Generic terms — they tell you everything you need to know about a product’s relevance.
You see kids throwing a plastic disc in the park or on the beach and you say they’re playing Frisbee. The hospital staffer serves a patient a wiggly colorful gelatin and we assume it’s Jell-O. One of the purest examples: A person lifts a glass of dark colored soft drink and they’re enjoying — say it with me — a Coke. (Again, could be the Coca-Cola product, but it could be Pepsi, or one of the many store brands.)
The bass fishing world has its examples and one of the most relevant is the simple, yet profoundly impactful jighead minnow. The cool kids say “The Minnow,” but while they may very well have several Cokes in their cooler, that generic bait reference is kind of a catch-all term for several different uses of the basic setup.
From the classic vertical Damiki rig techniques that kicked off the mainstream movement less than a decade ago, to more stealthy targeted casts to spooky fish and the strolling techniques that enticingly retrieve a minnow form above a fish’s position; this straightforward baitfish imitator has become one of the top-tier go-tos for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass.
Benefits of Minnows
Reach the Unreachable: The foundational truth that launched the minnow craze was its ability to consistently engage suspended fish — generally considered the toughest of targets. Bass have become increasingly wary of boats parking too close overhead, but deeper scenarios still favor this deal.
Moving Out: In 2021, when Jeff Gustafson won the Bassmaster Elite event at Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes, he propelled his northern moping technique into the spotlight. Two years later, he’d win the Bassmaster Classic on the same fishery. He caught some of his fish with the vertical minnow deal, but the shy ones that kept their distance required a cast and retrieve presentation.
This gave rise to the strolling technique — basically slowly swimming a jighead minnow over the fish. Same as with the vertical stuff, forward facing sonar has rapidly refined this game.
Out of Harm’s Way: Engaging the bottom huggers brings environmental risks for close contact presentations, but strolling a minnow over rocks with zebra mussels and other hazards minimizes the break-offs that may happen with dropshots, Ned rigs, or shaky heads.
Developments in Tactics
As with every hot trend, manufacturers push to out-design one another, while anglers press for every small advantage. No surprise, we’ve seen a constant stream of advancements and adaptations radiating from the basic minnow concept.
Go Big: Generally considered a finesse technique, there’s no lack of tiny minnow options, but tempting the right bites may also go the other direction. Today, you’ll commonly find anglers targeting the better fish by rigging “minnow” presentations with 5- to 7-inch baits.
The Smell of Success: When the fish are playing hard-to-get, jazzing up the minnow presentation with nose-tempting appeal can make a big difference. Some opt for gels and sprays, while Gustafson highlighted the Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ’s appeal.
Similarly, Rapala’s Crush City Mooch Minnow is made with Smart Injection Technology, which enhances the buoyant TPE material with flake, salt, and scent.
Strategic Designs
Minnow shapes have evolved greatly from simple split tail shad forms like the YUM Sonar Minnow that Jason Christie used during his 2022 Bassmaster Classic win at Lake Hartwell, to natural tail designs like the Megabass Haze-ST, to Yamamoto’s Hinge Minnow, made with a jointed tail for increased motion.
Body designs have evolved with action-enhancing features like the upward-angled soft plastic bill that gives the 6th Sense Strobe Shaker its side-to-side rolling action, along with Missile Baits’ Freedom Flyers, which feature a pair of “up-pitch elevators” (angled ridges near the tail) that deflect water and keep the bait rolling.
Notably, the Deps Sakamata Shad, a bait that long preceded the current minnow craze, sports a set of roll-inducing wing-like features near the head.
Adding a cosmetic touch, Strike King’s Spotlight Sonic Coat Split Minnow is treated with Spike It’s Sonic Coat Sonar Enhancement Technology, which is said to increase a bait’s visibility on live sonar screens.
Head Games
While a simple ball head jig will suffice, today’s selection offers an impressive assortment of options with realistic eyes, molded head features and several functional design elements. For example, VMC’s new Minnow Shaker sports a 45-degree line tie for optimal rolling action and dual monofilament keepers.
Elsewhere, designs like Gamakatsu’s Horizon Head distribute their weight along the hook shank to help ensure a natural horizontal profile. Tungsten heads like Northland’s Tungsten Smeltinator offer greater density, which translates into stronger sonar returns.
Epic Baits recently introduced an interesting model called the Matt Becker Scan Head, with a concave face that makes the bait wobble. Another notable feature is the braided line wrapped around the Scan Head’s shank. Loosely spaced, these wraps create gaps for your favorite glue to settle between the (pre-glued) braid wraps to securely hold your minnow.
Buckeye Lures created another novel concept with its Scoop Jighead, which features a deeply concave head design that provides lift for the larger minnows.
Proper Posture
Early on, Gustafson stressed a key detail to the tactics that earned him a blue trophy and the first Ray Scott Trophy — knot discipline.
As the Canadian standout noted, keeping the knot perfectly centered at the top of his jig’s eye is the make-it-or-break-it element for maintaining the horizontal bait posture critical for his vertical presentations. Too far forward or backward and an ill-placed knot tilts the bait for a decidedly unnatural posture.
In 2024, Z-Man debuted the pre-rigged Graph ShadZ, which pairs a classic shad style body and a flattened, tapered head made with a line-through design. The line passes through a protective inner tube and connects to a recessed bottom line tie for that perfect alignment.
Might seem like a minor deal, but this isn’t frog fishing. The ones you’re typically targeting with the minnow either don’t feel like biting, or they’re so tired of the constant bait barrage that they’ll eyeball your offering like a TSA agent sizing up a sketchy passenger.
Max Motion
Despite the inherently subtle tone of the myriad minnow techniques, movement matters and the word we hear most is “roll.” Contrasting the nearly motionless posture of a moping style presentation, strolling techniques depend on mimicking the natural baitfish shimmy.
Heads with welded rings like the Tree Shaker Dream Stroller designed by Bassmaster Elite Austin Felix, and the Missile Baits Eye Roll (the work of Elite pro John Crews) allow unrestricted movement, which unleashes a minnow’s fish-wooing ways. A loop knot will offer similar benefit, but trusting knot strength vs. a welded ring — your call.
Queen Tackle, headed up by Elite pro K.J. Queen, offers a unique design in the LS Tungsten Rollin Strollin Jig Head. Placing the line tie on the head’s back side, roughly parallel to the hook shank, Queen ensures an enticing roll.
It’s safe to say that we’ve not seen the last of bait and tackle developments aimed at further refining these techniques. One thing’s for sure, whether you prefer Coke, Pepsi, or one of those store brands, the minnow is here to stay.
