Paddletail Swimbaits

[hitchhiker]

... Once I started slitting the belly open, it made rigging easier and it increased my hookup percentage....

X2

Slit the belly and skin hook it, on a weighted swimbait hook with a springlock.

[David P]

I've lost a TON of fish with all of those keel weighted hooks, it just seems like the weighted part of the hook has more trouble going through the plastic, and it also tears them up easier. I lost quite a few fish, and baits until I stopped using them.

The hook below (Bladde runner Swim bait hook) has greatly increased my hook up and landing, and yet is still quite weedless. I don't throw them any other way now. They also keep the baits lasting longer.

Which is why I figured braid would be better. If the hook has trouble penetrating the platic, I figured a no stretch line would help. I'll give the blade runner a try. It will probably work fine on a high tide when I'm mostly working the bait over the grass, but I'm skeptical about a lower tide. David, which paddle tail do you like most? Which Dobyns rod do you throw them on?

  Braid is a tough call, for me it's very situational. I SWEAR by 65lb braid and a 15-20lb fluoro leader for throwing paddletails in some cases. In others, I use a straight 15lb or 20lb fluorocarbon. If I'm fishing really deep, typically I use braid (20ft+). If i'm fishing shallow, which it sounds like you are (tidal waters like I do sometimes) I opt for 20 fluorocarbon. I go 20 just for the sake of keeping them from burring into the weeds.

 

  I personally throw the original basstrix ones in the 6" size. I throw paddle tails on my Dobyns 765 Flipping stick MOST of the time, but occasional will throw it on the 744DX if that's an open rod. The two best rods IMO for paddle tails would be the 735 and 765.

  I've had very little problems with getting weeds when throwing the blade runner hook, obviously it will get more than rigging it weedless, but you might be pleasantly surprised.

[David P]

I've lost a TON of fish with all of those keel weighted hooks, it just seems like the weighted part of the hook has more trouble going through the plastic, and it also tears them up easier. I lost quite a few fish, and baits until I stopped using them.

The hook below (Bladde runner Swim bait hook) has greatly increased my hook up and landing, and yet is still quite weedless. I don't throw them any other way now. They also keep the baits lasting longer.

Hey David, I actually have No idea how to rig those hooks with a swimbait without tearing it up getting that huge weight in. I think i'm doing it wrong :-X

   Basically you line the hook up on the outside of the bait to see where the hook will pop out. You want the eye of the hook to be coming out of the top of the head between the two eyes on the bait. Once you line it up on the outside, cut just a very little hole on the back where the hook comes through. Slide the bait hook eye first into the bait and towards the head. Then push the eye of the hook through the head of the bait.

If that doesn't make sense, check you tube Blade Runner Swimbait Hook, there should still be a video up.