spybait fishing

[stratosjoe]

lets talk spybaits in the late fall early winter. bought a duo 90 and tried it today very windy which I'm sure moved the bait too fast as well as not real clear water. Found the fish in 15 to 17'. I made a long cast behind them counted down 15 seconds very slowly retrieved the bait nada. water again probably only 12 to 15" visibility 43 to 45 degrees bluebird skies with wind . used 8 # fluoro on med light casting with old Garcia 2500. open to suggestions for tomorrow trying blade and flicker shad. Only took out spybait cause I wanted to get a feel for it so maybe they were off their food today.

[Buggs247]

Following, just bought a few myself and going to be trying them out soon!!

[stratosjoe]

went to a river/lake got into a tremendous jerkbait bite. when it slowed down I threw spybait fished water 4 to 7' they smashed it . tried another flat, jerk bite was strong but I sit it down tried spybait same thing smashed it. I dont know if the bait will work under other situations but did today. heavy overcast skies 6 to 10 mph winds , snow and rain coming in this evening water very clear. water temp 36 to 38. I would throw up on the flat count to 3 and start a very slow retrieve. was using a 5 to 1 reel, 8# fluoro . pretty cold fishing but have a scuffed up thumb for the effort. hop this helps someone Lord knows I am still open for advice.

[DrewFlu33]

In full disclosure, I've never fished one in my life. Based only on what I've read about the technique and taking it to the context of your posts, it sounds like the primary requirement is clear water. 12-15" of visibility is pretty darn stained for a lot of presentations, particularly one that's designed for clear water.

[Hollada]

Watch the grigsby videos on YouTube from the FLW on st Clair this year.

[stratosjoe]

thanks I will

[Capt Ray]

I have been experiencing more and more success the more I fish it, imagine that. I am no expert but your setup sound right but I have found the most important aspect for my success is the slow methodical retrieve. Next I would say the visibility. I have caught some nice fish in water with as little as 2' of visibility. I also primarily use the Duo Realis 80.

I would keep at it as this technique seems to be something that takes time to master, but once you get the hang of it the presentation seems to catch better than average fish.

[slipknobber bot]

Do not be afraid to throw this in stained water! Huge misconception there

[stratosjoe]

Slip you are dead on got a 4.7 today in a local strip pit water kinda murkie. Long cast counted down to approximately 10 slow and steady ATE IT.

[Buggs247]

Got my spybaits in and have to admit I am super pumped about trying it out, gonna hit some of my favorite jerkbait holes with it and see what happens first and then try to expand on it!!

[cp3434]

Anyone fish a spy bait on baitcaster

[stratosjoe]

i will try friday and let you know on the baitcaster. I spooled up an old quantum with a backing the 8# fluorocarbon going to try it out Friday .

[Walkabout7781]

Like the OP, I bought a Duo Realis 90, and fished it on 6 lb Tatsu FC on my GLoomis 7' ML crankbait rod with a Curado SF 5:1 gears. And I tried to count it down...don't recall the number...maybe 10...in 30' of water, I dragged in a bunch of moss. I tried letting it fall on a slack line until out of sight in pretty clear water...about 10'. The thing fell nose almost straight down...FAST...not what I expected from watching the videos on YouTube.

I emailed Duo Realis USA and asked about it, and suddenly got 3 more direct from Japan. Didn't quite know what to think about that, but finally took all 4 down to the park fishing dock and tried each one to see what they did on the fall...all the same. I sent the three "free ones" back to Duo USA. I'd like to know if the Spin80's fall at the same steep angle....and other brands as well. I do realize that I could slow the drop by using copolymer and/or larger line. I'm thinking that a deep suspending jerkbait would maybe work better. We're fishing for brown bass, OBTW.

[Casslaw]

Wait...you sent three free baits back?? You completely lost me there! I think the closest thing I throw to a spybait is the Rapala Twitching Mullet and it’s very blah underwater compared to a jerkbait but it has caught some nice fish for me when I can slow myself down enough to work it how the fish want that day.

