Shakin' Up Largemouths
Adding a new twist to a proven technique will have more bucketmouths dancing on your line this season

Sometimes keeping things simple can be the best way to go. Shaky-head fishing for largemouth bass is a case in point.

The idea of flinging a small plastic worm on a jig head was born years ago, but recently it fully spread its wings after gaining a reputation in U.S. tournaments for its ability to produce daily limits of bass. It came of age because of a change to a specific type of jig head and a new way of fishing it.

Shaky-head fishing derives its name from how anglers quiver a light jig and artificial worm along bottom. A shaky jig has a device to keep the worm in place. Ranging from 116- to 38-ounce, these jigs are designed for fishing shallow cover, but work equally well for probing deeper open water. A 316- or a 332-ounce shaky jig is a good one to start with in the shallows.

Ontario tournament pros Frank Perciasepe and Marcello Carbone are strong advocates of shaky-head fishing for many different bassing situations. Perciasepe, 41, a resident of Markham, spends most summer days casting for largemouths in shallow Rice Lake, but has fished bass tournaments for years throughout the Kawarthas.

Carbone, 31, of Mississauga, favours deeper, clearer rocky shield lakes. They are usually associated with smallmouth bass, but also harbour largemouths. Lakes such as Muskoka, Lake of Bays, and many smaller waterbodies in the Haliburton area are his favourite bucketmouth haunts, but he fishes many different lakes each season during tournaments.

Carbone says shaky jigs shine when fishing is poor or angling pressure has turned off the bite. Shaky fishing is a finesse game. The key is to fish slowly. Carbone starts fishing with a 332-ounce jig. "Imagine how long it takes a 332-ounce jig head to hit bottom," said Carbone. "Its a natural presentation. I love using it behind other anglers in tournaments. It vacuums up bass."

Gearing Up
Spinning gear is perfect for fishing light shaky jigs. A 6- to 712-foot medium to medium-heavy outfit is ideal. Spool up with 8- to 10-pound fluorocarbon or monofilament. Carbone, however, switches to 10-pound braid in stained water.

Having fished most shaky jigs on the market, Carbone says those with flat heads work best. "That flat head looks great as it sits on bottom," he said. "It really looks like something alive rooting around down there."

When fishing cover, having the perfect jig for the task avoids a lot of hangups in rocks and brush. When purchasing jigs, Perciasepe says to inspect where the line tie is positioned. From his experience, shaky jigs with a 60-degree-angle hook eye slip easily through cover. Also consider what the jig is made of.

Material Matters
Tungsten is flooding the fishing-tackle world. An environmentally friendly alternative to lead, tungsten's main trait is it's denser than lead. This translates in to a more compact jig, compared with a lead head of equal weight, making it perfect for finesse fishing. Many anglers also swear it's also superior for transmitting the feel of bottom or light bites. Tungsten jigs are double the price of lead, but if you want to fish the best shaky jigs, splurge and go with tungsten.

Since this is a finesse tactic, use natural bait colours. Green is the most popular, but baits with shades of purple, red, black, and blue are also top choices. Perch and minnows flourish in the shallow weeds where Perciasepe fishes. "Green matches the perch," he said. His favourite worm brands are Berkley, Phoenix, Strike King, and Yamamoto, teamed with a Tru-Tungsten or Bite-Me jig head.

Carbone is another advocate of green. "Gaudy colours and baits with too much metal flake are not for me," he said. "I stick to a few natural colours." He prefers the Yamamoto Cut Tail and Shad Shape, Netbait worms, and Berkley Gulp baits, rigged on a Reaction Innovation or Spot Remover jig.

Doing the Shake
Presenting your bait to bass is actually the easy part. Cast as accurately to the targeted area as possible. As the bait drifts to bottom on a semi-tight line, lightly shake and quiver the rod tip. Avoid actually jigging it. If a bass doesn't scoop it up, gingerly shake it back to the boat on a slow retrieve.

Both pros fish in relatively shallow water (no deeper than 10 feet). Carbone finds shaky jigs work well around sand flats, isolated weed patches, rock piles, weedlines, and any standing cover such as docks or isolated trees. Perciasepe says shaky jigs are also ideal along shallow inside weedlines. (On most lakes, there's a band of open water between the shoreline and mid-depth weeds, creating an inside weedline.)

Shaky-head fishing is a favourite technique of power anglers because it works. But no matter what your skill level, this tactic is worth learning. Who knows, it might quickly become your next old faithful.

Issue: June 2008