Wired2fish’s Kobie Koenig was an early adopter of forward-facing sonar to hone his offshore deep-water smallmouth bass skills. In this video, he shares a unique presentation approach that combines aspects of Damiki rigging and paddle tail swimbaits to enhance versatility and catch more fish on clear and pressured lakes.
TACKLED USED (retail links)
- BAIT – Duo Realis Finder Shad, 3″, Wakasagi: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- JIGHEAD – Duo Realis Bayruf BR Head, 1/2-ounce: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD – Trika 6X Carbon-Weave Spinning Rod, 7’6″ Medium: Buy at Trika Rods
- REEL – Daiwa Tatula MQ LT Spinning Reel: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE (braided mainline) – Sunline Xplasma Asegai Braided Line Light Green, 10-pound: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE (fluorocarbon leader) – Sunline Super FC Sniper, 12-pound: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- BIBS – AFTCO Hydronaut Insulated Bib: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- HOODIE – AFTCO Reaper Hooded Sweatshirt: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
*Additional gear links at the bottom.
Koenig demonstrates the effectiveness of using a straight-tail minnow-style bait, the DUO Realis Finder Shad. With its subtle appendages, the Finder Shad offers a blend of action and subtlety. Unlike typical paddle tail baits, Koenig shows how this bait can be dropped straight down and fished vertically or cast out and fished like Jeff Gustafson’s moping technique.
While smallmouths commonly roam open water and structure as they hunt, this video highlights the importance of finding isolated cover elements like wood or rock clusters. Koenig explains how these structural elements serve as focal points for smallmouth bass, particularly on relatively featurless sand, gravel, and grass humps. He efficiently targets smallmouth bass by locating these fish-holding magnets with MEGA 360 and forward-facing sonar.
Koenig also discusses his gear preferences, including a longer rod for better handling and casting and a braided mainline to fluorocarbon leader. The no-stretch braid delivers sensitivity and drives hooks home on the set, while fluorocarbon provides stealth through reduced visibility. He stresses the significance of using a heavy jig head to keep the bait in the strike zone in deeper waters.
ELECTRONICS & BOAT (retail links)
- TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST, 112lb, 36V, 52″: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FISH FINDERS (bow stack) – Humminbird APEX 13 MEGA SI+ Fishfinder/Chartplotter: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FISH FINDER (console) – Humminbird APEX 16 CHIRP MEGA SI+: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- 360 SONAR – Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LIVE SONAR – Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging Transducer: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- MAPPING – Humminbird LakeMaster Premium VX Digital Map Chart Card (Great Lakes): Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Humminbird
- BASS BOAT – Lund 2075 Pro-V Bass XS: Check out at Lund Boats
- MOTOR – Mercury 250hp Pro XS: Check out at Mercury
- BOW GRAPH MOUNT – Precision Sonar Over and Under Bow Mount for Deck: Buy at Precision Sonar
- CONSOLE GRAPH MOUNT – Precision Sonar Lund Pro-V Bass Smart Bracket Console Mounting System: Buy at Precision Sonar
