There’s a certain kind of frustration that comes with fishing standing waist deep in shallow water. They’re all around you. You see the bluegill circling your lure and then they gets up there to take it and they look at you funny.
And off they go. The fish is there and the fish sees the lure and nothing happens. That’s when marketing for specialty stuff realy gets loud.
Buy this jig. Buy this new plastic worm. When the normal stuff won’t work, these things will fools those skittish fish.
But does it? How do the claims check out on crowded, hot summer water? They are panfish slayers.
Testing Panfish Slayer Baits For Real Results
The Myth of the Panfish Slayer
So the concept of a panfish slayer bait sound like the magic bullet that solves all problems. Sounds like there’s finally a lure made to fool perch, crappies and sunfish. They become conditioned to not eat the lures you throw at them.
It would seem like a smart little product line to meet a certain need in a certain way. But in reality it’s too frequent to pay a few extra bucks for a scaled down version of something else you own. Trying this new hard bait and plastic line up shows that they aren’t always what you think from the box claims.
Zoom Bait Micro Junior Shad Review
The Zoom Bait Micro Junior Shad is in that category. Why? Because while it’s marketed as a panfish killer, that label is mostly just a marketing hook.
And it’s a good one for a good reason. Its small size and profile match much of the natural food on many shallow weed beds. The action is subtle and important when they’re feeding conservatively.
But again, the name are doing all the work. It is not some secret panfish magnetism. No, the bait’s small and real looking, and so the bait works.
It works too on trout and small bass. Again, the slayer name is more of a marketing hook to help you find it on the shelf. There’s another way to go about it with specialized hard baits.
Berkley Gulp Minnow for Panfish
Something like the Berkley Gulp! Minnow. They’re known to make fish bite when they aren’t necessarily looking for bait.
A scented plastic has an area of effect that a visual cue can’t duplicate. It releases its scent into the water and establishes a perimeter of attraction. That’s where the name begins to ring true.
There’s something in your hand that isn’t solely a shape. There’s a message being delivered. And that’s what counts on pressure days and in stained water when visibility may be compromised.
But don’t confuse success with exclusivity. While a small Gulp! Minnow will catch a largemouth bass just as easily than it catches a bluegill.
A Minnow can certainly catch bluegill, but it’ll also catch a largemouth bass right in the chops. Don’t buy into this myth that these are merely panfish baits. They work for many things because of their scent and size.
Presentation and Retrieve Technique
Sure, they are not slayers; they are single-purpose weapons. But they’re opportunists. Tying on a tiny jig with a micro grub will produces a similar result.
It’s all about matching the hatch. Not purchasing some branded solution. It also has a lot to do with presentation.
A lot of guys think the bait is the issue when it’s realy their retrieve. Bass will run down your lure while panfish are generally slower and want you to fish more slow and deliberately. They’ll follow your bait further and wait on the bait to come to them.
Twitch too quickly and they may spook off without committing. The name of the bait is mostly a marketing hook. The plastic does the work.
It doesn’t. You do the work at the end of your rod. Often the difference are that slight tick or slow fall.
Simple Downsizing Strategy
Are these truly slayers? Yes…but sorta. It’s a great tool, but it’s also kind of an overstatement because there realy isn’t anything special about it.
Anything small, realistic and properly presented will catch fish. You can rig one on a small chartreuse jig head like this or even a Zoom Mini Craw and they’ll do the same thing. The trick is not so much in the bait you’re throwing but rather down-sizing everything about your presentation.
If you’re starting to get ticked off at them shallow, don’t grab for the special box first. Grab for the little stuff. Use lighter line.
Use a lighter rod action. Slow your retrieve down. The fish aren’t looking for a miracle.
They’re looking for something similar to their natural diet. Keep it simple. Keep it small.
Allow the simplicity of the presentation to do the work. That’s realy how you catch panfish anyway; no matter what the package may say.
