Shakyhead Baits

[TxHawgs]

What's your go to bait on a Shakyhead or a Swinging Jighead if you fish that more? Is there a certain depth you normally don't fish it over ex 15ft or less? And what weight if it's not windy? Curious of the last 2 questions if you want to answer them but if not mostly interested in which you fish more the standard or swinging and the bait you use most. Thanks guys.

[NorthwestBasser]

Shakey head over swinghead for me, only because, well... I don't own any swingheads. Any way, 1/4 ounce 10 FOE or less, I'll bump up to 3/8oz when I go deeper. I like a classic 5" stick worm. Sometimes it's a GYB senko, sometimes a Yum dinger... but mostly I use a locally poured Dirty Burd Lures THUMPER. They are super soft yet durable, and float well compared to a senko, which makes for some awesome action and they stand up well on the bottom. I'll even cut one in half and throw it on a ned rig in place of a TRD. I know, I know... should be elaztech, but these work great and it's a good way to get more use out of them when they get some significant tears.

[roadwarrior]

MegaStrike 3/8 oz ShakE2/ Megastrike MegaTube Craw

http://www.megastrike.com/megatubes

 

[smalljaw67]

Shaky head and swing jig are two totally different presentations, one is retrieved like a crankbait while the other is fished slow. Form me a Shaky head consists of 2 baits, a 4.5" straight tail finesse worm and a 6" straight tail finesse worm, I once used a lot of different baits for that but narrowed it down as those seem to produce in all situations for me. In the waters I fish I don't go past 20' except for 1 lake and only in mid fall, the times the shaky head works best for me is in the summer and the fall, beginning post spawn. I try to use the lightest weight possible, 1/8oz is my main weight but I will use 3/16 if there is a breeze or 1/16oz if the water is cold or I'm shallower than 8'.

[ww2farmer]

Like mentioned above...two different presentations, for various different situations.

 

That being said, there isn't a soft plastic made that won't work, and work well on either. 

 

Everyone has their favorites. For me, my go-to on shaky heads are usally 4"-6" straight tailed worms, and on swinging jig heads I like 3"-4" craw or beaver style baits.

[Choporoz]

In case the horse aint dead....I approach shaky and swinging very differently, also. 

 

Unlike @smalljaw67, however, I would have suggested that I fish the swinging jig more like I fish a jig (than a crank.)  9/10 times, I have a Rage Tail on there (Structure Bug, Menace or Cut-R.)

 

Shaky head, to me, is much finesse-y-er....more slow drag and wiggle....less flip and hop

[ethan-333]

i mainly fish shakey heads in 8 feet or more of water. i like to use a 3/16 oz head with a zoom trick worm or something similar (i bite the first 1/4 inch of the bait off to get it to thread on easier. if its to windy ill bump up to a 1/4 oz. green pumpkin purple in zoom trick worm is my go to color

[whitwolf]

There's a lot of variables when choosing a bait for a shakeyhead. I'm of the same opinion as @ww2farmer in that there isn't a soft plastic made that won't work.

 

My three baits that I throw most often on a shakeyhead Is a R.I. smallie beaver, a Zoom finesse worm, and when the bite Is tough I go with a Zoom 4" dead ringer. The dead ringer combo has saved many a day.

[Big Bait Fishing]

14 hours ago, smalljaw67 said:

Shaky head and swing jig are two totally different presentations, one is retrieved like a crankbait while the other is fished slow. Form me a Shaky head consists of 2 baits, a 4.5" straight tail finesse worm and a 6" straight tail finesse worm, I once used a lot of different baits for that but narrowed it down as those seem to produce in all situations for me. In the waters I fish I don't go past 20' except for 1 lake and only in mid fall, the times the shaky head works best for me is in the summer and the fall, beginning post spawn. I try to use the lightest weight possible, 1/8oz is my main weight but I will use 3/16 if there is a breeze or 1/16oz if the water is cold or I'm shallower than 8'.

i think you are thinking '' swim jig'' when you say retrieved like a crank bait , to me a swing jig or jointed shakey head rig as i think of them are fished the same way as a shakey head . some get a little more action as the joint let's the bait articulate more . i fish GrandeBass AirTail Wiggler  in 6 1/2'' ( the tail is hollow and the tail stands up always ! ) , best shakey head worm i've tried , done searching !!

[smalljaw67]

8 hours ago, Big Bait Fishing said:

i think you are thinking '' swim jig'' when you say retrieved like a crank bait , to me a swing jig or jointed shakey head rig as i think of them are fished the same way as a shakey head . some get a little more action as the joint let's the bait articulate more . i fish GrandeBass AirTail Wiggler  in 6 1/2'' ( the tail is hollow and the tail stands up always ! ) , best shakey head worm i've tried , done searching !!

