Spy Baiting

[Ham]

I threw the Duo Realis Spinbait 80 for the first time last Tuesday. I threw it with nanofil with an 8 lb fluro leader on a fast action light spinning rod. Here's my first impressions on fishing it.

1) it throws a mile, but with Nanofil you'll be able to set that hook from where ever.

2) it's easy for me at least to get in that groove of the cast, countdown to depth, and slow roll it back ESPECIALLY when you're getting bit. The tough part was the missed strikes. I don't expect that as much with bass, but panfish thump the crap out of it w/o getting the hooks in their mouth.

3) Grass is not your friend when you're throwing it UNLESS there is a hard edge or well defined bed of it. Random grass growning here and there makes me very sad.

4) snags on deep timber make me nervous, but careful use of a hound dog gets it back.

5) You can feel that subtle wobble and I could sense when it made the turn upwards. I think White Bass are gonna be a sucker for that part of the cast.

6) You can use it as a search bait for fish and then choose safer and less expensive baits to get after them.

I've caught my first spy bait fish. Two big crappie, a small bass, and a small bluegill. I had another 7 or 8 bites. So dar so good. No lost baits and bboth colors I tried got bit.

I was limited where I was willing to throw it at Toledo Bend, but Bull Shoals should be wide open. It's going to be a fun option to keep playing with.

[dtrs5kprs]

Appreciate the report Ham. Think it should be a fun option when they start to suspend off the spawn places. Bull should be ideal, TR makes me hesitant, but no doubt a few fish will increase my courage.

How was the Bend?

[LittleRedFisherman]

Ham, you should post a pic of that huge bass you sent me while I was spreading (and loading) chicken Litter today, that hurt man...that hurt...

[Ham]

Hey Super Dave,

I did a trip report with pics (for Joe DA) on the Southern Region forum. Ned rig saved my butt. It's amazing how it makes fish appear from nowhere and attach themselves to your line. It's awesome for shallow cruisers. I was somewhat limited where I could throw it because of heavy grass growth, but when I had an inside edge or deeper clear points or boat docks or just said screw the grass and threw it anyway IT caught fish. No real big ones, but I hung a nice one that wrapped wood on me and broke off and another nice fish that just powered off and broke the leader on me.

I had 5 stinking fish that broke me off. Five.

It was a difficult trip, but I had a good time and really enjoyed the compnay of my buddy.

[Quillback]

Sounds like the Ned won out over the Spy bait.

[Ham]

The Ned rig got thrown more too, but it's apples and oranges. I won't fish them in the same spots. A screw driver isn't a better tool than a wrench just because you use it more.

[Quillback]

Yep, I understand that. I'm looking forward to throwing that Spy at schooling top water fish - that is if I can put the top water lure down. I look forward to that time of year where you know you can catch them, it's just a question of what you want to throw.

[Ham]

Yeah Man! That spy bait will throw a L O N G way. You can reach out and touch them from a distance.

I'm just getting started, but I see the spy bait as a 10 ft to 40 foot lure for me. I don't fish anything deeper than 40 ft and I don't want to pull the spybait thru stuff much less than 10 foot.

[Guest]

I had 5 stinking fish that broke me off. Five.

You might try the nanofil without a leader.

I bought the green color last week so I could tie directly to the Ned.

I loathe getting broke off, but appaerently I'm very skilled in the art of losing giant bass.

[Ham]

I might try Nanofil with a power pro leader. I've got power pro I ain't gonna use now.