fish-calling thump of the rattles, and you’ve got
yourself a bonafide bass bait.
Why They Work?
A wake bait presents itself to a bass as an
injured baitfish, or one that has been separated
from its schooling pack. Its steady and rhythmic
action conjures up a sense of curiosity in a fish,
and one that ultimately turns into a strong
feeding response.
Where To Wake
Weed Flats – Shallow flats choked with
subsurface vegetation are compelling spots
to chuck a wake. The near weedless approach
of this bait lends itself well for these areas,
and largies lurking in clumps, indentations,
or simply cruising will be more than willing to
show themselves.
Wood – Toss these lures over submerged
logs or through stump fields and hang on tight.
Wake baits do a great job of luring fish up and
away from cover and excel where many baits
fail. Running your bait into these structure
points can also turn the tide on following fish.
Deep Water – For those that like to target
deep or suspended smallies, a wake bait can be
your best friend. If fish are busting shad on top,
or if the water is crystal-clear, smallmouth will
charge up as much as 20-feet in order to swipe
these cranks right off the top.
Rip Rap or Shoals - Early morning or
evening can be conducive for getting smallies
to go on top. Work wake baits along productive
rock areas when fish are present and cover all
spots thoroughly.
How To Wake
Like in any topwater regimen, let you bait settle
and the ripples dissipate after the initial cast.
While keeping your rod tip high (11 o’clock
position) begin to slowly reel your bait in. You
want the lure to remain on the surface, and for
it to produce the bulge and wake it is known for.
If you can consistently see a ‘V’ come across the
surface then you’re doing everything right.
Wake baits work in most conditions, but if wind
and wave action is up, its best to switch to a
different lure.
A medium/heavy baitcasting stick, with decent
stiffness in the upper half, works best for
throwing these hefty baits. I use 20lb test clear
mono for the shock absorption it provides, but
braid is also a viable and trustworthy option.
A calm surface is best when facing overcast
skies, while a light ripple on the water seems to
produce better results when the sun is up above.
Wake baits can bring a new dimension to your
bass fishing. They’re fun and easy to use, but
best of all they are guaranteed to catch fish.
BBM
Big bass monthly | Page 18