Plastic Swim Bait Help

[Big Stick Joe]

Hey guys, it has been a long while since i have posted so here it goes. This year i decided i wanted to give plastic swim baits a go. So i went on Basspro.com and start reading reviews because they break the reviews down by categories. The swimming Senko had good reviews but at almost $8 a bag, idk if i'm willing to dish that out for a first time swim bait fisherman. Than i ran across Live Magic shad. Again, great reviews and almost $7 a bag. Zoom has a swim bait for $4 and good reviews. I know reaction innovations has a swim bait too but i'm not sure how it is.

 

So I would like to hear any and all options that people would like to throw my way. Which swim bait they like. Color, size, and swim bait hooks and time of year you like to throw them. I was thinking pre and post spawn and fall when the fish are actively chasing would be good times to throw them. Thanks guys.

 

Joe

[Americanzero]

Reaction innovations make a good plastic, never had a problem with them. Also like Trigger X, they have some good colors at a good price.

[primetime]

Best Soft Swimbait IMO pound for Pound is the Gambler Ez Swimmer in all sizes....Not Expensive, Can throw them in heavy weeds, deep water...Rig with A Hook to match size of bait, as well as conditions...If Weedless, go with a Screw Lock EWG hook from 1/0-5/0 depending on size as with the big 5" swimbaits you have alot of plastic to get through but the Gamblers are soft, and Hollow bellies like Yum Money Minnow are good as well, but they are a bit stiff for my liking although they have awesome colors and make a 6.5" which is great. I will go as large as a 7/0 weighted swimbait hook, but you can mess around with nail weights, Inserting Weights in belly etc.....

 

If you are in open water, a Sassy Shad on a jighead is not a bad idea, or simply rigging any swimbait with a VMC or Strike King Swimbait Jig Head works for me. It takes time to master the art of Swimbait fishing and I am still learning and have tried alot of them, and not sure if the More Expensive models catch more fish, as I feel it is the action you give the bait that matters most....

 

I view the Zoom Swimming Flukes as a Fluke and not really a swimbait, and the Swim Senko is fantastic,but I fish it more like I would a plastic worm or Stickbait, just like a senko only I can get strikes on the way back to the boat instead of just reeling my regular senko back to the boat....

 

I carry and use Zoom Swimming Flukes, Swim Senkos, and both Gambler Ez Swimmers, Lake Fork Magic shads, and Hollow bellies as they all have different actions and each has advantages over others for certain situations....The only way to learn what you like best is to experiment with a few different styles..I know alot of guys throw the Keitech Shiners, Castaic Swimbaits, Strike King Shadalicious, and I recently did well with some Zman Paddle shads..

 

Hope that Helps, I always seem to do better with a weighted hook and I find the Owner Beast Locks or VMC swimbait Hooks to be the best and easiest to use...Also the Zoom Horny Toad Hooks work well with the bigger swimbaits also.

[Bluebasser86]

I'd consider all those baits to be boot tail grubs instead of swimbaits, but they're very effective at times for sure. My favorites are the Zoom Swimming Fluke, Havoc Grass Pig, and the Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper if I'm trying to keep it cheaper. The best I've fished are the Keitechs though. They're more expensive and I don't really fish them on a swimbait hook, but if I'm in open water where I can fish one on an open hooked jighead they'll fish circles around the rest. 

[TorqueConverter]

The Berkeley Flat Back Shad is pretty good.  It's one of the few with a rigid enough spine to translate tail movement into a swimming motion of the bait.  A snap or split ring attached to the jig head frees up a lot of movement and allows it to swim like a giant soft plastic shad rap. 

[gobig]

I got two words... TRASH FISH! On the 6in baits 8/0 owner beast. On the baby 6/0 owner beast.

[WIGuide]

I really like the Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper in the bigger size. You can fish it and rig it many different ways, but my favorite is with a 4/0 BPS vertical drop hook. It fits the bait perfectly. I really like using this setup in water less than about 5 feet deep. As for when to use them, I'd suggest any time the water is wet.  

[roadwarrior]

 Keitech Swing Impact Fat, Shadalicious, Berkley Hollow Belly, GYCB Swimming Senko

Rage Tail Menace and Shellcracker, LFT Live Magic Shad and RI Skinny Dipper.

