Cypress, CA (January 14, 2021) – The anatomy of a freshwater shad is unmistakable. Bulbous eyeballs. Smallish head dropping down into a spade-shaped sternum that ramps back up into the shad’s distinct forked tail. You know what they look like…and so do the fish.
Shad are as abundant as they are recognizable, too. They’re common reservoir and lake inhabitants, as well as frequent fliers in most North American river systems. And because of the baitfish’s copiousness, the marketplace is overwhelmed with shad-style hardbody baits. No doubt you own a few or dozens of them.
But Daiwa's bait may be worth a look. Returning to the fishing market, and now available, Daiwa reintroduces the prolific and petite SC Shad, a shad-style crankbait.
It has a realistic profile, a dead ringer for the real thing, paired with the SC Shad’s signature wobble. At only 2 inches long and 1/8-ounce, Daiwa’s SC Shad matches adolescent shad, which are mainstay forage for freshwater gamefish. Typically schooled, young shad often ball-up just beneath the surface. To that point, the SC Shad dives only 1- to 2-feet on the cast, modestly deeper when trolled.
The SC Shad casts well too. An internal counter buoyance sound weight not only stabilizes the bait but adds an alluring sonic rhythm. And when it’s time to set the fish, know that a pair of VMC #12 treble hooks are up to the task.
Daiwa recommends 6- or 15-lb. test J-Braid x8 braided line to maximize running depth and sensitivity, along with an 18- to 24-inch J-Fluoro fluorocarbon leader.
The SC Shad is available in both natural and other colors. Prism Shad, Rainbow Trout, Himenmasu and Crystal Black Pearl get the call when matching native forage, while Gold Orange and Bubble Gum demand to be seen.
Beyond bass – largemouth, smallmouth and spotted – Daiwa’s SC Shad works on walleyes, trout and outsized panfish.
MSRP $7.99