Rage Shad

[DJ_Callahan_27]

Has anyone had any luck using the Rage Shad? I tried it a few times last year and wasn't very impressed. Yeah I got a few to blow up on it (missing the bait by a few inches up to about a foot) and a couple that connected with the bait (which sadly I missed). When they would hit it I just could not stickem. No sure why but I am sure it was my fault not the bait's.

All the fish that blow up or connected with the bait and I didn't catch I would throw a buzzbait or spook and not have any trouble boating the fish. After tring to figure out what I was doing wrong with this bait I finally just decided it was easier to just not throw it and stick with what I know works. But and this is a BIG BUT, it is driving me crazy because I can't figure it out.

So guys educate me on this bait. What did I do wrong

DJ

[kennethdaysale]

just my opinion...it's too thick and stiff....I don't really like any of the Rage plastics

[DJ_Callahan_27]

I kinda thought that too but alot of people talk so good about these baits. I do like the Rage Craws ans chunks. But the Rage shad, I just couldn't stick a fish

[Dogmatic]

Same problem, and KDS I think is right, too much plastic. Onlly fish I caught on one this past summer inhaled the thing. Love the craw though.

[Tavery5]

Lots of possible variables as to why you did not stick the fish. What was the Power and Action of the rod you were using, what was it's length? What type of line were you fishing? Were you making long casts or fishing close to the boat/bank?

I fish the Rage products and do well with them, I like the craw, frog, and anaconda worms.

[dhaddix]

I fish the Rage Shad a lot, and prefer it to a buzzbait due to the weedlessness of it ( I fish a couple of lakes that have lots of matted weeds in the warm months ). I rig it with a Gamakatsu 5/0 EWG Superline hook, and throw it with 30# power pro line. In my opinion, the key is to simply skin hook the point of the hook, and to make sure I give the fish enough time to take the lure before I set the hook. Honestly, I don't think you need a bone jarring hookset with this bait, but I guess I do set the hook "firmly".

Out of curiousity DJ Callahan, what part of Kentucky are you from and where do you fish? I live in Lexington now, but grew up in Jackson, KY. We may fish some of the same waters from time to time....

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by Tavery5

Lots of possible variables as to why you did not stick the fish. What was the Power and Action of the rod you were using, what was it's length? What type of line were you fishing? Were you making long casts or fishing close to the boat/bank?

I fish the Rage products and do well with them, I like the craw, frog, and anaconda worms.

I agree with Tavery. Another part of the equation worth looking at is what hook were you using? With bulky baits like the Rage Tail Shad I like EWG hooks because the wider throat on the hook helps get the plastic out of the way of the hook point.

[DJ_Callahan_27]

[QUOTE=Tavery5;367155]Lots of possible variables as to why you did not stick the fish. What was the Power and Action of the rod you were using, what was it's length? What type of line were you fishing? Were you making long casts or fishing close to the boat/bank?

Power/Action- M/H-F
Length- 6'6"
Line- 15lbs 100% flouro

I use the same setup as I do for my spinnerbaits, soft plastics like flukes, t-rig worms and such most of the time when casting to cover like laydowns, brush, and around docks. It's a Quantum Energy PT 6'6" m/h rod with a Energy 7:1 burner reel.

For more open water situations I use my 7'4" m/h rod with a Quantum Smoke burner with 17 lb flouro. And yes I know flouro isn't ideal for topwater but for topwater baits like buzzbaits that are in constant motion, doesn't seem to hurt. I do use mono for walking the dog baits and poppers most of the time but can seem to get just as good of action out of them with flouro.

Dhaddix, I live in Hazard and fish alot on Buckhorn and Carrsfork aswell as in TN. Yeah I also used a 5/0 Gamakatsu hook.

Thanks for the quick replys guys

DJ

[Jrob78]

When I fish the Rage Shad I usually use a heavy rod with braid. The same setup I would use for frogs. A big 5/0 EWG hook is a must and you have to wait until you feel the fish. Top water baits of this nature do normally have slightly lower hook up percentages. I think the key, after equipment, is making sure the fish has taken the bait well, setting the hook too early is the best way to miss fish.

[Tavery5]

Originally Posted by DJ_Callahan_27

Power/Action- M/H-F
Length- 6'6"
Line- 15lbs 100% flouro

I use the same setup as I do for my spinnerbaits, soft plastics like flukes, t-rig worms and such most of the time when casting to cover like laydowns, brush, and around docks. It's a Quantum Energy PT 6'6" m/h rod with a Energy 7:1 burner reel.

For more open water situations I use my 7'4" m/h rod with a Quantum Smoke burner with 17 lb flouro. And yes I know flouro isn't ideal for topwater but for topwater baits like buzzbaits that are in constant motion, doesn't seem to hurt. I do use mono for walking the dog baits and poppers most of the time but can seem to get just as good of action out of them with flouro.

Thanks for the quick replys guys

DJ[/QUOTE]

If it were me and I was missing fish with the setup listed above, I would first switch to a line with less stretch, and if that did not solve the problem, I would try using a longer rod.

