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Are you a bass fisherman? If so then you undoubtedly know that shad are a food staple for bass in many waterways. For this reason shad fishing lures are a popular lure choice for many bass fishermen. So what is the perfect shad imitation? There are many choices available when it comes to a shad imitation, but in my view there are two main choices.
These 2 shad fishing lures (or types of fishing lures) are the main two varieties when it comes to baits that mimic shad, and is what this article is about. The “perfect” shad imitation comes from one of these to varieties of fishing lures. The number one “perfect” fishing lure is probably impossible to determine, and depends on the angler and temperament of the bass themselves, but if there is one single “perfect” shad imitation it comes form these two fishing lure varieties.
Soft Plastics – Soft plastics, especially swim baits, are very effective shad fishing lures. Typically these baits are segmented soft plastic baits with a thumping tail. Normally Swimbaits are retrieved quite fast, and then stopped from time to time to allow the bait to sink into the strike zone. There are Swimbaits that imitate shad as well as other bait fish. On most waterways the shad imitating Swimbaits are the most effective. YUM brand soft plastic shad are an effective shad imitation for bass fishing as well. These soft plastics have been impregnated with scents that smell much like a live shad, which makes them more effective than traditional soft plastics. Crank Baits – Crank baits have been imitating shad for many years. Some of the more popular and effective shad crank baits would include the Bagley G-force and the Rapala Shad Rap. These are both great shad imitations and are quite effective for bass fishing. Typically crank baits have a lip in the front to allow the bait to ‘swim’ to different depths when retrieved. When it comes to shad fishing lures another effective crank bait is the KickTail minnow. This shad imitation is sort of a hybrid between a swim bait and a crank bait. In any case many crankbaits are effective shad imitations.
The bottom line is that any serious bass angler needs to have effective shad lures in their tackle bag/box. The most effective bass baits that imitate our friend the shad will come from one of the two varieties of fishing lures listed above. These two bass lure varieties will produce your own personal ‘perfect’ shad imitation that hopefully will serve you well for many years to come.