Entry 34-3
Randy Dearman
Dearman on the Wild Shiner
Editor's Note: Fifty-three-year-old Randy Dearman of Onalaska, Texas, has fished professionally since 1983. He has fished in the BASS Master's Classic seven times, as well as achieving numerous top-10 wins across the country. Dearman works as part of Strike King's pro-fishing team.
Question: What's your third favorite Strike King lure?
Dearman: I really like the new Strike King Wild Shiner suspended jerk bait. It's probably -- out of the box, not having to weight it, not having to balance it -- the most perfectly-balanced lure. Wherever you pull that bait and stop it, it will suspend perfectly. You don't have to weigh it down or mess with it every time. At that level it stays right there. It won't move up or down. The lure stays perfect. I have the best luck with this lure when fish are suspended off bluffs. It is just great bait for suspended fish.
Question: Where do you fish the Wild Shiner?
Dearman: I prefer to use it in deep, clear lakes. But I've caught fish over at Sam Rayburn Lake, in Texas, near the outside edges of the grass lines. It's just a bait that I fish in deeper water when fish are suspended.
Question: What pound test line do you use?
Dearman: I usually throw it on 10-pound-test. It seems that by using 10-pound-test line, there's still enough that you can handle the fish and get the bait down deeper.
Question: What kind of action do you give the lure?
Dearman: I usually pull it down, quickly reel it three or four times, and give it three or four pulls. It seems that every time you pull it, it will get down a little deeper. You just have to experiment to see at what depth the fish are. Once you've learned their depth, try different repetitions to get it down to whatever depth you want.
You can reel it a little ways, four or five feet, and it will start on down. Then, at that point, you can experiment with jerking it and letting it sit 2 to 4 seconds before you move it again. With the next cast, you may want to reel 10 to 15 turns before you start letting it sit. Just try different sequences to get the depth the fish are.
