Winter 2024
Once I spot a bass on my HDS Pro with dual Active Target 2 units, I quickly make a cast directly to the target. I then count down my lure in case I don’t first see it on my screen. Once spotted it is easy to then swim the lure just above the resting level of any suspended bass.
With an accurate cast and experience in using FFS it becomes much easier to put your Scope Shad directly over the bass. Then you can watch your lure on the retrieve, and see the bass follow it and strike the bait. There will always be a slight delay between seeing the strike and feeling it, which helps to prepare you for the strike.
Don’t limit your use of the Scope Shad solely to sight, cast, retrieve situations. It is also effective when fished vertically below the boat in deeper water. It drops headfirst, lifts headfirst, and can be shaken in place while hanging in a horizontal attitude that maximizes tail movement. As shown in the embedded video, the Scope Shad can draw bass in from quite a distance in deep but clear water when fished vertically.
MORE SCOPE SHAD RIGGING OPTIONS
NED HEAD: Ned head aficionados will love this bait. Because it is made with the Mega Floater soft plastic formula the tail stands upright. The fat body has more attraction power than standard Ned choices and the nervous twitching of the forked tail seals the deal.
SCROUNGER HEAD: Another effective rigging method is to cast and retrieve the lure past targeted bass when rigged on a Scrounger head. A three-sixteenth or one-quarter ounce Scrounger works well with the Scope Shad. For highly pressured bass requiring a subtle presentation to finesse a strike, I recommend a Gamakatsu Round 26 jig head in 3/0 size.
MAXEYE JIG PILL HEAD: Another great choice is the new Gamakatsu MaxEye Jig Pill Head. Despite being designed for walleye, the large aspirin pill-shaped head with 3D eye does a great job showing up on FFS.
DROP-SHOT RIG: Finally, consider throwing the Scope Shad to bass spotted on FFS with a dropshot rig. More than 20-years ago a former tournament partner and champion named Ron
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