10/11/2012
I don’t know if the Texas Tackle Factory folks had sight-fishing in mind when they designed the Killer Flats Minnow, but if they didn’t, they still came up with what just might be the perfect sight-fishing soft-plastic. Sight-fishing is primarily done in very shallow, clear water. In this environment the fish are very aware of what is going on around them, and they tend to be a little spooky. The size, action and colors of the KFM make it very effective for these shallow-water applications.
The KFM is noticeably smaller than its Trout and Red Killer brothers. The KFM lands in the water with very little splash or commotion. Unlike some fish in deeper water that may be attracted to a splash, reds and trout in skinny water tend to shy away from such a disturbance. Once in the water, the smaller size makes for a much less invasive, and therefore, more effective presentation.
The subtle action of the KFM’s paddle tail is just right for fooling wary fish. When twitched, the up-and-down motion of the KFM does a great job of mimicking a fleeing shrimp or a baitfish looking to hide in the grass. The straight track of the bait when retrieved also allows the angler a good line to bring the bait directly to the fish.
The wide variety of TTF’s colors allows the angler to cover the entire spectrum in search of the perfect color the fish really want. I almost always start with light colors such as liquid shrimp or salt-n-pepper/chartreuse. My main reason for this is that the lighter colors are easier for me to see. When I can see both the bait and the fish I can do a better job of “coaching” my client that can’t always see the fish as well as I can. If I see that a light color makes the fish shy away I will switch to a little darker shade such as pumpkinseed/chartreuse or strawberry/white. On rare occasions I may have to switch to one of the really dark colors, but on most days the liquid shrimp does the job for me.
One other positive attribute of the KFM, and actually all the TTF baits, is their durability. A few years back I used “BA” brand baits, and for the most part that meant catch a fish and put on another bait. The TTF baits are much tougher and will stand up to multiple bites and catches.
If you enjoy sight-fishing as much as I do, you owe it to yourself to try TTF’s Killer Flats Minnow… it’s quite possibly the perfect sight-fishing bait.
