Shimano waxwing question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

taggermike · 06-30-2014, 04:36 PM

Fished with a buddy on his skiff last week. He was throwing a shimano waxwing and I gotta say that I have never seen a lure move like that thing did. Damn thing kicked like you could only dream a surface iron could. It didn't get bit but fishing was slow that day.
Shimano hypes it's products like crazy but these look like the real deal.

Do any of you have experience fishing the waxwing? Please share.
Thanks, Mike

MrPatrick · 06-30-2014, 05:05 PM

I've caught Barracuda, Bonita, big Macs and Calicos with the bone color on the same day.

EntropyFletch · 06-30-2014, 05:09 PM

I fished the calico tagging trip on the Outer Limits a week ago and my dad and I both caught our biggest calicos (5#s each) on the bone waxwing. That thing killed it and it was actually more weedless than my war bait weedless plastics. I ended up being confident enough to chuck it into the kelp and wind back and never got hung up. There was quite a bit of current though so the majority of the kelp was down but still...

blitzburgh · 06-30-2014, 05:28 PM

They're legit. I have caught fish on the Sandeel, Bone, Sardine, Live Squid, Mackerel & Mint colors. The Live Squid color is my go-to bait. You have to fish it on a fast retrieve reel, something with 32" + per crank. I fish mine on straight braid. I have caught Calico, Corvina, Cuda, Bonies, even had a Halibut come up and chase one in the Big Bay. Still no Yellow on one for me yet. I'm no Shimano loyalist...but these things slay.

tattuna · 06-30-2014, 06:33 PM

Spotties, calico, yellows, dorado, bonita, cuda, stripers, leopard grouper, etc. They all eat it. They can take a ton of abuse. I have a lucky one I've been fishing for almost 2 years that's caught dozens of fish. They cast a mile too.

YakDout · 06-30-2014, 06:28 PM

Mike, I have used them quite a few times. As fletch mentioned, they are pretty good in the kelp and I think the upwards facing hooks play a major role in that.

Last year I went out on a 3/4 day charter with my work, and I was throwing bass gear with a waxwing at the yellows. I caught 17 on the trip. Most on waxwing, some on iron and a couple on plastics. You are right about the action of the waxwings, they swim incredible. I would recommend either a heavy top shot, or ties straight to braid. First reason being they are 20 bones a piece, and second they swim better tied to the braid. You're going to be winding this bait fast enough for a fish to not care about the color of your spectra.

I have had fins break on me, and have also had them come out completely which basically trashes the bait. All in all in my opinion great lures however cost could come down a little.

For yellows/dorado the biggest one they make in mint works awesome.

Good luck

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johnnyblaze2009 · 06-30-2014, 06:45 PM

My goto waxwing is a bone colored size boy I think. I have a Terez rod and a shimano sustain. It launches just as far as an iron and gets slammed twice as much in my opinion. I have caught yellows, calicos, bonitos and barracudas- from Catalina to the Coronados. And yes the upward facing hooks make it pretty much weed less in the kelp- I cast into the kelp worry free and have never gotten caught up.

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straightrod · 07-01-2014, 08:36 AM

I have been throwing these out allot and have not got much action on them, but I admit to not knowing much about fishing. From this reading I believe my retrieval is to slow. Should I retrieve fast and rip it along the top or let it sink some them haul it it? Thanks for any info regarding technique.

tattuna · 07-01-2014, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by straightrod

I have been throwing these out allot and have not got much action on them, but I admit to not knowing much about fishing. From this reading I believe my retrieval is to slow. Should I retrieve fast and rip it along the top or let it sink some them haul it it? Thanks for any info regarding technique.

Fast! Fast, then medium, then fast again. Burn and pause. Play with it, but slow is not the way with these. I usually hyper wind and a quick pause every 5 or 6 cranks.

alanw · 07-01-2014, 09:34 AM

I got one of these lures last year but haven't really used it. This post got me motivated to put that thing into action

straightrod · 07-01-2014, 11:02 AM

Thanks for the info tattuna. Should I use it on the surface or throughout the water column?

EntropyFletch · 07-03-2014, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattuna

Fast! Fast, then medium, then fast again. Burn and pause. Play with it, but slow is not the way with these. I usually hyper wind and a quick pause every 5 or 6 cranks.

EXACTLY! They kill it with this type of retrieve. I was fishing the medium size waxwing on a Curado 200 G7 (fast retrieve rate) and an 8' Phenix M1. You can chuck these things A MILE with very little effort. Don't quite know (aerodynamic bait?) why but they cast amazing...

I had a 3' topshot of flouro but they were designed to be tied straight to the spectra, as has been mentioned.

I'm taking a bunch to Cedros next week and will have plenty of pics of pig jellos and checkers soon...I hope.

f'nsabiki · 07-03-2014, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EntropyFletch

EXACTLY! They kill it with this type of retrieve. I was fishing the medium size waxwing on a Curado 200 G7 (fast retrieve rate) and an 8' Phenix M1. You can chuck these things A MILE with very little effort. Don't quite know (aerodynamic bait?) why but they cast amazing...

I had a 3' topshot of flouro but they were designed to be tied straight to the spectra, as has been mentioned.

I'm taking a bunch to Cedros next week and will have plenty of pics of pig jellos and checkers soon...I hope.

Is this a skiff trip??? If so, what boat are you going on. I'd love to go there. thanks

YakDout · 07-01-2014, 11:03 AM

They're light , won't sink too fast. It's a surface bait. Pretty much right on top

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MrPatrick · 07-01-2014, 01:08 PM

Actually you can fish them vertically. I caught suspended fish that way.

