Which Swimbait

mike234 · 11-14-10, 03:10 PM

I am going to start using swimbaits next spring quite a bit. I already have the rod and reels to use but would like to get some recommendations on which swimbaits to start with like the Rago's, Spro's and etc. Have used some of the soft swimbaits and would like everyone's recommendations on those also.

pro reel · 11-14-10, 03:39 PM

Mike, what area of the country or what lakes do you fish at? What are the water conditions you have most often? Also, the prevalent baitfish makes a big difference to which swim baits work best also. The BB1 is a great bait for lakes with small 3-4 inch baitfish. I use a lot of hollow bodied swim baits and i actually prefer them for most conditions.

keithdog · 11-14-10, 04:24 PM

I'm with pro reel, I prefer the soft hollow bodies versions. I have been using several the past year and think I like the 5 inch Basstrix swimbaits best. I have the Spro BB1 and so far have had only one hit on it this year. But to be honest, I don't give it the time to prove itself. After throwing it about half an hour I'm switching to something else.

mike234 · 11-14-10, 04:34 PM

I am in East TN and fish deep clear TVA lakes with threadfin shad, alewives, and blueback herring. The water here is most always clear and see from 6-8 ft deep.

keithdog · 11-14-10, 08:17 PM

Well, you could try adding a 1/2-3/4 oz tungsten weight pegged to the nose of your soft swimbait. Cast it out past your target and let it sink to the desired depth and start a slow rythemic retrieve.

pro reel · 11-14-10, 08:54 PM

Thats prime swim bait waters. If you know of or can find some points with submerged trees, that would be ideal. Swimming a swim bait right through the tops of submerged trees is a great way to get suspended bass. I like the lucky strike bass magic brand. They are a little cheaper than most and are just as good as any I have tried. The trick with these baits is finding a good hook. I have tried a bunch and i prefer a screw lock hook. I recently found a small mom and pop dealer that started thier own line of hooks. It's called Moaner hooks. They have some of the best swimbait hooks I have found. They also have the best un weighted screw lock hooks for toads or large plastics. I started using the 5/0 screw lock on lasrge craw baits and found that they last a lot longer with these hooks. Check them out for swim bait and other plastic screw locks. As for size of swim baits. I try to match or go one size larger than the average size of the baitfish in the area. I also match the color pattern of the bait.
http://www.moanerhooks.com/

walkeraviator · 11-15-10, 08:46 AM

I so far have only caught fish on smaller swimbaits on jig heads, but do have some bigger strike king shadalicious swim baits. Have not had conditions suitable to a big hollwo body swim bait as the water conditions were all screwed up this year. The action the shadlicious is amazing even at super slow retrieves. The Yum Money Minnows I have on the other hand have NO action unless you burn em...

The only hard swim bait I own is a Strike King Sexy Swimmer. It is awesome. And so much cheaper than most swim baits....

BigBassin144 · 11-15-10, 10:54 AM

I haven't used them yet,but I've heard nothing but good about Hudds. You can also go with a hollow belly like the YUM Money minnow. I've also heard lots of good about the RI Skinny Dipper.

As for hard baits, the Spros are my favorites of the couple I've used. I really like the BBZ-1 Shad, and want to pick up a couple of the new Baby Shads, and possibly a BBZ-1 6" for next year.

BB

danielbasspro · 11-15-10, 10:55 AM

I Love to throw a YUM money minnow of all sizes, Spro BBZ-1, Strike King King Shad and KingKong swimbaits. My alltime favorite would be Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper.

LilJakeC · 11-15-10, 12:26 PM

I really like the Lake Fork Tackle Magic Shads for my soft swimbaits. As for hard swimbaits, I like the Spro BBZ-1 and Sebile Magic Swimmer.

Bassboss · 11-15-10, 12:56 PM

Love the 4" spros! I caught loads of fish on them when I loved in florida. Once I got nothing under 3 on it, and 1 over five. I like I probably caught about 7 of that day. I was casting on the deeper end of blue gill beds.

cassidyta · 11-15-10, 01:09 PM

I throw swimbaits ALOT. I use everything from the 2.5" spros upto the 12" Rago's.
So before I answer the which bait question, I would want to know what rod and reel they are going on.

