BUT I’d definitely change out those hooks. They break. Owner or gama round bend will do you much better. And I like a red hook for the front sometimes.
I have an old long A that is all scratched from from many years of use. The tail hook is held with a screw eye. I unscrewed it and put a propeller in front of the hook. I have caught many fish using it like a surface popper. I have caught fish using it as a jerk bait. Today was the first day I used it a a wake bait. I could not believe how well that worked.
@@MattStefanFishing any tips on how to keep it on top? I'm running braid to 17lb mono. Would removing the split ring help or just running straight braid?
Thanks for the tips!!!👊🏻 Have a couple different wake baits but wasn't really sure how to use them so I didn't but now I know and will give them a try. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!
The bomber A1 is great with 10 lbs mono a friend and I caught 13 bass and only 2 of the bass weighted less than 6 lbs just waddle it a long the top of water r
I love the Berkley wakebull. I started it last year and it's been a killer. Even during topwater time when whopper ploppers and things are working. Obviously with the trebles you can't get it the same place as frogs but using them as a search bait as you said- I've had HUGE success with this. It is a little different and awesome. And my bass club I don't know anyone else who fishes them so I'm glad it's my little secret and different presentation than a lot of the stuff other guys are throwing. Definitely a good tip because they do work awesome
last year i saw dicks had a bunch of Berkley beaver wake baits on clearance. fairly big bait think it weighed little over an ounce. i picked one up was kinda sceptical cuz there were so many on sale didnt think anyone wanted them and the hooks seemed kinda small. to my surprise first trip out 4 pounder then third trip out 5 pounder. blown away. now i have a few wakebaits , bigger ones
The Long A is back in production, which is huge. I really like the Surge Shad 130, and is unique at its price point because it is silent. Definitely a plus in clear water or if the fish are heavily pressured. Over the past year, numerous companies has introduced wakebaits. The KVD 2.5 and 1.5 are really hot right now. 6th Sense is doing okay it seems. Megabass has its cult following, but they usually catch fish. Yo-Zuri has some saltwater wakebaits that cross over well for largemouth, smallmouth, and even stripers.
Great video! I do have a question though. How about into the post spawn for these baits? Nobody really talks about them for that timeframe. Anything you can help us with for that time of year? I really struggle with the post spawn here in Michigan. I’m talking largemouth fishing natural lake stuff. Thanks so much for all your help Matt!!!
Matt. Got a general question: on e you have gotten the life expectancy of hooks ( eg EWG ) , what do you do with them afterwards??? Can they be recycled?? Do I take them to BasSPro store for disposal? Thanks.
The only time I have found in my fishing that wakebaits excel is river smallmouth. Absolute giants will smash a big ol' mikey sr. waked slow across sandflat areas'- and sometimes they miss because they will totally smash it coming clear outta the water for it. Crazy how the bite you're talkin' about is so different. But I get it- river bite is situational; big summer smallmouth have to be cruising river sandy shoals. I got quite a few wakers' of diff. sizes that i will definitely be trying in these situations.
I love wake baits though I prefer the bigger swimbait types like the 3:16 Wake Jr , MS Slammer , Bull Shad Bull Wake , Matt Lures Floating Hard Gill and Evergreen ND 180 .
I'm on highland tva lake east TN, I can't buy a strike on anything but a jerkbait. Absolutely crushing 2 to 3lbrs. But very few bigs. I'm almost out of ideas.
Great in depth, detailed video on the wake baits. Best I’ve seen. Felt like a true personal opinion backed by personal experiences and numerous important details for a multitude of different situations. Nicely done.
@@MattStefanFishing yep, ive seen your videos on it. I was wondering what qualities you like in a spinning rod and what qualities you like in a casting rod
The first hard baits I caught bass on were the Bass-O-Reno and floating Flat Fish. Both were essentially wake baits. These days I like the Mann’s One Minus and Jackall Zero. The crank bait style wake baits go through weeds better than the minnow baits. That Jackall bait you showed is a great bait in open water.
Matt, you should try throwing wakebaits on a glass rod. I really enjoy throwing them on my 7’2M/M St Croix Legend Glass. It flings them super far and loads up great when they eat it. I throw it on fluorocarbon and point the tip of the rod upward and it keeps the bait running ontop. Glass is awesome for wakebaits.
That's the part that gets me is the patience, I even have some of those old Rapala's and some other old wake baits that always catch em', but in my mind there's a faster way🤦♂️
Bang o lure and a Long A bomber.... you digging out old school stuff, cool. Those long a bombers fly like a knuckle ball when compared to todays jerkbaits. Good tips for spring fishing. 3-17-21 first day of inland fishing last year.... this year nope. Hate it when the ground hog is right. Thanks for the vid.
nice vid, Matt! Yes, that longA has been around along time! A number of locals on Lanier will shave down the bill a little more and get some crazy action that drives those Spots crazy!!
Hm, interesting that you mostly chose ordinary long profile wobblers and that are meant to run deeper instead of the wake baits that are built to run on the surface, like Barkley wake bull.
Matt thanks again, your videos are so helpful. I have heard the term before and had know what it was. I have a bunch of floating rapalas and wasn’t really throwing them. Purchased them because tackle shop was out of countdowns, now I’ll be able to use them properly.
Finally got a hot bite on an underspin last weekend. If the weather stays stable, I'm going to test out my new shellcracker from Black Dog Baits, and do some HOG HUNT"N this weekend!
Greetings from Brazil! I love wake baits, one off my favorites ia the old husky from Rapala. I have a tip for you on chatterbaits, try to use a trick worm as a trailer, and another one is to use a salmander (6/8 inches) weightless!
If you like a good straight retrieve wake bait the Berkley Spin Bomb works unbelievably well- I've done really good with it over the last 3 seasons. The Bomber Shallow A is another one that's worked really well for me- with a bladed VMC hybrid treble on the rear to add some flash. Jackal Mikey jr. is another favorite- you mentioned it. OSP makes one I have that works unbelievably well lo but I can't remember the name of it. Rod tip positioning is crucial with most of them- you have to keep it up or they'll dive a few inches under the surface. Sometimes though- that's what the fish want. If I start getting follows but no bites- drop the tip and let it go under the surface and lots of times- wham, they hit it.
Got on a bite one time near sunset while bank fishing. The water was calm and the bank was about 5 feet up from the waters edge. Fishing rip rap about 4 foot of water. Had a Rebel Crickhopper on slow reel looked like something crawling maybe about an inch under the surface. Caught 4 largies almost in a row. Decent about 2lbs each.
Great video and very informative Matt. I can honestly say I never got into wakebaits, I tried them but didn’t give them a chance and used them at the wrong time, that being said, I will take my new found knowledge and put these baits to very good use.
I like to fish for pike with poppers and wake baits in the Spring because the bass, like you said, mostly just make threat displays when I fish those near their beds. Bass season is closed until after the spawn, so it's a good way for me to target pike without unintentionally taking bass off their beds.
Matt youre killin me on these wakebaits. Ive had zero luck with these and i have zero confidence with it. Even thinking about it gives me frustration. We also have no spots or smallmouth. Help...🤣
Hey Matt, that modification you showed us awhile ago attaching a 4 inch trick worm to a crankbait with a hitch hiker also runs like a wake bait if it’s fished slow.
I always considered the mann's 1 minus and even a shallow shad rap my go to baits in that category. Don't know what happened to my bomber long As . . . never thought of em as a wake! Good info.
I really like to throw a wake bait and those super-shallow diving cranks like a small Bomber A or a Hybrid Hunter. The gin clear water here lets me see the fish swimming up and smashing my bait. It's an awesome bite and a lot of fun!
