How, where, and why it excels: The 5" Delta Tail Shad is a fluke-style jerkbait with a wide “delta” tail that glides on the pause and snaps forward clean when you twitch it—money for shallow cover, edges, and roaming baitfish.

Underspin

When/Where: Open water, outside weed edges, and over deeper grass when fish are feeding on bait but won’t fully commit to faster swimmers.

How: Rig straight, slow roll until you tick cover, then add short twitches to break cadence. Let it glide on the pause.

Why: Blade flash calls them in; the soft jerkbait body seals the deal when they get close.

Tuning: If they’re swiping, add longer pauses and keep your line semi-slack so it can glide, not pendulum.

Drop Shot

When/Where: Hovering fish around docks, rock edges, and sparse vegetation where you want a baitfish look without constant forward travel.

How: Nose hook for maximum action, or rig weedless when cover is involved. Keep the shake tiny—just enough to quiver—then let it sit.

Why: It looks like an injured shad holding in place, which can flip a “lookers” situation into bites.

Texas Rig

When/Where: Inside turns, shallow grass, laydowns, and docks where you need a weedless baitfish profile.

How: Rig it straight on a light EWG/offset hook. Twitch-twitch-pause; on the pause, keep just enough slack for a glide.

Why: You get a fluke presentation that can go places a jig head can’t—without losing that baitfish glide.

Tuning: If it rolls, re-thread and skin-hook more precisely; with flukes, “perfectly straight” is half the bite.

Weighted Swimbait Hook

When/Where: Weed edges and scattered cover when you want control over depth but still need weedless.

How: Center the hook point and keep it perfectly aligned. Swim it steadily, then add single twitches to make it dart and glide back.

Why: This is the “keep it in the zone” rig—depth control without killing the fluke action.

Weightless Rig

When/Where: Shallow flats, over submerged grass, and around shade lines when fish are cruising or suspended.

How: Rig Texas-style weightless and work it with cadence: twitch-twitch-pause. Let it glide on slack during the pause.

Why: The slow fall + glide keeps it hovering where fish can decide to eat—especially in clear water.

Tuning: If you need a slightly faster fall without going “weighted,” a small nail weight can make it more point-and-shoot.

Color & water clarity: With fluke-style baits, you’re selling “real baitfish.” Start natural, then add contrast based on light and visibility.

Clear water

Translucent shad/minnow looks shine here. Subtle flake and light bellies read natural and keep followers from getting suspicious.

Stained water

Increase contrast—darker backs, heavier flake, or a more defined two-tone to help tracking on the twitch and on the glide.

Muddy / low light

Prioritize silhouette. Darker profiles and bolder contrast beat “pretty” detail when fish are hunting by shape.

Qwik Color picks (quick guide)

Sunny + clear: translucent shad/minnow with fine flake
Cloudy + clear: slightly darker back for silhouette
Stained + rock: natural shad with heavier flake/contrast
Stained + vegetation: darker back + cleaner belly contrast
Muddy + shallow: strongest silhouette you trust
When fish follow: reduce twitch intensity and extend pauses
When you’re missing bites: downsize hook/weight before changing colors

Photo note: the image reads as a natural shad/minnow look with a darker back and multi-color flake—an excellent clear-to-stained “starting shad.”

Specs & Build

Length: 5"
Profile: Fluke-style jerkbait with a wide delta tail for glide-on-pause and sharp darting twitches
Material: Plastisol soft plastic — Hand-poured
Species: Bass, walleye (and any predator keyed on baitfish)
Best Pairings: EWG/offset hooks (weightless), weighted swimbait hooks, drop shot hooks, underspin/jerk heads
Availability: Ships from Iowa in 1–3 days. Hand-poured. Garlic scented.
Care & Storage: Store flat in the original bag to preserve shape. Keep dark colors separate to avoid bleeding. Compatible with most gel scents.
Plastics Recycling: Don't toss torn baits, recycle or dispose of properly. Learn more here: https://qwikfishing.com/recycling/

On-the-Water Notes

The pause is the bite window—twitch to call them, pause to close the deal.
If you see followers, shorten twitches and lengthen pauses (let the bait glide, don’t yank it away).
Weighted swimbait hook is the “same look, more control” option when wind or depth is fighting you.
For dock shade, skip it weightless and let it fall—then give one twitch and freeze it again.
If it’s rolling, it’s almost always rigging: re-thread perfectly straight and keep the hook centered.

Q&A

Why pick the Delta Tail Shad over a standard split-tail fluke?
The delta tail adds a more “glide-y” pause and a wider tail presence, so you get a little extra stability and visibility without turning it into a paddle tail.

Why pick it weightless?
Weightless keeps the fall slow and the glide natural—perfect for shallow cover, clear water, and fish that want to look at it before they eat it.