SHAKING UP THE SUMMER-FALL TRANSITION
As summer draws to a close and nature hints of winter’s approach, anglers on southern reservoirs typically find the fall transition one of the year’s most challenging periods. From weather changes, to lake turnover, to the annual drawdowns, several dynamics keep fish and anglers on their toes.
Oklahoma pro James Elam knows this game well and during the summer-fall transition, he starts every day expecting a disjointed scenario. While a diverse array of baits crowd many decks, Elam keeps it simple and efficient by trusting a tried-and-true presentation that seldom fails to produce.
“Generally, for reservoirs in the south, this is a tough time of the year, so one of the main weapons I use during that summer-fall transition is a shakey head,” Elam said. “I like the Mustad A-Tak Stand Up Jig Head. It has a screw-lock on the head and the hook provides a lot of strength for its size, so it penetrates easily on light line."
"I also like the stand-up style head because it seems like you get more bites. When you hop the shakey head, it lands straight down and for those 2-3 seconds when it’s sitting still and standing up naturally, it just looks better to the fish. That’s very important that time of year when they’re really picky.”
Rigged and Ready
Expecting to find bass in a variety of scenarios, Elam arms himself with two different setups. Both will deliver that same bottom-oriented look, but by allowing himself options, Elam ensures he’s ready to capitalize on whatever the day offers.
“I’ll have a spinning rod rig and a casting rod rig with lighter line and I’ll employ both methods,” Elam said. “I’ll throw the baitcasting rig with a heavier head — a 3/16- or 1/4-ounce — around docks, if I’m in stained water.
“I’ll have the spinning outfit rigged with a 1/8- or 3/16-ounce head. I’ll use this outfit if the fish are deeper or off the bank in clearer water.”
Noting that this strategy works all across the south, Elam said the reason the shaky head delivers so well during the summer-fall transition comes down to a forage preference. While spring-summer usually sees a good flipping bite with jigs and creature baits rigged on the Mustad Assault Wide Gap Hook, the fish’s changing preference spotlights the shakey head’s appeal.
“Fish seem to get on a shaky head when they’re on small shad,” Elam said. “When they get off the bluegill and crawfish and start focusing on smaller baitfish, they get off the big bulky baits."
“Obviously, the shakey head does not look like a shad, but I think it’s the slenderness of the bait with a 5.5- or 6.5-inch LIVETARGET Straight Tail Worm."
Presentation Pointers
Stressing the difference between the hard-hitting power fishing style that delivers through that spring-summer period and the more subdued shakey head look, Elam said less is more.
“People tend to overwork a shakey head,” he notes. “I like to cast it in, let it fall to the bottom and then never make any movements with the rod tip that are too fast. I just slowly work it over cover, keeping it in contact with the bottom.
“You’re letting the bait do the work. I really don’t think you need to jiggle it a bunch. I think you’ll get a lot more bites just working it slow and steady. You want to keep it moving, but nothing fast or jolting.”
On the hook set, Elam combines a firm, measured sweep followed by steady pressure. Flipping style hook sets often are too much for the lighter line common to shakey head tactics. Rather, reeling down and pulling the hook home with consistent force does the job.