Who fishes them here in NH, and under what conditions? Alabama shake or no? What technique did they replace for you? I have a pretty narrow use case for them - medium thickness milfoil, and I'll soak it in some of the holes/edges @Stumpfield, Powdermill, Nashua R. Thinner grass - I'm throwing the chatterbait. I'm throwing spinnerbaits a little less since I picked up the swimjig.
1990 Ranger 362V Yamaha Pro-V 150
Old Town Predator MinnKota
I fish them alot and I do quite well. I rarely throw a spinnerbait anymore. No shake for me, though I do like to pause and burn when around known cover. Trees, reeds, sparse weed edges are my high percentage spots. But I've caught them dragging around rock piles as well as docks. They will skip pretty decent to get up under docks. Typically use a 3/8 boss head with skirt and 3.8 keitech. Occasionally I will use a 1/2 with a thinned out skirt and smaller bait for smallies when they are deep. Cast out let hit bottom pop a few times then burn 5-6 cranks and kill it. Smallies cant stand that.
Been trying to fish a swim jig but don't have the patience. As soon as I catch a fish on one I'll be hooked.
Deadly early and late (spring and fall), when flashier options are ignored and only in light colored shades. for some reason if the jig doesn't contain white or yellow they don't want it.
I fish them often and have for the last 6-7 years, usually paired with a 4-5" swimbait on the back. Works great when they're up shallow this time of the year when the water gets consistently over 50 degrees and you see them cruising shallow vegetation lines, like lily pad beds that are still laid over and dead from the previous year. Or in the middle of the summer when they're cruising around in the veggies as well, shallow or deep. Dead calm or windy, doesn't matter. Some days they just don't want a spinnerbait or bladed jig, but they want something moving. I usually do best with it right around now, or around the time when the bluegill are spawning, but they have a time and place most of the season.
I don't do anything fancy with it either, I fish it the same as I would a spinnerbait. I only use a 1/4 or 3/8 depending on how aggressive they are in running it down, some days I need to go lighter so I can pause it randomly and that gets them to commit to it.
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