The DRT Tiny Klash has gained lots of popularity in recent months amongst hard core tournament anglers and glide bait fanatics all over the United States. Elite Series pro Kenta Kimura really exposed this baits potential after wining the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the James River by catching some key fish on the DRT Tiny Klash. The uniqueness and versatility of this bait has attracted anglers from coast to coast, and has opened up a whole new style of glide bait fishing.
DRT TINKY KLASH SPECS
One of the main attributes that makes this bait so revolutionary is your ability to change the action of the bait by adjusting either the tail or the bill. The DRT Tiny Klash comes with removable and swappable bills as well as adjustable tails. This bait also comes in both a Hi Float version and a Lo Float version. The Hi Float version floats up quickly to the surface much like a crankbait while the Lo Float version suspends like a jerkbait.
This bait comes equipped with a removable bill, and swappable bill sizes in order to adjust the baits diving depth. There is the normal sized bill, deep diver and a square bill. This bait can also be fished like a typical glide bait by removing the bill completely.
You are also able to remove the tail and turn it upside down in order to adjust the action of the bait. Flipping the tail upside down and removing the bill allows you to fish this bait like a traditional glide bait. While keeping the tail right side up and using a bill allows you to fish the bait like a big crankbait.
This bait also comes equipped with the DRT SHARX treble hooks. These hooks are designed to lay flush with the bait, giving it a streamline profile as it moves through the water. Furthermore, these hooks are extremely sharp which is super important for hooking fish that just nip at the bait.
FISHING THE DRT TINY KLASH
There are numerous ways to fish the DRT Tiny Klash, all of which can be effective depending on the circumstance. One of my favorite ways to fish this bait is like a traditional glide bait. In order to do this you must remove the bill and turn the tail upside down. This gives this bait a hard slashing action when you twitch your rod.
I love to throw this bait around shallow cover such as sea walls or laydowns and twitch the bait back in a fast erratic cadence. This bait closely mimics a blueback herring or any other fast moving baitfish. I prefer the Lo Float version of this bait for this presentation because it allows the bait to suspend in front of fish when paused which can often generate a strike. This is a great presentation when fishing around a shad spawn or any other circumstance where bass are keying on larger baitfish.
Another presentation I like to implement is cranking this bait down riprap banks or over laydowns. In order to achieve this presentation you must insert a bill and keep the tail right side up. This allows you to crank the bait along the bottom and through cover like a big square bill. This is a great way to generate some reaction bites when fish aren’t committing to a slow moving glide. I prefer the Hi Float version of this bait for this application because it allows the bait to float up out of cover when paused like a traditional crankbait.
One of the best days I’ve ever had fishing this bait was throwing it down a steep bank covered in laydowns. I used the short lip in order to keep this bait right under the surface allowing it to bounce off the cover present along this bank. The water was slightly stained, which really helped with generating a reaction bite. I was able to generate numerous strikes cranking this bait through cover, causing the fish to shoot out of the rocks and laydowns and eat the bait. I would pause the bait right after burning it through a laydown, this would often cause the bass to shoot out of the cover and crush the bait right under the surface.
This is a great bait for fishing highly pressured areas that are known to have good sized bass. These highly educated fish oftentimes won’t bite a traditional bait due to the high volume of fishing pressure they see in these locations. This is where I like to implement the DRT Tiny Klash in order to get these bigger fish to bite by giving them a presentation they’re not used to seeing.
IDEAL SETUP FOR THE DRT TINY KLASH
Unlike many glide baits, this one does not require a massive 8 foot heavy rod to throw it. This bait is only 6.6 inches long, and weighs less than many traditional glide baits. I like to throw this bait on a slightly shorter rod in order to have more accurate casts around tight shallow cover. I like a rod with a strong enough backbone to handle this larger sized bait, but with a soft enough tip to keep from ripping the hooks out of a fish’s mouth. My go to rod for this bait is a 7 foot 6 inch heavy Shimano Expride. This rod is short enough to make accurate casts around cover, while still having enough power to properly fish this larger sized bait.
For a reel, I prefer one with a medium sized spool and a faster gear ratio. The reasoning behind a faster gear ratio is because this bait is often fished at a faster speed whether you are cranking it through cover, or twitching it around laydowns. This faster gear ratio allows for you to properly work the bait in these scenarios as well as gives you the power to burn fish to the boat once you hook them before they have the chance to jump and potentially spit the bait.
I like to fish this bait on 20 pound fluorocarbon. However, I’m often making shorter casts around tight cover which is the reasoning behind a medium sized spool. This gives you a big enough spool size to still hold larger sized line, while still being light enough to make consistently accurate casts throughout the day. My go to reel for this bait is a Shimano Curado K 150 with a 7:1 gear ratio.
The DRT Tiny Klash has quickly become an extremely sought after bait by hardcore tournament anglers and Swimbait fanatics all over the country. This is partially due to the low number of baits available for purchase. Your best bet for buying one of these baits is on the DRT website as soon as they drop, or by going to Ebay and purchasing them off an individual.
The DRT Tiny Klash is a super unique bait, and a really great tool to catch weary bass looking for a big meal. This one of a kind glide bait is extremely versatile, and can lead to some really exciting fish catches. If your looking to expand your JDM glide bait arsenal, the DRT Tiny Klash is a great place to start.
