ChrisD46

All good replies to date - I should have added that conditions are : Little to no cover with typical clay , rock bottom reservoirs of Georgia . Line will be 7lb. Sunline Sniper and shaky head weights will generally be 3/32nd oz. , 1/8oz. and 3/16th oz. (depending on conditions and depth. Water depth is generally closer to shore out to 12ft. to 15 ft. max. I like the idea of a 7 ft. spinning rod length . As for power the "Mag ML" to "M" mentioned above seem right and the action (FX or F) will depend on the rod I'm sure as all are different . The key for me is what Ontario Fishing Guy & Delaware Valley Tackle stated - a rod tip that will flex if you want to shake it slightly OR a more subtle approach by tightening the slack and letting the natural movement of your hand gently make your bait quiver . Next question is what about modulus of the rod ? Can you find a rod with good feel and sensitivity that is comprised of IMS-6 graphite (<$100) or do you have to move up to a IMS-7 or 8 graphite which is usually going to be over that $100 mark ? Lastly , the new 32 ~ 48 ton compressed graphite rod construction - what affect does that process provide for feel and sensitivity in a rod ? Thanks again !

I'm looking for a dedicated spinning shaky head rod under $100 to pair with a spare Shimanao 2500 series Sahara spinning reel . Specifically : What length (6'6" ~ 7'0" ?) , tip (XF or F ?) and action (ML or M ?) do you consider ideal if you wanted a dedicated shaky head spinning rod outfit ? ...Thanks in advance !

+1 ...This .

Another application for a slower 5.x:1 or a 6.x:1 reel retrieve ratio would be for a large , single blade , colorado spinner bait used for slow rolling along the bottom at night .

Thank you for posting - yes football season is here !

Raul , where you fish a 8lb bass is considered a dink !!

+1 ...This would be correct for your application .

For paddle tail Flukes - they are retrieved more like a swim bait at a moderate clip . In this case the advice to use a 4/0 ~ 5/0 EWG hook will help it keel and stay straight .

+1

A couple of points : The Ima Roumba is in the top 5% of wake crankbaits - but at a hefty $16.00 ea. it is beyond my budget to stock up on a few basic colors . Next , check out the Ima Roumba site at TW and read the retrieve suggestion - while I previously said there are no absolutes , research elsewhere suggests majority of the pros are reeling wake baits slow and steady the majority of the time so I believe that is not a bad place to start .

Old school - still have black one for night fishing I have not used in a while ...The cadence was more of a reel slowly for three feet and stop , then repeat . While no absolutes - most wake baits are a slow , steady retrieve .

Not easy to find - but TW has them ...Get Green Pumpkin , Junebug and Watermelon Red Flake and you would pretty much be set for shaky head duty !

Anybody have experience with : Bomber Shallow A Squarebill or a Norman Wake N ? ... These two wake cranks are offered at a reasonable price - just curious how they perform ?

I found a small Spro swivel rated for #35 lbs. to about ideal installed up about 18 inches from the Fluke .

Don't forget a larger diameter mono line as well - something (Stren , Sufix , Big Game, etc.) in the 12lb. to 15lb. range (0.30mm to 0.38mm diameter) , a higher rod tip and a slower retrieve rate will get it done for you .

That thing is sick looking !

As far as keeping a wake crank bait more on the surface - research indicates a thicker diameter mono (12lb ~ 15lb) and a high rod tip angle of 10:00 - 11:00 o'clock work best .

Traditionaly , the Bandit Footloose and Mann's Minus -1 series have been the popular choices in the "minus - 1 wake crank" nationally available category ... Newer offerings such as : Rapala's DT Fat 1 , Storm's Arashi Waking Crank and Strike King's XS1 offer good performance as well . Spring through late Fall when temps are above 50 degrees are ideal for a wake crank and can potentially be used with BETTER success any where you would previously have used a spinner bait in the upper water column ...

All good recommendations above - however using a 3/0 size worm hook is a bit better suited for a Trick Worm (for a finesse worm a 2/0 size worm hook is ideal) .

Interesting category for a top water / sub surface category in that minus - 1 wake crank baits roll and wobble so along with their belly being seen by bass below - they also flash their sides and top to a greater degree than say a popper where you can get by mainly with a pearl colored bottom . For a minus - 1 wake crank ( Bandit Footloose , Mann's Minus - 1 , Storm Arashi Wake , etc. ) I think mainly three to four color schemes : Bluegill , Shad and Craw . Specifically - Firetiger / Chartreause Shad for stained water , natural shad colors for clear water and brown / orange to red craw (depending on time of year) . Lastly a wild card chrome / blue color would round out the offering . * As water cools now through the Fall the minus -1 wake crank bite could be a lot of fun as bass chase shad into the shallows . Your thoughts on favorite minus - 1 wake crank colors and baits ?

Most stock trebles on the size crankbaits I use are #4 in the front and #6 in the back ... So with the short shank trebles you would use a #2 in front and #4 in the back ?

Thanks - I'll have to be on the look out for the Mustad's ...

Leaning more towards the EWG vs. the standard round bend short shank trebles - do you believe the EWG makes a difference in a treble hook up ratio ?

I'm looking to replace my stock treble hooks with Gamakatsu Short Shank Treble Hooks . A professional review I read stated these are best for : "The shank on these hooks is extremely short, which works very well on wide-bodied squarebills and larger deep crankbaits" ... What about top water baits (spooks , poppers) , twitch baits, traps and suspending baits ? Anybody use these short shank trebles other than on just wide body square bills and deep diving cranks ?

Any comments on the Strike King Pro Model 1XS Shallow Crank ? ... Looks like it might be comparable to the Bandit Footloose but is a little heavier at 3/8oz.