On 11/27/2025 at 11:07 PM, RRocket said:

Anything specific or for a specific technique or application? 

Nah just curious what else you found when testing since you seem thoughtful about it. 

45 minutes ago, txchaser said:

Nah just curious what else you found when testing since you seem thoughtful about it. 

Ok. Here's a few.

 

DoLive Beaver

 

DoLive Stick for a thin profile baitfish (or worm). Has an incredible weightless rocking. Or you can fish it like a worm (wacky). Or jerk bait. Or trailer.  Or drop shot. You can also "tune" the fall depending on where you hook it. So, so versatile with great action. This is a big under the radar bait IMO. If I could only put 2 baits in my bag, the Dolive Beaver and Stick would be them due to versatility. I could cover most techniques competently with just these 2 if I had to.

 

Keitech Swim Impact for paddle tail. However, if I'm fishing the Free Rig I much prefer the DoLive Shad because of the keeled bottom. A Keitech tail kinda collapse on the drop and it falls like a rock whereas the keeled bottom of the Dolive Shad glides on the weightless drop while the tail continues to paddle. So this one "depends" on how you fish a paddletail the most.

 

Geecrack Bellows Shad for a small bluegill profile. Great on Free Rig or Neko. 

 

Raid Hira Tailor for a large bluegill profile.

 

Deps Cover Scat.

 

Finesse worm: Jackall Flick Shake. 

 

Full size Neko worm: I'm still working through these but my current bests  are: Xzone Deception Worm and Netbait T-Mac. Nod to T-Mac I think.

 

bladed jig trailers: erratic.action trailer: Spunk Shad. Less action: a) Zako or b) Gambler Komodo Jr. I'm inclined to choose the Zako here as tops because it's also excellent on a Neko Rig.

 

 

3 hours ago, RRocket said:

Ok. Here's a few.

 

DoLive Beaver

 

DoLive Stick for a thin profile baitfish (or worm). Has an incredible weightless rocking. Or you can fish it like a worm (wacky). Or jerk bait. Or trailer.  Or drop shot. You can also "tune" the fall depending on where you hook it. So, so versatile with great action. This is a big under the radar bait IMO. If I could only put 2 baits in my bag, the Dolive Beaver and Stick would be them due to versatility. I could cover most techniques competently with just these 2 if I had to.

 

Keitech Swim Impact for paddle tail. However, if I'm fishing the Free Rig I much prefer the DoLive Shad because of the keeled bottom. A Keitech tail kinda collapse on the drop and it falls like a rock whereas the keeled bottom of the Dolive Shad glides on the weightless drop while the tail continues to paddle. So this one "depends" on how you fish a paddletail the most.

 

Geecrack Bellows Shad for a small bluegill profile. Great on Free Rig or Neko. 

 

Raid Hira Tailor for a large bluegill profile.

 

Deps Cover Scat.

 

Finesse worm: Jackall Flick Shake. 

 

Full size Neko worm: I'm still working through these but my current bests  are: Xzone Deception Worm and Netbait T-Mac. Nod to T-Mac I think.

 

bladed jig trailers: erratic.action trailer: Spunk Shad. Less action: a) Zako or b) Gambler Komodo Jr. I'm inclined to choose the Zako here as tops because it's also excellent on a Neko Rig.

 

 

I'm curious;  which Zako do you use Neko rigged, and just how do you rig it?

3 hours ago, Tackleholic said:

I'm curious;  which Zako do you use Neko rigged, and just how do you rig it?

Great question.

 

Because I use it as a trailer on smaller bladed jigs, it's the small size, 3". Also note that I use the Spunk Shad Neko rigged too.

 

And I've rigged it both ways: Hook on the back and hook on the side. Both offer different actions.

 

Here's an excellent video showing the action rigged both ways

 

 

22 hours ago, RRocket said:

Ok. Here's a few.

 

DoLive Beaver

 

DoLive Stick for a thin profile baitfish (or worm). Has an incredible weightless rocking. Or you can fish it like a worm (wacky). Or jerk bait. Or trailer.  Or drop shot. You can also "tune" the fall depending on where you hook it. So, so versatile with great action. This is a big under the radar bait IMO. If I could only put 2 baits in my bag, the Dolive Beaver and Stick would be them due to versatility. I could cover most techniques competently with just these 2 if I had to.

 

Keitech Swim Impact for paddle tail. However, if I'm fishing the Free Rig I much prefer the DoLive Shad because of the keeled bottom. A Keitech tail kinda collapse on the drop and it falls like a rock whereas the keeled bottom of the Dolive Shad glides on the weightless drop while the tail continues to paddle. So this one "depends" on how you fish a paddletail the most.

 

Geecrack Bellows Shad for a small bluegill profile. Great on Free Rig or Neko. 

 

Raid Hira Tailor for a large bluegill profile.

 

Deps Cover Scat.

 

Finesse worm: Jackall Flick Shake. 

