tool of choice

[jim m]

situation: fish are chasing shad over deep water but not breaking surface often and are not responding well to top water. what is your tool of choice in this situation. I know there are several techniques would just like to hear what some of you like to do

[snagged in outlet 3]

Fluke

[fishinwrench]

A jig or a worm ELSEWHERE.   

You are wasting your time trying to target those specific fish IMO, but I'd love to be wrong and taught differently. So if you figure them out, and there's any size to the ones you catch, please let me know. 

If I had nowhere else to fish I'd probably start by trying an A-rig.  

[vonreed]

Possibly a Rooster Tail type bait, Spinnerbait?

[merc1997 Bo]

it would depend on how deep they are going down to when not at the surface.  spoons can be fished at any depth.  one other factor would be the size of the shad they are eating.  sometimes, you have to be very size specific to get these fish to bite.

bo

[Hughesy]

Flutter spoon. Wind and stop through the school.

[Quillback]

Swimming a Keitech has worked well for me this year.  If they are busting top, I'll throw some kind of top water at them, if I can get them to hit it, great, if not I'll swim the Keitech.  Even though you'll see fish on top, you'll usually also see a bunch 20-40 feet down on your graph.  Slow rolling that Keitech to them will often work.  You'll get a lot of bites on the drop, that Keitech tails kicks real well when it is dropping.

Something that also has worked for me in the past, is throwing 1/2 ounce jigging spoons at them, as soon as it hits the water, rip it, let it fall for a second, than rip it again, repeat until you get it to the boat or a bass grabs it.

Flutter spoon, as Tim says, is another good option.  I think if you look at some of Bill Babler's latest reports you'll see some tips on what to use and how to work it.

 

[SplitG2]

Ran into this issue this am. Tried several things without success. I'm kind of with wrench on this one. Managed to salvage a skunk by finding different ones in deeper water where they should be.  Only item worth sharing is to change colors on the drop shot until you find what they want. i.e. don't force plum down their throat because you did well on it last time. They wanted something white/silver it today. 

[bobby b.]

Storm Swim Shad

[Pepe]

I agree with Quill.  A paddletail swimmer, swim ripper or either of those on an Underspin.