Minutes from the launch, Capt. Steve Niemoeller of Capt. Steve's Central Florida Guide Service tossed a SteelShad blade bait into the mouth of a cut connecting two lakes. Moments later, he landed a 6-pound bass, following quickly with a 3-pounder.
Measuring 2.5 inches and weighing 3/8-ounce, a SteelShad mimics a threadfin shad in size, movement and color. It might attract any fish that would eat a shad or a menhaden, which includes just about every predatory fish! Probably the most versatile bait on the market, a SteelShad catches fish from top to bottom. With a little manipulation, it can imitate a wounded shad struggling on the surface, a sinking baitfish or one trying to flee predators.
"It can catch fish from 6 inches to 60 feet deep," Niemoeller said. "I've had trips where I've caught 40 to 50 bass on it with some up to 8.5 pounds. It works wonders for schooling fish."
Available in five flashy colors including rainbow trout, firetiger, gold, red crawfish and silver, a SteelShad tempts anything from panfish to musky. It works great for largemouth bass, white bass, striped bass, smallmouth bass, pike, walleye and many other species. In salt water, bluefish, redfish, seatrout, mackerel and other predators find it hard to resist. Even the razor teeth of many salty species can't hurt the virtually indestructible steel construction.
Since it looks so much like a baitfish and can sail long distances, a SteelShad makes an exceptional lure for targeting schooling fish. Retrieve it steadily or yo-yo it up and down, letting it fall a few feet. Bounce it off obstructions or work it parallel to weeds. Run a SteelShad just over the tops of submerged vegetation, occasionally letting it fall to tickle the grass tips.
For probing the depths, jig a SteelShad vertically over a hole or along a creek channel. Heavy and streamlined, it sinks quickly. After hitting bottom or the desired depth, pump the bait up and down. Fish often slurp it as it falls.
Although made of steel, the thin blade bends and reforms easily. Out of the package, it normally runs straight with a throbbing vibration that radiates through the water. By bending the tail slightly, an angler can make it track in a preferred direction, such as along a shoreline, a weed bed or under a dock. The curved tail on a bent-bladed SteelShad makes it rise and flop sideways, fluttering over the surface like an injured shad.
"I put my thumb on the blade right behind the weight," Niemoeller explained. "Where my thumbnail ends, I bend the tail 90 degrees. To run it along a bank to the right, bend the tail to the right while looking at the bait face. I can run it sideways along a bulkhead, stump line or a weedy edge. If I want it to run straight again, I just bend it back into its original position."
For booking trips with Niemoeller, call 386-846-2861 or see www.Cflfishing.com. To order your SteelShads, see SteelShad.com.