Hit parade of “jigging” silicone baits
The range of baits on our market is extremely large. Choosing silicone is not difficult; here you have a variety of prices, edibility, size, shape, in general, whatever you want.
Experimenting with silicone in jig rigs has led me to a limited range of lures that I use. Each of them has its own nuances, some are better to use at one time and in certain places, others help out when there is no bite, some work better in cold water in winter. In general, everything has its time.
In this article I would like to highlight my jig favorites on the reservoirs of Moscow and the surrounding Moscow region, which are popular with me. In addition to describing the models, I will try to tell you in what cases I use this or that bait. These lures are not rated by me, so the order of the lures listed does not indicate their ranking in popularity. So, let's begin.
I'll start with the American representatives.
Action Plastic 3FG
This silicone bait has been around for more than two decades; its popularity, simplicity and price are of great interest. This is the bait with which I started mastering silicone more than 10 years ago. Perhaps the best bait in terms of price and quality ratio from the assortment of non-edible rubber. The bait is quite soft and durable. A wide range of colors and a very flexible thin tail. The silicone material is very durable and can be stored in the box for a very long time. Don't know what bait to put on an unknown body of water? Use Action Plastic 3FG and you won't go wrong. This bait catches any predatory fish, it is combined with both small Cheburashkas weighing from 2 grams and heavy ones; for me, the optimal upper limit of the load for this bait is 30 grams. Despite its small size, large fish also readily respond to this bait. I remember earlier at the Bronnitsy spinning championship, Pavel Poddubny made a result on pike, fishing with a light load and Action Plastic . In general, silicone, which works great both in still water and in currents, is impossible without it. Always in my box.
Manns Predator or Manns Flipper
This American company has been in the fishing industry market for more than 50 years. And her vibrating tails won my heart. Very soft vibrating tails often stir up passive fish, especially in cold water. The best load weights, in my opinion, for these vibrating tails are average, about 10-24 grams. In the last two seasons, autumn and winter, they have no competitors, and, despite the small size of the bait, the predator sometimes bites very well. I always use this silicone when I am sure that there is fish on the spot, all that remains is to seduce it.
Bass Assasians Curly Shad
Bass Assassin Curly Shad is a small twister that looks more like an overgrown tadpole. I first started using this bait on light weights when catching large perch. It is very compact, which allows you to use it in strong crosswinds without fear of losing much casting range. This bait worked best for me with weights ranging from 8 to 22 grams. One episode made me reconsider the purpose of this bait. I was once fishing on the Pakhra River near Leninskaya station, and my bait first caught bream, then a few weeks later I caught crucian carp, and in the mouth. I was just about to think that this bait was for white fish, when suddenly it began to confidently shoot at the pike, and several times it helped out even when there was no bite. Pike sized 1-3 kg confidently eat these tadpoles, and this happened more often in the fall. In all other cases, almost any predator will not mind eating this silicone.
Bass Assassin lures is their durability against fish bites. This is a separate plus for this tire.
YUM WALLEYE GRUB 3
Another long-lived fish in terms of the number of bites is YUM WALLEYE GRUB . An ordinary twister, but it is very popular among many fishermen. A distinctive feature of these baits is the salt impregnation; you can see this with the naked eye in the packaging. This kind of rubber has a plus; very often this twister helped me out when catching a bersh, when it tried to bite off the tail of ordinary silicone. YUM WALLEYE GRUB he ate confidently. In second place I would put this bait as a pike bait, since very often he shot at it, especially at the reservoirs near Moscow. or Oke. Works on different heads, I think it’s better on medium ones from 12 to 28 grams. And for those who don’t know, it is better to store the bait already mounted on a double in the same bag, since the salty impregnation outside this bag quickly erodes.
Now I’ll highlight Japanese baits
Keitech Easy Shiner
At the moment, the Keitech is one of the best brands among “edible” silicone. Having visited the World Bass Fishing Championship, I noticed silicone from this company in many athletes. But this is understandable, initially they were developed specifically for catching largemouth bass, and only then gained popularity when catching European fish.
