I’m not really sure. The 1/16oz buck-shot is very close to the same size, plenty of people have great success with the Buck-shot, but it is fairly rare for me to be able to get the fish to actually bite. It is so rare that I normally will use the buck-shot just to call-in the fish, and then quickly drop down something like a slender spoon or pimple. For me, crappie, gills, and perch happily eat the Clam spoon. Only the most aggressive fish seem to actually eat a buck-shot or VMC spoon for me.
It might be color or just confidence?
Either way, if I can solve the rattle problem (going to hit them with some super glue), I will just stick with what has worked for me.