Topwater Swimbait Questions

[via]

hey guys, i was wondering if there is any hardcore swimbait guys on this forum that can help answer my question: when do you guys use walk the dog swimbaits like the lunker punker and when do you guys use floating jointed swimbaits like the bbz-1? thnx for any help

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Punkers about any time of the day, I target with them around cover, be it submerged wood or tall grass edges.

I like to use rats at night, as well as give em a go if Im seeing alot of activity.

NGaHB

[gobig]

Both baits work all year long but punkers seem to work best for me from spring through fall. I tend to throw them when fish are more active and willing to chase. This is going to sound contradictory but if your getting a lot of follows on a wakebait and the fish seem unwilling to commit, try a punker. It's a great cat and mouse bait. Incorporate pauses and twitches and get those fish to react.

I tend to pick up baits like the floating bbz in low light conditions or when there is a good chop on the water. Some of the best days are when there are 3ft rollers. Everyone else is trying to hide from the wind but I welcome it. I also like to long line these types of baits over humps submerged trees, and long tapering points. They also work well along ledges. Try dead sticking and fishing them really slow.

The real answer is really kind of generic. You have to mix it up and see what the fish want. One thing your going to see throwing big baits is that bigger fish live by their own set of rules. You will learn things that contradict common bass folklore. Just look at what the A-rig exposed. We were told that in the winter you need to slow down and fish deep. And that suspended fish are inactive. I hope people continue believing this because its going to fatten my wallet.

[1234567]

gobig,

you nailed it man. You just never know what is going to work contrary to everything you read about bass. I think you're dead on about big fish having there own rules.

[WRB]

In forums where questions are asked about swimbaits the answers should consider where the angler fishes who initiated the question. Water temperature has a lot to due with how LMB react to lures. In CA southern 1/3rd of the sate the swimbait fishing is dominated by lakes with Florida strain LMB that have a water temperature limit of 45 degrees, 50 degree water is considered very cold! 50 degrsss water the bass really never slow down their metabolism that much, they seek 70 degree water during the summer, that is why you see them suspended.

The Lunker Punker may appeal more to active bass and a slower mover jointed surface wake type swimbait may look like a easy meal. Triple Trout can be worked at various speeds to trigger strikes, Matt's new StrongBass is a slow to medium surface or subsurface swimmer that should appeal to the easy meal bass.

When to use which type; if the bass are active or you suspect several bass are in the area, the more aggressive lure presentation usually works better than a slow swimmer.

If the lake you fish has NLMB and the water is colder than 44 degrees, a swimbait may not trigger any strikes, unless fished slow and deep, where the bass are located.

Tom

[via]

thnx guys, i will be trying this out more often on my next fishing trip