[DJ_Callahan_27]

I could be setting the hook to soon but I do wait like you do with a frog. And I love fishing topwater and don't seem to have this problem with frogs, spooks, poppers, buzzbaits, or any other topwater bait that I use. I guess me and the Rage Shad are just incompatible...lol...

DJ

[Bassboss]

Really love the things! Best buzz frog out there IMO. They're just to dadgum much money for what you get. Horny toads are darn good though! But I seem to catch bigger ones on the RT shad.

[bamabassman]

i kinda like the forgs rage has. and i am gonna use the extra wide gap hooks and see if that helps me. thanks tavs and kory. good info there. i was using the straight shank hooks on them and missing. ya'll got a nice point on the wide gap hooks. makes sense.




see? learn something EVERY time i get on here.

[kennethdaysale]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

i kinda like the forgs rage has. and i am gonna use the extra wide gap hooks and see if that helps me. thanks tavs and kory. good info there. i was using the straight shank hooks on them and missing. ya'll got a nice point on the wide gap hooks. makes sense.




see? learn something EVERY time i get on here.

bama I usually don't pay much attention to your occaisional typo's and puns.....but these two tickled me for some reason...thanks

[bamabassman]

glad to be of service ken. hahaha. yeah, my typing skills suck.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

glad to be of service ken. hahaha. yeah, my typing skills suck.

John with out you're bad A typing skills... this place would be boring! hahaha

[keithdog]

I tried them last year and did ok with them. I used the same outfit as my froggin rod which is a 7'3" H/XF with 50 pound braid and wide bend hook. I work them around a lot of surface slop and other weeds. Like dhaddix said, you have to give them time to swallow the bait. I'm wondering exactly how you have the hook placed. There are instructions that come with the bait about which side of the bait to run the hook through. I wish I could remember what those instructions say, but I can't right now. It probably doesn't matter, but if the curl of the tail on the bait is curling up around your hook point, perhaps that causing just enough interference when you go to set the hook.

[joedog]

Love the chunks!
Hate the shad!
Rage Chunks maybe (is) one of my favorite swimjig trailers.

[dhaddix]

You're from Hazard, eh? Cool, I grew up about 15 or 20 minutes from you in Jackson. I fish Panbowl Lake a lot with my dad in weekend tournaments, and once a month we go to Buckhorn to fish in that tournament series.

Now that I have some idea of where you've been fishing, I can tell you that I haven't had much success with the Rage Shad at Buckhorn myself, but I haven't fished at Carr Fork for years so I can't help you there. I do ok with the Rage Shad at Panbowl, but of course it has matted grass everywhere.

My best advice would be to use some braided line and look at the manufacturer's suggested rigging instructions to make sure you have the bait rigged properly. If you are using a 5/0 hook and you're waiting on the hookset, I would have to think that line stretch isn't allowing you to drive the point of the hook home. Just my opinion, which usually isn't worth much, lol.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

John with out you're bad A typing skills... this place would be boring! hahaha

And the same can be said for your grammar Sammy hahaha.

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by dhaddix

You're from Hazard, eh? Cool, I grew up about 15 or 20 minutes from you in Jackson. I fish Panbowl Lake a lot with my dad in weekend tournaments, and once a month we go to Buckhorn to fish in that tournament series.

Now that I have some idea of where you've been fishing, I can tell you that I haven't had much success with the Rage Shad at Buckhorn myself, but I haven't fished at Carr Fork for years so I can't help you there. I do ok with the Rage Shad at Panbowl, but of course it has matted grass everywhere.

My best advice would be to use some braided line and look at the manufacturer's suggested rigging instructions to make sure you have the bait rigged properly. If you are using a 5/0 hook and you're waiting on the hookset, I would have to think that line stretch isn't allowing you to drive the point of the hook home. Just my opinion, which usually isn't worth much, lol.

Hazard County?

[bassinbob]

The shad and frog both were killers for me when they first came out. Seems the fish got used to them fast. Unlike the Horny toad which always does good.

[DJ_Callahan_27]

dhaddix, I have fished Panbowl Lake a couple of times. You aren't kidding when you say it is full of grass. I was thinking of going back to it again this year. That's the prefect place to practice Pitchin/Flippin heavy grass. I did alittle the first time that I fished it and done alright (none of the 5 and 6 pounders that I was told live there) catching a few in the 3 pound range. The sec. time I went I took my wife and girl and caught gills.

When I fish Buckhorn I stay on one end or the other. From Gays Creek back to the dam or on the upper end around Trace back down to Possum Bend. Have caught a couple 5's on this lake. No 6+ yet. I find better fishing on the upper in from mid summer on, mainly do to faster moving water up in the river. Or at least that's what I tell myself ...lol...

DJ

[DJ_Callahan_27]

Originally Posted by MallenManson

Hazard County?

Wrong Hazard...lol...

The one your thinking of was in GA. I think

DJ