 

Look up Tommy Biffle, he is the one credited with starting the swing jig with the Gene Larew Biffle Hard Head. The technique is to make a long cast with a heavy enough head to keep contact with the bottom as you give a steady retrieve. If you go to you tube there are videos showing the way swing jigs are designed to be fished. *** has a good video with Davey Hite fishing one and explaining that he uses the swing jig as a replacement for the Carolina Rig. While you may be using the swing jig in a different manner that is working for you, I believe you may be missing the boat on how it is most commonly used. A few seasons ago the entire top 12 of the elite series at Toledo bend caught fished that they weighed in on a swing jig, Mark Davis said when the water was dead calm and you couldn't get bit on a crankbait or any other moving bait the swing jig just had them turn on. The fish were scattered so covering water was a key, and that is what makes the swing jig such a weapon, it gets fish to react when they aren't actively chasing like when the water is dead calm. I've been using it in mid summer to cover rock flats and it is faster than a C-rig but still gets fish to react, and much better to fish than a C-rig.

[Big Swimbait]

Another vote for the Air Tail Wiggler. You can also put a rattle in the tail. The MegaStrike head is my go to in 3/8 oz.

[Bluebasser86]

I usually fish a Trick worm, magnum finesse worm, or rib snake on a shakyhead. I fish about everything on a swinghead but a beaver or brush hog are my favorites. 

[primetime]

Almost any finesse worm will work but I have always done really well with those Big Bite Squirel tail worms for some reason, they just seem to always work really well.

 

I also like the Powerbait rib snake worms, But the Zoom Curly tail shaky worms or any ribbon tail worm sometimes is a great choice. Really no wrong answer, you just want a straight tail worm and then something with a bit of action. The Jig head is the most important part of the rig, I have purchased many that have awful hook sets but if you stick with good ones like the Megastrike, or any that is not the Luck E Strike Jigheads. Use those and you will get frustrated really quick. 

 

The Swing/pivot jig heads have become my favorite for shaky heads on hard bottoms, or I like the line tie in same angle as the megastrike which are the best imo.

[LOZSteve]

Agree with a Blue here, shaky head is generally a senko or trick worm and a swinghead is a Biffle Bug, Strike King Rodent or Structure Bug. 

[CTBassin860]

check out the yum genie worm

[Team9nine]

42 minutes ago, MassBassin508 said:

check out the yum genie worm

 

Funny you bring that worm up. Kind of feel sorry for Jason Christie having to do those videos talking about their "new" worm and how different/special it is  It's OK though, I'm sure he's paid good...

 

-T9

[CTBassin860]

2 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Funny you bring that worm up. Kind of feel sorry for Jason Christie having to do those videos talking about their "new" worm and how different/special it is  It's OK though, I'm sure he's paid good...

 

-T9

Its just a 3.00 bag of spade tails lol.

[Team9nine]

So here's the scoop. About the same year Jason was born, Al and Ron introduced the Lindy's Tail worm (1974-75). The Genie is just the Lindy's worm brought back.

 

On top, the new/amazing YUM Genie...

 

and on bottom, the 1975 Lindy catalog featuring the YUM Genie Lindy's Worm (aka "Tail worm")...in particular, look and compare the 7.25" Lindy Tail at the bottom of the pic (several sizes were available). Nearly identical down to the overall size, enlarged head segment, number and spacing of body "nubs" and spade tail. The new colors are probably better though 

 

[Big Bait Fishing]

16 hours ago, 1201vilbig said:

Another vote for the Air Tail Wiggler. You can also put a rattle in the tail. The MegaStrike head is my go to in 3/8 oz.

this worm flies under the radar , big time !! which is cool because they are usually in stock when i want to get more as i throw them a lot !

[CTBassin860]

22 hours ago, 1201vilbig said:

Another vote for the Air Tail Wiggler. You can also put a rattle in the tail. The MegaStrike head is my go to in 3/8 oz.

Regular,Pro or EWG on the head?

[Big Swimbait]

2 hours ago, MassBassin508 said:

Regular,Pro or EWG on the head?

I like the EWG. 

[Chance_Taker4]

I throw the Keitech Easy Shaker 90% of the time. But I also like the Havoc Bottom Hopper and Zoom Mag Shakey Worm

[Mokujon]

My go to on a shakyhead is a strike king 3x elaztech finesse worm or the z man finesse wormz. It's basically the same worm. The tail always sticks straight up with great action and they are super durable.

[ChrisD46]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2017 at 6:46 AM, smalljaw67 said:

Shaky head and swing jig are two totally different presentations, one is retrieved like a crankbait while the other is fished slow. Form me a Shaky head consists of 2 baits, a 4.5" straight tail finesse worm and a 6" straight tail finesse worm, I once used a lot of different baits for that but narrowed it down as those seem to produce in all situations for me. In the waters I fish I don't go past 20' except for 1 lake and only in mid fall, the times the shaky head works best for me is in the summer and the fall, beginning post spawn. I try to use the lightest weight possible, 1/8oz is my main weight but I will use 3/16 if there is a breeze or 1/16oz if the water is cold or I'm shallower than 8'.

What dictates using the smaller 4.5" finesse worm vs. the 6' variety ?

[IndianaFinesse]

8 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

What dictates using the smaller 4.5" finesse worm vs. the 6' variety ?

I usually reach for the smaller worm when the fish are less active, such as early and late in the year in cold water, and while I tend to a stick with the smaller worms in the summer anyways, a larger worm will sometimes be e ticket in warm water.  I will sometimes put a ten inch worm on a shaky head during the summer to, giant worms on a shaky head do work at times.