Shaky Head Question!

[travis23]

I recently threw some baits in the bath tub with my VMC shaky heads, and I noticed the ZMAN finesse worms were the only ones floating.  I tried A LOT of plastics, and most would fall to the side.  I have always thought the shakyhead was supposed to stand straight up and the plastic to float? Am I right or wrong?  Do I need to switch jig heads?

[michael68w]

I haven't used z man baits but more then likely the others fall to the side due to the salt content. I know that zoom has a line of finesse worm that's molded without salt and they float well. I've never had issues with them when I'm using them on a spot remover head.

[travis23]

Yeah I know why the fall and I know which ones have salt in them, but what I am asking is are shakyheads supposed to stand straight up?

[Bassfishing375]

The strike king super finesse worms also float.

[Fish Murderer 71]

ZOOM original trick worms float,  BERKLEY HAVOC "Bottom Hoppers" float,  STRIKE KING Super Finesse float, (and these are my personal favorite).  ROBOWORM float (even with all the salt they put in them)  CHARLIES WORMS fineness float....   and thats about all of them I use.  I find that I have more d**n worms than I can ever use in a season.  I know this cause I just finished going through the bag of everything and sorted and put them all in order  3 hours later, I finally finished.

[The Pennsylvania Kid]

Stand upright or as close to upright as possible yes........I use Mega Strike shaky head jigs and even if you have a bait that sinks bc of salt this jig head will make it stand upright. 

[Tugmaster]

Check out Powerteam soft plastics. They have a good variety of sizes, colors and styles and they float!

Todd

[travis23]

ZOOM original trick worms float,  BERKLEY HAVOC "Bottom Hoppers" float,  STRIKE KING Super Finesse float, (and these are my personal favorite).  ROBOWORM float (even with all the salt they put in them)  CHARLIES WORMS fineness float....   and thats about all of them I use.  I find that I have more d**n worms than I can ever use in a season.  I know this cause I just finished going through the bag of everything and sorted and put them all in order  3 hours later, I finally finished.

I have the original trick worms(they do not float), I have the bottom hoppers (they do not float), and I have the KVD finesse worms (they do not float).  I have been confused about trick worms, because everyone says they float, but the pack I have does not. 

 

Stand upright or as close to upright as possible yes........I use Mega Strike shaky head jigs and even if you have a bait that sinks bc of salt this jig head will make it stand upright. 

They look great and I have heard good things about them.  I'll have to pick some up! Thanks

[ww2farmer]

I use zoom finesse, and trick worms..............they don't float, and senkos.........which really don't float, yet some how I catch a TON of fish on them with a shaky head..........I must be a wizard or some thing, cause we all know worms HAVE TO float to work on a shaky head

[bassinKS]

check out snack daddy lures split stix they are awesome on a shaky head!

[SpencerLittle]

Best looking finesse bait I've seen is a missile baits fuse 4.4 ... They look awesome!

[Talonman]

I saw this youtube video on the best shakey head jigs to buy.

I believe him... So I did pick up... 

(2) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 1/8 Brown 2
(3) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 1/4 Brown 3
(1) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 1/8 Green Pump 1
(2) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 3/16 Green Pump 2
(2) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 3/8 Green Pump 2
(3) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 1/8 Watermelon 3
(2) S.K. Tour Grade Shakey Head 3/16 Watermelon 2

 

There were (3) jigs in each pack, and I ordered 15.
I now have 45 of those suckers.

 

[papajoe222]

The worms don't necessisarily need to float, but the jig head does need to hold the bait upright.  I, myself, don't use a VMC jig. That's neither here or there because the wrong worm will overpower any jig's ability to stand upright.  When I say wrong worm, I mean too big of one. Too long, or too wide results in more plastic. More plastic means more weight and that's the down fall to the equation.

I love Zoom's Super SAlty Mag Shakey Head worms, but I also know I can't throw them on a 1/8 oz. jig head. 

If you match the size of the jig to the size of the worm, that jig will remain upright and your worm will stand tail up as long as you don't let it sit in one spot too long.

