Groucho Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 I just bought a BTS mold of a 3.75 gizzard shad CNC mold with the hook slot. I made some weighted hooks to use for them but can't get them to fish correctly. When cast out and bring them in they sorta tumble all around. Sum of that is fine and has it place but a straight retrieve with a little wiggle I can't get. How do you all fish these things. I got them to use in Fl. for white bait and believe they will work just fine if I can get them from turning over and twirling. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthunter Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 (edited) Are you pouring them with soft or medium plastic? Soft plastic will make them tumble. A medium plastic seems to give a swimbait more backbone so to speak. Edited March 15, 2016 by ruthunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groucho Posted March 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 I'm pouring with medium plastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassinfool Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 You may need to use a little hardener to get a stiffer plastic. It doesn't take much, but as rut mentioned above, softer plastic seems to cause the bait to tumble through the water column where a firmer plastic swims a little straighter allowing the boot style tail to kick and the body will have the slight undulating rolling action you're looking for. Also, try using a smaller hook in your swim bait. If you use too big of a hook you can also have some issues with the bait rolling over and acting funky in the water. On a 5" swim bait I normally use a 4/0 EWG weighted hook that has the screw lock keeper. Owner and Gamakatsu both offer great hooks in that style as do others, those are just my two preferred with the Owner hook even having an adjustable weight on the shank to alter how your bait swims in the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groucho Posted March 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 this shad's tail is straight it looks exactly like a gizzard shad, I'm trying an owner screw lock keeper with a # 2/0 wide gap hook. the weights I can use is 1/6, 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 oz. It seems to flip over on it's side on the lighter weights. There really isn't much action to it or any resistance from a foot. It looks more like a dead bait than an injured one. I am using Lurecraft 552 medium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassinfool Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Without any type of boot tail or swimming type tail I don't know if you'll ever get a bait that swims but instead have more of a gliding bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FATFLATTIE Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 If it is the jerk bait version it's not made to swim. It's just made to be twitched and then let it sink. The one with the paddle tail is the swimming version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Most swimbaits need a keel weighted hook or will twist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
