Your Favorite Shaky Head Jig

[TxHawgs]

Moved to Tx recently and got the bug bad lol, joined a club as a co angler so u will be seeing lots of questions like this from me as I need lots of new tackle and want the good stuff lol. On TW the preferred shaky head is the one from Yum, what's yours? Thanks guys.

[Bluebasser86]

Depends on what I'm fishing on the shakyhead. I pour all my own but for worms or baits I'm going to do more hopping and shaking, I use a regular ball head with a screwlock. For baits I'm going to drag, I opt for the football head with a screwlock. Then for the big baits, I go with a swinging football head (not exactly a shakyhead, but pretty similar and hook options are pretty limitless). 

 

If I was still buying them, it would be the Megastrike shakyheads without question. 

[1234567]

Sieberts extreme shakey head. The owner Hook is solid and sharp. Now if only mike could find a way to make it just a bit lighter

[WRB]

Picasso shakedown because I like the Gamakatsu hook size used.

Siebert's jigs look good and use premium hooks at a reasonable price point, give them try.

Tom

[ww2farmer]

I like the VMC rugby heads.

[GetBent]

Guy on eBay bob4bass huge selection and styles.

[RoLo]

Visit the clearest lake in your area, or a neighbor's swimming pool.
Visually compare the actions of various plastic worms on various jigheads.
You might reach the conclusion that 'worm buoyancy' is more important than the jighead 

 

Roger

[Dypsis]

I use 2 in most cases: Owner Shakey Ultrahead or the Owner Ultrahead Bullet Rig (smaller worms).

[Fishes in trees]

As a co-angler you'll probably be fishing the shaky head a lot.   I own many different brands, acquired in the pursuit of a perfect shaky head.  That quest is no where near finished, but I understand what I am looking for now.   Here is some stuff to think about.  Many people think shaky head fishing as a finesse technique and it is - kinda.   Be mindful that if you're fishing a lighter weight head from the back of the boat, the boater will often move the boat before your bait sinks to where you want it.   Just a fact of tournament life as a co-angler, more often than not the boater keeps the boat moving.

 

Very occasionally, the fish will want a swimming shaky head and in that case you're golden.   Most of the time they don't.   The answer here is to go with a heavier shaky head.    You can go  3/8 oz on 8 or 10 lb line.   That is one option.   That allows you a better chance to get your bait to the bottom and work it for a moment before the boater moves the boat.  If you have to choose between a head that is better at dragging or at hopping - go for the dragging, as you will probably be dragging your bait behind the boat quite a bit.  Chompers makes a 3/8 oz head that I like quite a bit, but there are plenty of other styles out there.   Recently I got some 3/8 oz finesse heads from Megastrike but I haven't fished them that much yet.

 

What I eventually evolved into was a 7/16 or half ounce head fished on 14 lb fluorocarbon.   Bait casting gear handles this weight line better than spinning gear.    Another option to consider might be a jika rig.   I make my own and the ones I use weigh out to around 5/8 oz.  Depending on what hook you puts on them, they fish shaky worms, magnum shaky worms, creature baits, lizards,  whatever.   Advantages to these are that they always drop straight down, which is handy to know when you are targeting objects rather than areas and they are pretty heavy so they get to the bottom relatively quickly.  The advantage to this becomes apparent once you've fished as a co-angler a lot.

 

Tx. rigged football heads and Biffle bug type baits are other options,  I'm pretty sure that other guys know more about the ins and outs of these baits more than I do.   Last couple of years when I've fished out of some one else's boat I've focused on the heavier jika rig.

 

Fishing out of my own boat, where I've got control of boat movement, I've had a decent amount of success throwing quarter ounce Brewer Slider heads and5" paddle tail worms on 10 lb line.  Generally I'm throwing this boat into water than is more than 3 feet and less than 10 or 12 feet.  Any deeper and I feel like I've got to wait too long for the bait to get to the bottom.

 

So there you've got it - current thoughts on shaky head/soft plastic/co angler fishing.   I've never fished on any Texas lakes so I don't know much about how this will apply to your situation.  

 

Option #next would be to check out the gear that the most successful co-angler in your club fishes and fish like he does.

[TxHawgs]

Visit the clearest lake in your area, or a neighbor's swimming pool.

Visually compare the actions of various plastic worms on various jigheads.

You might reach the conclusion that 'worm buoyancy' is more important than the jighead 

 

Roger

Good point, but neither one of those I have access too. I was really just wanting to start with a good jig that had a good hook up ratio and one that stayed upright well. But will definitely work on which plastics to use once I find the right jig, thanks man, great point.

[TxHawgs]

As a co-angler you'll probably be fishing the shaky head a lot.   I own many different brands, acquired in the pursuit of a perfect shaky head.  That quest is no where near finished, but I understand what I am looking for now.   Here is some stuff to think about.  Many people think shaky head fishing as a finesse technique and it is - kinda.   Be mindful that if you're fishing a lighter weight head from the back of the boat, the boater will often move the boat before your bait sinks to where you want it.   Just a fact of tournament life as a co-angler, more often than not the boater keeps the boat moving.

