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Merwin: Is Sexy Shad Fishing's Hottest Color?

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March 18, 2009

Merwin: Is Sexy Shad Fishing's Hottest Color?

By John Merwin

A couple of years ago, popular bass pro Kevin VanDam came up with a crankbait color that Strike King lures (his sponsor) produced as "sexy shad." [photo] It's basically a blue-green back with a chartreuse stripe along the sides. Now just about every lure company is offering their own, similar versions in a wide variety of lure styles. I have never seen a new lure color become so popular so quickly.

I have not yet fished one of these, but probably will this spring just to see what all the fuss is about. Fashion in fishing lures is, I think, more marketing and media driven than created by the fish themselves. Sexy shad just might be the new miracle lure, but I doubt it. Having seen lures come and go through a lot of years of fishing, I've learned to be suspicious of any wild claims.

Yes, some lures work better than others at various times. And it's also true that a really skilled angler can catch at least a few bass on just about anything. So has anyone out there been fishing "sexy shad" crankbaits with great results? Or is it all just fluff...

Comments (17)

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from MLH wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

When you can catch a bass on a Bart Simpson lure then it does make one wonder.

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from MB915 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I bought once last year after KVD won some tournaments on the Elite Series. This sexy shad crankbait is what he was always using. I used it a lot and caught several fish on it last season. Its hard to say if it fished better than other crankbaits in various colors I have though, but when the fish were biting on crankbaits, I always seemed to catch them with this lure as well. So it does not hurt to have one in the tacklebox, becuase lets be honest you can never have to many lures.

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from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I used somethign very similar and the bass held on well enough to for me to set the hook. It also generated a decent amount of bites. Comparing it to others though, it generated the same things as a lot of other baits I use. It works but I think it is a ploy with a high price that is being advertised like crazy and people are eating it up because of claims of being a great bass fishing lure. I bought it out of curiosity and I must say, although it is not great, it does the job, and better than I thought it would.

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from buckhunter wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

Most lure companies are content on attracting more fisherman than fish. The proof here is in the name "sexy shad". What does that tell you? Nothing. If you want to impress me call it like it is, a shad lure imitating a southern strain of shad found in the spring run. Is that so difficult?

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from jlfreeborn wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I'm with buckhunter on this one. It says "sexy". It will sell!!! The only way it would be sexy though is for a good-lookin girl to be fishin with it!!!

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from evspence wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I HAVE THE HOMER SIMPSON LURE!!! never used it though...

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from TheEasternShore... wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

i bought 3 crankbaits in that color. im going to use them this weekend.

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from Christian Emter wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

Nice.

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from kolbster wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

i agree with buckhunter, if it says sexy it will sell.

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from buck hunter 17 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I bet it works like a regular lewer or any other lewer i have in my tackle box.

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from Charley wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I have NEVER caught anything with a lure that has a blue back. Change it to black and it is a different story.

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from shane wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I have an older Rat-l-trap in a metallic version of this pattern, so I guess it's not that new. It's pretty decent. Not a miracle bait, but more productive than all but one or two of my 'traps.

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from fishjay40 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I had never even heard of this lure before reading this post. Most of my interest was not on the post itself, but rather the comments of the fisherman. I too agree with one of the comments that I also prefer a black back oppose to a blue one as well. The fishing industry maybe a little bit "old school" in its ways, but no matter what kind of industry you are in sexy always sells!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from dwaynez wrote 3 years 8 weeks ago

The lure gets a lot of hype because KVD used it and won a lot of money with the lure, you see the StrikeKing commercial every weekend with KVD and Denny Brauer, I have used the lure and it catches fish, but to me it doesn't catch any more than a bass pattern or solid white crankbait.

