How reliable is the ribbon that runs through hard swimbaits? Do you use one or have you used one and had it break? Just curious.

I think if you stick with a well-known swimbait, you are probably OK. I have a few that have caught a ton of stripers and bass that are several years old. That being said, I would not trust the Chinese knock-offs.

Good question, I have wondered the same thing. Hate to think of bringing only the head on my $20 swimbait back. That said I have not had any issues with any of mine (lots of brands) but I have not caught anything over about 5#s.

Under what set of conditions do you use a hard swimbait over plastics?

Topwater swimbaits and wakebaits--spawn, post spawn, blue gill spawns, and fall....anytime you see topwater activity.

When do you fish a worm vs a crankbait?

Same philosophy...each style of swimbait is a tool to use for the fishing conditions, cover, depth, etc... A weedless soft plastic can obviously go places a hard bait with trebles can't. Likewise, if the fish are feeding shallow, a wakebait or shallow crankdown would be the likely choice over a softbait.

There is not an answer based on generalized conditions, seasons, etc...

I tend to use them post spawn, during bluegill spawn and in the fall, especially late in the fall