[Bluebasser86]

This is something that folks stress about that I've never understood. Think about it, what are the odds your shakyheads lands perfectly, on a perfectly flat bottom, and the weight of the worm doesn't tip it over? Even if it is a floating worm, the odds of your bait landing on a piece of the bottom that is perfectly flat can't be good. How do you fish a shakyhead? I usually drag mine or use very small hops, not nearly big enough hops to give my shakyhead a chance to get pointed straight back at the bottom. 

Also, if a worm does happen to make it into the water, does it stand up and point towards the surface? I'm guessing probably not. If a minnow or craw detects a bass or other predator it isn't going to try to stand off the bottom and make itself more visible, it's going to try to hide near the bottom or in some cover.

I fish a plain round shakyhead that I pour myself (I lose WAY to many each year to zebra mussels to buy the fancy "stand up" heads), yet I catch hundreds of fish a year on them. A shakyhead that stands up or a worm that floats is just one of those things I really think a lot of people over think or try to put too much emphasis on. An example of what I'm talking about, stand up head with a Zoom finesse worm. Yeah the worm floats off the bottom, but the "stand up" head still falls over nearly every time.

[ClackerBuzz]

^x2 all heads fall over. if you believe there's a shaky head that stands up in rocky cracks I got a Brooklyn Bridge to sell yah. it's all about the worm....and even if you have a 'dud' salty worm it becomes all about the action (keeping it moving/hopping/dragging). i'd say the worlds most perfect floating worm only becomes more valuable in very pressured/calm water where you need to let it sit in one place for a long time to entice the bass. then its safe to go with roboworm, big bites squirrel or anything elaztech like Strike King or Zman

[Fish Murderer 71]

If I throw just the worm in the sink, Charlie's worm and the super finesse are the only ones to float back up to the top, the roboworms tail never touches the bottom, the havoc stand strait up while on the hook. Guess I should have tested shaky head worms with out the hook to see if they were high floating or not. Some of my zooms floated on the hook(solid colors did, most with glitter didn't, which was surprising to me.) As for the KVD'S, heavy salt infusion will sink. Try the Strike King Super finesse (BASS PRO HAS EM). If you want a tail to guaranty to float, get a hypodermic needle, tube of super glue, put a tiny drop of glue on the needle away from the sharp edge, run the needle to the glue drop into the tail push in the plunger about 1cc. pull the needle out and squeeze the hole for about ten seconds for the glue to seal the hole.

[Primus]

I tested various combo's in a swimming pool so I can see exactly what my bait is doing. I prefer unless dealing with a lot of grass where I would go with a T-rig anyway a football style jighead.  http://www.***.com/Picasso_Shake-E-Football/descpage-PSF.html

 

What I like about the Picasso is the flat spot, when paired with a no salt plastic you will have a deadly combo. I usually use the 1/4 sometimes the 3/8 oz and pair this with a custom poured no salt Senko which I have purchased in the past from Dichoso hand pours. Unfortunately it appears he is no longer in the business so the last batch I had poured from a local hand pour guy that I bought from Michigan Tackle in Battle Creek ,MI.

There are dozens of guys out there with the Senko shaped mold or if you prefer finesse or trick worm molds that can pour worms with no salt that in many cases can meet or exceed the quality of the big names brands that are out there.

  

 Anyways, my Shaky Senko rig as I call it will stand up at an app 60 degree angle when resting it on the bottom and I can leave it sit there without constantly rolling over. I get a lot of bites just letting it set there and in my opinion the Senko profile tends to catch bigger fish than the finesse/ trick worm profile.

 

Obviously there are combo's that will likely work with Elaztech type of baits, I personally prefer traditional soft plastic. If you match the jig & bait correctly you can have a true stand-up worm. I omitted the Megastrike Shake E jighead because I have not tried but I see no reason why that wouldn't work as well.

 

Obviously , people catch fish with this presentation using salted plastics. In my opinion these are fish that eyed the bait on the way down or react to the movement of the bait when an angler hops it, that said a combo that stands up off the bottom will be more effective on finicky fish that want the bait deadsticked for part of the presentation.

 

 I also use a little heavier line than some as I present it with a 7' MH Loomis casting rod, Curado reel spooled with 12 lb floro.