I’m to the age now that “the trick” is the allure to bass fishing for me. What interesting new ways can I trick a bass into thinking what is on the end of my line is something they would enjoy eating and making it appear real enough to do so. So it’s nice when companies go the extra mile to create little baits that cater to that impulse. Baits like the DUO Realis Shinmushi Cicada Bug topwater hard bait hybrid.
The Shinmushi Cicada Bug is part hard bait, part soft bait and all finesse bug bait. It mimics a small bug like a cicada vibrating on the surface and tempting bass with an ultra finesse topwater presentation. It features soft-rubber wings, threaded silicone legs, dynamic paint jobs on the hard bait body and sticky-sharp, tiny No. 10 hooks with feathers on the back treble. It’s a very detailed package at just a hair over 1 1/2 inches and 1/5 ounce.
The bait is made to be fished on light spinning tackle. That is very key with this bait. If you use 20-pound braid and a heavier rod, you’re going to lose some of the action of the bait and run the risk of bending out the hooks. I fished it on 10-pound braid with a 6-pound leader with my drag turned down just a hair to keep fish pinned without the hooks bending or pulling out. In fact we landed bass up to nearly 5 pounds on the Shinmushi without issue. I have heard others complain that the tiny hooks did not work well but I’m guessing they used too heavy a rod or line.
It’s an ultra-finesse presentation requiring lighter gear. It’s the perfect stream or small pond bait for some ultralight fun! The hooks are very sharp and all you have to do is reel set into the fish when it takes the bug down. We’ve even caught some magnum bluegill as a bonus on the bait because of the smaller hooks.
The silicone legs did pretty much all get beat out or eat out of my first bug bait from so many fish catches. But the wings held up fine and the hooks were still sticky sharp after several bass and bluegill in a week of nonstop catching.
I actually left one for my brother who lives on some private lakes in Arkansas that are full of big bluegill and bass and he’s been having a ball catching them just before dark each night after work.
The Shinmushi Cicada Bug can be worked with just a straight retrieve but I also found that at shaking presentation was deadly especially under low branches and right next to the bank or under shaded areas. It comes in some beautiful and “buggy” looking colors. If you’ve been looking for a Cicada artificial this might be the bait for you. It’s a bit pricey for its size but it is a lot of fun to fish on ultralight gear.
You can find the DUO Realis Shinmushi Cicada Bug topwater lure at TackleWarehouse.com and retailers that carry DUO Realis baits.
