Trigger Shad the New Search Bait

Craig Fredrychowski
Professional Bass Angler
For more bass fishing tips and articles visit http://bass-hawg.com

In the world of competitive angling you need to take every advantage you can get.  For most this means using new lures, techniques, lure styles and colors.  My approach is to show the fish something different all the time.  When everyone is throwing blades and traps as search baits I show them something different.  My first choice would be a lure from Cache Custom Lures called a Trigger Shad.  It is soft shad style bait similar to a fluke.

Use the trigger shad anywhere you would throw a blade, over grass edges, in and around lay downs, across feeding flats, and over points.  The lure is extremely versatile and can be fished in many ways.  During cold weather you can work this lure so slowly that it will trick even the most inactive fish.  A slightly weighted version can be slowly worked along steep banks and bluffs with short jerks and a long pause to imitate a dying winter shad.  As the weather warms you can begin to increase the speed of the lure to get reaction strikes.  And during the fall when the bass are targeting shad in the backs of creeks and coves the shad style lure is a real killer

I have great results using this lure during any phase of the bass’ year.  For example; when the fish are getting ready to go on beds the flats associated with the spawn are perfect areas to throw the trigger shad and cover a lot of water to find some quick active fish.  Then when they have finished spawning and have turned their attention to guarding fry the trigger shad is the perfect lure for picking off those fish. Even when the water has warmed up and the fish are in their summer haunts and they sneak up in the shallows for an early morning snack you’ll find you can really fill up your live well quickly.

The bait is very flexible in the way you can rig it.  I normally rig it using a red Daiichi  4/0 Fat Gap hook tied on 14# Berkley Trilene Maxx line.  You will want to throw the bait very quickly with hard jerks and a long pause to imitate the last breaths of a dying shad.  To help keep the bait under the water add a slender lead nail weight to the nose of the lure.  I tend to keep the bait just barely in view so it means I get to see the majority of strikes which is both exciting and easier to make the hook up.

Another variation to rigging can be adding a small Tru Tungsten weight 1/32oz. and pegging it to the lure.  This way you can fish much deeper than the standard lure.  Getting your lure down to a depth with a lure that is not normally seen can trigger bites just by being there.  I do not generally throw a Carolina rig but when I do I usually throw it with a trigger shad.  Spots will absolutely rip the rod out of your hands when they see it.  Some of my most vicious strikes have come on this rig.  The smaller version of a shad style lure can be used on drop shots in and around rocky outcroppings.

Go tie a Trigger Shad on and don’t be afraid to throw the lure anywhere.  It is just about 100% snag free and can open up a new window of opportunity for you that others may not be taking advantage of …yet.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!