Bass Fishing Jun - Jul 2022 | Page 63

HITS & MISSES

TAIL THUMP :

The bait casts a large profile and delivers a tight swagger and solid tail thump , which should be a big plus for calling out fish in muddy water situations .

ROUNDED LIP :

Features a rounded circuit board lip that slices the water and helps it dive quickly and aggressively to its maximum range . The thin material isn ’ t as rigid or prone to breakage as Lexan , but the edges of the lip will grind down with repeated contact with rock , gravel and other abrasive objects .

WEIGHT CHAMBER :

Comes with an internal weight chamber to optimize balance and enhance castability , even in windy conditions . The weights also produce a subtle rattling sound .
Performance Advice
› Reel Selection : It ’ s usually best to throw the bait with a relatively slow- to moderate-speed reel like a 5.6:1 to 6.3:1 . The slower gear ratio makes it easier to avoid overfishing the bait in chilly water while still allowing for faster retrieves as water temperatures warm and the fish become more aggressive and willing to chase .
› Rod Selection : As with any shallow crank , it ’ s best to throw the Chick Magnet on a rod with a fairly soft tip to allow fish to eat the bait , but with enough backbone to wrestle big ones out of heavy cover . Rods in the 6- foot-10 to 7-foot range lend to accuracy when fishing tight to targets like stumps , laydowns and docks .
› Line Size : A good quality fluorocarbon like Berkley Trilene 100 % or Gamma in 10- to 12-pound test will help maximize the action and diving depths , while providing good abrasion resistance . Switching to a larger diameter monofilament line will help “ shallow up ” the bait if need be .
› Rod Angle : You can alter diving depth by changing the angle of the rod tip and speed of the retrieve . Holding the rod tip at about 60-80 degrees ( at 1 to 2 o ’ clock ) in combination with a really slow retrieve will allow for crawling the bait over skinny water points or humps with minimal hang-ups .
>> MORE FROM STRIKE KING
In addition to the Chick Magnet , Strike King brought a number of other innovative products to the table this spring including : a family of high-performance braid , fluorocarbon and monofilament fishing lines ( called CONTRA ); a mid-size Rage Bug ; a weedless Squadron jig head for swimbaits ; a buzzbait built for skipping ( called Skip ’ N Buzz ); spinnerbait upgrades and a host of new colors in hard baits , bladed jigs and soft baits .
Check ‘ em out at strikeking . com / en / learn / 2022-new-products .

HITS & MISSES

+ Casts well for a flatside + Stout hooks out of package + Big profile
+ Produces hard tail thump for calling fish out in muddy water
+ Durable circuit board bill + Dives quickly
+ Glances off rocks , stumps and hard objects
+ 13 colors to simulate target forage like crawfish and shad
— Lip grinds down after repeated contact with rock
DETAILS
Colors : 13 Weight : 7 / 16 ounce Length : 2.25 inches Depth Range : 4 – 6 feet Hooks : Short shank No . 4 MSRP : $ 9.99 Contact : strikeking . com n
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