KEITECH EASY SHINER is a classic vibrating tail with a thinner and elongated body. I was attracted to it because when fishing with Predator , I always wanted a narrower bait with a vibrating tail. Due to its thin body, the game of the bait is very appetizing. Therefore, combinations with a wide variety of cargo weights are welcome. I use one of the first baits when catching pike perch, especially pike perch in a passive state. Very often you have to lighten the weight of the head in order to increase the pause, which is so important for pike perch. With more massive baits it is often not possible to reach the fish. This same vibrator has good flight characteristics. In addition to pike perch, I caught pike, perch, and bass with this bait; in general, it’s an excellent bait.
Keitech Swim impact FAT
The powerful vibrating tail KEITECH SWING IMPACT FAT is distinguished not only by a more voluminous body, but also by a massive tail, which gives the bait an attractive game. The bait works very well with heavy heads from 20 grams and above, although combination with light weights can stir up an extremely passive predator. The line has a large selection of sizes, so depending on the situation, for pike I choose a larger size, for pike perch and perch a smaller size, although it is difficult to guess the preferences of the predator. Constant experimentation is the path to success. The “edibility” of rubber is amazing, but there is one bad thing: it is extremely sensitive to fish bites, sometimes there is 1 fish, 1 minus bait. But nevertheless, it's worth it, believe me.
Reins BUBBLING SHAD
Reins, a long-established brand in Japan, has begun to actively promote itself in the United States and Europe in the last few years. Like Keitech, baits were originally produced for bass, and only then became popular for catching river fish. All Reins are made of high quality silicone with the addition of salt and natural attractants, which gives the silicone the “edible” property.
Reins Bubbling Shad is a large vibrating shad with a fully ribbed body and a fairly mobile tail. Due to the ribbing, the bait has a peculiar game. I discovered this bait for myself that year while fishing for pike. I took a few packages to try, and on the very first fishing trip the rubber started to work. Now, when fishing for pike and pike perch weighing over 1 kg, I choose this particular bait. Previously, I thought that this was purely a pike bait, but my recent fishing trips showed that pike perch also loves these vibrotails no worse than pike. The weight of the head used can be any, it all depends on the location.
Conclusion
These silicone baits occupy a leading position for me when fishing with jigs in Moscow and the immediate Moscow region. There are now a lot of other brands of silicone that are similar in appearance to the ones listed above, perhaps you will have other favorites. Most importantly, do not forget to experiment with sinker weights, this fact is often the main thing. If a given silicone does not work with a head of 2-4 grams, this does not mean that it will not fire with a load weighing 20 grams. Well, everything has its time. A lot also depends on the mood of the fish, so don’t get hung up on one bait, try to change the silicone more often. Well, in conclusion, regarding color, my opinion is that the color of the silicone, if it plays a role, is not that important. For myself, I divided silicone into bright colors and dark ones and use them depending on the transparency of the water. I think the more important detail is the shape of the bait and the play of the tail.
Sincerely, Denis Vikhrov
Keitech Shad Impact
Date: May 16, 2015 | 252
The Keitech company perfectly demonstrates that you can take your considerable market share not only by the number of models, but, above all, by their quality and sophistication. In fact, to successfully fish, sometimes 2-3 models of rubber are enough. By varying the installation and wiring style, you can cover almost all tasks and conditions. Thus, the assortment of the famous Japanese company Keitech includes only up to a dozen models. Very modest, for such a serious player. But some baits have truly become legends. One of these is Keitech Shad Impact . We’ll talk about this edible in this review.
What do we see in Keitech's edible rubber range? A couple of good vibrotails (active baits), a couple of original slugs and several cuttlefish, hybrids (passive baits). Indeed, this set is enough to successfully catch different fish in different conditions. And there is no need to produce a huge range of models. This is exactly the approach that ]Keitech[/anchor] has chosen for itself. Well, that's commendable.
One of the slugs from Kitek is the Keitech Shad Impact model. A very interesting bait. The body shape is very close to that of a small fish. It cannot be said that this is too narrow-bodied a fish, rather a roach. Medium body height, strongly flattened laterally. The classic Shad shape, which is reflected in the name of the bait. Instead of a fishtail or a penny, like a vibrotail, this bait has a thin elongated tail. This clearly indicates to us that this is a slug, a classic passive bait that does not have its own game on a uniform retrieve.
