There was topwater action for some anglers first thing Friday morning. Here, Castrol pro David Dudley keeps his eye on some bass chasing shad. Photo by Colin Moore. Angler: David Dudley.

April 2, 2014 • David Dudley • Archives

Cast and Move With a Shaky Head

Fish are still transitioning between offshore and the bank in a lot of lakes and that makes them harder to figure out. One of my go-to lures in early spring, especially when the water is still on the cool side, is a shaky head. What I do differently now, though, is make more casts and drag the shaky head a lot less. I’m covering a lot more water and looking for those fish that aren’t real aggressive, but might go for a shaky head if it drops in right by them. I’ll throw the shaky head out, maybe in water between 5 and 15 feet deep, let it go to the bottom, drag it about 5 feet, then wind it in and cast again. Most fish are still suspended, and if you cast it by one, there’s a good chance the fish will follow it down and grab it. Otherwise, keep moving and plan on making lots of casts to fish that aren’t too aggressive yet.