Dark sleeper questions...

[DitchPanda]

Never thrown one but plan to pick a few up and need some info. I will be targeting mostly largemouth in 2-6ft of water...what size and weight would you recommend for that water depth? What are a few must have colors? Lastly what kind of rod,reel and line setup would you suggest? Thanks in advance for the feedback

[Choporoz]

I throw them on my bottom contact setups; braid and fluoro. 

IMO, these fish lighter than their weights. (But that just may be in my head - usually I am evaluating weight of a jig....or a worm weight...and not thinking about the added weight of skirt, trailer, hook,  etc.)

   Keep in mind that you need to be more careful in wood than you might assume at first. They handle grass and pads fine, but I am always surprised at how much I get these hung up in any wood.

[DitchPanda]

3 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I throw them on my bottom contact setups; braid and fluoro. 

IMO, these fish lighter than their weights. (But that just may be in my head - usually I am evaluating weight of a jig....or a worm weight...and not thinking about the added weight of skirt, trailer, hook,  etc.)

   Keep in mind that you need to be more careful in wood than you might assume at first. They handle grass and pads fine, but I am always surprised at how much I get these hung up in any wood.

I'm planning to fish them mostly around rock and maybe weeds..no wood. Do you have any go to colors? What size do you suggest for the 2-6 water depth?

[NorthernBasser]

I exclusively throw the 3" version. And usually 3/8 or 1/2 oz. I'll go up to 3/4 oz if I'm fishing rivers/current.

 

I like the Clear Chartruese color for dirty water and when I'm fishing smallies. But to be honest, I've done well with smallies on multiple colors.

 

Wakasagi, Mutsugorou and Haze are probably my top 3 favorites. 

 

And you can fish them on your jig or Texas rig setup. I do best either slowly swimming it near the bottom, or hopping it like a jig. 

[The Bassman]

Like @Choporozsaid they fish lighter than their weight would indicate. The quarter oz. is very small. I use it on light spinning. The 3/8 actually comes in two lengths. I like the haze color because it seems to resemble a bluegill. Color shouldn't be too critical. The biggest problem I have with them is the tail getting bit off. I experimented with trimming off the end a bit and adding a tail spinner. I honestly think I came up with a better lure. Have caught many bass on them. One other tip; after a few fish the chin area on the lure will start to tear. One drop of super glue and it'll hold up until the rest of the lure is completely chewed up. I also find that I have to touch up the hook point frequently. The dorsal fin "weedguard" really isn't. It hangs up as mentioned. Eventually it tears and I just remove it. Sleeper is a definite go to for me. Bass mean business when they eat it. Gets taken deep more often than lip hooked.

[Revival]

Like everyone has said, they definitely fish lighter and it surprised me at first.

 

I like the 1/2 oz and need to pick up some of the 3/4 one.

 

For colors, Biwako Yoshinobori is a must for me.  They are like hot wheels, collect them all!

[FishTank]

I use the 3/8oz, 1/2oz and sometime the 3/4oz versions.  I like the Haze, Pink, and Clear Chart but all of them work.   Two things.... One, they are not that durable and two, they are rock snag magnets.  I loose one at least every other time I am out but they do catch fish.  

 

I try to fish near sand and small rock mixed water or muddy bottoms.  They do ok around structure but not near rock.  

 

 

[DitchPanda]

Ok so they have a "weed guard" but they suck around wood and rock? Never mind....I'm not getting any. I don't like baits that are designed for cover but can't be fished around it. Sorry for wasting everybody's time.

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, DitchPanda said:

Ok so they have a "weed guard" but they suck around wood and rock? Never mind....I'm not getting any. I don't like baits that are designed for cover but can't be fished around it. Sorry for wasting everybody's time.

 

Don't think of it as a weed guard, but as a means of hook camouflage instead - lol. Buy a couple 1/4s or 3/8s and give them a try. Very versatile bait that catches a lot of fish. Not too difficult to swim around holes, edges or over grass and rock like a standard swimbait, but can also be fished more like a jig in more open water on bottom. Wouldn't discount it that quickly.

[DitchPanda]

8 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Don't think of it as a weed guard, but as a means of hook camouflage instead - lol. Buy a couple 1/4s or 3/8s and give them a try. Very versatile bait that catches a lot of fish. Not too difficult to swim around holes, edges or over grass and rock like a standard swimbait, but can also be fished more like a jig in more open water on bottom. Wouldn't discount it that quickly.

Maybe an overreaction on my part..ill get a couple to try. Just not gonna go all in to start.

[Team9nine]

25 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Maybe an overreaction on my part..ill get a couple to try. Just not gonna go all in to start.