I know I get so caught up in “action” that I sometimes forget that these bass are eating constantly(within reason) and I don’t always have to trigger the strike, I just have to mimick what they want that day at that time.

[slipknobber bot]

Anyone fish a spy bait on baitcaster

Yes, all mine are thrown on a 7' hammer medium baitcaster and 8lb copoly. Love it!

[Casslaw]

Question, is the Duo Realis 90 “the” bait to learn this technique with? Locally I can only get the lucky craft pointer and I would really like to try this technique on the schoolies that are giving me lots of fun chunks right now.

I have a Concept A thats 5.3:1 so that will help me since I always work too fast for this type of technique. After reading this and spybaitfishing.com I really want to try this!

[78Staff]

So spybaiting is essentially a sinking propbait, like the old Devils Horse or X-Rap, but updated to sinking versions of fancier, more realistic bait bodies? You throw it, count it down to a certain depth, and then retrieve... steadily, or like a jerkbait, or other? I'll be honest I keep hearing about spybaiting but have never tried it. Seems like it's always mentioned on clear and deep bodies of water. Not too much of that in Florida lol. Would it be considered a search bait, or a bait thrown to known schools of fish?

[Casslaw]

That’s where I was going 78Staff. With the schoolies now I’m following up misses with a lipless crank or a Rapala Twitching Mullet that I put freshwater hardware on. It doesn’t sink as fast as the spybait from what I’m reading and has the propellers so the inaction of the Twitching Mullet would be taken care of by the propellers.

I really want to try to try it out tomorrow but locally I have Dicks or BPS amd the Lucky Craft Pointer is all I can get my hands on quickly.

[Capt Ray]

Like the OP, I bought a Duo Realis 90, and fished it on 6 lb Tatsu FC on my GLoomis 7' ML crankbait rod with a Curado SF 5:1 gears. And I tried to count it down...don't recall the number...maybe 10...in 30' of water, I dragged in a bunch of moss. I tried letting it fall on a slack line until out of sight in pretty clear water...about 10'. The thing fell nose almost straight down...FAST...not what I expected from watching the videos on YouTube.

I emailed Duo Realis USA and asked about it, and suddenly got 3 more direct from Japan. Didn't quite know what to think about that, but finally took all 4 down to the park fishing dock and tried each one to see what they did on the fall...all the same. I sent the three "free ones" back to Duo USA. I'd like to know if the Spin80's fall at the same steep angle....and other brands as well. I do realize that I could slow the drop by using copolymer and/or larger line. I'm thinking that a deep suspending jerkbait would maybe work better. We're fishing for brown bass, OBTW.

The 80 falls much like a Senko...horizontal with a slight shimmy. I have several 90's and have never tied one on. I will check mine to see how they fall.

[slipknobber bot]

So spybaiting is essentially a sinking propbait, like the old Devils Horse or X-Rap, but updated to sinking versions of fancier, more realistic bait bodies? You throw it, count it down to a certain depth, and then retrieve... steadily, or like a jerkbait, or other? I'll be honest I keep hearing about spybaiting but have never tried it. Seems like it's always mentioned on clear and deep bodies of water. Not too much of that in Florida lol. Would it be considered a search bait, or a bait thrown to known schools of fish?

Personally haven't had a ton of success on spinbaits in schools, but that's just me. I would consider a Spinbait a finesse search bait, it just can't be fished quite as fast as a tradition search bait. However the castability somewhat makes up for that. For me personally, I don't ever count down a Spinbait unless I'm fishing deeper than 15ft. You want a very slow, very steady retrieve, which gets the bait down on its own. Plus you always want the bait over there head. My best advice with a Spinbait, if you're starting out with it, it's don't throw it until you're in an area you've either caught fish, or know for a fact they are there. Gain confidence in the bait, then start expanding. I've caught fish in 2-25 ft of water, 8"-25ft of water visibility, and all seasons. However, when they don't want it, they just don't want it. IMO I liken it to a Chatterbait, can literally work anywhere, anytime, but when they aren't on it, they aren't on it.