I've been thinking about giving the shaky head a try on my trip this Sat.  The high air temp will be in the 30's and the water temp may be in the mid 40's.  I dont have alot of experience with this technique.  Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? 

work it slow then when you think thats to slow slow down even more  i like to use craws, senkos, and finesse worms on shakey heads.. one of my new favorites is the zoom magnum finesse worm

Go for it. I think the shakey head is as good a finesse technique as anything out there and often fish it instead of a dropshot.  Most articles reccomend worms. They are good, but don't overlook other baits like tubes, craws and flukes....especially flukes.

Thanks!  I'm going to try a Berkley Powerbait Shaky Worm and then another finesse worm I usually use for drop shotting.  I'll keep in mind those others baits you guys suggested too.

good luck let us know how you did.. smallie fishing is HOT right now in Tennessee

Hey Tony, we really need to get off this whole thinking alike thing.  It's getting really weird.  ;D  I was thinking of trying the shakey head as well.  See you later.

Didn't catch anything on the shaky head.  Couldn't even get a smallmouth to bite all day!  Brought a 2-3lb largemouth to the boat and it got off, about 20 minutes later landed a 3lb+ largemouth.  The first largemouth I was basically deadsticking a Strike King Coffee tube, the one I landed I was rolling that same tube over some shallow rocks that were close to about 17ft of water.  Last cast of the day caught 6-7lb rainbow trout on a lipless crankbait!  Thanks again for the pointers, I will be trying them again!

I like the 3/8 oz Evolution Shake2 jig head

rigged with a GYCB 6 1/2" Kut Tail. Let it fall

to the bottom and sit for a minute. Reel down

and lift your rod tip from 8:00 to 12:00, falling

on slack line. Let the Kut Tail sit for at least

10-15 seconds, then repeat. Continue until you

feel you are out of the zone.

Note: The Kut Tail will stand straight up on

the Shake2 jig. Occasionally, just shake the

bait while it's sitting, without moving it forward.

8-)

caught a few this past week on a spot remover peg it shaky head tipped with 5" V M chopstix in green pumpkin.. just another senko type bait

fished it real slow almost dead stick it.. threw anywhere there was a nice current break

I like the 3/8 oz Evolution Shake2 jig head

rigged with a GYCB 6 1/2" Kut Tail. Let it fall

to the bottom and sit for a minute. Reel down

and lift your rod tip from 8:00 to 12:00, falling

on slack line. Let the Kut Tail sit for at least

10-15 seconds, then repeat. Continue until you

feel you are out of the zone.

Note: The Kut Tail will stand straight up on

the Shake2 jig. Occasionally, just shake the

bait while it's sitting, without moving it forward.

8-)

Do you think that a large bait presentation like that would really work in cold water temps like this? I've always thought when the temps get down in the low 40's, that downsize was the key. Maybe I should be using the bigger cut tails!?

had some luck yesterday with a baby brush hog on a shaky head jig,, just another option for you to try

Al Lindner was promoting mushroom shaped jig heads with a small worm 20 years ago.  Shaky-Head is just the latest evolution/reinvention of this technique. 

For me the key to success is to find the right bottom.  I like to drag and shake it across places that have small rocks and gravel, sand is okay, but not too weedy. 

I'm sure other people will tell you other ways to fish it, but this works for me.

The best advice I have heard for fishing shakyheads is to cast out the lure and try to slowly bring the lure back to the boat without the fish seeing it.  Usually this "stealth" approach really works well.

The best advice I have heard for fishing shakyheads is to cast out the lure and try to slowly bring the lure back to the boat without the fish seeing it. Usually this "stealth" approach really works well.

WOW!

That's a very interesting idea.

8-)

I like that idea too.  It goes with the whole overworking the bait idea.