The Business Magazine of the Fishing & Marine Industry

Great Lakes Finesse: Tournament Proven Finesse Baits

Great Lakes Finesse is a brand that focuses exclusively on finesse presentations for finicky smallmouth bass with absolute attention to every detail.

A few select anglers have been sneakily taking down tournaments with limits of big smallmouth bass, using an innovative underspin designed specifically for presenting extreme finesse baits. Between the tournament success, and the buzz surrounding the bait at ICAST 2023, the secret is now out on the Sneaky Underspin, available right now from Great Lakes Finesse, a brand that focuses exclusively on finesse presentations for finicky smallmouth bass with absolute attention to every detail.

Terminal Tackle

Sneaky Underspin

A few select anglers have been sneakily taking down tournaments with limits of big smallmouth bass, using an innovative underspin designed specifically for presenting extreme finesse baits. The secret is out with the Sneaky Underspin, now available from Great Lakes Finesse, a brand that focuses exclusively on finesse presentations for finicky smallmouth bass with absolute attention to every detail. Designed to be fished slowly, with light line, a long rod and ultra finesse plastics, the Sneaky Underspin has a fine-wire Gamakatsu hook and a weed-resistant head design that allows it to come through sparse vegetation. Critical details include 3D live eyes, stainless steel components and an anti-chip powder coat finish. Pairs perfectly with the 2.75” Drop Minnow or your go to 2.5” to 3” swimbait.

Price: $6.99 USD ea.
Sizes: 3/16oz, 5/16oz

Mini Pro Tube Head

Finally, a finesse-sized tube head with a short shank hook that can handle the biggest fish in the lake. Designed specifically to fit small finesse tubes (1.75″ to 2.75″) perfectly, this unique head design will keep the tube and hook positioned up for less snags and better hook ups plus give the tube a wider goby-like head profile. Landing percentage is much improved due to the short distance between the tube head and the bend of the hook, resulting in less “Shake Offs” Built on a super sharp Mustad UltraPoint 1/0 short shank hook, the Mini Pro Tube Head is the finesse tube head you’ve been looking for.

Price: $6.99 USD (4 pack)
Sizes: 1/8oz, 3/16oz, 1/4oz, 3/8oz, 1/2oz

Stealth Ball Jig Head

Finally, a finesse-sized ball head with a hook that can handle the biggest fish in the lake. Designed to fit Great Lakes Finesse soft plastics perfectly, you can also pair it with just about any of your favorite baits. Features a super sharp Gamakatsu 604 hook, matte powder coat and baked (no chip) finish, oversized bait keeper, and a clean eye. This is truly the most premium finesse ball jig head ever made.

Price: $6.99 USD (3 pack)
Available in 2 hook sizes: 1 and 1/0, and 3 weight sizes: 3/16oz, 1/8oz, and 1/16oz

Quick Shot Clip

Connect your dropshot weight with these small clips instead of a direct knot to allow for quick changes between weights, styles, or colors of dropshot weight. When you’re done for the day just unclip your weight, put it back into your terminal box and connect the clip to the hook keeper on your rod – no more dropshot disasters in the rod box! It also works great as a quick connector for ice fishing and pan fishing applications.

Price: $3.99 USD (15 pack)

Soft Baits

2.75” Drop Minnow

Designed in partnership with Travis Manson (Smallmouth Crush), the Drop Minnow is in a league of its own. It’s extremely versatile – allowing you to drop shot it, Damiki rig it, hop it, swim it, or fish it like a Ned. The matte shine-free ribbed body provides a unique vibration in the water and the thin tail gives incredible lifelike action. It’s truly neutrally buoyant meaning when dead-sticked the bait will sit perfectly horizontal giving it a natural appearance. The smallest amount of movement in the bait will have the tail twitching like crazy.

Price: $6.99 USD (8 pack)

2.1” Snack Craw

It has been scientifically proven the most effective craw-style baits are basic, with few appendages and limited action. The Great Lakes Finesse Snack Craw has been designed with that in mind, and with a single purpose – to catch fish. It has the perfect amount of flotation to make the claws lift at a 45-degree angle and a matte shine-free finish, making it the ultimate super finesse craw bait. Originally intended as a chunk on a finesse jig, we found this bait to be extremely effective on a Stealth Ball Jig Head hopped or dragged along the bottom.

Price: $6.99 USD (6 pack)

2.2” Flat Cat

The ultimate super finesse dropshot bait. A thin tail provides maximum movement from a dead stick style presentation, and the body profile mimics a baby catfish, small goby, or minnow in the water or on the bottom. This bait is best fished as a dropshot or paired with our Stealth ball jig head and slowly dragged along the bottom. This bait features true neutral buoyancy, so it sits perfectly level in the water column and a matte shine-free finish, so it looks incredibly natural.

Price: $6.99 USD (8 pack)

4” Drop Worm

Most dropshot worms on the market simply underperform. They look great in the package but put them in the water and they fall tail first towards the bottom or stand straight up. Featuring true neutral buoyancy, the 4” Drop Worm stands perfectly horizontal on your hook, resulting in incredible lifelike action without any extra work from the angler. Add on the matte shine-free finish and it’s the ultimate finesse drop shot worm.

Price: $6.99 USD (8 pack)