Have you noticed the 5” Bull Shad is almost impossible to keep down in the water column?

[Ohioguy25]

I recently got a 5” slow sink and took it for a test spin today.  I found that it not only rises quickly, but upon trying to slow my retrieve it doesn’t produce the desired action at all and just sort of goes straight without the side to side slither.

 

Is it possible I was doing something wrong or are you supposed to burn it and this is the reason why the 6” is the standard, and the necessary weight to keep it down on the required fast retrieve?  I considered trying the fast sinking but that sounds like heartbreak losing a $50 bait.

 

Swimbait setup - 7’4” Heavy Mojo, Shimano Curado K 8.5:1, 15 lb Seaguar Invisx.

[NorthernBasser]

They're designed more to burn. They do make a fast sink version. You can always add weight to it too. 

[Ohioguy25]

8 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

They're designed more to burn. They do make a fast sink version. You can always add weight to it too. 

So if that’s the case does the 6” stay down much more appropriately or is the fast sink necessary?

[softwateronly]

19 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

So if that’s the case does the 6” stay down much more appropriately or is the fast sink necessary?

 

No not really.  I only have a 6" slow sink and it runs at speed in the top 1.5ft of the water column.  Suspend dots or strips, heavier gauge hooks, wrap lead wire on hook shanks, nishine outer weights, etc can all be used to create a moderate/fast sink.  Heavy mono also has buoyancy, maybe floro or sinking braid would help.  In some ways, a slow sink is the most versatile.

 

scott

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I gotta be honest, after buying a number of 5 & 6" BD Shads (slow sink), I'm not sure how the Bull Shads warrant almost $40 more.   At $25 they are a steal, and the 6" has the most wicked turnaround you could imagine.    

 

The BD Shad is a dynamite bait.   Try it out if you are fan of the Shad hard swimbaits 

 

 

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, softwateronly said:

 

No not really.  I only have a 6" slow sink and it runs at speed in the top 1.5ft of the water column.  Suspend dots or strips, heavier gauge hooks, wrap lead wire on hook shanks, nishine outer weights, etc can all be used to create a moderate/fast sink.  Heavy mono also has buoyancy, maybe floro or sinking braid would help.  In some ways, a slow sink is the most versatile.

 

scott

What about the fast sink?

[softwateronly]

8 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What about the fast sink?

Haven't used it.  Slow sink works well enough for me because I wanna run the top of the weeds.  I could choose which weedline to target.  I'd hope the fast sink would stay down better but I don't know.  I haven't found the lure successful enough to have 2, but maybe I need to work it deeper.  I'll weight what I own first.

 

scott

[GreenPig]

Using a snap? Hairline Lead wire on the front hook shank can give you the sink rate you desire. I prefer a Super Slow Sink so I can adjust it to the area I'm fishing.

[Bluebasser86]

I have a 5" fast sink, it's an awesome smallmouth bait to burn across windy points and flats. I had a 6" slow sink but didn't like that much. 

 

Peg a bullet weight on the nose of yours to help it stay down. 

 

One of the best and probably least talked about multi joint baits that I've fished is the Jackall Gantia. Cheaper than a Bull Shad, a little different profile, (longer but thinner), they're a very nice bait you might look into. 

 

A typical 5" Bull Shad eater from one of our lakes.

[dgkasper58]

Only way I fish this bait is to burn-pause...... burn-pause....... burn-pause......

[Ohioguy25]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I have a 5" fast sink, it's an awesome smallmouth bait to burn across windy points and flats. I had a 6" slow sink but didn't like that much. 

 

Peg a bullet weight on the nose of yours to help it stay down. 

 

One of the best and probably least talked about multi joint baits that I've fished is the Jackall Gantia. Cheaper than a Bull Shad, a little different profile, (longer but thinner), they're a very nice bait you might look into. 

 

A typical 5" Bull Shad eater from one of our lakes.

Nice, so none of the Bull Shads are ideal for anything over 3’?

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Nice, so none of the Bull Shads are ideal for anything over 3’?

Guys fish them deep by pegging bullet weights in front of them like I mentioned. 

[Ohioguy25]

19 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Guys fish them deep by pegging bullet weights in front of them like I mentioned. 

Just ordered a Ghost Scale Minnow Gantia. Think it will work well for river smallies?

[Tatulatard]

On 1/5/2023 at 5:15 PM, Ohioguy25 said:

I recently got a 5” slow sink and took it for a test spin today.  I found that it not only rises quickly, but upon trying to slow my retrieve it doesn’t produce the desired action at all and just sort of goes straight without the side to side slither.

 

Is it possible I was doing something wrong or are you supposed to burn it and this is the reason why the 6” is the standard, and the necessary weight to keep it down on the required fast retrieve?  I considered trying the fast sinking but that sounds like heartbreak losing a $50 bait.

 

Swimbait setup - 7’4” Heavy Mojo, Shimano Curado K 8.5:1, 15 lb Seaguar Invisx.

Try it is spring.  Water temps where you are at is making the water very dense and your bait super buoyant.  

[Bluebasser86]

On 1/7/2023 at 1:29 PM, Ohioguy25 said:

Just ordered a Ghost Scale Minnow Gantia. Think it will work well for river smallies?

I'm sure they'll eat it if you'll put in the time with it.