 

   I wouldn't either, but get a couple doubles just in case bad luck strikes and you get a tail bit off early - lol - then save the body and do what @The Bassman showed.

[GoneFishingLTN]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

Don't think of it as a weed guard, but as a means of hook camouflage instead - lol. Buy a couple 1/4s or 3/8s and give them a try. Very versatile bait that catches a lot of fish. Not too difficult to swim around holes, edges or over grass and rock like a standard swimbait, but can also be fished more like a jig in more open water on bottom. Wouldn't discount it that quickly.

Why do you suggest the lower weights?

[fishwizzard]

I very much agree that it's not a weed guard, it's a modesty cover for the hook.  It will deflect floating leaves and single blades of grass, but falls open at the slightest pressure.  I only bother with the lighter weights as well as I will be fishing them on lighter line in open water, usually when wading so I can go get them back when they find a stick.  

 

I only really still use them because they are very heavy for how small they are, the 3/8oz ones are great when I want a tiny, realistic presentation that can stay deep in heavier current or when I find a deeper hole.  

[Team9nine]

11 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Why do you suggest the lower weights?

 

Because he mentioned he’s only fishing water 2’-6’ deep, and sounded like he was also around cover. Just seemed like the lighter end baits would be better in that scenario - easier to float and maneuver in limited water space in my experience.

[PotatoLake]

4 hours ago, Team9nine said:

 

Because he mentioned he’s only fishing water 2’-6’ deep, and sounded like he was also around cover. Just seemed like the lighter end baits would be better in that scenario - easier to float and maneuver in limited water space in my experience.

This 100%, if you are fishing these in that shallow of water, get the lightest weight possible. I made the mistake of trying to drag a heavier version in shallow rock / rip rap, and in a mud/grass/muck bottom situation. You’ll get hung up or be digging bits of bottom off the lure every cast. They are very much a bottom oriented lure. I did catch lots of fish with them, lots of the time they’re devoured and hooked deep in the mouth.

[lynxcat]

I just got my first Dark Sleeper and fish exclusively in shallow ponds.

 

I’ve fished them on a Medium Fast baitcast using braid to fluorocarbon leader. I’ve got the 1/2 oz version and it fishes like it is 1/4 oz. I think I have the Haze color. I slowly swim along the bottom and occasionally pause. I’ve found fish really attack it when they bite. Not weedless...

[waymont]

I’ve been buying an Ali Express knockoff that is just as great and $3 a pop. I catch tons of bass and an occasional yellow perch on them. Color doesn’t seem to matter much. Fish do tend to take them deep.

[Smells like fish]

After seeing this thread I took one out for a walk today. Even though the fish didn’t show no love for it, I liked it and can’t wait to use it this year! I threw it at the same place Ive been throwing lipless and crank baits and had to remove vegetation from those lures every cast but the lil sleeper came thru with no veggies to remove. 

[TnRiver46]

8 hours ago, Smells like fish said:

After seeing this thread I took one out for a walk today. Even though the fish didn’t show no love for it, I liked it and can’t wait to use it this year! I threw it at the same place Ive been throwing lipless and crank baits and had to remove vegetation from those lures every cast but the lil sleeper came thru with no veggies to remove. 

Looks quite weedless. Does it come that way or did you rig it up? 

[Smells like fish]

@TnRiver46 they come pre rigged and over priced! 

[NorthernBasser]

8 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Looks quite weedless. Does it come that way or did you rig it up? 

The dorsal fin is split and the hook sits in between it. The fin is VERY soft, which is why it doesn't really make this bait that weedless. Still, it's a great little bait. 

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, Smells like fish said:

@TnRiver46 they come pre rigged and over priced! 

 

9 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

The dorsal fin is split and the hook sits in between it. The fin is VERY soft, which is why it doesn't really make this bait that weedless. Still, it's a great little bait. 

 

9 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

The dorsal fin is split and the hook sits in between it. The fin is VERY soft, which is why it doesn't really make this bait that weedless. Still, it's a great little bait. 

Thanks fellas. We have nothing but rocks cliffs and logs underwater round here 

[NorthernBasser]

13 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

 

 

Thanks fellas. We have nothing but rocks cliffs and logs underwater round here 

They definitely love getting hung up on wood. Rocks not as much. 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

They definitely love getting hung up on wood. Rocks not as much. 

These kind o rocks? 

[lynxcat]

Lost mine this weekend on some unexpected underwater wood. I liked it but won’t be replacing it at the full retail cost. If I can get it for $3 bucks then I might consider it again.