 

Full size Neko worm: I'm still working through these but my current bests  are: Xzone Deception Worm and Netbait T-Mac. Nod to T-Mac I think.

 

bladed jig trailers: erratic.action trailer: Spunk Shad. Less action: a) Zako or b) Gambler Komodo Jr. I'm inclined to choose the Zako here as tops because it's also excellent on a Neko Rig.

 

 

Thanks! 

DoLive Beaver

Geecrack Bellows shad (and gill)

Cover Scat

T-mac

Those four are in the bag. 

 

Flick shake

Spunk Shad

Hira Tailor (I think when I run out of bellows gills I'll try this, looks tasty)

DoLive Stick

Are not in the bag.

 

On chatter bait trailers I'm mostly fishing gill profile so nod goes to larger eg not pintails. Zako was the default. But the new man chatter blade is really good and I can't tell any difference in results. It's a little less tail heavy so might have better action/less tail drag. 

 

Swing impact - using the skinny one not the fat? 

Do Live Stick - 4.5"?

25 minutes ago, txchaser said:

Thanks! 

DoLive Beaver

Geecrack Bellows shad (and gill)

Cover Scat

T-mac

Those four are in the bag. 

 

Flick shake

Spunk Shad

Hira Tailor (I think when I run out of bellows gills I'll try this, looks tasty)

DoLive Stick

 

 

 

 

Swing impact - using the skinny one not the fat? 

Do Live Stick - 4.5"?

 

For s coupler of the ones not in your bag, I'll add some thoughts.

 

The Flick Shake is spectacular on a wacky drop shot. Probably the best drop shot bait I've used. In the color Cola to be specific.

 

The Hira Tailor is a special bait. The attention to detail is amazing and the colors are the best I've encountered on a plastic bait. Because of the segmented body, the light reflects differently and the bait changes color. Whether it does anything for actually catching fish is unlikely...but it's beautiful to behold.  I've tried numerous times to photograph this and fail every time. Alas, it's a bit too heavy for me with my preferred Light rods, so I don't use it these days. But my observation remains: this is an all star.

 

I carry 2 sizes of Dolive Stick. 3.5 and 4.5 Coastal fisherman are wise to the Dolive Stick and it's a borderline legendary bait now in that application. Many stories similar to this: https://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog/the-osp-dolive-stick-what-the-hell-is-it-about-this-lure-that-makes-it-so-lethal-for-bass

 

And yes, I use the Fat version. Specifically with a Duo Realis Spin Hook.

1 minute ago, RRocket said:

The Hira Tailor is a special bait. The attention to detail is amazing and the colors are the best I've encountered on a plastic bait. Because of the segmented body, the light reflects differently and the bait changes color. Whether it does anything for actually catching fish is unlikely...but it's beautiful to behold.  I've tried numerous times to photograph this and fail every time. Alas, it's a bit too heavy for me with my preferred Light rods, so I don't use it these days. But my observation remains: this is an all star.

I'm guessing by your response it out fishes the Geecrack Bellows Gill or Shad when they are on a gill bite? And I'm glad it is heavier, I usually have more rods from 1.5-8oz target out than less than an oz, so likely fits my more default style. 

9 minutes ago, txchaser said:

I'm guessing by your response it out fishes the Geecrack Bellows Gill or Shad when they are on a gill bite? And I'm glad it is heavier, I usually have more rods from 1.5-8oz target out than less than an oz, so likely fits my more default style. 

I definitely thumps more and is more durable which is important. It also collapses better than the Bellows Gill, particularly if the fish bites from the sides. Hooksets were better/easier vs Bellows Gill. 

 

I personally use the 3.8 Bellows Shad. I prefer the thinner profile as well as lighter weight for my lighter rods.

 

But if you have the gear to throw it...you need to give it a try! 

 

There are several good videos on this bait including one with the designer.

38 minutes ago, RRocket said:

I definitely thumps more and is more durable which is important. It also collapses better than the Bellows Gill, particularly if the fish bites from the sides. Hooksets were better/easier vs Bellows Gill. 

 

I personally use the 3.8 Bellows Shad. I prefer the thinner profile as well as lighter weight for my lighter rods.

 

But if you have the gear to throw it...you need to give it a try! 

 

There are several good videos on this bait including one with the designer.

I missed that the tail swims too. Was thinking more as a pitching or dragging bait. Even better!

21 minutes ago, txchaser said:

I missed that the tail swims too. Was thinking more as a pitching or dragging bait. Even better!

Let me know how you like it.

Over the course of the year, I probably use 80% of the lures I own. The next year I may use some of the 20% that I didn't the prior year.

 

On a regular basis, it's probably about 10%. Let's say I have my favorites. For example in calm and open water, my topwater of choice is a popper. In the spring and fall, small, poppers are often my most effective lure. In the summer, sometimes I'll throw on a jerkbait in the day and switch to a popper at night. So I almost always have a popper on.