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The BaitSmith Shad swimbait is an ultra-realistic bait that doesn't skimp on quality or attention to detail. With a newly-designed forked tail design specially made for this bait, the Baitsmith 4.5" Shad looks and swims just like a real shad.

BaitSmith Shad Specifics:
  Size: 5” x 1.5” x .5”
  Weight: .75 ounce
  Sink: 18” per second

Comments: I have heard that this bait just looks good and is not durable at all but I went to lake havasu and took this in foxy shad color and slowly reeled it in deep with the current moving it to the right and I got slammed, i set the hook and brought in about a 4 pound striper(small) about 5 feet away I look and it has no hook in it. It was biting the end of the bait and not letting go. Unfortunately the fish got away and my bait was the same as it was new exept there was a few scratches on the sides but overall great lure swims well.

From: Drew: Westlake, CA

Comments: A BEAUTIFUL, REALISTIC BAIT - BUT THE COST, TERRIBLE DURABILITY, AND SMALL HOOKS DON'T JUSTIFY IT! I purchased a couple of these for my recent trip to El Salto.  I had a feeling that the bigger bass would love this bait. I was right. But the problems with this bait soon become apparent once you start to get hits on it. One, no matter how long you let the bass have it, hook-ups are very poor. I did not add a treble hook on the bottom due the high number of trees in the lake. I certainly didn't want to lose an $18 bait to snags. The small hooks make effective hook-ups difficult to begin with. Then, keeping a bass hooked is frustrating. I hooked and lost bass after bass, 5 to 7 pound fish. As soon as they would jump they would come off.

I managed to land a few, but that was where the other problem came to light. Catch 2 or 3 fish and the bait is done. I repaired it as I could with glue. Still, glue or no glue, it didn't last very long. After destroying one bait, I put the second bait on. I cast one time and let a fish take it, set the hook -  and then reeled in the internal weight and hook - the plastic bait was pulled completely off the keel! One cast, one strike, a ruined bait and no fish! $36 worth of baits produced about 20 bites, but only a few hook-ups, 2-3 fish in the boat and several that threw the bait. If I use the bait again I might try rigging a large treble hook on the top of the bait, tied to the front tie with some braid and the hook stuck into the bait on the back - like a modified Huddleston trout. But honestly, there are much less expensive swimbaits (Storm) that work pretty good, although they are not as realistic and don't swim as well. But they are so much less expensive and have bigger hooks relative to the size of the bait that they are more practical. If this is a big bass bait, then why not rig it with a hook meant to hook and hold big bass?

My summary - super realistic, swims great; but difficult to get solid hooksets with the stock hook set-up, and it won't last long enough to justify the cost of this bait. If you can afford to go through an $18 bait at the rate you would a plastic worm, then modify the hooks and hang on because the bass will sure hit them.

From: Scott: Las Cruces, NM

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