Swimbaits In Pennsylvania

[Nquince79]

I just ordered two spro swimbaits from the tackle warehouse sale because I hear they are good and I want to get better at using them. I live in Pennsylvania and never hear of anyone using swimbaits here so my question is do you guys think they will work because a 4 to 6 pounder is hard to catch and I know they are meant for bigger fish. I don't know if the smaller fish here could eat them if you guys have any information or if you have caught some fish on them could you guys share it with me?

[TC235 <*))))><]

Check this post out should answer most of your questions. Just be patient and always alert cause you never know when a monster will strike. You'll probably need some decent gear to throw that 8" silver fish.     

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/127060-huddleston-swim-baits-any-luck-in-the-north-east/

[SPEEDBEAD.]

4-6lb fish might be hard to catch because maybe you are not fishing for them. Learn about the fish you are looking for; learn the lakes you are fishing and apply widely accepted information on big fish to the lakes you are visiting. Fine tune from there.

 

Swimbaits are a tool, they are not a magic bullet.

 

Taking a crayon from a 2 year old and giving him a paint brush doesn't make him Picasso. It usually makes a mess.

[tomustang]

Even dink bass will smash bigger swimbaits or any bigger bait for that matter. You should hear about the musky guys get PO'd because 2lb largies strike their huge lures.

And yes PA guys use swimbaits just not many of them.

[Raul]

In my neck of the woods where 10+ lb fish are "normal" a 5-6 lber is still a good fish, I may joke around sayin´ that a 5-6 lb fish is a dink because I´ve caught a good number of 10+ lbers, however most of the guys I´ve fished with and seen fishing down here where 10+ lb fish are "normal" seldomly catch a 5-6 lber, and to many that 5-6 lber may become the largest fish they will ever catch, the "trophy" of a lifetime.

 

So, you going out and purchasing a swimbait in the hope of catching bigger fish no matter where you at is an illusion, you need more tan a swimbait to catch bigger fish, what catches bigger fish is knowledge and consistency, you have to know where and when the odds of that bigger fish being there are higher.

 

It´s not the wand, it´s the magician.

[Nquince79]

Well I have done musky fishing so I have a rod and reel for the 8 inch I just want to know if they are any good or just a California big fish only kind of deal or if I will still catch 2 pounders

[Megastink]

Yes, you will catch smaller and bigger fish on it, just not all the time. Its like using any other bait; under certain conditions. Aim for 55-65*F water tems in spring (prespawn) and I personally like cloudy, breezy, rainy days. Big girls just seem to want to eat that day. Good luck!

[Nquince79]

Thank you for the information I definitely want to work on getting better swimbaits this year

[smalljaw67]

Yes, you will catch smaller and bigger fish on it, just not all the time. Its like using any other bait; under certain conditions. Aim for 55-65*F water tems in spring (prespawn) and I personally like cloudy, breezy, rainy days. Big girls just seem to want to eat that day. Good luck!

 

This is great advise, remember it. I tried all kinds of swim baits and put them back on the shelf for awhile and every now and again I would force myself to keep using them and I found so things that may help you. One thing is soft plastic swim baits like the 3.5" to 4.5" will work most of the season but I found there is a great swim bait bite in colder water, just as Megastink said, 55 - 65 degrees is optimum. I found that prespawn is the best time for the hard body baits, I have a 4.5" Sebile Magic Swimmer and a 5" Storm Kickin Stick and I thought they were useless until one day when I was on a good jerkbait bite and I wondered if the swim bait might work, guess what? I was killing them on both baits and both were getting bit by a bigger average size fish. So, you get a cloudy day in late April with water temps hovering around 58 to 60 degrees, don't hesitate, that is the perfect time for it.

[Montanaro]

I've considered picking up a trout swimbait...reason being, trout are stocked often around here and surely a big bass will pound some of the smaller ones.

 

But I've read that California bass are really the only bass that are conditioned to eat trout.  Another concern is that when they stock, the bass are inactive and unlikely to chase down a trout...before the musky kill them all.

 

As for swimbaits under 6 inches and <1.5 oz....I don't see any reason not to use them as that's not an outrageous size for a bass's meal.

[gr8outdoorz]

I've considered picking up a trout swimbait...reason being, trout are stocked often around here and surely a big bass will pound some of the smaller ones.

 

But I've read that California bass are really the only bass that are conditioned to eat trout.  Another concern is that when they stock, the bass are inactive and unlikely to chase down a trout...before the musky kill them all.

