywhere and everywhere. The retrieve I use varies according to the mood of the fish and conditions at the time. I usually begin by casting letting the bait sink to the bottom, then working it back with a hopping type motion, and short pauses and shakes in between. If the fish are in a negative mood, the pauses will be longer and the shakes more subtle. It is also important to pay attention to your lure as it falls as many strikes occur as the lure is falling in front of a fish.
The shakyhead is also my favorite lure during the spawn when bass are on their beds. A lure like this that you can leave in one spot yet still impart some action to is deadly for these fish. In this situation I will sometimes use a pink worm instead of the natural hues I use most often. The bright color makes sight fishing easier in clear water, and smallies will readily hit a bright colored lure.
The aforementioned techniques are very general, and apply to most situations where the shakyhead would be a deadly tool. However, I also like to experiment with the presentation and lures to fish a variety of conditions. For example, a soft plastic crawfish on a heavier shakyhead can be a awesome in deep water. I will use a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce head on a 7' medium heavy baitcast rod to probe deep channels and ledges.
The shakyhead worm has become one of my confidence baits, and its effectiveness has been largely responsible for increasing my interest in other finesse style presentations. If you haven't tried it yet, buy a few jigheads and finesse worms before your next trip. If the bite is tough, tie one on. After catching some fish on it you'll probably start to rely on it more and more. And that's a good thing.
Adam Brister
Thanks for reading! This article is also posted on my website bristeroutdoors.com