The marketing concept on this lure is good, it gets a lot of attention because of the fact KVD is promoting it and he is one of the best Bass Anglers out there.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from hawg daddy wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

i know people are using them because i went fishing at the dam on lake greenwood and found one stuck the some rocks on the bank.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from dmacl3 wrote 2 years 29 weeks ago

I use the lipless model and find it to be the best producing crankbait I have by far...example my buddy and I caught over 25 largemouth bass yesterday(Oct 26 2009) using this...This works well in the spring and the fall for us

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from britishluke wrote 1 year 20 weeks ago

Matching the hatch is still my goal and if that means buying a $3.16 Lonnie Stanley spinnerbait in a shad color over the Sexy Shad dual painted blade spinnerbait for $6.79 then hey i saved money too.

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from MB915 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I bought once last year after KVD won some tournaments on the Elite Series. This sexy shad crankbait is what he was always using. I used it a lot and caught several fish on it last season. Its hard to say if it fished better than other crankbaits in various colors I have though, but when the fish were biting on crankbaits, I always seemed to catch them with this lure as well. So it does not hurt to have one in the tacklebox, becuase lets be honest you can never have to many lures.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I used somethign very similar and the bass held on well enough to for me to set the hook. It also generated a decent amount of bites. Comparing it to others though, it generated the same things as a lot of other baits I use. It works but I think it is a ploy with a high price that is being advertised like crazy and people are eating it up because of claims of being a great bass fishing lure. I bought it out of curiosity and I must say, although it is not great, it does the job, and better than I thought it would.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from buckhunter wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

Most lure companies are content on attracting more fisherman than fish. The proof here is in the name "sexy shad". What does that tell you? Nothing. If you want to impress me call it like it is, a shad lure imitating a southern strain of shad found in the spring run. Is that so difficult?

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from jlfreeborn wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I'm with buckhunter on this one. It says "sexy". It will sell!!! The only way it would be sexy though is for a good-lookin girl to be fishin with it!!!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from MLH wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

When you can catch a bass on a Bart Simpson lure then it does make one wonder.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from evspence wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I HAVE THE HOMER SIMPSON LURE!!! never used it though...

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from TheEasternShore... wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

i bought 3 crankbaits in that color. im going to use them this weekend.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Christian Emter wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

Nice.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from kolbster wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

i agree with buckhunter, if it says sexy it will sell.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from buck hunter 17 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I bet it works like a regular lewer or any other lewer i have in my tackle box.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Charley wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I have NEVER caught anything with a lure that has a blue back. Change it to black and it is a different story.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from shane wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I have an older Rat-l-trap in a metallic version of this pattern, so I guess it's not that new. It's pretty decent. Not a miracle bait, but more productive than all but one or two of my 'traps.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from fishjay40 wrote 3 years 9 weeks ago

I had never even heard of this lure before reading this post. Most of my interest was not on the post itself, but rather the comments of the fisherman. I too agree with one of the comments that I also prefer a black back oppose to a blue one as well. The fishing industry maybe a little bit "old school" in its ways, but no matter what kind of industry you are in sexy always sells!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from dwaynez wrote 3 years 8 weeks ago

The lure gets a lot of hype because KVD used it and won a lot of money with the lure, you see the StrikeKing commercial every weekend with KVD and Denny Brauer, I have used the lure and it catches fish, but to me it doesn't catch any more than a bass pattern or solid white crankbait.

The marketing concept on this lure is good, it gets a lot of attention because of the fact KVD is promoting it and he is one of the best Bass Anglers out there.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from hawg daddy wrote 3 years 7 weeks ago

i know people are using them because i went fishing at the dam on lake greenwood and found one stuck the some rocks on the bank.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from dmacl3 wrote 2 years 29 weeks ago

I use the lipless model and find it to be the best producing crankbait I have by far...example my buddy and I caught over 25 largemouth bass yesterday(Oct 26 2009) using this...This works well in the spring and the fall for us

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from britishluke wrote 1 year 20 weeks ago

Matching the hatch is still my goal and if that means buying a $3.16 Lonnie Stanley spinnerbait in a shad color over the Sexy Shad dual painted blade spinnerbait for $6.79 then hey i saved money too.

0 Good Comment? | | Report

Post a Comment