Got cold weather comin up. What are some thoughts on how to fish these baits? Rip em? Jig em off bottom? What's worked? Also, what do you fish em on? Spinning tackle? Baitcaster?
Got cold weather comin up. What are some thoughts on how to fish these baits? Rip em? Jig em off bottom? What's worked? Also, what do you fish em on? Spinning tackle? Baitcaster?
I can't catch a damn thing on them. I have a bunch, and always have one tied on in the winter. I need some pointers too!
Vertical and just enough lift for the blade to vibrate. Drop on a semi tight line and the bite will just be a slight tick. Best hooks Ive found are vmc #6 split shank hooks. No split rings. I use a baitcast with 10# mono. Tried flouro and just didnt like the feel of it.
Or cast and let it hit bottom. Lift rod tip fast enough for vibration and let it fall again. Too many people over work this bait.
If you hang it. Get over the top of it and shake the crap out of it on a semi tight line. The weight will dislodge the hook. I will usually use the middle hole with a small cross lock snap.
Love this bait @ 50 degrees or below.
Have found the silver for sunny days and brass or gold for the cloudy days.
Some days the 1/4 works better, some days the 1/2 works better.
Last edited by brushsjigs; 11-14-2017 at 11:30 AM.
I vertical jig as well using a medium lifting action. You want to have the bait vibrate on that upcast. I recommend getting in shallow clear water and practice different lifting methods from violent quick lifts to smooth slow lifts. You will be able to see how the bait vibrates up under each lifting option. You can also practice a semi tight line dropping technique. The drop is really important. Feeling the thump of a fish hitting is very rewarding. Remember to adjust your technique for different sized Silver Buddy's.
I usual throw them on a 7' medium heavy, medium fast casting rod , typically using 12# test mono.
I like a breeze so you can fish the drift. You need to be covering water while using these. On Chautauqua, I catch many smallmouth on the deep weed edges 11-13' of water, or while drifting over rock piles. It is handy to have a plug knocker to retrieve snagged baits. Heavy rocks can eat up a lot of $6 Silver Buddy's.
Vary your lifting techniques to see what the fish want. You can also fish Hopkin's Spoons as well. Again, make sure you are drifting so you are covering water. If there is no wind, use your trolling motor to simulate a wind drift. Make sure you are always landing on the bottom after each lift, so adjust how much line you have out to keep bottom contact(without allowing too much line out). I like to keep the angle to around 75 degrees (cast out 5-10' and let it drop before you start lifting).
I use a cross lock snap swivel as well. Good luck.
'14 Triton 18XS 150 Optimax Pro XS Fortrex 80
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Fish Chautauqua Lake and Lake Erie
Love bass and fly fishing for Trout and Steelhead
I'm a spoonin fool. Just haven't had any "quick" action on this bait to give me the confidence to keep usin it. Thanks for the info.
Spent many a cold winter day on the Potomac in the spoils fishing avocado sting ray grubs on spinning tackle wit 10 lb. XL and 1/2 oz. silver buddies on casting tackle with 14 lb. XL and a snap. Great advice so far, in the coldest water don't be afraid to let it sit on the bottom for a bit. Yes the fish will pick it up from the bottom and just hold it. I've caught many 4 lb. + bass doing this.
That is how I have been fishing it, with very little success. I fish a tailspinner on the same rod, retrieve it the same way and catch 'em by the dozens. Maybe, it's all in my head.Originally Posted by brushsjigs
Excellent info in here so far. I, too, have fished them some but don't have any confidence in them.
Are you guys that are having success with them using the actual Silver Buddies or are you using a different brand of blade bait?
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
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We use them a lot for smallies in the fall up in Door County. Fish them kind of like brushsjigs described, moving the rod tip maybe 6 to 8"...also let them hit the bottom sometimes, give them a pop and then burn them in. 7' M rod with 10lb flouro or CXX (because of the zebra mussels)
Too pricey, so I bought the molds and blanks to make my own. Yes the originals are a great bait. Either one works, you just have to keep it wet
I also make my own from the Do-It mold. I fish them with a lift and drop. Only pulling the bait 8"-12" off the bottom normally. You want to feel 4-6 vibrations of the blade. Usually the bites come on the fall but there have been plenty of times where the fish will "pin it" to the bottom or hit it while it's laying there. I normally cast mine and hop it back to the boat. I will fish the 1/2 oz version on either a 7' m-mh casting or spinning rod. With the casting rod I typically use 12-15# floro and on the spinning rod it's 10# braid with a 12-15# leader
2011 Ranger z521/2023 250ProXS
When the blade bite was going this year the window was breif. It was cloudy and I was snapping it a foot or so with a 12# flouro leader on medium heavy 7 '3 rattle trap casting rod. Hook up ratio was fairly good. Less snags in timber and better hook up if not a long cast. Didn't bother going with two prong hook as I have a plug knocker. Small #6 hooks with short shank and split rings on cabelas 1/2 oz bait I have had good luck with The blade bait bite died by afternoon and the football jig bite took over. I used white when cloudy. Used 3/4oz Silver midday and gold in the afternoon to evening. Maybe they would bite a 3/8 oz better now that its around 40 degree water but was not able to get bit with it last weekend. They switched to tube and ice jig bite. Hopefully going to lighter line and lifts will work in the colder water.
Been killing Walleye on them for a month now. Don’t throw fluorescent pink might get your feelings hurt.
Thats a good video. Thanks. I've obviously been overworking them. The tailspinner requires a longer lift to get the blade to spin, thats my problem.
Last edited by Bassakwards; 11-16-2017 at 08:11 AM.
I'm new to them this year and they've been a good producer for me. The Johnson ThinFisher has been far and away my top producer, and @ $3.00 a pop is a good deal. I killed them in the warmer months fishing them like a lipless crankbait ripping them through grass and open water, plus they still have been working for me in the cooler weather too. Don't be afraid to experiment, I fish most baits "wrong" and do OK.
Like was mentioned already, don't waste your time with pink ones
Ranting incoherently
Spinning tackle. 20 lb braid to 10 lb floro leader Upgrade hooks to short shank ewgs. I prefer casting them so that the hops at angle are not very high off bottom compared to vertical presentation that can overwork them
Watch your line as 90 % of my bites come on the fall and are just a slight tick.
Throw mine on spinning as well with 15lb braid/10 lb fluoro leader. A lot easier set up to fish with gloves on. Catch a lot of fish "dead-sticking" .
I just ordered some damiki vaults from TW to try this late winter/early spring. I don’t have much experience with them but I’m going to try them on casting gear to start with 12#-14# fluro.
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