Jackall's Cross Tail Shad

Jackall’s Cross Tail Shad was conceived in Japan before the beginning of the third millennium, and one veteran Finesse News Network member said that we have been extremely tardy in publishing a gear guide about Jackall’s Cross Tail Shad. We agreed with this old codger’s reproach, and it provoked us to read about this bait and composed a gear guide about it.

It is acclaimed to be an indispensible soft-plastic in the repertoire of drop-shot anglers in Japan. In fact, it is heralded by some folks that it was the first soft-plastic drop-shot. By the way, the Japanese call a drop-shot rig either tsunekichi or daun shotto.

The drop shot has never been a tactic in the repertoire of Midwest finesse anglers. Nevertheless, we have found that nearly all of the much heralded soft-plastic drop-shot baits can be effectively employed by Midwest finesse anglers when theses baits are affixed to small mushroom-shape jigs. And the hooks are always exposed.

In our eyes, the Cross Tail Shad affixed to a 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig looks like a typical and a very effective Midwest finesse rig.

It is available two sizes: three inch and four inch.

It is hand poured.

It has been described by some anglers as a shad-shaped worm, which is a shape that Midwest finesse anglers have been employing since 2006.

The head, sides, and dorsal area of its torso are dome-shaped. The belly portion of it torso is flat, which is said to help it glide slowly and seductively when anglers are presenting it to their quarries.

Its tail is its most prominent feature. It is described as being shaped somewhat like a cross. The horizontal portion of the cross is flat, which helps to further accentuate the Cross Tail Shad’s ability to glide. The vertical segment of the cross is said to provoke the tail and some portions of its torso to quiver and twitch. The horizontal portion of the tail is also thin, which allows it to undulate.

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The texture of the torso and tail are said to be extremely soft, which is said to be another one of its alluring features.

The four incher is available in the following colors: Ayu, Baby Bass, Black Winnie, Blue Pear Shad, BM Shiner, CB Alewife, Green Pumpkin Candy, Green Pumpkin Pepper, Melon Copper, Morning Dawn, Oxblood, Purple Smoke, Purple Winnie, Suyama, and Watermelon Pepper. The three-incher is available in the following colors: Green Pumpkin Candy, Green Pumpkin Pepper, Morning Dawn, Purple Smoke, Purple Winnie, Suyama, and Watermelon Pepper.

It is impregnated with salt.

Some anglers report that the Cross Tail Shad is durable enough to weather donnybrooks with five smallmouth bass. One angler reported that a bag lasted him 30 minutes, but he was catching a black bass about every cast, and therefore, he called it “a fair trade off.”

When Midwest finesse anglers affix the Cross Tail Shad to a small mushroom-style jig with an exposed hook, they can present it to their black bass quarries by employing all of the standard Midwest finesse retrieves.

A package of eight can be purchased for $4.99.

Endnotes

1. Here is a link to Jackall’s website: http://www.jackalllures.com/content/jackall/northamerica/us/en/homepage/Products/DROP_SHOT_BAITS.html.
2. Here is a link to a Midwest Finesse gear guide about Jackall’s Darts Hog: http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/gear-guide-jackall-lures-darts-hog/#ixzz5HCOb3HPB.
3. Here is a link to a Midwest Finesse gear guide about Jackall’s Yammy Fish: http://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/jackall-lures-yammy-fish/153351.
4. In the weeks to come, we hope to publish gear guides about Jackall’s Clone Fry and its Super Cross Tail.
5. Here is a link that describes how Midwest finesse anglers will retrieve Jackall’s Cross Tail: http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/six-midwest-finesse-retrieves/.