While soft plastic lizards are certainly a springtime staple throughout the country, they’re actually quite effective throughout much of the year. Whether you’re probing the shallows in search of aggressive female bass or exploring deep structure for summertime bass, lizards are a proven producer in the bass fishing world.
I’ve had an opportunity this year to test the V&M Wild Thang Lizard in several different situations. Its incredible action has produced lots of nice bass throughout my testing, even in tough fishing conditions.
What you’ll like about it
Whenever you’re fishing cover, whether it’s shallow or deep, using a soft plastic bait that can displace a lot of water with minimal rod movement can pay huge dividends. If the bass are stubborn, fishing slow and keeping your bait in small strike zones is a great way to tempt wary bass.
The V&M Wild Thang Lizard allows you to do just that. It has a much longer, ribbon-style tail than many lizards you’ll find on the market. On this tail, you’ll also find a unique flange that allows for maximum water displacement, even with very little rod movement. When the bait is Texas-rigged, the head falls to the bottom quickly while the tail section hovers and undulates above the head, allowing for great visibility in vegetation-rich environments.
The 6 1/2-inch bait is also going to be a big producer for anglers who choose to target spawning bass. As the head of the Wild Thang Lizard hops across the bottom, the super-long tail is very effective at getting both the male and female bass to bite. You can simply pop the slack in your line and the tail will quiver and vibrate at eye-level with the bass and based on my experience, they have an incredibly hard time not biting it.
It’s also a good choice for generic flipping and pitching throughout most of the year. You can also rig it weightless and fish it very slowly through thick vegetation for some awesome strikes.
If you like to fish deep structure and cover, you’ll really enjoy the 9 1/2-inch Wild Thang Lizard; it’s an absolute monster that’s tailor-made for Carolina rig fishing. We’ve heard about the effectiveness of big, ribbon-tailed worms for years, and this larger Lizard adds even more bulk to a time-tested technique. Because light penetration isn’t as strong at deeper depths, it’s important to use a bait that displaces water and appeals to the vibration-sensing lateral lines of the bass. The 9 1/2-inch V&M Wild Thang Lizard will allow these sluggish, deep-water bass to find and attack it with ease.
My experiences with it
I’ve fished this lizard on several different bodies of water, including large reservoirs and small farm ponds. I’ve tinkered with my rigging methods quite a bit and have enjoyed continued success with all of the methods listed above.
The durability of the Wild Thang Lizard is impressive, to say the least. When the buck bass are shallow and biting like crazy, I’ve been able to spend more time flipping and pitching instead of re-rigging and repositioning the head on the hook. Each lizard stands up to multiple fish catches; I caught 9 bass with a single lizard this past weekend. With a price point of $4.99 per pack, this is excellent value in my opinion.
If you’re fishing a body of water not necessarily known for its big fish, don’t be afraid to trim an inch or two from the tail of the Wild Thang Lizard. I’ve used this tactic frequently when fishing in smaller ponds and the bait maintains very natural movement and action, but just a bit more subtle than the unmodified bait.
The package of these lizards state that they’re infused with pork fat; some people are big believers in scents and others aren’t. Based on my personal experience with this particular bait, I don’t know if fish are going to swarm to it due to the scent alone, but I can certainly say that they do hold on for several seconds before spitting it out. I can’t say for certain whether it’s due to the great action, the scent or both—but I’m not going to argue with the results. I’ve had very few short strikes while fishing with it.
Final impressions
If you’re looking for a way to show your local bass something a little different, I think the V&M Wild Thang Lizard is a solid addition to your soft plastic collection. I fish very pressured lakes and have enjoyed consistent success for the last several months. They hold up well, they look outstanding in the water and their color selections are beautiful.
The V&M Wild Thang Lizard is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
