Over the past three years, things have changed significantly with bass anglers, especially those who fish tournaments throughout the country.
Ask some anglers how they’d describe a day on the water, and you’ll hear terms like “scopin,” “shakin’ a minnow,” “minnowin’,” and “droppin’ on ‘em.” Using a minnow-style soft plastic on a jig head while utilizing forward-facing sonar (FFS) is among the newest trends. It’s no different than any other trend in the fishing industry over the past few decades: Many years ago it was the bladed jig; soon after that it was the squarebill crankbait; then came along the Alabama rig. Today, anglers leave the dock with an assortment of spinning rods on the deck and different variations and colors of minnow-style baits rigged up and ready for battle.
So what does it take to be a successful “minnow shaker?” It all starts with a quality spinning rod designed specifically for the technique.
Recently, I got my hands on the new FishUSA Flagship Elite ‘Minnow Shaker’ Spinning Rod, model number FFSHIPE-B-691FML. The rod is just under 7’ in length, rated at a medium-light power, and carries a fast action. And after a battle-tested day on beautiful Lake Ouachita in preparation for an Arkansas tournament, I can say that this rod caught me by surprise and really performed strongly in several categories: most notably, length, strength, design, and balance.
The Perfect Length
The first thing that caught my eye with this rod was the overall length, and what I thought would be too short of a handle below the reel seat. Once I started fishing this rod, I was pleasantly surprised at just how comfortably it fit in my hand. Plus, the length of the handle did not rub against my side or twist around my elbow, like some longer-handled rods will. FishUSA spent a lot of time designing this six-foot, nine-inch spinning rod, and I would have to say worked with several different “minnow shaking” anglers to find the perfect length that worked well in all their eyes.
It quickly became apparent that the rod’s intentional design and length provided the right amount of strength in the back end to help an angler perform well. There’s still plenty of length toward the tip to make accurate casts and fight fish perfectly. The tip comes in a fast-action and works perfectly to help maximize sensitivity with smaller jig heads while still having enough backbone to drive strong hooksets and fight bigger fish.
The little bit of a shorter length and fast action would also make this rod work well casting on docks. Those familiar with “shooting the dock” — reaching tight spaces with a smaller jig way back in docks toward back-end brush piles — should be able to execute that technique with this rod, too. The shooting technique is already common practice among crappie anglers. With today’s marine technology making it easier to view the back end of docks, it’s also a good way to get directly into the brush piles where suspended bass lurk.
Impressive Strength
Most anglers will say that strength is a significant factor in a great fishing rod. Obviously, we all want a rod with a great backbone and perfectly designed tip to help fight fish to the boat without compromising durability. FishUSA’s Minnow Shaker is probably one of the strongest and best fish-fighting rods I’ve used — especially for one that’s less than $300. There is no doubt that anglers throughout the country could use this rod on multiple bass species. I especially think it would shine for northern anglers fishing for the strong, never-giving-up smallmouth.
The rod finish features the unsanded graphite twirl design, which helps with two things: strength and sensitivity. It’s no wonder the backbone holds up so well and the fast-action tip has just enough plan in it to help fight fish effectively without taking the chance in pulling the bait from a fish’s mouth.
It’s a common worry that a stronger, stiffer rod will compromise both sensitivity and the ability to use smaller weights. Personally, I did not experience this potential tradeoff at all. Using a 1/8- to 1/2-ounce jighead throughout a day of fishing, I found that the rod held up well and still had the perfect amount of shaking ability with the changes in weight sizes.
Unbelievable Balance
The right balance is probably the single-most important asset that a quality spinning rod can have. The new FishUSA Flagship Elite Minnow Shaker comes with a premium balance, allowing anglers to shake a minnow and cast hundreds of times a day without contributing to arm/wrist fatigue. I paired it with a 3000 size spinning reel and, after a full day of fishing, I was still very comfortable at the end.
Balance is even more important than overall ergonomic importance. For me, the balance of a rod contributes to the overall fish-fighting ability and better hooksets. Too much weight in the butt section decreases your hookset penetration; too much on the tip increases the likelihood of losing a fish during the fight, and will also shorten your casts.
In looking for the best balance on a rod, I was taught that you should release your bait about half the length of the rod, engage the reel, and hold your hand under the rod exactly one hand-length above the reel seat. During my test (and shown in the left photo above), I used a 1/4-ounce weight. Obviously, the balance would be affected by heavier or lighter weights, but a 1/4-ounce is the size of the minnow jighead I’m throwing 90% of the time. That’s also the typical size of dropshot and shaky head weight I throw also, so it provides a good weight to use when testing a rod’s overall balance.
Final Thoughts on a Great Rod
The FishUSA Flagship Elite Minnow Shaker is priced at $219 and proudly built in the USA. Each rod model comes with a one-year warranty; rumor has it, more models are currently in the testing and prototype phases.
The crew at FishUSA really hit a home run with these rods. I would highly recommend this to any avid finesse angler looking for the perfect forward-facing sonar or “minnow shaker” rod.
