NEXT LEVEL BASSING: Spy Baiting with Sub-surface Propeller Baits

WORDS: Duncan Murfin IMAGES: Supplied

Spy baiting – quite accurately termed “silent capture” – was invented by Japanese anglers needing a technique with which to successfully target highly pressured bass in the ultra-clear waters of Lake Biwa.

To achieve this ultra-realistic swimming hardbait presentation the anglers removed the bills of jerkbaits and attached propellers taken from other baits. In the clear water these tweaked baits that imitate a baitfish slowly swimming along seemingly oblivious to its environment, delivered surprisingly good results. This technique can be summarized as a finesse hard swimbait technique using light line and small baits to target finicky, highly pressured fish.

The technique has evolved and refined as it has passed through different parts of the world; it has been adapted and modified and has become a worldwide trend for all facets of artificial lure angling – from Pike in Canada to Tigerfish in Zambia; spy baiting can certaily catch fish!

The technique can be used all year round, but it is important to note that it is most effective in extremely clear water, which of course rules out some of our dams in summer due to the rainfall which turns clear water into slightly stained water, but even in dams and areas that are subjected to major fishing traffic it can produce some surprising results.

A key concept to recognise is that spybaits aren’t search baits but should be treated as accurate presentation baits used to target roaming or suspended fish. Similar to fishing a large ultra-realistic swimbait you need to find specific objects bass will relate to such as cliff faces, humps, rockpiles or even the favourite community hole.   

A good starting tactic is to use the sonar to locate fish, or use a search bait to get the initial bite to figure out where the fish are holding. The idea after the initial search bait bite is to comb the area very methodically with a spy bait to catch the more wary or lethargic fish.  

Rigging

The best rod for this technique is a 7’ to 7’3 ft Medium to Medium Light rod paired with light line that enables you to make long casts, hook and play the fish effectively. The line to use would be 6 to 8 pound fluorocarbon – the thin diameter will assist with casting distance and  will also have a fast sink rate to keep the bait down in the right depth.

The basic tactic is to target a specific weed patch, hump or rocky outcrop, make a long cast past the target and count the bait down – it sinks at about 1foot per second. Once you have hit the required depth, start with a slow steady retrieve with the rod tip down. To avoid hanging up on any known structure or cover just lift the tip of the rod on the retrieve. The rod usually loads up much like in crankbait fishing, and playing the fish should be done with a very loose drag to assist the light wire treble hooks.

The bait has a subtle shimmy and flash from the propeller blades, which also cause a hydro-dynamic disturbance in the water which bass can key on. The bait is also highly attractive on the fall as it shimmies while sinking, and occasionally fish will eat it on the fall when the bite can be difficult to detect, so on the fall pay close attention to any line movements.  

Another important factor about this technique is that the bait needs to be cast in plain sight of the fish – if they can’t see it, they will not eat it. It is a very fluid presentation, meaning that the bait swims very naturally and triggers the natural ambush instinct of the fish.  

Using the bait in deep clear water dams with sheer cliff faces and steep rocky banks, cast the bait parallel to the bank and let it sink to the required depth. Then start the retrieve, but with a slightly more erratic retrieve than the “textbook” technique, namely with small flicks of the rod tip and let the bait shimmy down 2 or 3 feet after every flick, and repeat. The suspended fish cannot stand the bait that shimmies on the fall!

 The second technique is fishing the bait close to channel drops and flats leading to a drop off with scattered cover. Long casts are important – start the retrieve with an upward pull of the rod tip which lifts the bait in the water column, then slowly drop the rod and take up the slack line before lifting the rod tip again. This creates a “pendulum-type” fall, but  maintain contact with the bait all the time as the fish often eat the bait on the fall.

This technique can be a test of patience, it is a technique of perseverance, but once a fish has been caught using this bait the technique becomes much easier. A word of warning: due to the light line it is crucial to retie often, as the stress on the knot from casting and catching fish will eventually tire it out.  

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