Anytime he is fishing around the spawn, Major League Fishing pro Shinichi Fukae is prepared with a variety of different rigs to catch bass. They range from the old-standards to a few unique ways to rig soft plastics that he relies on to fool bass this time of year.
The Old Standard Senko
The first thing Fukae mentioned was no surprise, the standard 5” Gary Yamamoto Senko that makes its home in just about every anglers tackle arsenal.
Over the past few years, though, he’s found that the downsized 3” Fat Senko has been one of his top producers. He rigs it on a lightweight Shin Gamakatsu G-Finesse Trickyhead jighead that he helped design.
“Everyone is throwing the Ned Rig now and it is a great bait for pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn,” said Fukae. “I like the Trickyhead in 1/16-ounce, but throw the 3/32-ounce a lot. It just depends on how deep I am fishing.”
One problem with standard Ned Rigs are that they tend to hang up on the bottom, so Fukae has a solution that replicates the look and action without as many snags.
“I rig the 3” Fat Senko on a drop-shot with a very short leader of around three inches long. This is just like a Ned Rig but is better around cover,” he shared.
He rigs the small Senko Texas-rigged on a Gamakatsu G-Finesse Swivel Shot Worm Hook. Fukae will fish the three-inch bait on a Shimano Expride 170M rod with a 2500-sized Shimano Vanquish.
He prefers 14-pound test YGK G-Soul OHDRAGON WX4 F1 SS140, a unique sinking braid, that he connects to a leader of 8-pound YGK fluorocarbon.
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Neko Rig
Anytime he is fishing during around the spawn, the chances are that Fukae has at least one Neko Rig ready to go with both a standard Senko and a 6.5” Yamamoto Kut Tail.
“The Kut Tail is something I have been using more because guys have been doing really good with it in Japan on a Neko Rig. That size is not too big and not too small and you can fish the Neko on both spinning and baitcasting gear,” he shares.
He inserts a G7 Tungsten Screw Sinker Nail Weight, often in the 1/16-ounce size, and adds a G7 Worm Protect Tube to preserve the plastic before inserting the hook.
Fukae chooses a Shimano Expride 172 ML baitcast rod for this Neko Rig and pairs it with a Shimano Metanium MGL reel with anywhere from 8 to 12-pound YGK G-Soul FC Tour Grade fluorocarbon line.
He says that the Neko rig excels for all phases of the spawn. However, no matter where he goes, it is always rigged up.
READ RELATED: Fishing Pre Pre-Spawn to Spawn
Drop-Shotting the Spawn
One of Fukae’s favorite techniques for fishing around the spawn is the drop-shot and he will use everything from a finesse worm to a bulky creature bait like the Yamamoto Sanshouo.
“It looks like a lizard or salamander and when the bass are starting to spawn, they eat it,” he said of the unique creature bait.
Fukae also mentioned that he often fishes a drop-shot on a baitcast setup and that is more common in his homeland of Japan than it is here in the United States.
“It makes more sense and it is easier for me to work the bait with a baitcast rod and reel. It is also super easy to cast,” added Fukae.
READ RELATED: Rigging the New Yamamoto Paddle Tail Zako with Shin Fukae
The “Free Rig”
Another trick in Shin’s spawn-time arsenal is the “Free Rig,” and its something that he has quietly been catching fish on for a few years now. The idea of the rig is a free-flowing line that goes through the eye of the weight and as the weight falls, the soft plastic bait behind it flutters down.
Fukae also says it is like a cross between a Texas-Rig and Carolina-Rig and that it works throughout the year, including when the bass are spawning. The unique action imparted from the rig is something that he says gives the bass a different look while simultaneously driving them crazy.
One of his top baits for fishing a Free Rig around the spawn is the Yamamoto D-Shad. He will work the bait with a “lift and fall” retrieve where he lifts his rod and lets the lure descend with an unpredictable and slow fall.
The tungsten weight from Fish Arrow that he uses was designed for the technique and comes in several different weights, but overall, Fukae said the ¼-ounce size is his all-around top choice.
During the springtime, there are countless ways to catch a bass. They are hungry and accessible to most anglers, but when things get tough, it is often necessary to pull out your full arsenal. Shin Fukae goes with many of the old standbys but also mixes in a few twists to catch more early-season bass.
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