5-20 · 07-01-2014, 10:43 PM

Just picked up a couple. One of the biggest size at 6.6" and 4.4 oz. and one at the next size down. Looking forward to throwing them.

taggermike · 07-02-2014, 03:17 PM

Thanks for the responses. I picked up 2 of the waxwings, a small size in sardine and a larger one in the mint/white. Now I just gotta get em wet. I'll be throwing them on a 9' pheonix jig stick with a Trini 16N and straight braid. I'll post up the result when I use them. Mike

dmrides · 07-02-2014, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taggermike

I'll post up the result when I use them.

Right on. I am looking forward to seeing a pic of a yeller with a mint-white lip ring!

5-20 · 07-02-2014, 06:33 PM

9' jig rod? Sweet. I've been drooling over the phenix psw jig sticks. Can't really decide if i'd be happiest with the 869h, 909h or 909xhj. They all seem like they'd be awesome and really versatile/fun to fish with.

06-30-2014, 04:36 PM	#1
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Shimano waxwing question Fished with a buddy on his skiff last week. He was throwing a shimano waxwing and I gotta say that I have never seen a lure move like that thing did. Damn thing kicked like you could only dream a surface iron could. It didn't get bit but fishing was slow that day. Shimano hypes it's products like crazy but these look like the real deal. Do any of you have experience fishing the waxwing? Please share. Thanks, Mike

06-30-2014, 05:05 PM	#2
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	Shimano waxwing question I've caught Barracuda, Bonita, big Macs and Calicos with the bone color on the same day.

06-30-2014, 05:28 PM	#4
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	They're legit. I have caught fish on the Sandeel, Bone, Sardine, Live Squid, Mackerel & Mint colors. The Live Squid color is my go-to bait. You have to fish it on a fast retrieve reel, something with 32" + per crank. I fish mine on straight braid. I have caught Calico, Corvina, Cuda, Bonies, even had a Halibut come up and chase one in the Big Bay. Still no Yellow on one for me yet. I'm no Shimano loyalist...but these things slay. __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

06-30-2014, 06:33 PM	#5
tattuna Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pasadena Posts: 329	Spotties, calico, yellows, dorado, bonita, cuda, stripers, leopard grouper, etc. They all eat it. They can take a ton of abuse. I have a lucky one I've been fishing for almost 2 years that's caught dozens of fish. They cast a mile too. __________________ IG @tattuna

07-01-2014, 09:34 AM	#10
alanw Made in U.S.A. Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dana Point Posts: 1,625	I got one of these lures last year but haven't really used it. This post got me motivated to put that thing into action __________________ Hobie PA 14 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Jackson Kraken ¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu X-Factor ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Malibu Stealth-12 ¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><(((º> Its not a spelling B its a fishing B ~yakjoe

06-30-2014, 05:09 PM	#3
EntropyFletch Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: San Diego Posts: 37	I fished the calico tagging trip on the Outer Limits a week ago and my dad and I both caught our biggest calicos (5#s each) on the bone waxwing. That thing killed it and it was actually more weedless than my war bait weedless plastics. I ended up being confident enough to chuck it into the kelp and wind back and never got hung up. There was quite a bit of current though so the majority of the kelp was down but still...

06-30-2014, 06:28 PM	#6
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Mike, I have used them quite a few times. As fletch mentioned, they are pretty good in the kelp and I think the upwards facing hooks play a major role in that. Last year I went out on a 3/4 day charter with my work, and I was throwing bass gear with a waxwing at the yellows. I caught 17 on the trip. Most on waxwing, some on iron and a couple on plastics. You are right about the action of the waxwings, they swim incredible. I would recommend either a heavy top shot, or ties straight to braid. First reason being they are 20 bones a piece, and second they swim better tied to the braid. You're going to be winding this bait fast enough for a fish to not care about the color of your spectra. I have had fins break on me, and have also had them come out completely which basically trashes the bait. All in all in my opinion great lures however cost could come down a little. For yellows/dorado the biggest one they make in mint works awesome. Good luck Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06-30-2014, 06:45 PM	#7
johnnyblaze2009 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 215	My goto waxwing is a bone colored size boy I think. I have a Terez rod and a shimano sustain. It launches just as far as an iron and gets slammed twice as much in my opinion. I have caught yellows, calicos, bonitos and barracudas- from Catalina to the Coronados. And yes the upward facing hooks make it pretty much weed less in the kelp- I cast into the kelp worry free and have never gotten caught up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07-01-2014, 08:36 AM	#8
straightrod Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 48	I have been throwing these out allot and have not got much action on them, but I admit to not knowing much about fishing. From this reading I believe my retrieval is to slow. Should I retrieve fast and rip it along the top or let it sink some them haul it it? Thanks for any info regarding technique.

07-01-2014, 11:02 AM	#11
straightrod Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 48	Thanks for the info tattuna. Should I use it on the surface or throughout the water column?

07-01-2014, 11:03 AM	#14
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	They're light , won't sink too fast. It's a surface bait. Pretty much right on top Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07-01-2014, 01:08 PM	#15
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	Actually you can fish them vertically. I caught suspended fish that way.

07-01-2014, 10:43 PM	#16
5-20 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 241	Just picked up a couple. One of the biggest size at 6.6" and 4.4 oz. and one at the next size down. Looking forward to throwing them.

07-02-2014, 03:17 PM	#17
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Thanks for the responses. I picked up 2 of the waxwings, a small size in sardine and a larger one in the mint/white. Now I just gotta get em wet. I'll be throwing them on a 9' pheonix jig stick with a Trini 16N and straight braid. I'll post up the result when I use them. Mike

07-02-2014, 06:33 PM	#19
5-20 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 241	9' jig rod? Sweet. I've been drooling over the phenix psw jig sticks. Can't really decide if i'd be happiest with the 869h, 909h or 909xhj. They all seem like they'd be awesome and really versatile/fun to fish with.