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John N. Felsher's Bass Fishing Adventures
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To quote Jerry Lee Lewis, “There’s a whole lotta shakin’ going on,” but
when it comes to bass fishing, there’s a new killer in town.
“A flick shake is a hot new finesse technique,” said Mike Iaconelli, a
Bassmaster Classic champion from Runnemede, N.J. “It consists of a wide-
gap hook with a weight attached to the hook shank instead of the eye. It’s
designed for fishing wacky style with the hook through the center of a straight
worm. Tru-Tungsten makes a jighead called a Flea Flicker specifically
designed for fishing this technique.”
With the weight slightly toward the back of the shank, it creates a pivot
point. As the rig falls, the worm ends shake and vibrate, giving irresistible
action. Also called a wacky shaky head or a wacky jighead rig, it gives similar
action to a wacky worm, but goes deeper much faster.
“When fish go deeper than 10 feet, it takes a conventional wacky worm
too long to get to the strike zone,” Iaconelli explained. “The flick shake shows
fish traditional wacky action, but at much deeper levels. The weight sinks
faster than the worm, so it drives it down with the bait waving and twitching
above it. Bites normally occur on the fall so always let it fall on a semi-slack
line, not tight or too slack. Control the line and watch it as it falls.”
Anglers could use various styles and sizes of straight-tailed worms with a
flick shake rig. In deeper water use larger, thicker worms. Although generally
a deeper presentation, anglers can also use small finesse worms in shallow
water.
“Where this technique really excels is in a deep situation with really clear
water,” said Terry Scroggins, a professional angler from Palatka, Fla. “I like to
use it in clear water about 15 to 20 feet deep. In clear, deeper water, I go with
a big Yumdinger-style worm. In shallower or more stained water, I go to a
Houdini-style finesse worm. A Yumdinger actually has more action on the
initial fall. The worm ends helicopter down, but it doesn’t have much action on
the bottom. In stained, shallow water, the bait hits bottom quickly, so I like a
bait I can shake to give it more action.”
Most people fish a flick shake vertically. Drop it next to bridge pilings,
standing timber, along a bulkhead or next to a deep grass bed. Anglers could
also just fish it in deep holes, along ledges or over humps. If a fish doesn’t
bite on the fall, let the bait sit awhile, twitching it occasionally. Periodically, hop
it off the bottom and let it fall back again. Fish it slowly, keeping it in the strike
zone as long as possible.
“A flick shake offers great action even when the angler is not doing
anything with it,” Scroggins explained. “On the bottom, half the worm will stand
up and undulate. Pull the bait and the worm folds. Stop it and it opens up
again. A flick shake works very well when fishing vertical structure like
bulkheads or steep ledges with vertical drops because every time you pick it
up, it falls several feet before it hits bottom again.”
In shallow water, anglers can use it over beds. Just let it sit on the bed
and twitch in the water currents. Hop it across the bottom around cover like
logs or weed patches. Let it fall over the drop-off and work it all the way back
to the boat.
Although bass sometimes, grab it and run, they typically make more
subtle bites. The angler might only feel a slight thump on the line or perhaps
not even feel the strike. The line might simply move in a contrary direction,
straighten or just feel mushy like the bait snagged on weeds. Since the bait
feels natural, a bass might hold it in its mouth for a while or swallow it. Reel
down all the slack. Feel for the fish and set the hook hard.
As a light finesse bait, most anglers prefer to throw this rig on a spinning
rod. A 6.5- to 7.5-foot spinning rod makes an excellent choice. People could
use baitcasting equipment, but the line rolls off a spinning rod more smoothly,
allowing the angler to control the fall with a finger. Also use light line, about 4-
to 12-pound test.
“Line choice is very important,” Iaconelli stressed. “For a flick shake, I use
Berkley Trilene 100 percent fluorocarbon line. Fluorocarbon line is so dense
that it sinks more than monofilament. Monofilament line tends to float, so the
fluorocarbon line enhances the fall of the bait.”
The technique also works around schooling bass and when bass go deep
after schooling. It can also work on other species, such as bream, depending
upon the hook and bait size or type.
when it comes to bass fishing, there’s a new killer in town.
“A flick shake is a hot new finesse technique,” said Mike Iaconelli, a
Bassmaster Classic champion from Runnemede, N.J. “It consists of a wide-
gap hook with a weight attached to the hook shank instead of the eye. It’s
designed for fishing wacky style with the hook through the center of a straight
worm. Tru-Tungsten makes a jighead called a Flea Flicker specifically
designed for fishing this technique.”
