Tips & Techniques
Fishing the
Live Magic Shad
from...
Pro Tom Redington |
 |
March, 2008
By
Tom Redington
Since Lake Fork Trophy Lures introduced the new Live Magic Shad, I’ve
received more calls and e-mails about rigging it than on all other topics
combined. This revolutionary lure is very effective as either or swimbait
or as a soft plastic jerkbait, if rigged accordingly. After producing a
number of double digit bass on Fork last year and a Stren Series victory
in January on Falcon while teamed with a Chatterbait, it is clear that the
Live Magic Shad works well in a variety of situations. In response to your
questions, following is how I rig and fish the Live Magic Shad.
Most of the time, I fish the Live Magic Shad either as a swimbait or as a
soft plastic jerkbait. Because of its thick body, you need to use a stout
hook with an extra large gap. Additionally, because of the wild swimming
motion, a slightly weighted hook will help keel the lure and make it run
straight. Lake Fork Trophy Lures has now introduced a new line of weighted
swimbait hooks, making rigging the Live Magic Shads very easy. The 3/0
hook perfectly fits the 3.5” bait, while the 5/0, 7/0 and 12/0 are matched
to the 4.5”, 5.5”, and 8” Live Magic Shads, respectively. Each hook comes
with a keeper that threads into the nose of the bait and holds it in place
without tearing your lure. Plus, the weight on the shank of these hooks
makes the lure run true and is placed far enough back on the hook so the
lure will remain horizontal on the drop—giving it the look of a dying
shad.
As for line, I prefer fluorocarbon line for the Live Magic Shad. I’ll use
10 to 15 lb test P-Line Fluorocarbon for the 3.5” bait, while 17 to 25 lb
test works great for the 4.5” to 8” sizes. Smaller line sizes will give
your bait more action and help it run deeper, while bigger line will help
keep it up over thick grass and also allow you to pull big fish out of
heavy cover.
I’ve found the Live Magic Shads will work well anytime bass are in shallow
cover. On Fork, I fish them from mid-February until late November. My best
luck with them has been in the spring—before, during and after the
spawn—then again in the fall when bass move shallow and chase baitfish.
The baits are very weedless and can be fished over the top of and through
thick hydrilla, milfoil, and even lily pads, as well as swimming right
through heavy timber.
Fishing the Live Magic Shad is pretty simple. I start off with a swimming
retrieve, similar to the way you’d fish a spinnerbait or a swim bait. Cast
it out and reel it back in at a medium pace, with the occasional stop and
start of the reel or a rod twitch. When the fish are active, the swimming
retrieve allows you to cover a lot of water and catch the aggressive fish.
If the bass won’t hit on a swimming retrieve, I’ll progressively slow my
retrieve until I find an action that they’ll respond to. Start by casting
your bait out, let it sink to the bottom, then reel it up about 5 to 10
cranks of the reel handle and let it fall back to the bottom. Repeat this
all the way back to the boat. If the bass are somewhat active, briefly
letting it sit on the bottom is all you’ll need to do. If they are
inactive or holding tight to cover, as is often the case in the spawn,
you’ll need to let the bait sit on the bottom for 10 to 60 seconds at a
time to trigger bites. Start with a quick retrieve, but be ready to slow
down if the fish aren’t responding.
I start with the 4.5” size Live Magic Shad most the time and I use a
simple rule of thumb for colors. When the bite is tough, I’ll go with the
3.5” lure, especially on cold front days that are sunny and calm. If the
fish are active or when it’s windy and overcast, the 5.5” and 8” baits
will often work better and also produce some lunker bass. As for colors,
when I’m swimming the Live Magic Shad, shad colors like Magic Shad or
Albino Shad work great. If you’re fishing it more like a soft plastic
jerkbait and letting if sit on the bottom a lot, shades of Watermelon or
Green Pumpkin tend to work best. My favorite colors are Watermelon Red
Flake/Pearl Belly and Tilapia, since they are a combination of both color
schemes and they seem to work well on any presentation.
Like any other soft plastic lure, you can rig the Live Magic Shad on a
number of different ways and catch fish on it, depending on your
situation. The 3.5” bait is great when nose hooked on a drop shot, while
the 3.5” and 4.5” both work great on split shot rigs and Carolina rigs.
When I want to produce a little more vibration and action, I’ll rig a 3.5”
or 4.5” Live Magic Shad on a 3/8 to ˝ oz chatterbait. Simply remove the
Chatterbait skirt and thread the Live Magic Shad on the hook like you
would when adding a grub or trailer to a spinnerbait. This set up is
awesome for monster bass, giving the fish a big target and an all new
look. Or add extra sinkers to the shank of wide gap hook and you can use
the Live Magic Shad as a medium or deep running swimbait. A few simple
modifications to your rig will allow you to fish Live Magic Shads from
shallow to deep and anywhere in between.
Hopefully this helps answer a few questions about rigging the Live Magic
Shad. Give them a shot on your lake, river, or pond this year and I think
you’ll like the results. Here’s hoping you catch the lunker of your
dreams. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572
(days) or 972-635-6027 (evenings) or e-mail me through my website,
www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com.
Tom Redington is a full time bass guide on Lake Fork and is sponsored by
Ranger Boats, Diamond Sports Marine, Lake Fork Trophy Lures, Minn Kota,
Humminbird, and P-Line Fishing Lines.
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