Since your post says that you have used some of the soft bodied ones, I would suggest going to a hybrid bait like a catch-22. They have great action at all speeds and won't break the bank.

boloson · 11-22-10, 05:46 AM

any advice on swimbait rods for 6" hudds & other baits around that size? would like to stay 7' and under if possible. a dual duty salt/ freshwater would be great as i plan on trying the salt for some strippers (first time by the way)

cassidyta · 11-22-10, 01:31 PM

Honestly, I don't like to throw my swimbaits on a rod that small. (I prefer an 8')
I will say that hands down, the best swimbait rod that I have ever used is the dobyns champion swimbait rod. But the small one is 7'9"

I just haven't anything with enough backbone for heavy baits in a shorter size. I have a buddy who swears by the BPS nitro rods for all of his swimbaits. They didn't feel right to me, but they might work for you. Their small rod is 6'10" and is on clearance for $89 right now.

Jim80 · 11-27-10, 06:33 PM

I love the Keitech swing impacts and swing impact fats , for soft swimbaits .

Jim

boloson · 11-29-10, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidyta

Honestly, I don't like to throw my swimbaits on a rod that small. (I prefer an 8')
I will say that hands down, the best swimbait rod that I have ever used is the dobyns champion swimbait rod. But the small one is 7'9"

I just haven't anything with enough backbone for heavy baits in a shorter size. I have a buddy who swears by the BPS nitro rods for all of his swimbaits. They didn't feel right to me, but they might work for you. Their small rod is 6'10" and is on clearance for $89 right now.

took your advice & bought a dobyns 795. some great reviews on it from fishing forum members. thanks again.

cassidyta · 11-29-10, 04:28 PM

I can not imagine any situation where you wil be disappinted in that rod.

boloson · 11-29-10, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidyta

I can not imagine any situation where you wil be disappinted in that rod.

i wouldnt doubt it. transporting will be hard for me since i drive a camry but i'll manage somehow.

anyone have experience with 3:16 swim baits? expensive as all hell but looks very well build & realistic

Minda Lures · 12-01-10, 12:36 AM

Any picks for a Baby Bass imitation.
Maybe 5" to 6" - hollow or solid???

lilmule · 12-01-10, 09:58 AM

Have fair amount of rubber swimbaits like mr money,few hard ones just started on those awhile back first was a strike king monster shad afterward several h20 a crappie a bluegill and one thats like a bb1 in american shad.Dont think they all in particular take an extra long rod to toss and those smaller or shorter people in the world a 7 fter can do nicely.
Mine is a 7 ft glass seeker rod custom made for me and does quite well with the smaller swimbaits.

cassidyta · 12-01-10, 01:05 PM

The matts lure baby bass is the best one that I have thrown.
The hard baits are pricey $60
http://www.mattlures.com/HardBass.htm

The softbaits work well too for $12 each or 3 for $30.
http://www.mattlures.com/babybass.htm

juggernoob · 12-01-10, 01:05 PM

What reels are you guys using for the larger swimbaits, ie Rago, Castaic, BBZ-1, and Huddlestons? I have a Quantum Energy PT that I was thinking about using with my Okuma Big Bait rod but I've seen people going with round reels. What's the advantage of a round reel over a low profile BC?

BigBassin144 · 12-01-10, 01:33 PM

The only real advantage of a round reel (IMO) is larger line capacity. But I still don't throw swimbaits far enough to spool a LP casting reel, so I stick with those. Anything with 150yds of 12lb test or so should work fine.

BB

cassidyta · 12-01-10, 01:38 PM

I use a Shimano Calcutta 400 B.
The biggest advantage for me is the line capacity. I throw most of my big baits on 20 lbs test. This gives me 160 yards of 20 lbs test on a full spool.
Now it is heavy at 11.7 oz, but I am okay with that weight since I am not casting as often as I would with something like a spinnerbait.

juggernoob · 12-01-10, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

The only real advantage of a round reel (IMO) is larger line capacity. But I still don't throw swimbaits far enough to spool a LP casting reel, so I stick with those. Anything with 150yds of 12lb test or so should work fine.

