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Dec 30th, 2023
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 Swimbait tactics??
#5327521
09/21/10 03:53 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
Bfrenzy
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485 |
I'm new to swimbaits and was wondering what the best presentation was to use them and where to use them? It seems if I jerk the swimbait while I slowly reel it I get more bites...Do you let it fall first before you start reeling? Deep water or shallow water? What's the best place to use one? Docks, rocks, stumps or laydowns?
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Bfrenzy]
#5327524
09/21/10 03:54 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
Bfrenzy
OP
Angler
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OP
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485 |
Also is there a season where they are the best and a season where you wouldn't use one??
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Bfrenzy]
#5327565
09/21/10 04:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,396
fouzman
Methuselah
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Methuselah
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,396 |
What type of swimbaits? Hollow-bodied, hard, jointed, weighted, huge, small, what?
They all have different applications and presentations.
Coincidence is His way of remaining anonymous.
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: fouzman]
#5327581
09/21/10 04:14 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
Bfrenzy
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485 |
What type of swimbaits? Hollow-bodied, hard, jointed, weighted, huge, small, what?
They all have different applications and presentations. Hollow body probably 4.5 inches....for starters....like I said I dont know much about swimbaits
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Bfrenzy]
#5327607
09/21/10 04:21 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,396
fouzman
Methuselah
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Methuselah
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,396 |
Ok, that bait shines in the spring around grass and other shallow-water objects. Also does real well post spawn when the fish are guarding fry.
Fish it on either a LFT style swimbait hook or a Falcon belly weighted sb hook. I like the 1/32, 1/16 oz and 1/4 oz. If you fish it on the latter, use a nail or other sharp object to make a hole through the underside of the nose. Push your hook eye through that hole and out the center of the nose. Then tie your knot, pull it back inside the plastic and insert the hook point. Push the point all the way through and then skin hook it in the back of the bait. This will aid in not tearing up the plastic inside the nose of the bait. You can evewn use a little superglue to keep the hook eye and knot inside the lure. I also use superglue with the LFT type of swimbait hooks. Just a drop on the wire before secrewing into the nose of the bait. One other thing, make certain that your hook eye and hook point are always in perfect alignment. If not, the bait will want to roll on its side or spiral on the retrieve causing line-twist. I throw these types of baits on 20 or 25 pound fluoro, exclusively.
Retrieve on this lure is supposed to be steady, just like a slow-rolled spinnerbait. I don't let mine sink more than a foot or 18 inches. You only want to reel fast enough to keep the paddletail kicking and the lure up in the water column where you can see it. Also, this is a CLEAR WATER application. Not intended for off-color, stained water as it is a sight/reaction lure.
Coincidence is His way of remaining anonymous.
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: fouzman]
#5327629
09/21/10 04:26 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
Bfrenzy
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485 |
Ok, that bait shines in the spring around grass and other shallow-water objects. Also does real well post spawn when the fish are guarding fry.
Fish it on either a LFT style swimbait hook or a Falcon belly weighted sb hook. I like the 1/32, 1/16 oz and 1/4 oz. If you fish it on the latter, use a nail or other sharp object to make a hole through the underside of the nose. Push your hook eye through that hole and out the center of the nose. Then tie your knot, pull it back inside the plastic and insert the hook point. Push the point all the way through and then skin hook it in the back of the bait. This will aid in not tearing up the plastic inside the nose of the bait. You can evewn use a little superglue to keep the hook eye and knot inside the lure. I also use superglue with the LFT type of swimbait hooks. Just a drop on the wire before secrewing into the nose of the bait. One other thing, make certain that your hook eye and hook point are always in perfect alignment. If not, the bait will want to roll on its side or spiral on the retrieve causing line-twist. I throw these types of baits on 20 or 25 pound fluoro, exclusively.
Retrieve on this lure is supposed to be steady, just like a slow-rolled spinnerbait. I don't let mine sink more than a foot or 18 inches. You only want to reel fast enough to keep the paddletail kicking and the lure up in the water column where you can see it. Also, this is a CLEAR WATER application. Not intended for off-color, stained water as it is a sight/reaction lure. Thanks man that helped a lot
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Bfrenzy]
#5327639
09/21/10 04:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,396
fouzman
Methuselah
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Methuselah
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 50,396 |
One other thing bfrenzy. Don't overlook that bait in the fall when the fish go shallow and put on the feedbag  Bream and shad color patterns do best for me.
