Reapers?

[Ben Eipert]

Has anyone used reapers or leach style soft plastics for bass and had any success? Only used them while targeting walleye and crappie and didn't know if it might work for bass.

[smalljaw67]

Yes, the Mojo Reefer has been very good in place of a worm in a lot of different areas. I like using the 3" version in smoke purple pepper on a 1/16oz ball head jig with a size 2 hook and bouncing it along the river bottom for smallmouth, it represents a stone cat very well and it is one of the few finesse baits we use that constantly catches larger fish. My friend uses the 3" on a drop shot and C-Rigs the 4" ones, they are under the radar and seldom talked about but they happen to be one of the deadliest finesse baits around.

[primetime]

when lil fry are around, bass busting shallows for an ambush through a school of juvenile baitfish or panfish, the reaper could be one of the best clear water drop shot technique around. Some guys split the tail and it makes em kick like a split tail beaver, but I go sideways, the 3" is like a finesse Rage menace...Never did well with them on a darter head as I expected in cold but if fish are near, they are great drop shot baits and key for me is not shaking just turning handle every 30 seconds, the bait waves natural on it's own...I pull them out in the clear phosphate pits when fish are spooked in sunlight and shallow clear water, let a drop shot soak and it will deliver, as will alot of small baits, but leeches are a fav of mine since bass eat them more than lizards, frogs and if walleye love em I figured I would start using leech soft baits and I have been surprised, lets say on a gold course go leech...

[Ben Eipert]

Ever used any as big as 5 inches?

[Jrob78]

Yamamoto is coming out with a bait called the California Roll.  It's basically a Senko with a Reaper tail.  

[WRB]

Both Iovino products and Upton Customs make hand poured reapers, 3" to 6" sizes.

Reapers are very good split shot, slip shot and drop shot rigged, the big cow tongues T-rigged. Use a nose hooked reaper with weedless waky style hooks from Owner or Gamakatsu or light wire size 1 worm hooks weedless hooked for the 3"-4" sizes., 3/0 for 5"-6" cow tongues.

Tom

[matuka]

Out here reaper style hand pours are pretty popular. 3 inchers for dropshot and mojo rigging on the lakes. They used to be very popular as a flipping bait on the Delta. For some reason they aren't used here as much anymore. I guess there are a lot more sexy flippin baits these days.

[Ben Eipert]

How are reapers compared to like a 4 inch dropshot worm? 

[Ozark_Basser]

Reapers are awesome baits, especially if the bites tough. I have only used the 5 and 6 inch ones. T rig, shakey head, and drop shot have all been effective.

[Robeng]

liked reading this for sure.  Thanks guys.  Convinced me to try them.  I can see it now......

[Ben Eipert]

Gonna have to order a bag or two 

[Ozark_Basser]

Gonna have to order a bag or two

I tend to buy Upton's the most. They come in a regular ole ziplock bag loaded with salt. These baits have pretty much no action, but they catch a lot of fish, especially smallmouth.

[papajoe222]

I've used them for years (5&6in.) on stand up style jig heads. Started using them on the Madison Chain back in the early 80's. Picked up a 22in. largemouth on the 4th of July on that same jig and reaper.  I only use two colors, black and bone (off white) the latter is a killer in the fall.

[smalljaw67]

How are reapers compared to like a 4 inch dropshot worm? 

 

The action is more subtle and that also makes them effective in cold water. I put them in the same category as a Mann's Sting ray grub, very little action with a natural profile. I'd use them in place of the drop shot worm in cooler water or after a cold front or basically anytime the fish are in a more neutral or negative mood.

[Ben Eipert]

Sounds like a winner then. I have been looking for a bait to use for a while that will produce on a deep clear lake. It gets a lot of pressure and I am hoping that most of the fish have not seen one.