Soft Plastic talk: SHAD BODY vs. EEL
 

Figured I would interrupt football and weekend talk with a topic I have been discussing with a friend lately...

(Bored at work post:)
I realized that I almost never reach for my shad-body type soft plastics anymore, regardless of the bait that is present...

What i mean is, I will rig up and throw an eel-type soft plastic 99% of the time, even if a shad-body more closely resembles the bait that is present... (If mullet is in the water, and Im throwing soft plastic, its still an eel)

Wondering if I'm the only one doing this, and I'm missing out... What are your preferences when it comes to soft plastics, because My shad bodies have been getting no game-time for the last few years...
(I do go through phases though).

Anyone throwing shad bodies more ? I am talking SURF btw

Pete,

I was the same as you for many many years. All sluggos and no shads. I think I discounted shads as something I used as a greenhorn and nothing more.

The past two seasons I have put them back in the rotation with increasing frequency. I have had good success with them particularly when fishing around peanut schools. I can say with certainty that they have saved me from taking a skunk several times over the past few seasons.

Generally, I am packing the 5 inch tsunami shad. Seems pretty versatile.

I have always leaned towards my jerkbaits or splittail bodies, but when searching for schoolies or when the fish are on small peanut bunker, a small shad body that matches close in color and size can be really good. Especially is you need to cast and reel above some snaggy bottom or weed.

I've been using the eel type for about 2 years now (I use the Zingers bc I know him) for the majority of my fishing. I occasionally will go to the paddletail style.

I wish there were bunker around as I find I don't fish darters as much as I did in the past.

I too generally lean towards throwing an eel style soft plastic, but not for any sort of good reason. I used to fish the Ledgerunner shads a TON in the breachways, regardless of bait present, and did quite well. Breachways are where I seem to throw them more often than eel style. That said, last year I made a concerted effort to throw shads in the open surf and did extremely well on the Z-Man Diezel Minnowz. I now cycle them in with the eels baits as another option in the same way I would cycle needlefish - darter - glide bait, etc.

Thanks for the replies...

I feel Like I've fallen out of habit of using them, but for no real reason... I think we all just go through "cycles" of what we are currently using or excited about at the time...
A good example of this would be the loaded redfin... I Used to do really well with them, and there would always be one in my bag for a solid decade... But I dont think I've had one in my bag in the last 2 seasons, and there's just NO REASON for it .

Pete, I’m with you. It’s Snax XL about 70% of the time, plastic eel types 25% and occasionally a plug. I just feel so confident in them that I just concentrate on cast placement and retrieve speed. Don’t think I’ll improve my odds by changing lures.

GT EELS ><>

This is my spin on it.

There may be a big difference in the water displacement signature in the bait types and subconsciously we have established a preference.

Naturalistic. Matched form to displacement profile options
Eel imitators, bucktails, fish snax, needles, glide baits

Loud UN-Matched form to displacement profile options

Paddle tails, poppers, darters, metal lips, plastic lips

I personally like naturalistic presentations. Over time I have taken bigger fish on them. I feel it is the simple factor that the displacement signature aligns with the visual signature.

I do carry darters and metal lips but they have become more fringe in my preference to use. Not because they are not effective, but more because my fishing style prefers naturalistic presentations.

We cannot carry everything. Naturalistic forms often require more finesse and I consider refining that skill a good investment. Also a reason I fly fish.

Spminnows and paddletails are deadly and yes they are marked as a novice tool. They do not require finesse to produce, but they could have finesse applied to them.

I definitely miss fish because I dont fish loud forms, but I also feel my choices have made me a better angler.


Poppers are loud offerings they push so much water. They are also notorious for getting the attention of fish, but also many misses or followers.

I have a very sparse 2 tube bag, 80% naturalistic, but do carry a darter and a littleneck popper. I call the littleneck my dinner bell. On a slow still night when I hear fish but dont get conversions. I will take 3-5 casts over the most probable structure with that popper splashing water. I dont expect to catch anything, but use it to draw fish in closer and energize them. I quickly follow up with a needle and often will start converting fish. Loud can compliment naturalistic.

One of my favorite methods, especially standing on my favorite rock at PJ, was a sinking little neck, cast out and immediately pop a few times, then slowly swim it in.
Far more effective for me than popping constantly
Works with darters and heavy tail needles also
I think the little ruckus brings fish and the slow swimmer is an easy meal.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Also, when i say water displacement. That is fish lateral line stuff. Consider it like sound, but with water.

How i imagine it, is like how we can be in the woods, close our eyes and hear animals in the woods and know what they are. A bird hopping around will have a different sound than a squirrel, raccon, deer, etc... we dont need to see them to know what they are....just by the sound of how they move and walk.

I imagine fish can sense other fish by the water displacent in a similar way.

Loud plugs produce a signature larger than what they visually represent. So imagine the sound of the racoon, but you open your eyes and see a chipmunk. If you are hungy and curious enough you might eat it, but you might not.

Naturalistic...size, shape, and water displacent align.

Agreed. I too will swim a little neck, very versatile.

Can pop a darter...sometimes crawl it on top like a redfin. Converts fish!!!

Breaking the surface and burning in needles on top can also be a tactic to mix into a slower naturalustic routine. Find what they want.

My Take, White Danny or Bomber in the Canal. At night 3oz White Storm Shad.

RI: Eels 1st, Habs Needles 2nd, White pink throat, Yellow, BI Neon green.

If you can't slam some "large" With that arsenal, something is very wrong.

I used my own self poured Sluggo knock-offs about 90% of the time in the Canal. I had a "custom" color that I created by experimenting that was an absolute killer--it was the color of an eel skin blue side out. Occasionally I would switch to one of Got Stripers shads. The jig head weight varied, from 4 oz down to 1-1/2 oz which worked very well in the last 45 minutes of the tide.

Still have all the molds, supplies, original designs in mold boxes for making more RTV molds up on the marketplace for what I consider a deal at $1500. My go to personally now is always my 6" jerkbait and my 4" split tails, primarily because I'm targeting sea bass. When on a friends boat and we are jigging deeper for sea bass and fluke, my 7" split tail is killer, also works walk the dog style on a weightless hook. I pour only infrequently now and only if I run out of the colors I like.