Dave Lefebre explains the versatility of the misunderstood blade bait. Photo by Phoenix Moore

By Mason Prince - July 25, 2019

Fall and winter seem like a lifetime away as temperatures continue to swelter across much of the United States. However, some cooler weather will soon be upon us and the change in temperature can also bring a change in baits. But MLF pro Dave Lefebre is here to convince you that a SteelShad blade bait should have a place in your tackle box year-round.

“There’s a preconceived notion that blade baits are only for cold water in colder weather,” Lefebre dispelled. “I’m one of the only guys to carry them in my boat at all times and it’s kind of a little trick up my sleeve.”

Cracking the Cold-Weather Stereotype

The Pennsylvania pro says that the blade bait works so well in the fall and early spring because the fish have moved up shallow to feed on shad, minnows and other bait fish. That seems pretty logical given the Steelshad’s similarity to a shad. But come summer and winter when those bass move offshore and begin to school in deeper water, that’s when you can get your money’s worth out of the blade bait.

“It’s a good bait for pressured or schooling fish,” Lefebre explained. “I’ve always said that bass don’t stop eating bait fish when the water gets warm, so I continue to use a blade bait no matter what time of year it is. When it’s in the dead of summer, you might not be able to just pull up and drop-shot on a school of fish. But, if you use a SteelShad, they eat it at first sight.”

Versatility on the Water

Lefebre also favors a blade bait for the kind of versatility that you simply can’t get from a drop-shot.

“It’s great to use in summer because it can sink like a rock to whatever depth you need it to,” Lefebre said. “You can get the reaction bite with it because it’s so fast and moves so quickly. It’s also a good casting bait to use when you’re waiting for topwater fish to blow up because it’s so heavy and you can throw it far.”

When trying to compare the action of a blade bait to any other kind of bait, one, in particular, comes to mind for Lefebre.

“In the past five or six years you’ve seen big spoon baits come into the market,” Lefebre noticed. “A lot of guys like that kind of quick action a spoon can give you. Anywhere that you would use a spoon, a blade bait would work just as well because of how erratic it can be.”

If you’re looking for a new year-round bait, a blade bait might just be the bait for you to add to your repertoire.