[Big Stick Joe]

Thank you everyone for your responses. You all have given me plenty to look at and investigate. Now when would I throw these...certain period of the year or all year long?

 

Joe

[Big Stick Joe]

One more question. Does it matter if I use a EWG or weighted hook with swimbaits?

[BigMoneyGrip]

I've had really good with the Berkley Havoc Grass Pig. I use it with a weighted and unweighted hook, depending on conditions. My best coloer are pearl white and swamp gas.

[Bluebasser86]

I'd go with the belly weighted style hook if you're dead set on fishing them weedless like that. Personally, I like fish most of those style baits on an open hooked jighead with or without a weedguard. I let them sink to the bottom in the area I'm fishing and either do a slow, steady retrieve or stroke them back to the boat. When they're on them they'll knock slack in the your line on the fall. 

[roadwarrior]

 I like fish most of those style baits on an open hooked jighead with or without a weedguard. I let them sink to the bottom in the area I'm fishing and either do a slow, steady retrieve or stroke them back to the boat. When they're on them they'll knock slack in the your line on the fall. 

 

X2

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Belly wieght for,weedlesss. Open jig head for,open water. You can use a weedgaurd or not, all the bait listed above are great choices. Mess around with nail weights and diff swimbaits. So many differrent ways to fish i love it!

[Hooligan]

For the money, the Grass Pig is probably the best bait I've ever fished around here.  I can honestly say that I've caught more fish on this bait than all other soft plastic hollow or solid swimbaits combined.  There's just something about it that is amazing.  It's got the right fall rate, the right tail movement, and the right body movement.  It's been a superb bait for me, period.

As far as hok styles, big football heads, to weightless EWG hooks to Hardhead style rigs.  They all work.

[MacP]

I fish R.I. Little and Skinny Dippers.  Keitechs too.   They are more expensive - but have a greater tail wag.

 

I fish them with EWG hooks and sometimes with a small bullet weight to get them down if the water conditions warrant it.

[guisingerevan]

IMO keitech swing impact FATs are the best swimbait out there. Bluegill flash 4.8" rigged on an eagle claw 5/0 weighted swimbait hook is my go to set up when they're not biting, but that's just me 

[Primus]

Fans of the R.I. Skinny Dipper & Berkely Grass Pigs might want to try the Strike King Swimmin' Caffiene Shad, I was very impressed with this bait last year.

[Big Stick Joe]

WOW guys, thank you all very much for your input. I will take all comments and study them carefully. I will start looking at my local walmart tonight or tomorrow. All of their fishing items are on sale. You guys are the reason why this website is so great.

 

Joe

[Amarley]

Go to Tackle Warehouse and order about 5 bags of Reaction Innovation Skinny Dippers and maybe a couple bags of Little Dippers.

 

Skinny Dippers- Colors:

1. Junebug

2. Bad Shad

3. White Trash

4. Houdini/Shiner

 

Fish with a EWG hook, either weighted or unweighted. I also fish them on a swim jig. I fish them like a spinnerbait, and they never get tangled up in cover. My favorite rod to fish these with is a 7' H IRod Genesis 2, 6.4:1 reel, 15 lb flouro line. I also use a 7'2 Powell Swim Jig rod with 30 lb braided line with a flouro leader.

 

For Little Dippers

1. White Trash

2. Lime Ice

3. Junebug or a dark color

 

I fish these on Scrounger heads, jig heads, or as swim jig trailers. You can fish these on a variety of rods, from spinning to casting. But, my favorite is to fish them with the swim jig rod mentioned above or on my 7'1 MH G Loomis GL2 Casting rod with a 6.4:1 reel and 12-14lb flouro.

 

Hope this helps. I can promise it will be the best $40 you've ever spent on lures.

[SpencerLittle]

I know it hasn't been out long and probably hasn't had a chance to get fished much but the new missile shockwave 4.25 is an awesome running little dude. It has better tail motion than any that I have seen yet. And are priced to sell. Only 3.99 a pack I do believe.

[doyle8218]

Keitech Swing Impact FAT 

Bluegill Flash

4.8 in