 

As for swimbaits under 6 inches and <1.5 oz....I don't see any reason not to use them as that's not an outrageous size for a bass's meal.

 

Not so sure about that statement. I have caught a number of bass on Hudd's 68 Trout on my home lake and in local ponds. None of which are stocked with trout. Bass are opportunistic feeders. If they see something that looks like food they will pounce on it.

[Montanaro]

Not so sure about that statement. I have caught a number of bass on Hudd's 68 Trout on my home lake and in local ponds. None of which are stocked with trout. Bass are opportunistic feeders. If they see something that looks like food they will pounce on it.

 

I agree, but was just posting something I had read when searching for swimbait info.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Any time is a good time to throw a swimbait, you just have to know what they are eating.

 

Under 50 degree water, 8 inch trout bait.

 

Upper 50 - lower 60 degree water, bluegill bait

 

Upper 70 - low 80 degree water, topwater rat bait

 

[MIbassin]

Any time is a good time to throw a swimbait, you just have to know what they are eating.

 

Under 50 degree water, 8 inch trout bait.

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Upper 50 - lower 60 degree water, bluegill bait

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pond fish.jpg

 

Upper 70 - low 80 degree water, topwater rat bait

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SPEED, when the water is warm enough for you to fish a rat bat, do you fish it during the day too? I noticed that 3 out of the 4 pictures are at night.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

All day man, all day.

 

Probably my favorite bite to get on. It's vicious.

[Megastink]

I've considered picking up a trout swimbait...reason being, trout are stocked often around here and surely a big bass will pound some of the smaller ones.

 

But I've read that California bass are really the only bass that are conditioned to eat trout.  Another concern is that when they stock, the bass are inactive and unlikely to chase down a trout...before the musky kill them all.

 

As for swimbaits under 6 inches and <1.5 oz....I don't see any reason not to use them as that's not an outrageous size for a bass's meal.

Simply not true. You need to understand you're prey. Bass are opportunistic feeders; they'll eat whatever they can. One of my FAVORITE early spring passtimes is to go to a certain local lake, maybe 40 acres, the day after they stock trout for opening day (usually mid March). The lake is, at that time, closed to fishing. However, I like to watch the little "V" shaped wakes on the surface, then see the HUGE wakes come and explode on them. I'll sit there for hours with a thermous of coffee and enjoy the show!

[Craiger12]

SPEEDBEAD - When you say 8" trout baits for water under 50 degrees, are you primarily referring to Hudds or other baits as well? Looks like a jointed hard bait in that pic.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

LOL, admittedly I'm not a Hudd guy. I am generalizing with the shape/profile of a bait I tend to favor in certain temperatures. If I can get away with fishing a hardbait over a soft bait, I'll do that 100% of the time.

 

 

From there you can get into speed, location, color, etc. The list goes on and on.

[Craiger12]

LOL, admittedly I'm not a Hudd guy. I am generalizing with the shape/profile of a bait I tend to favor in certain temperatures. If I can get away with fishing a hardbait over a soft bait, I'll do that 100% of the time.

From there you can get into speed, location, color, etc. The list goes on and on.

Is that a hook up ratio issue or something else all together, like personal preference?

[Raul]

I've considered picking up a trout swimbait...reason being, trout are stocked often around here and surely a big bass will pound some of the smaller ones.

 

But I've read that California bass are really the only bass that are conditioned to eat trout.  Another concern is that when they stock, the bass are inactive and unlikely to chase down a trout...before the musky kill them all.

 

As for swimbaits under 6 inches and <1.5 oz....I don't see any reason not to use them as that's not an outrageous size for a bass's meal.

 

If that were my school of thought I would have never purchased trout pattern baits, not just swimbaits, any trout pattern bait for that matter, the only bass that see trout in my neck of the woods are high in the Sierra where it´s cold enough for trout to live; however, 95 % of my fishing trips take place in waters where bass have never seen a trout and will never see one because it´s too warm, yet, trout pattern baits work as well as any other ( whatever ) pattern.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Is that a hook up ratio issue or something else all together, like personal preference?

 

Personal preference and style.

[basshole8190]

Hey speed what kind of rat is that in that pic? If you dont mind me asking.

[Nick Benedik]

I know that there is a lot of talk about how it doesn't matter if you use a trout colored bait in a non-trout lake , but would it be better to purchase a shad color bait or yellow pearch bait instead of the trout if you know for sure that the lake has those fish?