Swimbait Fishing Florida

[MIbassin]

Any of you guys do it? It seems like weedless Hudds, rat baits and bull shads would work pretty well down there... I think they would give me a good chance for a big one!

[geo g]

Gambler E-Z swimmer and Big E-Z are  great swim baits Texas rigged, weightless.   You don't need belly weights with the big hooks.   Use a big #6 ewg Gama hook.  Throw in the heavy nasty stuff and swim it out.  Works great through pads, grass, timber or any other type of cover.  There is a wide variety of colors to choose from.  

[MCS]

Any of you guys do it? It seems like weedless Hudds, rat baits and bull shads would work pretty well down there... I think they would give me a good chance for a big one!

Yes there is a guy on another website in the Tampa area who catches absolute pigs of LMB and snook.

And what Geo said, everyone uses those things.

[SirSnookalot]

I bought some EZ's yesterday, didn't realize I didn't have the right hooks, but used them anyway and had a few strikes.  After I finished I deciding I was going to use them for snook and tarpon, hooked weedless for the days when heavy seaweed is floating in or on jig head for my normal usage.

[The Commodore]

I had juvenile sea trout blow up on a weedless EZ swimmer multiple times.  On some of them the EZ swimmer was almost half their length.  The swim action is great and they do well in heavy vegetation when rigged weedless.  I have not used the ones you mentioned.  I guess its cause I am not used to using that big of a swimbait for LMB.  I hear they catch big bass north of here though.

 

I recommend the EZ line and the TZ for finesse situations.  They are relatively cheap, decently durable and the swim action is great.  The bigger EZ's weigh enough to launch it weedless and they do not need a belly weighted swimbait hook like some others I have used that start rolling if the weight is not present.  Plus Gambler is a Florida company. 

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Try using them with a weighted hook 1/16th. It helps keep them running true and not sideways..

[gulfcaptain]

If you do fish the weedless 8" hudd, make sure you add some superglue around the nose/hook eye.  I have 2 of them, used one around some grass and just the pulling of the grass caused it to rip at the mouth.  So you might wanna add some mend-it to your shopping cart as well.  Other then that they look great in the water.  I'm sure all of the above would def increase your odds of catching a bigger bass.  But with that said, you have to "fish" them.  This means not throw it for 30min and change your mind.  It means throw it all day, even if you're not getting the hook ups.  Big swimbaits will also let you see fish that you didn't know were there as they reveal themselves following and looking at your offerings.  If you like the look of the hudds, check out the top hook savage gear thru-line top hook floating 8" baits.  

[Tartan34]

Don't do what I did.  I bought a lineup of baits, rod, and reel....then decided that I don't have the patience to fish them as gulfcaptain said.  This was after about an hour (total) throwing various baits...without catching anything.  I now have quite a few Hudds, Wake Jr, Bull Shad, Matt's Hard and Baby Hard Gills....as well as a rod and reel just sitting there.  I won't use them.  Ever.  Lots of $$ wasted.  

[JaxBasser]

I have a lot of luck with Cane Thumpers if that counts. I've been wanting to buy a Mattlues U2 Gill but I just can't drop $20 on one lure.

[gulfcaptain]

Don't do what I did.  I bought a lineup of baits, rod, and reel....then decided that I don't have the patience to fish them as gulfcaptain said.  This was after about an hour (total) throwing various baits...without catching anything.  I now have quite a few Hudds, Wake Jr, Bull Shad, Matt's Hard and Baby Hard Gills....as well as a rod and reel just sitting there.  I won't use them.  Ever.  Lots of $$ wasted.  

yes, they do take patience to fish with.  And I did read a post where someone asked if there was some club once you catch a fish on a large swimbait.  No club, just the patience to stick with it.  You should pick it up again, tie on a 8" hudd, and go fishing, leave everything else at home and make yourself fish it.  Once you get the first fish on it you will then continue to "trust" and have faith in the bait.  The smaller swimbaits everyone else is talking about work great.  Yes, they catch fish, I started out with the 3 1/2" Zman Swimmers, great little swimbait.  Caught lots of fish.  But the main topic in this post was if anyone was throwing the bigger weedless hudds, rats, and bull shads.  Tartan, if you have the setup, get and fish a ratbait, or one of the wake jr's at night.

