My wife bought me a 6" Bull Shad Swimbait from APT for an early birthday present (she's the best!). My question is should I throw it on straight braid since it's a moving bait, or Flouro leader? Throwing it on a Dobyns swimbait/a-rig rod that is set up with 50# braid and currently has a 17# flouro leader. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

All I know is don't throw that thing in timber

If you want to fish it higher in the water column, just use straight braid

If you want to fish it a little deeper, I'd use 20lb fluoro leader

For sure no timber!

I use straight 20lb flouro but I fish it in deep water where I know it won't get hung unless it hits the bottom. It's a risk throwing it around timber... I did get mine stuck in 30ft on the bottom and used a lure retriever to get it back!

Hi MagFluker, My name is Mike Bucca I'm the owner of Bull Shad Swimbaits. I'm going to tell you what I recommend and you can take it from there. Many people use braid with swimbaits some of the best swimbait guys I know use braid. I'm just not one of them. Let me say this. 90% of the people who email me about losing baits are losing baits by casting them off. 90% of those castoffs are by and large with braid. My best explanation for this is while braid works great for traditional size lures (1oz or less). When you start heaving 2 + oz baits the braid tends to dig into the spool and when you go to cast you end up casting it off. Thats my theory on braid breakoffs. If your going to use braid use 65lb or larger to help remedy the line digging. I find that larger diameter braid doesn't dig as bad/much as the smaller diameter braids.

Flouro. I'm the biggest fan of flourocarbon there is and being a spotted bass guy here in Georgia I live and die by my flouro. I just do not like it for swimbaits. Again alot of people use them but flouro is known for sub par knot strength and lack of stretch. Just not good ingredients for big $$ baits. Again alot of people use fluorocarbon for big swimbaits. If your confident in your line with 2oz + baits than I say go for it and give it a shot.

What I use and recommend is good ole 25lb mono. is 25lb overkill. You bet. You don't need 25lb line to reel in any fish. You need the 25lb to be able to take the brunt of the load when casting 2oz + baits. The stretch helps and the strength of the line helps with the torque that your putting your knot through. I use Trik Fish camo line.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Trik_Fish_Original_Camo_Line_1_4lb_Spool/descpage-TFOC.html

You can use big game or p line I just prefer the Trik Fish brand, Cheap and bullet proof and I kinda like the camo line concealment aspect of it just my perference.

Hope this helps. BTW Please thank your wife for me and send me some pics of what some big Texas Swimbait bass look like. Tyler Woods on this thread here is a stud with my baits as of late. :)~

Wow that is some great info! Thanks for taking time to come on and write this! I will be focusing on swim bait fishing this year.

um....I could look at your web page all day!!!!!

+1 indeed.

Thanks Mike, the info is much appreciated.

I used to throw big swimbaits on braid because I thought it would help not break them off, but after a short time and watching a few $150 swim baits sail away and slow sink to the bottom. I realized that 25# mono is great for top fishing and flouro is good if I really need to get it deep, but 95% of the time I use 20 or 25# mono. I am very much in agreement with MIKE on this, and I know he knows way more than me.

Now I'm interested in this swimbait 50$ Pill is hard to swallow tho. But knowing me I'll buy it and throw it in timber.

I saw the thread and asked Mike to come over and comment, since he owns the business. I told him that I was a weirdo, because I throw his baits on 20# McCoys Mean Green and have for years. TUFF, with a great amount of abrasion resistance and low memory, so it fits the bill for me, but what do I know? LOL. Thanks Mike for coming over and sharing your experiences. Hope this helps.

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

I have 20# McCoys spooled up on my swim bait rods also.

I got 2 of the bull shads just a few minutes ago @APT after he showed me pictures of recent fish caught on them and how they look in the water.

Look at some of the custom Bull Shads Bait Werks has put out!

These things are sick!

http://bullshad.com/customshop.html

A BIG MAGNET IN CASE IT BREAKS