Bass anglers know that few scenarios rival the hair-pulling frustration of suspended fish. Maybe it’s largemouth fleeing heavy fishing pressure on their offshore humps and contour breaks; or perhaps we’re talking about spotted bass suspending in open water because they enjoy being difficult.
The reason this is so tough is because it’s often hard to keep a bait in the strike zone long enough to tempt these fish. Well, one of the hottest deals on the national bass tournament scene is the Damiki Rig; essentially a light jighead like the VMC Moon Eye and a tiny baitfish-imitating tail like the Damiki Armor Shad, from which the rig draws its name.
The Damiki rig is basically the same as the “moping” technique used by northern walleye anglers. However, southern folks might better connect with this concept: Think float-and-fly, only your boat is the float.
Truth is, all you have to do with the Damiki rig is vertically drop it to fish you’ve spotted on your electronics, hold it front of their noses — maybe slip in a little wiggle now and then — and make them look at the easy meal until their stomachs blink.
Jig sizes vary with depth and fish mood, so consider how aggressive the fish are and how fast you need your bait to reach them. Weights of ¼- to 3/8-ounce are common, but most anglers in the know keep a 1/8-ounce handy for particularly tough fish. Whatever you chose, you’ll want a 90-degree line tie to keep the bait perfectly horizontal.
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