JACOB WHEELER’S 5 FAVES
PHOTO BY BRODY MCWILLIAMS
4. CRANK IT UP
Wheeler can’t go anywhere without a crankbait, and
because of the depth ranges he encounters, there isn’t just
one he’d use for any given situation. He does have it narrowed
down to one popular family of crankbaits.
“The whole Rapala DT family are baits that I use everywhere
in all seasons,” he says. “The DT6 and DT10 are two
that I know most people know well. They’re tried-and-true,
but the whole DT series covers water from 4 to 20 feet and
can do so much for you.
“Two of my favorites are probably the two least popular in
the lineup,” Wheelers adds. “The DT20 is a Tennessee River
ledge sleeper, and I think it’s the best deep-diver out there.
The DT14 has a bigger profile and will get down to that 14- to
16-foot range.”
Each bait serves a specific purpose based on the depth
and desired action.
“The DT4 has a wide wobble, and the DT6 and DT10 are
much more subtle,” he says. “I like the DT14 and DT16
because they have the bigger profile, and I use the DT20
when I need to get down deep.”
The key to the effectiveness of the DT series, according to
Wheeler, is the build.
“The No. 1 best thing about the Rapala DT crankbaits is
they run true right out of the package, and you don’t have to
tune them to get them dialed in,” he explains. “And, even
though they’re balsa, they still cast great.
“There’s also something about that balsa action. They
aren’t as durable as a plastic bait, and you have to take care
of them a little more and not slap them on the water to
remove grass on the trebles, but they have a much more natural
look in the water.”
5. IMITATION SHAD
The final of the five baits Wheeler often relies on more
than most is a soft-plastic swimbait called the Storm 360GT
Largo Shad. Wheeler says he’s found himself using it more
and more in the past few seasons, as have others who’ve
discovered (and tried to keep it hush) that the Largo Shad,
which was originally marketed for saltwater, is actually an
effective bass bait. It was part of Wheeler’s arsenal when he
won the 2019 MLF Bass Pro Tour Bad Boy Mowers Stage
Seven presented by Covercraft at Table Rock Lake.
“It has a unique profile, and it’s very durable,” he says. “It’s
pretty affordable compared to other swimbaits, and you can
catch a bunch of fish on the same bait.”
That event on Table Rock was tailor-made for a swimbait
bite with clear water and groups of spotted bass offshore, but
Wheeler says a swimbait is much more versatile than that.
“A swimbait works great when the water is clear, but it’s
not just for clear water,” Wheeler says. “I’ll fish a white bait in
more stained water, and the fish can still see it just fine.”
Wheeler fishes his Largo Shad on a standard ball-head
jig, but will also add it to a bladed swimbait hook, an underspin
and on the back of a vibrating jig, and mixes it up
between the 3- and 4-inch versions based on the baitfish
size and body of water he’s fishing.
“Looking back, I caught fish with it in about half of the
events last year,” he adds. “It is a must during the prespawn
and also anytime the bass are offshore.”
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FLWFISHING.COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020