Four-Seven Lures 3.8 Inch Dart Minnow Soft Plastic Bait
Four-Seven Lures
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Four-Seven Lures
Four-Seven Lures 3.8 Inch Dart Minnow Soft Plastic Bait
How, where, and why it excels
Swim Jig Trailer (1/4–3/8 oz) — situational
When & where: Grass lanes and shallow shade when fish are on shad fry.
How: Slow roll with brief stalls and kills; the pin tail keeps quivering on slack.
Underspins (1/8–3/8 oz)
When & where: Suspended smallmouth/spots over points, marinas, and drains; forward-facing marks.
How: Count-down, slow-roll mid-column, add 1–2 stalls per cast; keep above the fish’s eye line.
Why: Slender ribbed body with a darting fork/pin tail tracks clean and reads like shad/fry.
Carolina Rig (micro • 1/8–3/16 oz • 12–18″ leader)
When & where: Flats/saddles with light current; roaming smallmouth.
How: Slow pull-pause; feed slack so the minnow swims and settles horizontally.
Drop Shot (nose- or mid-hooked)
When & where: Vertical rock edges, shade lines, bridge corners, and FFS targets.
How: Hold in place with slack-line shakes; long pauses; short swim-backs to follow contour.
Hover Jig / Damiki (1/16–1/8 oz)
When & where: Over bait balls in 10–40 ft; cold fronts/clear water.
How: Level hover with tiny rod quivers; keep it just above targets.
Ned / Midwest Finesse (1/16–1/8 oz)
When & where: Rock/gravel and pressured fish.
How: Drag-drag-pause; deadstick to let ribs breathe and the tail quiver.
Standard (Ball) Jig Head (1/8–1/4 oz)
When & where: Wind on points and transitions; river seams.
How: Slow swim near bottom; tick rock then kill; bites often on the fall.
Texas Rig (keel-weighted 1/16–1/4 oz • weedless)
When & where: Grass edges and shallow cover where open hooks hang.
How: Slow swim and glide with brief kills; nose weight keeps a level track.
Weightless Rig (fluke-style)
When & where: Calm pockets, docks, and overhanging shade.
How: Twitch-twitch-pause; dart and glide; watch line for ticks on the pause.
Trim & Mods (quick hits)
- Nose trim: 1/16–1/8″ for tighter head fit on small hooks/underspins.
- Tail tune: Micro-taper tail tip for colder water; leave full for warm-water thump.
- Keeper glue: Dot of gel at keeper extends life on ribbed bodies.
Dial it in
Shad / Pearl / Smoke-Silver — clear to light stain
- Use: Underspins and hover; slow-roll with stalls.
- Why: Clean flash that reads as shad/fry without overpowering the silhouette.
Translucent Ghosts (hint of gold/green) — sun, pressured schools
- Use: Weightless fluke in marinas or around bait balls.
- Why: Subtle body shows ribs and looks “alive” on the pause.
Dark / Silhouette (black/junebug) — mud, night, low light
- Use: Keel-weighted Texas along grass edges; slow swim and kill.
- Why: Max contrast so fish can track the dart-and-glide.
Chartreuse / Hi-Viz accents — wind, stain, shad spawn
- Use: Ball heads and swim jigs when you need a small visibility bump.
- Why: Picks up light and helps partners see the bait on FFS.
Specs & Build
- Length: 3.8" (96.5 mm)
- Profile: Ribbed jerk-minnow with slim body and darting pin/fork tail; level hover posture
- Material: Soft plastic
- Best Pairings: Underspins (1/8–3/8), Hover/Damiki (1/16–1/8), Ball Head (1/8–1/4), Keel-Weighted Texas (1/16–1/4), Ned (1/16–1/8), Weightless fluke, Swim Jig trailer (situational)
- Hook Sizes: Underspin/ball heads #1–2/0 light-wire; Keel/weighted swimbait hook 1/0–3/0; Weightless EWG 2/0
- Species: Bass (LM/SM/Spots), Walleye; trout/panfish capable on light heads
- Availability: Ships promptly when in stock.
Care & Storage
Store flat in the original bag. Separate darks/lights to avoid dye bleed. Avoid prolonged heat to preserve tail memory.
Plastics Recycling
Don't toss torn baits—recycle or dispose of properly. Learn more here: Soft Plastics Recycling.
Proof & Community
On-the-Water Notes
- FFS schools: Hover/Damiki or underspin; keep above eye line; add stalls to trigger followers.
- Wind lanes & points: Ball head swim-kill; many bites on the drop after ticking rock.
- Shallow shade: Weightless fluke dart-glide; watch the line on long pauses.
Q&A
Q: Why choose a 3.8″ dart minnow over a paddletail?
A: It excels at neutral-speed finesse—clean glide, quick darts, and a subtle tail quiver that keeps pressured fish committed in clear water.
Q: Best line and rod?
A: Spinning 6’10″–7’2″ ML; 8–15 lb braid to 6–10 lb fluoro leader. Pick head weight for a level track, not nose-down.
