The Ledge Shaker by Secret Lures
SAN ANTONIO, TX (6/1/2020) – Registration closes today for the 2020 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shop. That means in just over a week, on June 10th to be exact, anglers will begin their two-day quest to conquer the fruitful waters of Pickwick Lake, and be crowned a National Champion. With the event now fast-approaching on the horizon, the Association of Collegiate Anglers will be taking a look at various baits, fishing line, rods & reels, and numerous other items that should play a significant role on this Tennessee River fishery in Florence, AL. We will kick things off by taking an in-depth look at the Ledge Shaker line of jig heads from Secret Lures.
Pickwick Lake during the summer months is considered one of the best ledge fishing lakes in the country. Bass have finished up their spring spawning period, and migrate out to the deep water ledges to feed up on baitfish and hang out in the cooler water. It’s situations like this that the folks at Secret Lures had in mind when they created the Ledge Shaker. This jig head is the ideal piece of terminal tackle to pair up with a soft plastic bait and dredge along the bottom out on key pieces of offshore structure.
One of the key details that make this jig head so effective is its Pivot Divot head design. “It creates a disturbance on the bottom that catches the attention of the fish through both sight and sound, while also allowing the angler to keep a good feel of their bait at all times,” said Danny Blandford with Secret Lures. “That concave head acts like a magnet on the bottom of the lake, so you get a good feel of bottom composition and depth changes along your retrieve. That head paired with the straight shank hook keeps the bait upright at all times allowing you to get the most action from your baits, which also helps trigger bites.”
The Ledge Shaker from Secret Lures comes in two different color patterns, green pumpkin or black, and is also available in three separate weights. Choosing the right weight size is something that should not be taken lightly if you’re wanting to have the perfect presentation. “The correct weight is really specific to the situation. In shallower depths and little to no current, 3/8 oz. is enough to keep good bottom contact,” explained Blandford. The 3/8 oz. model could play well for the shallower ledges or even areas where anglers are fishing around submerged grass and vegetation.
“As you go deeper, and/or the current gets stronger, an angler should move up in weight to maintain that same bottom contact and feel for the bait. The best selling model is the 1/2 oz, likely because it can be effective anywhere from 5 to 25 feet deep. Even with a stiff current rolling down the lake, it stays put on the bottom,” Blandford added. That right there sounds like the perfect choice for what will be in play next week on Pickwick Lake. However, in the event that the current is stronger than normal, or you need to make really long casts, Blandford suggests upsizing to the 3/4 oz.
And lastly, the most important question of them all, ‘What type of soft plastic pairs best with the Ledge Shaker?’ “As far as how to ‘decorate’ the Ledge Shaker, it’s all about confidence,” said Blandford. “If you feel good about a 10″ worm due to the action of that big tail, no problem….if you’re looking for something more subtle, a magnum trick worm is a good choice. The standard Ledge Shaker in any weight can accommodate either style of a worm and it’s also deadly with a full-size (6″ +) creature bait if you’re wanting a more ‘flappy’ action to get the attention of a fish. We also have a short shank version that was designed for beaver-style baits, smaller creature baits (4″ +/-), craws, or even finesse worms. Basically, if you have a favorite soft plastic you want to put on the bottom for those ledge fish Pickwick is known for, we’ve got what you want it to be riding on.”
Secret Lures offers a 30% discount code to all college anglers competing on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Be sure to head on over to their website now to check out their full line of products, and order what could be your winning bait!