BB

Okay good to know, the Bait Monkey was telling me that I needed a new round reel to do the job.

11-14-10, 03:10 PM	#1
mike234 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Knoxville, Tn Posts: 177	Which Swimbait I am going to start using swimbaits next spring quite a bit. I already have the rod and reels to use but would like to get some recommendations on which swimbaits to start with like the Rago's, Spro's and etc. Have used some of the soft swimbaits and would like everyone's recommendations on those also.

11-14-10, 04:34 PM	#4
mike234 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Knoxville, Tn Posts: 177	I am in East TN and fish deep clear TVA lakes with threadfin shad, alewives, and blueback herring. The water here is most always clear and see from 6-8 ft deep. Last edited by mike234; 11-14-10 at 04:35 PM. Reason: Change shad to threadfin shad

11-15-10, 10:54 AM	#8
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	I haven't used them yet,but I've heard nothing but good about Hudds. You can also go with a hollow belly like the YUM Money minnow. I've also heard lots of good about the RI Skinny Dipper. As for hard baits, the Spros are my favorites of the couple I've used. I really like the BBZ-1 Shad, and want to pick up a couple of the new Baby Shads, and possibly a BBZ-1 6" for next year. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

11-15-10, 10:55 AM	#9
danielbasspro BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Altamonte Springs Florida Posts: 252	I Love to throw a YUM money minnow of all sizes, Spro BBZ-1, Strike King King Shad and KingKong swimbaits. My alltime favorite would be Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. __________________ Daniel

11-15-10, 12:26 PM	#10
LilJakeC BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Council Bluffs, IA Posts: 29	I really like the Lake Fork Tackle Magic Shads for my soft swimbaits. As for hard swimbaits, I like the Spro BBZ-1 and Sebile Magic Swimmer. __________________ You won’t catch anything unless you get it wet :D

11-14-10, 03:39 PM	#2
pro reel BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Wichita Kansas Posts: 761	Mike, what area of the country or what lakes do you fish at? What are the water conditions you have most often? Also, the prevalent baitfish makes a big difference to which swim baits work best also. The BB1 is a great bait for lakes with small 3-4 inch baitfish. I use a lot of hollow bodied swim baits and i actually prefer them for most conditions.

11-14-10, 04:24 PM	#3
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	I'm with pro reel, I prefer the soft hollow bodies versions. I have been using several the past year and think I like the 5 inch Basstrix swimbaits best. I have the Spro BB1 and so far have had only one hit on it this year. But to be honest, I don't give it the time to prove itself. After throwing it about half an hour I'm switching to something else.

11-14-10, 08:17 PM	#5
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	Well, you could try adding a 1/2-3/4 oz tungsten weight pegged to the nose of your soft swimbait. Cast it out past your target and let it sink to the desired depth and start a slow rythemic retrieve.

11-14-10, 08:54 PM	#6
pro reel BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Wichita Kansas Posts: 761	Thats prime swim bait waters. If you know of or can find some points with submerged trees, that would be ideal. Swimming a swim bait right through the tops of submerged trees is a great way to get suspended bass. I like the lucky strike bass magic brand. They are a little cheaper than most and are just as good as any I have tried. The trick with these baits is finding a good hook. I have tried a bunch and i prefer a screw lock hook. I recently found a small mom and pop dealer that started thier own line of hooks. It's called Moaner hooks. They have some of the best swimbait hooks I have found. They also have the best un weighted screw lock hooks for toads or large plastics. I started using the 5/0 screw lock on lasrge craw baits and found that they last a lot longer with these hooks. Check them out for swim bait and other plastic screw locks. As for size of swim baits. I try to match or go one size larger than the average size of the baitfish in the area. I also match the color pattern of the bait. http://www.moanerhooks.com/

11-15-10, 08:46 AM	#7
walkeraviator BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,119	I so far have only caught fish on smaller swimbaits on jig heads, but do have some bigger strike king shadalicious swim baits. Have not had conditions suitable to a big hollwo body swim bait as the water conditions were all screwed up this year. The action the shadlicious is amazing even at super slow retrieves. The Yum Money Minnows I have on the other hand have NO action unless you burn em... The only hard swim bait I own is a Strike King Sexy Swimmer. It is awesome. And so much cheaper than most swim baits....

