I used these with a Spark Shad for the first time yesterday and was very impressed.  The only problem was I lost way too many baits from fish grabbing the tail.  Any solution to this?  I glue my swimbaits to the jig head but you can’t do this with the screwhead.  The only thing holding the bait on is a small keeper.  Any thoughts are appreciated.

Never used the spark shad or hazedong yet but will be ordering some for the late fall and winter.  Its not terribly often, but I've had a handful of days where that prop made all the difference in catching more and better fish then my buddy who is using the same bait on a standard jighead.  Imapct shads and bubbling shakers have done well for me when the fish are finicky and or the water is low to mid 30s.  You do have tails getting bit off of them too, but not as often.   I use wheel heads for 2.5 to 3" baits. I use the okashiras for baits that are a little bigger and when the fish are in a more active mood.  The only thing I don't like about the MB screwhead is the 1/16 tends to cause line twists.   Vike makes a decent prop head and you can get it in a bunch of different weights and sizes.  There really isn't an effective bait keeper on the Vike heads, its just a little rubber stop that I think is meant more for the prop then as a bait keeper.  I just tie a small piece of thick mono or fluro onto the shank it works really well. 

On 8/23/2020 at 4:59 PM, Junk Fisherman said:

I used these with a Spark Shad for the first time yesterday and was very impressed.  The only problem was I lost way too many baits from fish grabbing the tail.  Any solution to this?  I glue my swimbaits to the jig head but you can’t do this with the screwhead.  The only thing holding the bait on is a small keeper.  Any thoughts are appreciated.

You can still glue it. I superglue my Hazedongs and Spark Shads everytime on my Screwheads. Just run a little bit of loctite or whatever superglue you use on the underside of the hook keeper.

6 hours ago, Jason.Domingo said:

You can still glue it. I superglue my Hazedongs and Spark Shads everytime on my Screwheads. Just run a little bit of loctite or whatever superglue you use on the underside of the hook keeper.

I'll give that a shot.  Thanks.

 

I will say that on a slow day, I didn't catch a single smallmouth on a traditional jighead and swimbait while I instantly got bit on the Okashira/Sparkshad and ended up catching a couple decent fish.  

On 8/23/2020 at 4:59 PM, Junk Fisherman said:

I used these with a Spark Shad for the first time yesterday and was very impressed.  The only problem was I lost way too many baits from fish grabbing the tail.  Any solution to this?  I glue my swimbaits to the jig head but you can’t do this with the screwhead.  The only thing holding the bait on is a small keeper.  Any thoughts are appreciated.

You can wrap hook shank with dental floss or braid to act like bait holder for more super glue surface. I have another method for bait holder but not sure if it will survive small mouth. I use this with crappie jig.
Shrink tube on hook, last about 20 and up crappie before I have to replace plastic.

 

2 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I'll give that a shot.  Thanks.

 

I will say that on a slow day, I didn't catch a single smallmouth on a traditional jighead and swimbait while I instantly got bit on the Okashira/Sparkshad and ended up catching a couple decent fish.  

Yeah, the spots down here hammer them even when they won’t touch anything else.

I'm just spitballin' here but would adding a small 1/0 trailer hook work or would it interfere with the Spark Shads movement?

1 hour ago, Brett's_daddy said:

I'm just spitballin' here but would adding a small 1/0 trailer hook work or would it interfere with the Spark Shads movement?

No, no need to put a trailer hook. Don’t see how that would work anyways, assuming you’re using the 3” Hazedong/Spark Shad

28 minutes ago, Jason.Domingo said:

No, no need to put a trailer hook. Don’t see how that would work anyways, assuming you’re using the 3” Hazedong/Spark Shad

I was just thinking how the OP was saying the fish were grabbing the tail and not the hook that a small trailer hook would help with the short strikes but I wasn't sure if the hook would interfere with the action of the bait or not.

Great finesse baits and I can sling them on 8lb fluoro all day long.