When nothing else will get bit.
01. Use in Case of Emergencies
This is a great swimbait for any finesse scenario, but most often I keep this plastic in my back pocket in case I can’t buy a bite on anything else. There have been days where I don’t even get a sniff from a bass, but within minutes of tying one of these on a small jig head I catch a bass. The downside is that you will catch a lot of dinks, but at least you will put some in the boat!
02. Fun Fishing
This is a perfect plastic to tie on if you are looking to do some fun fishing and want to catch a variety of species. Put one of these on a small jig head and you can catch just about any species of fish from bluegill and crappie to bass and catfish. I like to use these when I am fishing smaller rivers, creeks, and streams.
03. Favorite Colors
There are really only two colors I use and they are Green Pumpkin Shad and Ghost Shad. I use Green Pumpkin Shad when the water is a bit stained, or the forage is bluegill. I tie on Ghost Shad when the water is clear and the bass are chasing shad. There are several other great colors to choose from, but these are the two I start with. Experiment with different colors and find our what works best for you!
04. Techniques
Most often I will tie this lure on with a small jig head and swim it through the middle or bottom of the water column. I have also found it effective to fish this plastic along the bottom, like a Ned Rig. This technique will mimic a shad or small bluegill feeding along the bottom. Another great technique is swim shotting, especially when fishing clear water fisheries for smallmouth. A swim shot is rigged just like a drop shot, but instead of simply holding or shaking the weight in place, you drag it, or swim it across the bottom. This will keep the bait at your targeted water depth like a classic drop shot, while allowing the paddle tail to kick as you pull it along. Any and all of the techniques will get bit, you just have to decide which option works best for your scenario.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, this is a fun lure to fish because it will catch you numbers. Don’t get me wrong, if you come across a big one, this lure will get bit. However, you will weed through a lot of smaller bass, bluegills, and crappie to get there, but that’s what makes the Hazedong Shad so fun to fish. You never know what will be on the other end of the line when you feel the tug!