11-15-10, 12:56 PM	#11
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	Love the 4" spros! I caught loads of fish on them when I loved in florida. Once I got nothing under 3 on it, and 1 over five. I like I probably caught about 7 of that day. I was casting on the deeper end of blue gill beds. __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

11-15-10, 01:09 PM	#12
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	I throw swimbaits ALOT. I use everything from the 2.5" spros upto the 12" Rago's. So before I answer the which bait question, I would want to know what rod and reel they are going on. Since your post says that you have used some of the soft bodied ones, I would suggest going to a hybrid bait like a catch-22. They have great action at all speeds and won't break the bank. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

11-22-10, 05:46 AM	#13
boloson BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 303	any advice on swimbait rods for 6" hudds & other baits around that size? would like to stay 7' and under if possible. a dual duty salt/ freshwater would be great as i plan on trying the salt for some strippers (first time by the way)

11-22-10, 01:31 PM	#14
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	Honestly, I don't like to throw my swimbaits on a rod that small. (I prefer an 8') I will say that hands down, the best swimbait rod that I have ever used is the dobyns champion swimbait rod. But the small one is 7'9" I just haven't anything with enough backbone for heavy baits in a shorter size. I have a buddy who swears by the BPS nitro rods for all of his swimbaits. They didn't feel right to me, but they might work for you. Their small rod is 6'10" and is on clearance for $89 right now. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

11-27-10, 06:33 PM	#15
Jim80 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Thomaston CT Posts: 3,862	I love the Keitech swing impacts and swing impact fats , for soft swimbaits . Jim __________________ In memory of Zooker 1/11/73-7/2/2010. You will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

11-29-10, 04:28 PM	#17
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	I can not imagine any situation where you wil be disappinted in that rod. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

12-01-10, 12:36 AM	#19
Minda Lures BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 5	Any picks for a Baby Bass imitation. Maybe 5" to 6" - hollow or solid???

12-01-10, 09:58 AM	#20
lilmule BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Buchanan,Tn Posts: 2,685	Have fair amount of rubber swimbaits like mr money,few hard ones just started on those awhile back first was a strike king monster shad afterward several h20 a crappie a bluegill and one thats like a bb1 in american shad.Dont think they all in particular take an extra long rod to toss and those smaller or shorter people in the world a 7 fter can do nicely. Mine is a 7 ft glass seeker rod custom made for me and does quite well with the smaller swimbaits.

12-01-10, 01:05 PM	#21
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	The matts lure baby bass is the best one that I have thrown. The hard baits are pricey $60 http://www.mattlures.com/HardBass.htm The softbaits work well too for $12 each or 3 for $30. http://www.mattlures.com/babybass.htm __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

12-01-10, 01:05 PM	#22
juggernoob BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 7	What reels are you guys using for the larger swimbaits, ie Rago, Castaic, BBZ-1, and Huddlestons? I have a Quantum Energy PT that I was thinking about using with my Okuma Big Bait rod but I've seen people going with round reels. What's the advantage of a round reel over a low profile BC?

12-01-10, 01:33 PM	#23
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	The only real advantage of a round reel (IMO) is larger line capacity. But I still don't throw swimbaits far enough to spool a LP casting reel, so I stick with those. Anything with 150yds of 12lb test or so should work fine. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

12-01-10, 01:38 PM	#24
cassidyta BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,928	I use a Shimano Calcutta 400 B. The biggest advantage for me is the line capacity. I throw most of my big baits on 20 lbs test. This gives me 160 yards of 20 lbs test on a full spool. Now it is heavy at 11.7 oz, but I am okay with that weight since I am not casting as often as I would with something like a spinnerbait. __________________ If you have ever wondered if you should retie, the answer is yes.

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