Line- thru Smokin Shad

[ctom]

Brennan posted a while ago about success with “line thru” swim baits. Got me thinking.

I modded a 4.75” Smokin Shad mold to accept a wire the make the baits a “ line thru. Pretty simple. Cut a stiff wire to fit inside the small portion of the injection port, thru the body and out past the hook slot plate. Mark the mold and the plate and use a dremel to create the rod groove and nip off the corner of the plate. Put the plate and wire in the mold and have at it. The picture shows what 5 minutes made.



The next picture shows the bait rigged on 15 pound Seagur Blue Label leader fluorocarbon, making it fairly pike bite off resistant. Has to be the leader material, not line. It also shows the #2 Mustad TG76NP-BN treble hook with one hook removed so the remaining two will ride up along the sides of the bait.



THIS IS NOT WEEDLESS! But being fished without any weight it stays relatively clear of weeds when fished with a foot or so of clean water is under it. The #2 hook has been adequate for bass and allows the bait to be fished at the surface.

[Lamar]

  I just take a coffee stir straw and poke it through the bait. Clip off the ends and run the line through the straw. I take a lighter and melt the end to a point to make it easier to poke through.

[ctom]

I'll try that too!

What hook are you using?

[Lamar]

I'll try that too!

What hook are you using?

 The size oh the hook depends on how big the bait is but I like a treble if I can get away with it. The trick is to push it all the way through, cut the end and pull it back a little so you can hide the head of the hook in the body. I call it my Dorthy Rig because I had a guy from Kansas show me this years ago.

[anyfish]

The stir straw is a great idea.  Another option is to use tube fly materials.  Straw are probably cheaper, tube fly materials may allow for more hook variations.  Cool idea either way. 

[Les Young]

I'm getting into soft plastic swimbaits so i'll try these ideas. Thanks guys.