I honestly didn't think much associated with the armor shad the 1st time We saw it sitting down on a tackle shop shelf. It appeared as if just one more soft plastic fluke-style bait, and heaven knows we now have enough of those messing up up our deal with boxes. But after a slow day within the lake where nothing else seemed to end up being working, I made the decision to give it a shot, plus man, was I wrong to question it. There's some thing about the way this thing goes through the water that will just triggers a predatory response within bass, even whenever they're being fussy.
If you've been fishing intended for any length associated with time, you know that the "jerkbait" user profile is a staple. Whether it's a Zoom Fluke or a Caffeine Shad, that minnow form is a classic for a reason. However, the Damiki Armor Shad brings a few specific design tweaks to the particular table that truly make a massive difference in how the fish perceive this. It's not just a piece associated with plastic; it's the tool that behaves a bit in different ways than its rivals.
Why the Design Actually Works
Main things you'll notice about the particular armor shad is the webbed belly. At initial glance, you may think it's just for present or maybe to make the bait feel softer, however it actually serves a pretty cool functional purpose. Those deep ribs trap small surroundings bubbles when a person cast it away. As you twitch the bait under the particular surface, those pockets slowly escape, generating a tiny trek of "life" that mimics a wounded baitfish losing its scales or struggling for oxygen.
Aside from the bubbles, individuals ribs also produce more surface area. This particular means more vibration in the drinking water and, more significantly, a much much softer feel when the fish actually hits down. Bass are usually notorious for spitting out a bait the 2nd it seems like a piece of silicone. Because the steak compress easily, the fish tends in order to hang on just a split second much longer, giving you that extra window to actually set the hook.
Then there's the end. It's a vintage forked tail, but it's thin enough in order to have a high-frequency quiver. Even when you aren't positively twitching your fishing rod tip, the smallest bit of current or the forward energy from the bait makes that tail dance. It's a simple movement, but in clear water, that's often all this takes to convince a big largemouth to commit.
Rigging Options intended for Different Situations
One of the particular best reasons for the particular armor shad is that a person aren't locked directly into just one way associated with fishing it. It's a bit of a shapeshifter based on how a person rig it.
The Weightless Approach
This is definitely probably how nearly all people use it. You take a 3/0 or 4/0 offset EWG fishing hook, Texas-rig it without having any weight, plus cast it close to cover. Because the bait has the decent quantity of sodium in the plastic, it has more than enough weight to end up being cast a fair distance even without a sinker. It sinks gradually and horizontally. If you're fishing close to lily pads, downed trees, or superficial grass lines, this particular is the method to go. You simply twitch it, let it flutter down, plus wait for the particular line to jump.
The Dropshot Surprise
Most people reach with regard to a thin, straight-tail worm when they will pull out the particular dropshot rod, yet don't sleep within the 3-inch or 4-inch armor shad for this. When the baitfish are usually small, rigging this particular on a dropshot can be deadly. Because it's the fluke-style bait, it sits horizontally within the water column perfectly. If you're fishing over heavy brush piles or even rocky points, that horizontal profile looks much more just like a real shad than a vertical worm does.
The Scrounger or Jig Mind
If you want to include water quickly, putting the armor shad on a ball head jig or even a Scrounger mind is a fantastic move. The particular Scrounger head provides it an insane side-to-side wobble that will makes it resemble a panicked baitfish. On the regular jig head, you can jump it along the particular bottom or swim it with the middle of the water column. It's a simple setup, although it's effective when the fish are usually aggressive and going after schools of lure.
Mastering the particular Action
Getting the most out of the armor shad requires a little bit of "feel. " It's not really like a crankbait where you just reel it in and let the particular lure the actual function. You have to be the one offering it life.
The "twitch-twitch-pause" tempo is the gold standard here. But here is the secret: the pause is where the magic happens. Most of the particular strikes I've ever had with this bait happened the minute I stopped moving this. When you twitch it, you're phoning the fish's attention to the bait. When you stop, the lure does this little shimmy as this settles, and that's once the bass chooses it's an simple meal.
When you're fishing in clear water, attempt to keep the bait visible to you for some time. Watch how it darts. If you take your rod tip hard, it'll take off to the particular side. If you give it a smooth nudge, it just nudges forward. You can actually "walk the dog" underwater with this lure if you get the particular rhythm right. It takes a little practice to obtain that side-to-side cadence down without this breaking the surface area, but once a person do, it's a game-changer.
Selecting the Right Shades
I've been a believer that color matters way less than motion, but there are usually definitely occasions when it makes a distinction. Because the armor shad is developed to mimic baitfish, I usually stay to "natural" colors.
If the water is superior, I'm going with something like "Ayu" or the translucent silver. You want the seafood to see the flash and the shape, however you don't want it to look like an item of plastic. In slightly stained water, I'll proceed to some thing with a little more whitened or chartreuse in it so they can track it better.
One thing I've noticed is that the "Flashy Silver" or anything with a lot associated with flake tends to work wonders on sunny days. The sun hits those flakes and sends little glints of light out, which looks exactly like the shad flicking its sides. On cloudy days, I choose solid, matte shades like a "Pearl White" because it produces a stronger silhouette contrary to the grey sky.
Why Toughness Matters
Let's be real—some soft plastics are essentially one-and-done. You capture a fish, and the bait is usually torn to shreds. While the armor shad is definitely soft, it's remarkably resilient. You may usually get three or four fish out of the single bait before the nose gets too blown in order to hold the catch.
The little pro tip if you're trying to save cash: once the nose will eventually get torn up from the hook eye, don't throw it away. You can trim about a quarter-inch away from the front plus re-rig it. It'll be a slightly shorter bait, but the fish won't care, and you'll get more living out of your pack. Also, maintain a bottle associated with "mend-it" or some type of smooth plastic glue in your boat. These types of baits respond really well to the tiny drop associated with glue to close up those connect tears.
Final Thoughts on the particular Armor Shad
At the end of the day, fishing is usually about confidence. In the event that you believe what's at the finish of your collection is going in order to catch a seafood, you're likely to perch it better. You'll be more concentrated, your casts will be more accurate, and you'll notice those simple bites.
The armor shad earned an everlasting spot in our bag because it's consistent. It's a single of those fishing lures I can toss in almost any body of water—from the tiny farm fish-pond to an enormous reservoir—and know that will it has an opportunity of getting bit. It's simple, it's effective, and this doesn't require a PhD in fishing to figure out.
Next period you're out and the bite feels a little boring, try switching items up. Set aside the big, loud fishing bait and rig upward something a little bit more subtle. Occasionally, all it will take is that little trail associated with bubbles and a twitchy tail to show the boring day on the water into 1 you'll be speaking about all 7 days. It's not really simply another fluke, and when you see this within the water, I actually think you'll notice exactly what I am talking about.