With the weight slightly toward the back of the shank, it creates a pivot
point. As the rig falls, the worm ends shake and vibrate, giving irresistible
action. Also called a wacky shaky head or a wacky jighead rig, it gives similar
action to a wacky worm, but goes deeper much faster.
“When fish go deeper than 10 feet, it takes a conventional wacky worm
too long to get to the strike zone,” Iaconelli explained. “The flick shake shows
fish traditional wacky action, but at much deeper levels. The weight sinks
faster than the worm, so it drives it down with the bait waving and twitching
above it. Bites normally occur on the fall so always let it fall on a semi-slack
line, not tight or too slack. Control the line and watch it as it falls.”
Anglers could use various styles and sizes of straight-tailed worms with a
flick shake rig. In deeper water use larger, thicker worms. Although generally
a deeper presentation, anglers can also use small finesse worms in shallow
water.
“Where this technique really excels is in a deep situation with really clear
water,” said Terry Scroggins, a professional angler from Palatka, Fla. “I like to
use it in clear water about 15 to 20 feet deep. In clear, deeper water, I go with
a big Yumdinger-style worm. In shallower or more stained water, I go to a
Houdini-style finesse worm. A Yumdinger actually has more action on the
initial fall. The worm ends helicopter down, but it doesn’t have much action on
the bottom. In stained, shallow water, the bait hits bottom quickly, so I like a
bait I can shake to give it more action.”
Most people fish a flick shake vertically. Drop it next to bridge pilings,
standing timber, along a bulkhead or next to a deep grass bed. Anglers could
also just fish it in deep holes, along ledges or over humps. If a fish doesn’t
bite on the fall, let the bait sit awhile, twitching it occasionally. Periodically, hop
it off the bottom and let it fall back again. Fish it slowly, keeping it in the strike
zone as long as possible.
“A flick shake offers great action even when the angler is not doing
anything with it,” Scroggins explained. “On the bottom, half the worm will stand
up and undulate. Pull the bait and the worm folds. Stop it and it opens up
again. A flick shake works very well when fishing vertical structure like
bulkheads or steep ledges with vertical drops because every time you pick it
up, it falls several feet before it hits bottom again.”
In shallow water, anglers can use it over beds. Just let it sit on the bed
and twitch in the water currents. Hop it across the bottom around cover like
logs or weed patches. Let it fall over the drop-off and work it all the way back
to the boat.
Although bass sometimes, grab it and run, they typically make more
subtle bites. The angler might only feel a slight thump on the line or perhaps
not even feel the strike. The line might simply move in a contrary direction,
straighten or just feel mushy like the bait snagged on weeds. Since the bait
feels natural, a bass might hold it in its mouth for a while or swallow it. Reel
down all the slack. Feel for the fish and set the hook hard.
As a light finesse bait, most anglers prefer to throw this rig on a spinning
rod. A 6.5- to 7.5-foot spinning rod makes an excellent choice. People could
use baitcasting equipment, but the line rolls off a spinning rod more smoothly,
allowing the angler to control the fall with a finger. Also use light line, about 4-
to 12-pound test.
“Line choice is very important,” Iaconelli stressed. “For a flick shake, I use
Berkley Trilene 100 percent fluorocarbon line. Fluorocarbon line is so dense
that it sinks more than monofilament. Monofilament line tends to float, so the
fluorocarbon line enhances the fall of the bait.”
The technique also works around schooling bass and when bass go deep
after schooling. It can also work on other species, such as bream, depending
upon the hook and bait size or type.
A whole lotta shakin' going on from
a new killer in the bass world
a new killer in the bass world
ABOVE: Terry Scroggins, a
professional bass angler from
Palatka, Fla., shows off a bass
he caught on a flick shake
rig, a weighted jighead
designed to fish a straight
worm wacky style in deeper
water.
RIGHT: Terry Scroggins, a
professional bass angler from
Palatka, Fla., shows how to
rig a flick shake, a weighted
jighead designed to fish a
straight worm wacky style in
deeper water.
professional bass angler from
Palatka, Fla., shows off a bass
he caught on a flick shake
rig, a weighted jighead
designed to fish a straight
worm wacky style in deeper
water.
RIGHT: Terry Scroggins, a
professional bass angler from
Palatka, Fla., shows how to
rig a flick shake, a weighted
jighead designed to fish a
straight worm wacky style in
deeper water.