[BassObsessed]

I'm sure alot of swimbaits will land you some nice bass in Florida. The short time I was down there recently I was throwing a 6'' weedless Hudd and caught this lady. I would have thrown an 8'' if I had a different rod/reel combo with me. And I agree on the patience thing...keep at it and you might not get numbers but a better shot at a giant.

 

[MIbassin]

The bass in Boynton Beach better watch out!

[basshole8190]

Don't do what I did. I bought a lineup of baits, rod, and reel....then decided that I don't have the patience to fish them as gulfcaptain said. This was after about an hour (total) throwing various baits...without catching anything. I now have quite a few Hudds, Wake Jr, Bull Shad, Matt's Hard and Baby Hard Gills....as well as a rod and reel just sitting there. I won't use them. Ever. Lots of $$ wasted.

not thread jacking but if you decide to get rid of some of those baits shoot me a pm

that being said at first i was hesitant on throwing big baits but. after a few fish i was hooked. I throw a lot of wake/billed baits that havev ersatility as topwater and shallow cover cranking. also soft swimbaits like hudds rago linethrus and 316 rising sons or mission fish are solid starter baits that get bit.

[Diggy]

Throwing that shell cracker g2 and other hard and soft body baits

[SirSnookalot]

The bass in Boynton Beach better watch out!

About the largest bass I caught this year was located about a 5 minute drive from where you'll be staying.  It's only 4 miles from my home, don't know why I don't fish it more often, caught some real nice fish there.

[0119]

I bought some EZ's yesterday, didn't realize I didn't have the right hooks, but used them anyway and had a few strikes.  After I finished I deciding I was going to use them for snook and tarpon, hooked weedless for the days when heavy seaweed is floating in or on jig head for my normal usage.

 

Iv'e caught alot of snook on the EZ. Even Reds strike at it but cant get hooked up.  Zoom 4/0 frog hook seems to work the best, it really needs the nose screw to work best.  Ive been trying a treble stinger swinging on the belly of the texposed hook in open water.   It would be killer on those monster jacks you get.

[MIbassin]

About the largest bass I caught this year was located about a 5 minute drive from where you'll be staying. It's only 4 miles from my home, don't know why I don't fish it more often, caught some real nice fish there.

Sir Snook, do you mind sending me a PM with the name of that place? Also I totally understand if you do not want to share.

[SirSnookalot]

Only places don't share are private locations where I'm allowed to fish.  Hagen Ranch rd about 1 mile north of Boynton Beach Blvd there is a main canal (C, Weaver Canal),  fish as work your way to the turnpike about 1/2 mile.

I may fish it today with an EZ swimmer.

 

I wish those jacks came back, they have disappeared.

[MIbassin]

Only places don't share are private locations where I'm allowed to fish.  Hagen Ranch rd about 1 mile north of Boynton Beach Blvd there is a main canal (C, Weaver Canal),  fish as work your way to the turnpike about 1/2 mile.

I may fish it today with an EZ swimmer.

 

I wish those jacks came back, they have disappeared.

Thank You! 

 

Also, one more thing i have been meaning to ask is: What baitfish can i expect to find in the local ponds/lakes? Bluegill are obvious, Shad? Shiners? Crappie?

[0119]

Mlbassin, I love the header on your avatar!  I say that at least once a week!

[MIbassin]

Thanks! Anyone know about the baitfish?

[SirSnookalot]

I did use the EZ Gambler a couple of times, used in canals and ponds.  I know many people have had success with it, one guy I know showed me some bass pics and they impressive.  My reaction was not the same, I didn't care for it, I did catch a couple of small bass with.  I fished both keel weighted and an EWG hooks.  I was anything but upset when I hung up and had to break one off, went to fluke and did much better.  My bass days are pretty much over for this year, just do a little bit of knocking around the neighborhood, it's getting humid and buggy.  Not an impressive fish but I did catch this one.