Paddletail vs curly tail

[Moose07]

Paddletails like CB sliders, slabalious etc vs a curly tail. Is there different scenarios you would choose one over another or is it more personal preference? I think the paddle tails seem to look more realistic in the water. What one does everyone have more luck with? I'm looking for something for casting from the bank and not sure what is better fishing from the bank. Maybe none of it matters and I'm overthinking it lol. I use BG baby shad normally under slip floats but don't think the action is that great for casting.

[CrappiePappy]

"Shad" plastics are more for "profile" looks than "action". Paddletail plastics (depending on size) need a bit of speed to make the bait put out the "thump thump" vibrations. Curly Tail plastics can generally be reeled in at a slower pace than a paddletail & still have the tail do its "wiggle".

If a float was necessary, for whatever reason, my choice would be Shad 1st & Curlytail 2nd & Paddletail 3rd ... simply because of the speed of retrieve necessary to get the proper action from those baits. Straight casting/retrieving ... I'd reverse that lineup.

Best case scenario : you have a collection of all three styles !!

[Moose07]

Thanks for the reply. Casting and retrieving without a float with one rod and have another rod setup with a slip float with a baby shad is what I have been doing but my success rate is horrible lol

[njones]

Yep, paddle tail when I need a bit more retrieval speed, paddle tail gives off a tighter, faster tail action. If the fish (especially bluegill) are short striking just the tail on a curly tail switch to a paddle tail.

When I need a slower retrieve to keep the bait in the fish’s strike zone, especially when they will follow but won’t bite, I use a curly tail and slow roll it past them.

Don’t be afraid to use a safety pin spinner (beetle spinner) set up with either bait. It gives extra flash and thumb/ vibration. I’ve caught a many panfish on a 1/32oz jig head with a 2” curly tail beetle spin rig in creeks and ponds as a kid.

[Moose07]

Thank you for the advice. That will help shorten my learning curve.

[Spoonminnow]

IMO paddle tails (sassy shad) and curl tails are faster/ steady retrieve lures. If you want to keep lures in the strike zone longer to provoke less active fish, I would go with a stinger (straight thin tail), Crappie Magnet grub or ribbon tail rigged on a 1/32 or 1/24 oz jig. The lures shown below are examples of tails that quiver with the least action imparted.
The two on the left: swimbait tail designs; the other are variations of quiver- tails:

I bet my boat that you never considered this design: take the curl tail off a curl tail grub and rig only the body. It catches panfish as well as any other lure with its back & forth waddle & quivering body. Also rig it on a light jig head.

[BuckeyeCrappie]

[Spoonminnow]

ditto

[Rojo]

Curlytails are deadly around here. Most of the posts of me trying to achieve Mr Dux's 10 fish hold fell victim to a Curlytail. I use Paddletails only when long distance open water casting and the Varivas Infinity PE in 7.5# test is the line I use now. If fishing in a shallow area of open water for scattered Crappie, 7-10ft of water, I cast a 1/32oz with a 2in Paddletail. When I know I have them hemmed up I feel a Curlytail increases the competition between the Crappie so bites happen faster than if a Paddletails are used.

[njones]

IMO paddle tails (sassy shad) and curl tails are faster/ steady retrieve lures. If you want to keep lures in the strike zone longer to provoke less active fish, I would go with a stinger (straight thin tail), Crappie Magnet grub or ribbon tail rigged on a 1/32 or 1/24 oz jig. The lures shown below are examples of tails that quiver with the least action imparted.
The two on the left: swimbait tail designs; the other are variations of quiver- tails:

I bet my boat that you never considered this design: take the curl tail off a curl tail grub and rig only the body. It catches panfish as well as any other lure with its back & forth waddle & quivering body. Also rig it on a light jig head.

Agreed stinger tails are DEADLY. Spoonminnow do you slow retrieve the lure? I don’t think I’ve ever tried retrieving just a stinger tail lure before. This has me intrigued.

But the question was paddletail vs curly tail. I wasn’t saying when fish are less active and won’t bite AKA finicky, to use a curly tail. I was saying that when the fish follow the bait but won’t commit to striking the bait, that’s when I find using a curly tail and a slower retrieval works to get those fish to hit. In my experience a curly tail swims better at slower speeds than a paddle tail, but both do still require a steady retrieve.

Trout magnets are one of my favorite lures for finicky fish, I also like the EPF Minnow for slow bites. But at that point I’m usually throwing something under a float set up. That way I can work especially slow and have better control of depth (strike zone). Soo curly tails or paddle tails aren’t being used obviously.