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Old 11-24-06, 12:32 AM   #1
Vabass22
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Default Swimbaits and lipless cranks

Im trying to become a more rounded angler, before I start fishing tourneys. I need help with two lures:
1 SWIMBAITS
What kind of swimbaits do yall use? The only soft swimabits that I can fisnd that arent too much deneiro, are Storm. What are some ways to fish them beside twitching, and steady retrieves?

2 LIPLESS CRANKS
I will be buying some Rat-L-Traps, and Rattln Vibes soon, and would like to know the basic colors to get. Besides ripping them over the top of weeds, what are some other productive presentations for the type lures?

I am guessing a Cabelas Pro Guide 7' MH rod with a fairly soft tip, and a Quantum Accurist 'Caster with 14lb mono would be suitable for these baits? Would Flouro work better?

Thanks
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Old 11-24-06, 02:28 AM   #2
Jolly
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Swimbaits:
I use the storms also; however, I usually take the big weight out. That way the suspend rather than sink. I usually use them on flats around shallow (< 8') trees, weeds and/or other structure. Normally in the spring, pre-spawn to get those agressive fish to come outa the cover. Usually I try many different presentations when fishing them: fast twitch, slow twitch, jiging them, swimming them, etc. Also, I use them on bedding fish. I get the orange (don't know the actual color name but...) carp looking ones and piss of the mamas on beds enough to catch them on a jig or brushog. I have also used the berkley brand swim baits (junebug or black color, around 7-8") carolina rigged in deep water (> 25'). I catch at least 4 fish over 10 lbs on them every year night fishing on deep channel bends and drop offs in the summer. Do the same thing with big senkos and flukes.

Lipless Cranks:
I love fishing Rat-L-Traps... I just don't get to fish them very often because of the amount of trees in the lake I fish. I have been catching fish for the last few weeks (water temp 60-66 deg) on them actually way up creeks in the muddy water (I fish a really clear lake so the mud is abnormal). We drive up the creeks until we see shad poppin'. Then we throw red shad, bass pattern, crome/black (shad color), and a crome/ blue colroed Rat-L-Trap in between the cover where the fish are chasing shad and other bait fish. Usually use 1/2 oz or smaller. We also use them in the spring on flats in between cover and, if your willing to lose a few baits, running them reel fast into trees and letting them bounce off - reaction strike. Norally fishing flats in the spring - pre-spawn. Also fish huge (renegade brand, crome/black color, > 1/2 oz.) in deep water at night during the summer. Normally on channel bends, drop offs and bluffs. We also fish them year around on wind blown shorelines where bait would be blown up onto the shallow water. Normally use a sunfish resembling rat-L-trap or shad pattern. Try many different presentations: ie, fast, slow, medium, at several different depths. I usually fish them in open water on flats so I fan cast from the boat. I cast and once it hits the water I count to what ever depth I want it to sink to in second (ie, 5' = 5 seconds). I make one revolution through the fan cast at 3', 5', 6', etc... at different speeds, then move on. This allows you to fish the entire water column and you would be surprised by how much water you can actually cover.

Sorry for the length but like I said, I really like fishing them, but just don't get the chance to real often. When I do, I always catch fish on them, I just normally end up losing $20 worth! One more thing, I would fish them on a slower reel so you don't fish them to fast. Normally a 5.4 or 6.3 ratio.

Ok, hope this helps,

Jolly
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Old 11-24-06, 04:56 AM   #3
pig n jig
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You have got my attention now.Those are 2 baits I have used alot the swimbait alot last summer.My favorite swimbait is the Megabait brand chubby series lure.I also use optimum and Martin Panther Vivifs, but the Megabait chubby is my go to bait.I fish it on bottom for the most part, lift it and let it swim a very short distance let it land on bottom again, keeping it really close, or on the bottom.I haven't caught any real monster fish 5.4lb smallmouth being the biggest so far, but it catches alot of bass for me when I get a pattern going for the day.
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Old 11-24-06, 05:34 AM   #4
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Now for part II. Lmao..... When the water temp first reaches 55-60 degrees in the spring, you have better get a rattle trap tied on, or your going to miss out on what I think is the best rattle trap time.I always have a variety of traps, every time I go out fishing I have one tied on.I very seldom burn a trap , except for smallmouth fishing,any other time I want the bait to be ticking tops of weeds , or hitting objects as I fish it.Carpy posted an excellent thread a while back on rattle traps.I never want the bait retreived in a straight line, or the same speed.If you allow the bait to tick the weed tops or bounce it off structure, or btoom the speed will always be changing, that when I get the most bites on a trap.Back to the variety on hand.Each brand has a different sound,or no sound at all. There are certain days when 1 brand will work better than the rest.I think the Spro Arukan shad 75 and the Lucky craft Bevy shad SP traps are a must have rattle trap.The spro trap is exactly what Jolly is looking for, it hunts nose down so it fishes through the nastiest cover without getting snagged up alot.The Bevy shad SP suspends around cover, I love this bait for when you know they are there, but you cant get them to bite.I downsize to the smaller 50 sp size trap.Its a bit smaller than a 1/4 oz. trap, but it will suspend and twitch,. I just wish the hooks were a little bigger, but they can't be, so I fish it and get the bite first and then worry about boating the fish.Deacon has got me turn on to the Lucky craft LV series traps from the pictures he posted, but I haven't fished them yet.Part of my winter project is to buy a variety of colors to try.I hope this helps, I will post a Spro arukan shad and the little Lucky craft Bevy 50SP. P N J
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Old 11-24-06, 11:38 AM   #5
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Alright thanks guys. Went to Gander today, but only bought sale items this time; A pack of 4 4" Powerbait Swimmin' Pogys, a 3/4 oz Rattlin' Rapala in Baby Bass, and a pack of craws for 5$. I will be loading up over the winter on this stuff. PNJ, I troll the 1 oz shad colored Megabait Swimbaits just like that for striper. I'll have to get some smaller ones for bass.
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Old 11-24-06, 12:35 PM   #6
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I beleive this is a 1 oz. jig head.the bodies you change out are 5" long.I resized the picture to download easier to the site.I do have the smaller 3.5"version, but I like the bigger bait better.They slam it hard most of the time, you don't have to wonder if a fish is there, or not.P N J
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Old 11-24-06, 02:00 PM   #7
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pnj,
trout minnows are probably hot in your area huh? how come shad don't exist? too cold?....do any of your lakes close to ya have shad?
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Old 11-24-06, 02:22 PM   #8
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JB, There are Gizzard shad in the Barge Canal area.Thats funny, I fish the Barge Canals alot and never seen any. Alewifes(known as sawbellies in bait shops) are every where here.When the turnover hits, there are millions of dead alewife every where.I didn't know there were Gizzard shad here.The hatcheries release thousands of trout fingerlings in the lakes every year. P N J http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/d...t.html#Alewife

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Old 11-24-06, 02:42 PM   #9
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oh well, theres plenty of forage for the bass, just comparing notes...they can always eat perch, bluegill or other small fingerlings huh
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Old 11-24-06, 04:27 PM   #10
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JB, Keuka lake is where I use the swimbaits alot.Here is a page from DEC.They release over 30,000 fingerlings a year there between Landlock salmon and Brown trout.I know they released Rainbow trout fingerlings into the main tributary of Keuka lake last year as well, but its not listed.P N J http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/d...stocksteu.html & http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/d...stockyate.html

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Old 11-24-06, 04:40 PM   #11
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i need to use those more often, I have some bigger ones but they dont look as realistic as yours, I checked out the megabait chubby online..thanks for the tips, the bouncing it off the bottom and letting it sit, then moving a short distance makes sense to me, ya see the real minnies doing that all the time if they are getting stuff off the bottom.
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Old 11-24-06, 06:27 PM   #12
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Another Rattle trap thing I have been doing is tying feather tails on some traps.I do believe there is a better catch ratio with them, but you never see a brand new trap with a feather tails on them.You can buy them, but I prefer to tie my own,its cheaper and its easy to do. The pre-made ones are alot more money for them and I like to use Gamakatsu hooks. P N J
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Old 11-24-06, 06:38 PM   #13
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I buy those swimbaits at gander, in the sale bin. 4 boddys for a buck, and two heads for a buck. I cant imagine throwing that huge swimabait for largemouth, but I will try it. I'll also get some smaller ones in different colors.
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Old 11-25-06, 12:24 PM   #14
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A $1.00 a pack ? I bought mine at Gander Mountain, but they weren't that cheap.I would buy the whole dam bin if I found them that cheap.LOL... For those of you who get frustrated with swim baits snagging up , I fish a Panther Martin Vivif that has a wire weedguard on it.I like the megabait chubbys better though. P N J http://www.panthermartin.com/lures/S...vif4Packs.aspx
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Old 11-25-06, 02:01 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pig n jig View Post
Another Rattle trap thing I have been doing is tying feather tails on some traps.I do believe there is a better catch ratio with them, but you never see a brand new trap with a feather tails on them.You can buy them, but I prefer to tie my own,its cheaper and its easy to do. The pre-made ones are alot more money for them and I like to use Gamakatsu hooks. P N J

Hey PNJ Who make thise traps in your pics. They look pretty sweet.
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Old 11-25-06, 02:35 PM   #16
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The 3 are, made by SPRO, the little chartreuse trap is a Lucky Craft brand.The Spro traps fish better than any other rattle trap brand I have used.They will come through most stuff where other traps get snagged up in. P N J
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Old 11-25-06, 02:45 PM   #17
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http://www.landbigfish.com/tacklesto...e.cfm?PID=3680 This is the cheapest price I can find online.I buy mine at Gander Mountain for $5.99 each.They want $8.99 each at the SPRO website. P N J
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Old 12-03-06, 08:02 PM   #18
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im a fan of the lipless, but not the swim. cought some bass on the lipless but never on a swim.
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Old 12-03-06, 10:51 PM   #19
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In central Arkansas , when the water is warm and clear, swimbaits work great as long as it's smoke with metal fleke. Swim them slow with as little weight as possible, around any standing cover.
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Old 12-03-06, 11:20 PM   #20
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i have tried alot of things with them just cant get fish to hit them lol, i probley should get a different color, or brand. lol that might help
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Old 12-05-06, 11:08 PM   #21
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where do u find those mega bait chubby series. i can not find them at all on the net thanks mount
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Old 12-05-06, 11:32 PM   #22
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welcome to the forum mount!
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Old 12-06-06, 04:02 AM   #23
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Mount,Gander Mountain stores carry them.I have ordered some of them from the internet, let me look for a site. P N J
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Old 12-08-06, 04:52 PM   #24
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I bought that Spro Aruka Shad. What color is most productive? I got wild shiner. I tried to get more swimbaits, but they were out in the sale biun, and I couldnt find them in the regular store????
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Old 12-08-06, 10:44 PM   #25
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I don't like storms for fresh water, I use them for rock fish.
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