"Do-nothing" Baits

[Dan Wood]

The "Do-nothing" baits are nothing new to the majority of you. They have been around for a few years, with Gary Yamamoto credited with this new innovative fishing technique. What is the big deal with these baits? Why do they work?

The main innovation behind these baits is the addition of salt to the plastic. Salt has long been used as a fish attractant (believed by some to immitate the taste of blood which allows more time for the angler to detect a bite and set the hook). These baits however, use salt as a weight additive. This relatively low and even distribution of weight allows for ease of casting while still getting that nice slow fall. The slow fall is what bass haven't see a lot of, this is what triggers bites and what makes these baits so successful.

Before the invention of the do-nothing salt added baits, I fished a lot of weightless plastics and very light weight plastics and had great success (weightless without a salt additive required light spinning gear). I contributed the majority of this success to the slow fall, something the bass just don't see a lot of.

These baits can be fished in many different ways. The soft stick baits can be used weightless, with weight, drop shot, carolina, etc. The most common method is weightless and for good reason, bass just can't resist that slow fall.

Cast/flip/pitch these baits up to cover and let them sink - pull up off the bottom slowly and let them sink back down to the bottom... Once the cover has been worked - make another pitch to a specific target. As with any bass fishing technique, targeting specific cover is very important.

The falling action on these baits really triggers fish, so attempt to have the bait falling as close as possible to the cover your working (it can be on the initial cast fall or pull/fall). The biggest mistake you can make with these baits is to over-work them. These baits require patience, you just can't work them too slow. I can't even count how many fish I've caught on these while doing absolutely nothing (bait sitting on the bottom). A rule of thumb - work as slow as you can wacky rigged and even slower texas rigged or texposed. Add weight to these with a finish nail or nail(s) if fish are aggressive and you want to work faster and/or deeper.

Here is a 20" that came recently on a natural color Case Magic Stik.

http://tjtackle.com/MagicStik.htm

[This message has been edited by Dan Wood (edited 10-06-2004).]

[Deitz Dittrich]

Nice post dan... Well written

[Mark Christianson]

Quite a belly there.

The fish aint bad either!!!

Kiddin Dan.
Very good post!

[Granny]

Good post and nice fish!

You mentioned the "specific targets". It seems that these specific targets become a little more obvious as some weeds die off. Existing weed beds, and as some peope have mentioned in other posts, any type of wood or trees seem to hold fish. Working these areas slowly has worked well lately.

Dan,

What size Magic Stik do you like to use this time of year? Have you noticed a certain color working better than another?

Thanks,

Granny

[This message has been edited by Granny (edited 10-06-2004).]

[Dan Wood]

is it biglakeba$$ or biglakesmarta$$?

Granny,
I use the Big Stik (5.5") and Magic Stiks (4.5") - I usually stick with the more natural colors if water clarity is okay (root beer green flake, watermelons, watermelon gold flake, natural).

I like june bug, chartreuse pepper, strawberry, and black neon for off-colored water..

[Mr. Pike1]

The best do nothing bait I have tossed is the old Senko. Pumpking with green sprinkle, watermellon, and black with sparkle in the 4 or 5" have been my bait of choice. I doubt however that the color plays much of a factor and that the slow presentation and salt additive is the driving force. Another live bait tacktic is a whistler jig with minnow or crawler. Slow fall, little flash, and live bait...Bam !!! Fish on

[sami0115]

great article. i couldn't agree more. i have just started fishing "senko" baits, and what a difference they have made. caught my biggest LM of my life on one this summer!