Okay, i have been getting into the swimbaits more and more amd have finally got a bite or two. I got a nice set up but was wondering how tight you guys are setting your drags. I have had some come off and i think that could be why. I am headong to amistad agaon in june for three days and me and my buddy plan on fishing nothong bit a swimbait for those three days. He recently started using them amd got his first swimbait bite and it went 7 pounds so now he is really liking them. He was wondering about the same question i have. Thanks on advance.

im in process of learning to. i havent gotten to the setting the hook part tho. we have guides for 2 days and a 2 day tourney next month on amistad so im thinking i will learn alot about em then...

the type your using might be helpfull info too, im sure the line thru lure baits with a treble hook are different than a hollow body with a single swimbait hook..

I am using a custom built 8 foot spiral wrapped swimbait rod and a shimanovcardiff reel with 25lb mono. Fishing both a tru tungsten hard bodied and a osprey soft bait.

we will be using 20lb floro for swimbaits. i dont know if that would help getting hooked up better or not..

If you are losing them you are losing the fight... you need to make sure your line stays tight and if you feel that fish try and turn away from you give it an extra light tug to make sure that hook is embedded... my drag is always set as high as it goes if I need to let line out I do it myself... If you are using swimbait with treble hooks then you just have to pray those babies stay in there with all the headshakes and stuff the fish put on it...

thanks

Coach for what it's worth - I'm using rods that could double as power pole blades, revo toro 50's and revo inshores both with no shortage of drag power, and 25lb mono / 70lb braid - depending on the bait/ application. I keep the drag cranked down and when I stick a fish on a swimbait, I crank like crazy and get that fish coming my way and into the net in a pretty short time. I warn my partners when we start that when I call for the net, there is going to be very little time to do anything but get the net in the water and catch the fish as I ski it in.

With the mass some of these baits have, whether treble hook or single, the less chance that fish has to jump and throw the bait, the better. I'll take my chances on a 1/0 to 2/0 treble or large single hook pulling out on a dead pull.

If you want to see an example of swimbait landing, watch Butch Brown's videos.

Blu-Ranger, with the price of the baits you throw I would use that setup too!! Ain't no fish gettin away with my $150 bait..no sir.

I learned from the best in California.....they all crank the drags down as tight as possible. Like previously stated; When you hook a fish, crank as fast as possible and put him in the net, no playing the fish.

I'm using 8' okuma with quantum cabo's loaded with 25lbs mono....good setup for me!

Thanks. My rod is def like a telephone pole. It is very heavy duty for sure. Thanks for the info.

As far as line for those Ospreys, almost everybody uses 20 or 25 lb fluoro. There are a few that like to throw 17 lb fluoro and a few others that use 50-65# braid. For medium sized swimbaits such as the Reaction Innovation big dipper or kamakazee treats, I'm using a custom AMAC rod 7'3" H with 50 lb braid. This is the first week using braid and i have really liked it for that particular swimbait type. For 5-7" line thru swimbaits which usually weight 1.5 - 2.5oz , im using 20 lb fluoro on a 7'6" swimbait rod. The bites have been super aggressive so i usually set the hook pretty good with very few lost fish.

C'mon now Jerry - not all of my baits are that expensive.... only a couple

It's funny - I was thinking of that fish I caught when we went as I wrote my response. Strike - set - crank - net. Whoop!

I have had the best luck with the soft body, and hollow body baits myself. I caught a #10.2 on Amistad prefishing for the federation state tournament last month. I caught it on a Strike King Shadalicious blue gizzard shad(4.5 "). I have the best hook up luck letting them take the bait and swim with for a couple seconds (letting them get a good hold of it) Then laying a very solid hookset and never giving them any slack if possible. Good luck and the more you mess with them the better you will figure out what works best for you.

I guess I don't fish light line enough, but all the drags on all my reels are hammered as tight as they can go. I back off the star while fighting fish when necessary. I prefer that over letting line off the spool while holding it with my thumb. If I loosen the drag at all, it slips on the hookset, resulting in lost fish.