Coincidence is His way of remaining anonymous.
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Bfrenzy]
#5327654
09/21/10 04:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,318
Limits4all
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,318 |
The way you describe the current way you are having success is you are fishing them like a fluke type jerkbait presentation and would assume you rig them weightless on wide gap hook. That is one way to fish the hollow body baits. Another is on the weighted belly hooks with a slow, slow retrieve. To fast and the bait will roll on its side, think slow rolling a spinnerbait. Also the hook needs to be rigged perfectly centered on the bait. Another set up is on a swimming jig head like a spin trix. This allows for faster retrieves and the bait will have a very prronounced wobble, use this set up like you would a spinner bait and this works better in more off colored water do to the added flash and vibration. The slower retrieve set ups are better suited to clearer water like what you find at Amistad. One thing I have learned with the hollow belly swim baits is do not be afraid to experiment as they can be rigged in a variety of ways. The other prerigged soft swimbaits and hard swimbaits are more suited to clear water slower retrieves. With any swimbait you will know you got a good setup when the fish crush it and they are hooked way back in the mouth.
Let's Fish
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Charlie Brown III]
#5327783
09/21/10 05:12 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 668
Supermat
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 668 |
There are a lot of different rigging options for hollow bellies in that size range that will vastly change how the bait moves. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the weedless rig that so many others like. I use an exposed hook and fish it over cover. The benefit of the exposed hook is you get more "rocking" motion out of the bait and it seems to draw more strikes. If you're interested, here is a video a friend recently filmed on various ways to rig a hollow belly. Swimbait Rigging Video
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Supermat]
#5327864
09/21/10 05:35 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,476
JT Larkin
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,476 |
Don't get on swimbait nation unless you want another obsession that you can't control. Won't find much info on the hollow style baits there anyway. Those guys are serious swimbaitwrs. They throw the 7-14 inch baits with great success. I've seen pics of 54# limits that those guys have caught on big baits. A well know bait maker once told me you will learn more in a year throwing big baits (7-14inch) than a lifetime of throwing (4-6inch) little baits
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: JT Larkin]
#5327987
09/21/10 06:02 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
Bfrenzy
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485 |
Don't get on swimbait nation unless you want another obsession that you can't control. Won't find much info on the hollow style baits there anyway. Those guys are serious swimbaitwrs. They throw the 7-14 inch baits with great success. I've seen pics of 54# limits that those guys have caught on big baits. A well know bait maker once told me you will learn more in a year throwing big baits (7-14inch) than a lifetime of throwing (4-6inch) little baits I can't imagine throwing a 14in bait....normally I'm just hoping to catch 5-14in bass lol
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: JT Larkin]
#5328919
09/21/10 09:24 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 668
Supermat
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 668 |
Don't get on swimbait nation unless you want another obsession that you can't control. Won't find much info on the hollow style baits there anyway. Those guys are serious swimbaitwrs. They throw the 7-14 inch baits with great success. I've seen pics of 54# limits that those guys have caught on big baits. A well know bait maker once told me you will learn more in a year throwing big baits (7-14inch) than a lifetime of throwing (4-6inch) little baits I've got to disagree. While there are some great anglers on that board most of what I read is misinformation from people who don't know what works and what doesn't. I tend to stay off the board simply to bypass all the bad info. In its early days there were a lot of great fisherman there but nearly all the good ones have pulled away and been replaced by younger kids with big egos. That's just my .02 
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Re: Swimbait tactics??
[Re: Supermat]
#5329113
09/21/10 10:09 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 17
Fishin' with Faith
Green Horn
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Green Horn
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 17 |
Ha Ha Younger kids with big egos consume many bodies of water these days Matt. I would have to agree with you on the single exposed hook on the paddletail swimbait. Unless you are fishing around very thick cover, an exposed hook will always get you bit. As far as the original question is concerned, I would throw the swimbait any time and anywhere to get used to the bait. The specifics will come with time. You need to learn how to rig, fish, and control your swimbait. No one is expected to go out and catch fish let alone big fish rite off the bat with a swimbait. Websites like swimbait nation make swimbait fishing look very easy. It takes time to lean the baits and what they can do for you.
Aaron Kolarich Romans 8: 28-31 
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