Damiki Rig ?

[Les Young]

How many of you guys do it? Any tips?

[goby]

I've been doing this long before it was brought to attention as the Damiki rig. It was first brought to my attention by an Infisherman atricle ( Linders and or Matt Straw) in an article that talked about smallmouths eating suspended baitfish on on some Canadian shield systems and their technique of hanging curl tail grub-worms (persuader style curltail) on jigs dead sticked in the column below the boat. I tried it in Minnesota on a cisco based system during a tough late fall bite when I found numerous suspended fish off breaks and reefs. I had immediate results and it became another finesse tactic in my arsenal. I use 6lb flouro carbon on a 7' medium light rod but a light would work as well. My mainstay was 1/16-1/8 oz darter head jigs mostly because I could get them with premium hooks at the time I started playing with this system. Now with more choices available the commonly used VMC Mooneye or VMC Sleek jig would work great. I think lots like the Mooneye because of the large visible eye on the aspirin style head gives a good visual target. For plastics I used very soft minnow imitating plastics like the persauder worm and some soft stick style baits that were available from skinny bear tackle and yodo baits. These are all soft (think hand poured soft) plastics that were available and offer action with minimal movement in general baitfish colors. In current plastic lines available I've had success with yamamoto shad shaped worms, beast coast 3.5" magic flick. The tips I could give you based on my experience with smallmouths and largemouths (no spots in my waters) is the bite is best with a little wind but not lots that gives the bait too much movement up and down. Deadsticked was best by far. This is where the soft plastic comes in as the tails continuously move even when deadsticked. Bites usually came in the form of a small peck like a perch or just and increase or decrease in pressure. Simply reel setting seemed to be most consistent for hookups just like drop shotting. Last two tips I could give is use a little scent if your getting short strikes and stay off the trolling motor as much as possible if fish are finicky. In reality this is very similar to a float and fly presentation except done vertically without a float and with soft plastic.

[Les Young]

Goby, thanks a lot. Lots of good info in your post. I appreciate it & will be doing it the next time I go to my local lake.

[fish365]

Lots of YouTube videos on not only the technique, but most important, how to set up the bow unit. As stated above, think about it as a float n fly method without the float. As far as action, less is more. Most use spinning. Heads vary as long as the bait is horizontal when motionless. Erie heads work great. I prefer sickle hooks when I can find them. If you see them come up and see Them come up and go back down without taking it, try slowly lifting it. If they still don't take it, change colors. Depending on how windy it is, use 1/8 to 1/2 head. Spend a day on the water doing nothing but this technique.

[Les Young]

fish365, thanks.