Micro shads
The micro shad is a soft lure, a miniature version of a classic shad that can be used in the sea. The average micro shad measures 5 cm, but even smaller sizes are just as effective. The rapid, frantic vibrations of a micro shad's tail perfectly imitate those emitted by small forage fish in panic flight from a predator.
These vibrations, picked up by the lateral line of the severeau, trigger instinctive attacks by individuals in a shoal. When a school becomes active, a feeding frenzy sets in and strikes can follow in rapid succession. The linear is probably the most effective technique with this type of lure, since the vibration allows the redfish to target their attacks and avoid missing the lure.
The finer points
In the soft lure category, another model that works very well is the finesse. In contrast to micro shads, this is a relatively long lure, around 7 cm, but with a very slender, long body. A finesse is usually coupled with a fairly heavy lead head, over 3 grams, to make it move through the different layers of water in a sawtooth animation.
This technique is particularly useful for triggering lethargic fish, for example in winter when the water is cold and activity is low. In fact, most bites occur during the descent phase, which is particularly appreciated by redfish. When fish are very fussy and wary, the linear also works, the vibrations of the finesse are more subtle and can sometimes be more effective.
Mini castings jigs
When you can't use soft lures, for example in strong winds or deep water, the casting jig is a formidable weapon to have in your tackle box. Most commonly used weights range from 2 to 7 grams, which corresponds to about 2 to 7 cm depending on jig shape and model. There are two effective animations, the linear and the sawtooth, just as for soft lures. The linear action is ideal for fast prospecting and works very well on fish that hunt close to the surface.
On the contrary, the sawtooth allows you to find the right layer of water and imitate a losing fish on the way down. Casting jigs, whether classic or flat, have a tendency to glide on the drop if the leader is kept slack. It's usually at this point that the fish feeders seize them, and you can watch your braid stop descending.
