The True Bass Shuttlecock is a staple throughout the south, especially on the Tennessee River. The second summertime hits, people all over the south are going to their favorite bodies of water to throw this jig. The True Bass Shuttlecock was designed by Pickwick Lake guide David Allen, and the lure has gained quite the reputation since its creation.
Shuttlecock build
This jig is made of a multitude a of different materials, which gives it a bulky baitfish profile. To start, this jig is hand-tied with deer hair, hackle feather, and strands of Flashabou. They use tons of deer hair in order to give the jig a bulky profile.
However, the strands aren’t exceedingly long, allowing the jig to fall at a slower rate without dramatically increasing the overall size. They also include a few longer stands of hackle feather and Flashabou. This gives the jig some added action, which closely imitates the tail kicks of a fleeing baitfish.
Specs of the Shuttlecock
This jig comes equipped with a Mustad Ultra Point hook. This hook has a ridiculously sharp tip, which allows for great penetration on softer hooksets. It also maintains plenty of strength, allowing you to winch fish to the boat without fear of bending out your hook. This lure comes with a heavy-duty line tie, which allows you to use a variety of different-sized lines based on your scenario.
This jig comes in three different sizes including 3/8, 5/8 and 7/8 ounce. I like to interchange these sizes based on depth and current. If I’m fishing a deep school with lots of current, I will opt for the 7/8. If I’m fishing a shallow school with minimal current, I’ll go for the 3/8.
Ideal Setup for the Shuttlecock
I prefer to throw this jig on a longer rod with a slightly parabolic tip. My go to rod for this lure is a 7-foot, 6-inch MH Shimano Expride. This allows you to get plenty of leverage on the fish, while not having too much power to rip the hook out of their mouth.
For a reel, I prefer one with a big spool and a high gear ratio. This is important because you are typically making long casts with this lure, so you need a real with a large enough spool to handle a substantial amount of line.
I also like a high gear ratio because it allows you to catch up with the fish on these long casts. Bass often knock slack in your line when they eat the jig, so it is important to have a reel that can catch back up with these fish in order to deliver an adequate hookset.
My go to reel for this lure is a Shimano Curado 150 with an 8:1 gear ratio.
Fishing the Shuttlecock
When fishing this jig, I like to make long casts and keep my line tight while it falls to the bottom. Once the jig reaches the bottom I will make 3 to 5 rapid cranks of the reel, then let it glide back down and repeat the process. I have found that bass will often strike right after you burn it off the bottom, or while it is gliding back down. There are numerous ways to fish this jig, however this is the presentation that has worked best for me.
I like to throw this jig over brush-piles, on ledges, humps and points. However, I’ve found this lure works best when you are throwing it at a group of fish. The competition of other fish will often generate a strike, and when you’re throwing a big hair jig like this, it is often the biggest fish in the school that decides to bite.
Fishing with a True Bass Shuttlecock can lead to some really fun days on the water, and it has quickly became one of my all-time favorite summertime lures. If your looking to get into hair jig fishing, this lure is a must have in your arsenal.
You can find the True Bass Shuttlecock at these online retailers:
