Texas Fishing Forum

Large Swim Bait ?

Posted By: Ol'geezer

Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 05:33 PM

I'm trying to learn , You hear talk about large swim baits in late winter and spring. Big fish eat other smaller fish all year long. Why don't you throw large swim baits, all year long?
If you need to get them deeper add some weight, Is my thinking off?
I posted earlier in the week about fishing a point , and no one mentioned a swim bait just curious.
Thanks For Any Feed Back
Posted By: Mark Perry

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 05:35 PM

People do throw large swimbaits all year long. Both shallow and deep. Yes, you can add weight if need be.
Posted By: bigbass94

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 05:47 PM

I throw swimbaits year round. I mainly throw 7" and 9" swimbaits in late Winter and Spring. However, I do fish them during the Summer and Fall too; a lot. In the Summer I typically throw 3-5 inch paddle tail swimbaits and in the Fall I throw 2-4 inch paddle tail swimbaits. A general rule I go by is, as the year goes on, the smaller my swimbaits get.

There are many types of swimbaits and there are many different ways to rig them up.
Posted By: CCTX

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 05:55 PM

Interesting, I always thought the bait fish (on average) were smallest in the summer (freshly spawned).

I've been throwing the smallest swimbaits in the summer with larger swimbaits in the fall (largest in late winter and spring).

Maybe I should rethink this.
Posted By: Mark Perry

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 06:01 PM

Some larger swimbaits mimic not just bait fish but fish.
Posted By: kscatman76

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 06:18 PM

hudds spring and winter and 3:16 weedless rising son all summer. That last bait is flat my favorite, they crush it. Oh and a Bullshad in the summer reeled as fast as you can will get your arm broke.
Posted By: LakeForkGroupie

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 06:31 PM

The reason I throw small right now, is I'm matching the forage that they are key'd in on. Lots of schools of small dumb slow shad. I think if they are constantly feeding on one type of bait they won't give it a second thought. If I'm throwing something different I need to either catch them in a good mood or cause a reaction strike.
Posted By: Swimbaiter

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 07:57 PM

I throw large swimbaits year round. I prefer them over the small ones any day.
Posted By: bigbass94

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 08:53 PM

Originally Posted By: collincountytx
Interesting, I always thought the bait fish (on average) were smallest in the summer (freshly spawned).

I've been throwing the smallest swimbaits in the summer with larger swimbaits in the fall (largest in late winter and spring).

Maybe I should rethink this.


I should clarify, I don't necessarily do it a whole lot because of the bait fish size, but more for local lake pressure. As the year goes on the fish in a certain body of water get used to the typical 5" paddle tail, so downsizing often helps.

But then again, there's always 5, 6, 7 inch shad in a body of water throughout the year, same with 2 and 3 inch shad too. It's just a confidence thing, really.
Posted By: mudd

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 09:19 PM

I was throwing a Deps 250 for bout 10 throws and tore my ulnar nerve loose and now having surgery. Lol. Those big baits are awesome. Can't wait to heal and throw one again
Posted By: CCTX

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/11/17 09:26 PM

Originally Posted By: bigbass94
Originally Posted By: collincountytx
Interesting, I always thought the bait fish (on average) were smallest in the summer (freshly spawned).

I've been throwing the smallest swimbaits in the summer with larger swimbaits in the fall (largest in late winter and spring).

Maybe I should rethink this.


I should clarify, I don't necessarily do it a whole lot because of the bait fish size, but more for local lake pressure. As the year goes on the fish in a certain body of water get used to the typical 5" paddle tail, so downsizing often helps.

But then again, there's always 5, 6, 7 inch shad in a body of water throughout the year, same with 2 and 3 inch shad too. It's just a confidence thing, really.


I hear ya. I threw a 6.3 inch Gantarel gizzard for about an hour last week over mid depth grass next to a creek channel. Just felt like the right thing to do at the time

Gotta throw those big baits with your body; not just your arm=shoulder and elbow issues
Posted By: cwright

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/12/17 02:35 AM

Do not thro big swimbaits they do not catch any fish!!!! Lol
Posted By: JDJ01

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/12/17 02:50 AM

I keep it fairly simple but hudds, 316 rison son (all sizes), a glide or three ...a bullshad and a big wake bait... and you are set. Bass are aggressive as everyone here knows... they love big meals if they can get em! So to your question... many do fish big baits all year. When I fish deep, I fish soft baits with top hooks most the time. Just know your rate of fall and count her down... adding weight is not a flawed idea
Posted By: Capt'n Seabass

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/12/17 03:18 AM

Large swimbaits are the go! Smaller fish are not scarred of them and big fish want to eat them. I've tested some handcarved Japanese ones from a friend of mine and caught a wide size variety of fish on 'm. You do get two different responses though. Smaller fish wack at it because they don't want it near them and the bigger fish truly try to eat it. I've got a video summary of fishing the lure in question too with the above mentioned findings.

Posted By: David Bailey

Re: Large Swim Bait ? - 08/12/17 04:45 AM

Originally Posted By: collincountytx
Interesting, I always thought the bait fish (on average) were smallest in the summer (freshly spawned).

I've been throwing the smallest swimbaits in the summer with larger swimbaits in the fall (largest in late winter and spring).

Maybe I should rethink this.


On what based? I mean why did you do like that?
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