Background by Aaron Kittredge
Fall 2022
page 56
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Yamamoto Senko
fired out the D-Shad to the same spot, and immediately gave it a quick twitch and pause.
A nice largemouth bass slammed the D-Shad, and I returned the favor slamming the hook just as quickly. Throughout the tournament we used this one-two combination punch to locate and catch bass.
This is not the only time I use the D-Shad as a follow- up bait. When fishing smallmouth bass on rock ridges I like to hunt for them with crankbaits and jerkbaits just above the snaggy bottom. There are times the smallies follow my lure right up to the boat but don’t strike. The first change I make is in color or lure type, but if the chasers continue to ignore my offerings, I reach for the D-Shad.
A dropshot rig would be great except the snaggy bottom would immediately ruin the presentation. On the other hand, a Texas-rigged D-Shad can sink down to the bottom and glide over the snags without missing a beat. Smallmouth bass are sight feeders, and when hesitant to hit a reaction bait you can entice them with something slower. A soft jerkbait is as snag free as it gets, and its injured minnow appearance seduces bass to bite.
Using a follow-up lure is no secret, and surely the unforgettable one is the Yamamoto Senko. It is still my favorite when I fish a specific piece of cover. For instance, if a bass misses a moving lure like a spinnerbait or topwater next to a dock piling or isolated log, I want my follow-up lure to sink slowly next to that specific object like it was prey injured in the chase. The Senko excels at this.
But remember the two examples above. While a Senko might also work in those cases, other lures you forgot may work better. This past May, Mike and I won the ABA Pro Team tournament on Potholes Reservoir in eastern Washington. At one point when fishing a beaver hut Mike reeled in his Cover Scat fast to make a new cast, and I saw a big swirl at the point his lure came to the surface.
Immediately pitching my dropshot rig to the spot of the swirl it quickly sank to
the bottom and bam, another keeper in the boat! Since the spot was 14-feet deep I am convinced the fast sink of my QuickDrop weight, and the easy meal of the Shad Shaped worm, was quickly noticed and sealed the deal. Had I followed with a Senko the bass may have been long gone before it could see it sink to the bottom.
When fishing heavy weed beds or mats with a frog don’t forget to have a follow-up lure ready to penetrate the mat. In matted weeds it is common for bass to miss a frog.
Hookup fails can frustrate you. The good news is that you know where the bass is, so you can pitch a follow-up lure to the sweet spot.
I keep at the ready a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog Texas- rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu G-Power Heavy Cover Flip and Punch hook with a heavy, pegged sinker. You can pitch this and let it sink like dying prey directly into the same hole opened by the missed strike, with better precision and penetration success than with follow-ups like a soft jerkbait or Senko.
So, prepare for follow-up opportunities in various cover, and don’t forget these lure suggestions when you encounter these situations. Ciao! •