Seasoned Anglers Categorize Their Choices

While anglers are still debating exactly what spoons imitate, there’s little question that swimming lures are designed to represent real baitfish. “The basic jigging motion is the same as with flash lures—lift-fall-hold, lift-fall-hold,” according to Stange. “Then it’s the addition of jiggles within the cadence, along with changes in the cadence, and changes in depth relative to the depth the walleye comes in at, that counts.

“The key to fishing with swimming baits is sonar,” Stange explains. “First you learn to work the lure in water shallow enough to see how the lure responds to certain jigging maneuvers. Then, while watching sonar, note how fish respond to the way you’re working the lure. Effective use of the bait requires reading fish reaction and making appropriate decisions about what to do with the swimming lure to trigger strikes. It’s a video arcade on ice.

“One of the most interesting things I’ve seen over the years is how much walleyes like to move up to feed,” Stange says. “Forage like perch hunker on the bottom beginning at twilight because they don’t see well after dark. That’s when walleyes move up on a bar in loose schools and move slowly along like a bunch of pheasant hunters walking a stubble field, looking to flush pheasants. Only the walleyes are flushing perch that scoot up off the bottom and hold in a disoriented state for a moment. Walleyes often snap the perch before they hunker back down on the bottom.

“Anglers generally spend too much time fishing right near bottom. Most of the bigger fish I catch are a foot to five feet above the bottom. But having fish come through much higher isn’t unusual, especially in lakes with suspended baitfish like ciscoes. Suspended fish won’t come in to a bait jigged on the bottom. Many anglers haven’t spent enough time jigging up off the bottom to realize how many fish they’re missing.”

Stange is high on using the newly introduced Nils Master Jigging Shad while many anglers hesitate to use something that appears too big or too heavy. But the Jigging Shad measures only 21⁄2 inches—the same length as the medium minnows most anglers suspend below floats, or use on tip-ups, or on jigs.

“The introduction of the Jigging Shad is important because now we have two distinct profiles for swimming baits. I mean, these baits need to look like something real. Baits like the #7 Jigging Rapala and the #2 and #3 Nils Master Jigger represent thinner minnow-shaped or smelt-shaped forage. The Jigging Shad represents a wider-profile bait like shad; ciscoes; alewives; and panfish like perch, bluegills, and crappies—the predominant baitfish in most bodies of water.”

Stange also advocates altering swimming lures by adding premium treble hooks. While most companies make hooks that will improve performance, one of Stange’s favorites is the Mustad Triple Grip (#36243BR, #8). The Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp(#754, #8) is another good option. Although Stange usually doesn’t sweeten his swimming lures with a minnow head, many anglers still prefer to hang a head on the treble hook to add scent and taste.