The body shape of the Keitech Shad Impact leaves no doubt that the bait imitates a fish, a fry.
There are longitudinal cutouts in the back and belly of the bait for more optimal installation of the offset hook.
Keitech Shad Impact slugs are available in three sizes: 2”, 3” and 4”. A good selection of sizes, from the small, micro-jig version to the quite respectable four-inch version. Well, and an intermediate, universal three-inch version.
It is clear that the Keitech Shad Impact 2” is most suitable for catching perch and small grass pike on overgrown lakes. Medium, Keitech Shad Impact 3”, for catching medium and large perch, as well as pike perch. The Keitech Shad Impact 4” version is most suitable for catching good zander and pike.
Keitech Shad Impact is supplied in transparent plastic packs. Two-inch - 12 pieces, three-inch - 10 pieces, four-inch - 8 pieces.
Keitech edibles are not the most expensive, but they are quite expensive. If there is not a very large number of baits in a pack, their cost is around $6. But the characteristics of these slugs, the catchability they show, justifies all this.
The silicone from which Keitech soft baits are made is one of the softest and most friable on the market. From the standpoint of the survivability of baits, this is, of course, a drawback. But in terms of elasticity, liveliness of play, and release of attractant, these are simply incomparable baits.
Important point. The silicone in Keitech baits, and in Keitech Shad Impact in particular, is inconsistent. The upper part is lighter, and the lower part is heavier, impregnated with salts. This is a very cool solution. Even with minimal equipment, such as a light offset hook, the bait is always in the right position. Her game becomes more stable.
The silicone from which Keitech Shad Impact is made sinks due to the same salts.
In terms of the quantity and intensity of impregnation release, these are perhaps the best baits that I have ever seen and used. The edible fish directly floats in the attractant and smears heavily when you take the bait in your hands. Accordingly, the attractive effect is very serious, especially in warm summer water. The smell of the attractant is very strong and pungent, with clear notes of crab or something similar. In general, a bright natural smell of something seafood.
The color palette of Keitech Shad Impact is not that wide. But, there is plenty to choose from. Several good-quality light colors, with sparkles, imitating the scales of a light fish. There are also several dark colors, brown, purple.
It is most appropriate to mount Keitech Shad Impact slugs on offset hooks. And the relatively narrow shape and the presence of slots contribute to this.
You can load the offset hook with a collapsible eared sinker or a bullet sinker. You can fish without any weight at all, or use a slug in a lead, drop-shot and other spaced rigs.
As a last resort, you can equip a jig with a head. But, still, as a passive bait, this slug works better in hinged, free installations.
There is one point. As already mentioned, the silicone of baits is very soft and friable. The offset hook does not always hold well. Often, the step will slip or tear the front of the slug. If this is observed, it is better to use a special installation with a spring retainer, which is screwed into the front part of the bait.
As mentioned above, the small versions of the Keitech Shad Impact are very good when catching a variety of sizes of perch. Medium, universal version 3”, good for perch, pike perch and pike. Large slugs, 4”, are excellent when hunting for trophy walleye, especially in the fall. Pike also bite on them regularly.
Keitech Shad Impact slugs are used when fishing in shallow standing waters, in clean and overgrown areas, and when fishing in fairly deep sections of rivers, in strong currents, in holes, and in edge areas.
If you are fishing in overgrown shallow waters with a weak current, it is better to equip slugs with a light series offset hook and fish with a light weight, or no weight at all. When fishing at significant depths, you can use very impressive “Cheburashka” sinkers or bullets.
Since the Keitech Shad Impact does not show its game with a uniform retrieve, its elastic body needs to be set in motion, “revitalized” by playing with a spinning rod. Various wavy movements, vibrations, light and aggressive twitching, jerky wiring - all this is appropriate to use with slugs of this model.
As a result, Keitech Shad Impact slugs are very catchy. They often manage to stir up passive fish and mow down active ones, like with a machine gun. A very worthy bait that fully supports the brand that Keitech has established! Of course, Shad Impact is somewhat in the shadow of the more famous, one might say, legendary slug - Keitech Sexy Impact, which, however, does not detract from its merits.
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Categories: Keitech · Tags: Keitech, Lures, Slugs, Edible
