Which bait would you use? I'm thinking about adding both to my arsenal so I can have each one for different situation. I think they would both be good cold water baits, and I see guys throwing them on light line spinning outfits, but the Lucky Shad is a 1/2 oz, which is a little heavy for me to throw on my spinning gear w/8 or 6# line, but the Flicker Shad comes in more sizes which would allow me to have some in the heavier and lighter sizes. Would throwing these smaller baits on baitcasting gear w/12# line kill the action? All opinions about these or similar baits are greatly appreciated.

I love the flicker shads! I mainly troll them though. Caught my PB crappie on one. I find them to be very versatile. Normally I throw them on my crank bait rig or jerk bait.

I love the flicker shads! I mainly troll them though. Caught my PB crappie on one. I find them to be very versatile. Normally I throw them on my crank bait rig or jerk bait.

Yeah, they seem like really nice baits, and I am a big fan of Berkley products, they are good quality and very affordable! What size (weight) do you throw on you crank or jerkbait rig?

I have 2 and it's been awhile so of course I'm a bit fuzzy on the specifics but I believe they are both 5/16

Which bait would you use? I'm thinking about adding both to my arsenal so I can have each one for different situation. I think they would both be good cold water baits, and I see guys throwing them on light line spinning outfits, but the Lucky Shad is a 1/2 oz, which is a little heavy for me to throw on my spinning gear w/8 or 6# line, but the Flicker Shad comes in more sizes which would allow me to have some in the heavier and lighter sizes. Would throwing these smaller baits on baitcasting gear w/12# line kill the action? All opinions about these or similar baits are greatly appreciated.

 

You didn't mention it but the original shad Rap from Rapala is also a good cold-water choice, I hear.

You didn't mention it but the original shad Rap from Rapala is also a good cold-water choice, I hear.

 

Yes, they would be, but the Balsa is more $$$, and not as durable.

Yes, they would be, but the Balsa is more $$$, and not as durable.

 

I'd go with the Flicker Shad then.

I'd try out the new strike king bait out the two, but why not both and also BPS Static Shad? 

 

I crank in 40-50 degree range and the scatter rap baits fished real slow, as in so slow they don't scatter, are killer. There's something about that slow tight wiggle they have that cold water bass love.  Traditional square bills fished slow also produce well as do the DT-4 and 6.  Don't be afraid to think outside the Shad Rap clone box for cold water bass.

Cordell Wally Diver is very similar and an awesome bait.

I'd try out the new strike king bait out the two, but why not both and also BPS Static Shad? 

 

I crank in 40-50 degree range and the scatter rap baits fished real slow, as in so slow they don't scatter, are killer. There's something about that slow tight wiggle they have that cold water bass love.  Traditional square bills fished slow also produce well as do the DT-4 and 6.  Don't be afraid to think outside the Shad Rap clone box for cold water bass.

Sounds like a plan! Thanks for the help man!

Haven't tried the SK Lucky Shad, and at $6.29 I likely won't anytime soon unless I hear some really good reports on them. Have used the Flicker Shads a bunch, and at $3.99 (which you can usually find them cheaper pretty regularly), plus more colors and more sizes than the SKs, it's an easy call for me. I also have a bunch of Shad Raps, so between the two baits, my shad bait box is covered well. Like most any other bait, the lighter the line, the better the action, though in the larger sizes you could probably get by fine with 12#. I tend to use 8# the most, and 10# if around big fish or heavier cover.

 

-T9

The original shad raps out fish there plastic competitors for me. Something about Balsa cranks that catch fish.

Shad rap

I'd also spend the extra money on the shad rap if it were me. A #5 shad rap with upsized hooks and a suspend dot or two turns it into a very slow floater. Crank and pause it around likely areas when the water gets cold and it's a killer little bait.

 

I've never fished the SK and probably won't but I have a box full of the Flicker Shads I use for trolling and casting for whites and walleyes. I've caught a few bass on them but I know guys that troll a lot that catch tons of bass on them and some monsters too. 

The shad rap is proven and while the SK Lucky Shad and others are probably good, the shad rap isn't an experiment, and I happen to believe that the balsa is what makes it so good in cold water.

The shad rap is proven and while the SK Lucky Shad and others are probably good, the shad rap isn't an experiment, and I happen to believe that the balsa is what makes it so good in cold water.

 

That's tire, and i may need to look into a bunch of different baits... I really just want to branch out into these small crankbaits like that.