Swimbait Trouble!

[SSUfishing_dwhite]

I have been really trying to get my swimbait technique down and have come to the conclusion that I don't like hard plastic swimbaits but love the hollows and soft plastics....but im having trouble catching a consistent amount of fish on trips and only land 1 or 2 if im lucky each time. haven't caught one out of the ca delta yet and only have had good luck out on clearlake around docks and drop-offs. any tips for increasing the quantity of fish on the swimbait? I usually use a 5 or 6 inch or an a-rig with three 4 in baits.

[mike bat]

my only comment would be to throw them ... if you go fishing just bring a swimbait rod and keep chucking that thing .. we dont get bass that big here in WI .. but i have had some luck with swimbaits .. but I've learned you really have to just throw and throw these things to get bit .. when i 1st used them i would make a few casts maybe 20 or so then i would put the rod down (if i didn't get bite right away ) .. cant do that ..

[Bluebasser86]

So are you getting bit and not hooking up or just not getting bit at all on them? Swimbaits seem to either be a home run or a dud from day to day in our lakes. Either they're not even looking at them or they're swallowing them and hitting them like they've never seen a bait before. Best way to increase the numbers of fish you're catching on them is to fish them more often 

[RyneB]

talk to Speed, hes the swimbait guy.

[WRB]

You are not asking about swimbaits, you are fishing the A-rig with swimbaits.

The A-rig is best when used to target suspended bass feeding on baitfish. A-rigs work well with smaller size swimmers 3" to 5" that look have colors like the baitfish that school.

The trend is more attractors are working better than 3 swimmers only. The CA state law allows only 3 lures with hooks, no limitation on attractors. Some rigs have up to 7 wires, some wires with blades midway between the lure attachment, more flash the better. The jig heads used on A-rig swimmers are light weight with over size hooks, not your standard dart heads.

Clear lake is a good A-rig lake, the Delta is better using larger size single swimbaits like that move a lot of water due to the off color water in most areas.

Tom

[SSUfishing_dwhite]

You are not asking about swimbaits, you are fishing the A-rig with swimbaits.

The A-rig is best when used to target suspended bass feeding on baitfish. A-rigs work well with smaller size swimmers 3" to 5" that look have colors like the baitfish that school.

The trend is more attractors are working better than 3 swimmers only. The CA state law allows only 3 lures with hooks, no limitation on attractors. Some rigs have up to 7 wires, some wires with blades midway between the lure attachment, more flash the better. The jig heads used on A-rig swimmers are light weight with over size hooks, not your standard dart heads.

Clear lake is a good A-rig lake, the Delta is better using larger size single swimbaits like that move a lot of water due to the off color water in most areas.

Tom

 

I usually use a 5 or 6 inch or an a-rig with three 4 in baits.

[SSUfishing_dwhite]

So are you getting bit and not hooking up or just not getting bit at all on them? Swimbaits seem to either be a home run or a dud from day to day in our lakes. Either they're not even looking at them or they're swallowing them and hitting them like they've never seen a bait before. Best way to increase the numbers of fish you're catching on them is to fish them more often 

 

 

Im just not getting that many strikes... I'll get four to five in a day and hook up maybe two.   and the hollow body hooks up more often, I  use smaller swimbaits to get the smaller bite (5 to 6 inches) and I never had luck with anything bigger. I slow roll them, change direction  (up/down), I even have tried burning them in quickly. The best thing so far is slow rolling it with the 1/2 oz weighted beast hook on a hollow 6in shadalicious. should I be fishing other areas besides drop-offs and shoreline/docks? 

[flyfisher]

Any type of swimbait is not a numbers bait in my experience, it is a quality fish catcher.

[WRB]

Swimbaits are not a good search lure and pounding shoreline areas in hope of finding swimbait fish is a low % technique. The water you fish the bass are in pre spawn, so target pre spawn areas. Clear lake and the Delta are not trout waterways. Clear lakes hitch population is way down and hitch locate near stream inlets, so use hitch type swimmers In 6" to 7" sizes. The delta has herring, stripers, carp, small bass, bluegill, green perch, etc.

I would keep to carp, baby striped bass or baby bass color schemes and 6" to 8" swimmers on the delta. Bump the bottom occasionally, tidal times are critical on the delta.

The strike to solid hook sets is a concern. Your tackle or hook set technique may be the problem. The fact you get good numbers of strikes is good. My problem in hook sets was setting too quickly, it's similar to a top water lure; let the bass turn before setting.

Tom

[Mattlures]

Which hard swimbaits are you using? There are some good ones out there and a whole lot of junk

[SSUfishing_dwhite]

Swimbaits are not a good search lure and pounding shoreline areas in hope of finding swimbait fish is a low % technique. The water you fish the bass are in pre spawn, so target pre spawn areas. Clear lake and the Delta are not trout waterways. Clear lakes hitch population is way down and hitch locate near stream inlets, so use hitch type swimmers In 6" to 7" sizes. The delta has herring, stripers, carp, small bass, bluegill, green perch, etc.

