Entry 244-3

Spring Fishing with Mark Davis

Part 3: The Shadalicious and the Sexy Spoon

Question: Mark, Strike King has just introduced the Shadalicious, and you’re one of the first anglers to have fished it. Tell me how and where you fish it.

Davis: The Shadalicious is a much-more versatile lure than most people believe. You can rig it on a jighead, Texas rig it with a weighted hook, skip it under boat docks and bushes or fish it in open water near the surface, through any kind of cover or in really-deep water. I’ve learned that the Shadalicious will catch just about any fish that swims, including largemouth, smallmouth, spotted bass, stripers and hybrids, and I’m sure walleye will bite it, too. The Shadalicious is a multi-species lure. But it’s basically a clear-water lure.

Question: What pound-test line do you fish with the Shadalicious?

Davis: I fish it on 20-pound-test fluorocarbon line, generally on a 7-foot medium-heavy action baitcasting rod. It’ll catch anything that swims. We’re just beginning to learn how to fish this bait. It will be one of the hottest new lures this spring, especially when it’s fished in highland reservoirs where the water’s clear, and the fish can really see the bait.

Question: Another lure Strike King has come out with is the Sexy Spoon. Do you fish with a spoon very often?

Davis: Yes, I do. I fish with a spoon quite a bit. I was one of the Strike King pros who really encouraged Strike King to introduce the spoon. That Sexy Spoon really works well on lakes like the Tennessee River, Guntersville Lake and Kentucky Lake. It’s also good on my home lake, Ouachita. The water doesn’t have to be gin clear for the spoon to work, but it does have to be somewhat clear. This spoon casts well, and it has an awesome wobble. The Sexy Spoon is a big spoon, too. It’s larger than most people think a bass spoon should be, about 3/4- to 1 ounce and about 4-inches long.

There are several-different ways you can fish the Sexy Spoon, but I love to fish it around bridge pilings. I use it to catch suspended bass, but I also catch bass holding on the bottom with it. Summer, fall and winter are my favorite times to fish it. This will be a good spoon to fish in 10 to 25 feet of water. I’m not saying you can’t catch fish on it fishing it deeper than that, but it will do its best job in that depth of water. This is a really-good spoon when you have to make a long cast into schooling bass. This also will be a good lure to use when you’re fishing on humps or deep bars. Many of the fish you’ll normally catch on a crankbait, you’ll be able to catch on this spoon.

Next: The Sexy Shad Color – Gimmick or Reality?

Contents:

• Part 1: Changing Tactics with the Weather
• Part 2: When to Abandon a Working Pattern
• Part 3: The Shadalicious and the Sexy Spoon
• Part 4: The Sexy Shad Color – Gimmick or Reality?
• Part 5: Fish the Big Lizard for Big Bass