 

Very occasionally, the fish will want a swimming shaky head and in that case you're golden.   Most of the time they don't.   The answer here is to go with a heavier shaky head.    You can go  3/8 oz on 8 or 10 lb line.   That is one option.   That allows you a better chance to get your bait to the bottom and work it for a moment before the boater moves the boat.  If you have to choose between a head that is better at dragging or at hopping - go for the dragging, as you will probably be dragging your bait behind the boat quite a bit.  Chompers makes a 3/8 oz head that I like quite a bit, but there are plenty of other styles out there.   Recently I got some 3/8 oz finesse heads from Megastrike but I haven't fished them that much yet.

 

What I eventually evolved into was a 7/16 or half ounce head fished on 14 lb fluorocarbon.   Bait casting gear handles this weight line better than spinning gear.    Another option to consider might be a jika rig.   I make my own and the ones I use weigh out to around 5/8 oz.  Depending on what hook you puts on them, they fish shaky worms, magnum shaky worms, creature baits, lizards,  whatever.   Advantages to these are that they always drop straight down, which is handy to know when you are targeting objects rather than areas and they are pretty heavy so they get to the bottom relatively quickly.  The advantage to this becomes apparent once you've fished as a co-angler a lot.

 

Tx. rigged football heads and Biffle bug type baits are other options,  I'm pretty sure that other guys know more about the ins and outs of these baits more than I do.   Last couple of years when I've fished out of some one else's boat I've focused on the heavier jika rig.

 

Fishing out of my own boat, where I've got control of boat movement, I've had a decent amount of success throwing quarter ounce Brewer Slider heads and5" paddle tail worms on 10 lb line.  Generally I'm throwing this boat into water than is more than 3 feet and less than 10 or 12 feet.  Any deeper and I feel like I've got to wait too long for the bait to get to the bottom.

 

So there you've got it - current thoughts on shaky head/soft plastic/co angler fishing.   I've never fished on any Texas lakes so I don't know much about how this will apply to your situation.  

 

Option #next would be to check out the gear that the most successful co-angler in your club fishes and fish like he does.

Awesome thanks so much for the info man, I learn everyday and will be googling jika rig when done here lol, thanks again.

[TxHawgs]

Thanks for all the info so far guys, this forum is awesome.

[speed craw]

Picasso shakedown , also like the jewel bait Jeff Kriet  squirrel head shakey head jig .

[RoLo]

Good point, but neither one of those I have access too. I was really just wanting to start with a good jig that had a good hook up ratio and one that stayed upright well. But will definitely work on which plastics to use once I find the right jig, thanks man, great point.

 

Provided the worm is a 'floater' (lighter than water) or 'neutrally buoyant' (same weight as water),

any jighead will provide a provocative shaky worm delivery  ;-))

 

Roger

[DaleGribble]

Gamakatsu skip gap shaky head hooks have been my favorite by far since I discovered them. They skip gap style hooks keep plastics straight up and prevent them from tearing at all

[Catt]

Yum Pumpkin Ed & Buckeye Spot Remover

Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper & Bassassin Tapout

Big Boy Toys Right There.

[Shane J]

http://moanerhooks.com/product/1-oz-enraged-shakey/

[Catt]

http://moanerhooks.com/product/1-oz-enraged-shakey/

1 ounce! Me like!

Big Craw Worm deep water structure.

[Sheepdog]

I would HIGHLY recommend the Megastrike jig heads. I've never seen anything come close to their design at keep you're bait standing upright. Tons of weights and hook sizes to choose from.

 

My favorite plastics to throw on 'em, Power Team Lures(PTL) makes a great neutral buoyant worm called a Tickler, a 7"(or 5" would work) is fantastic for shakey head fishing. And you can never go wrong with a FAT roboworm straight tail. PTL also makes a few good shakey hooks, a "Tick Shake" is a football head style and would be ideal for rocky bottoms. 

 

Good luck! Hope this helps.

[C0lt]

The megastrike heads have been the only shakey heads Ive used that have stood up at least 75% of the time. 

[ward131]

http://moanerhooks.com/product/1-oz-enraged-shakey/

 

Those look real nice! I like the free swinging screw lock!

[TxHawgs]

Wow thanks for all the advice guys, man it looks like I'm gonna be spending some money on shaky heads to figure out which ones I like now.

[PourMyOwn]

Another vote for the Buckeye Spot Remover. The only jig head I use that I don't pour myself. 

[everythingthatswims]

I like the strike king football heads. I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to use a football head, they stand up way better and dont get hung up as bad. I also hate screw loc shakey heads, even if I'm going to tear up more baits I wanna get anything between the fish's mouth and my hook out of the way!

[desmobob]

I'll add a vote for the Megastrike (Pro Series).  It's a funky-looking thing, but works very well!

 

Tight lines,

Bob