# what is the best way to rig shad?



## dolfanpete (Mar 29, 2009)

I use mostly worms on jig heads. should i use jig heads with shads? or a different type of hook.


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## slim357 (Mar 30, 2009)

Are you using live shad, dead shad, or plastic imitation shad. Also what are you targeting. For any bottom feeding fish a jighead should do fine. If your using them for bass id go for a circle hook through the back (carefull not to hit the spine) fished under a float, or just live line them hooked through the mouth (for live shad).


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## dolfanpete (Apr 3, 2009)

sorry so long on the response, i am talking about plastic shads, i try to rig them so that they are "weedless" but either i'm buying the wrong shad, or a combo of wrong shad/ hook. i bought a few different size off set hooks, each time i set it up, i cant seem to get it so that the shad is presented well, and the barb sticks out over top of it. I'm trying to get into new setups, all i been using is jig head and plastic worms...


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## slim357 (Apr 3, 2009)

Well if your throwing a sassy shad type bait a jig head is probably the best way to go, a drop of super glue will help keep the bait on longer as well. As for weedless rigging depending on the size and thickness of the bait you can sometimes use a razor blade and cut a hook slot and fish them texas rigged.


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## Andy (Apr 4, 2009)

If you haven't fished that style and are just starting, practice rigging it may be your best bet. I know when I first started fishing with flukes, it took me a while to get them to swim without spinning. The trick is to rig it where the point of the hook lays flat on the back of the shad where you can just get the point of the hook back into the shad to make it weedless. Adding the slit like Slim mentioned (like the Flukes) will make it a little easier to rig, aspecially if you don't have the right size hook, so the curve of the hook is inside the shad. Hope that helps ya out.


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 4, 2009)

dolfanpete said:


> i am talking about plastic shads, i try to rig them so that they are "weedless"




Use a swim bait type EWG offset hook and rig them Texas style


Like this:


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## slim357 (Apr 4, 2009)

Captain Ahab said:


> dolfanpete said:
> 
> 
> > i am talking about plastic shads, i try to rig them so that they are "weedless"
> ...


I do the same for tube style swimbaits, however if they dont have a hook slot I add my own, because without one the bait will often bunch up on the weight and not allow for a good hook set.


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## Fish Monger (Apr 17, 2009)

"Sew" it on, you'll never go back :twisted:


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