I would keep to carp, baby striped bass or baby bass color schemes and 6" to 8" swimmers on the delta. Bump the bottom occasionally, tidal times are critical on the delta.

The strike to solid hook sets is a concern. Your tackle or hook set technique may be the problem. The fact you get good numbers of strikes is good. My problem in hook sets was setting too quickly, it's similar to a top water lure; let the bass turn before setting.

Tom

 

 

I give that a shot... thanks for the advice

[Jay Ell Gee]

I fish a whole lot of soft swimbaits (my confidence bait) and I can agree with WRB. Letting them really get it in their mouth before setting tho hook is great.

Reel down the slack and set the hook when you feel the weight of the fish. I think you will do well. I'm not shy about my hooksets on swimbaits either.

[mike bat]

have you tried a mattlures baby bass ??? i just ask because it is a small swimbait but man the bass will crush it ..

[SPEEDBEAD.]

From talking to guys in your area, if you are fishing the Delta and not fishing at least SOME with a rat bait then you are missing out.

 

WRB is right about the A-rig. I dont consider that swimbait fishing really either.

 

Also, you say you only catch one or two per trip? You dont really say how big they are, so that may not be a bad thing. You're gonna go and not catch fish, accept that. If you are fishing for big fish (and honestly on the Delta I dont know why you'd fish for anything else) then you have to realize the only way to catch fish on swimbaits is to keep throwing them in high percentage areas. Gotta keep a bait wet to catch anything on it.

 

 

 

So Matt, about that rat bait?   LOL

[SSUfishing_dwhite]

From talking to guys in your area, if you are fishing the Delta and not fishing at least SOME with a rat bait then you are missing out.

 

WRB is right about the A-rig. I dont consider that swimbait fishing really either.

 

Also, you say you only catch one or two per trip? You dont really say how big they are, so that may not be a bad thing. You're gonna go and not catch fish, accept that. If you are fishing for big fish (and honestly on the Delta I dont know why you'd fish for anything else) then you have to realize the only way to catch fish on swimbaits is to keep throwing them in high percentage areas. Gotta keep a bait wet to catch anything on it.

 

 

 

So Matt, about that rat bait?   LOL

 

just went out of Russo's (on the delta) yesterday, the weather turned out to be perfect. threw a7 in  huddleston shad swimbait for about 4 hours bouncing it on the bottom... landed one 5lb on a 3ft flat to a 10 ft drop off on a tule point, that was the only action I had on the swimbait (about 1030 am) ... the rest of day we caught many just flipping the tules, but the advice helped tremendously for getting that swimbait fish out of the delta! haha

thanks. 

 

p.s I have heard of people throwing rat baits and getting 6 to 8lb doing it, but i have never tried it, maybe I should lol

[SPEEDBEAD.]

If you want to run fast, then you have to practice running fast.

If you want to lift a lot of weight, then you have to practice lifting a lot of weight.

If you want to become proficient with the swimbait, then you gotta leave all that other stuff at the dock and throw the big stuff.

 

Think about it. You are out there chucking a hudd for hours without so much as a sniff. You look over and you see people dropshotting off a point, catching 2lb fish and having a ball. You look the other direction and see guys flipping tules and catching a BUNCH of fish (nice fish, but not THE fish). It takes persistence in times like this and if there is a DS rod or a flippin' stick in your boat, I can promise you the temptation is darn near overwhelming to put down the big bait and pick up what you KNOW you can catch a fish with. This isnt about catching a fish, this is about catching THE FISH. Five pound fish are great but I guarantee you one of those Delta giants will stick in your mind forever.

 

Stay the course. Be a beast.

[SSUfishing_dwhite]

If you want to run fast, then you have to practice running fast.

If you want to lift a lot of weight, then you have to practice lifting a lot of weight.

If you want to become proficient with the swimbait, then you gotta leave all that other stuff at the dock and throw the big stuff.

 

Think about it. You are out there chucking a hudd for hours without so much as a sniff. You look over and you see people dropshotting off a point, catching 2lb fish and having a ball. You look the other direction and see guys flipping tules and catching a BUNCH of fish (nice fish, but not THE fish). It takes persistence in times like this and if there is a DS rod or a flippin' stick in your boat, I can promise you the temptation is darn near overwhelming to put down the big bait and pick up what you KNOW you can catch a fish with. This isnt about catching a fish, this is about catching THE FISH. Five pound fish are great but I guarantee you one of those Delta giants will stick in your mind forever.

 

Stay the course. Be a beast.

 

I"ll keep that in mind

[Tyler Firebaugh Fishing]

What color rats work best on the ca delta? also in what kind of cover?

[VolFan]

Dark rats in the dark. Nighttime is your best cover.