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Tips, Tricks & FAQ's

Crank it. Jig it. Drop it. Troll it. Bend it.  Land it.

The SteelShad fishing lure is the most versatile lure on the market today. This dynamic blade bait imitates dying baitfish by swimming on either of its sides, on the surface, deep down or under weed and grass lines. No other blade bait can duplicate the intense vibrating action. Fish it in 6" or 60' of water to catch anything that swims!

Generate more strikes, catch more TROPHY fish in fresh and salt water including, but not limited to: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Musky, Northern Pike, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, Salmon, Stripers, Bluefish, Tuna, Redfish, Speckled Trout, Snook, Snapper & anything else that swims. This lure will catch them all!

Crank It

  • Just as you would throw a spinnerbait or lipless crankbait, cast the SteelShad out and retrieve it back in just fast enough to feel the bait vibrating. When using this particular presentation in deeper water start by reeling in your SteelShad as soon as it hits the water. If you don't trigger any bites, cast the bait again, let it fall for 5 seconds, and then retrieve the bait. Continue to count down your bait with each cast until you get a bite. The fish will tell you how deep they want the bait.  The SteelShad typically sinks at a rate of 1 foot per second, so this will help you to target suspended fish.
  • Many fish (including bass) frequently feed on schools of baitfish by pushing them to the surface, creating an appearance anglers often refer to as boiling water. Cast a SteelShad into a schooling frenzy and watch the magic happen!

Jig It

  • Drop it vertically and let it fall to the bottom, or the desired depth. Work it along the bottom, or the desired depth, by lifting your rod tip up 12 to 18 inches and then letting the lure fall. Pay close attention to your line as fish will often eat the bait on the fall.

Troll It

  • SteelShad runs great at a variety of trolling speeds. SteelShad will run 1 to 5 feet deep without weight depending on your speed.
  • To achieve optimal depth(s), you can troll SteelShad deeper using downriggers, planers and lead core line.

Bend It

  • You can bend SteelShad to fish in shallow water or to change it's action.
    • Bend at the “d” in Steel Shad on the lure, at a 45-degree angle for surface running
    • Bend at the “s” in Steel Shad on the lure, at a 90-degree angle for extreme right or left retrieval direction
    • Bend just behind the weight in a U style fashion to make it fish like a buzz bait
    • Bend back straight at any time for deep dives
    • YouTube How-To

 

Extra Tips

  1. We’ve added multiple split-ring holes to give you more control over the action of your SteelShad. Change how you utilize the split rings for additional control. Moving the split-ring to the front hole will reduce the vibration and position it better for jigging.
  2. To achieve the best presentation of our bait we recommend tying directly to your line using a palomar knot.  This will increase the vibration during your retrieve vs. using a leader.

 

FAQ's

  • What is the SteelShad made out of?
    • SteelShad blade baits are constructed of durable, malleable stainless steel, there are no plastic parts.
    • The weight is either lead or tin, depending on the series.
  • Can I fish this bait like a worm under a bobber?
    • Yes you can!  It’s a great way to teach kids to fish without using “yucky” worms!
  • What kind of hooks do you use?
    • Most of our baits come standard with VMC Permasteel hooks, coated for fresh and saltwater to prevent rust.
    • The Elite Series uses VMC's Black Nickle hooks.
  • Why do your baits have two split-ring holes?
    • The two split ring holes offer increased control for depth and vibration
  • Is this for shallow or deep water?
    • Both!  Our blade bait is designed to catch fish in 6 inches or 60 feed of water.  It's the only blade bait you that can manipulate to run on the water's surface.