Hard Swimbait Opinions?

[FishChaser1]

The realistic looking ones with multiple joints

[deaknh03]

Price range?

[CTGalloway21]

they work.  I prefer the Bull Shad. 

[FishChaser1]

below $20 - my local pond has very clear water and is very abundant in perch, so I was looking for a good perch swimbait but cant decide on hard vs soft. People seem to prefer the soft but I can't find out why.

[Mattlures]

You wont find a good hard swimbait under $20. There are some decent soft ones around $20 though.

Or maybe I should change that to,   You will find a much higher quality soft bait then you will a hard bait in that price range.

[CTGalloway21]

maybe a Spro BBZ-1 in the 6 to 8 inch.  

[hatrix]

You can get a s waver or giron for under 20 and they are both solid baits. Not to discredit Matt but both of those are good baits under $20 although technically they are "glide baits" but they are still listed under the swim bait section. I would personally go with a s waver.

[deaknh03]

Under $20, I like the bbz, the Giron, the savagear 4play, and the tru tungsten. They all have decent action, and are built pretty sturdy. They are all hardbaits.

[HeavyFisher]

+1 BBZ, they catch fish and are perfect for people on a budget

[deaknh03]

+1 BBZ, they catch fish and are perfect for people on a budget

Off topic, beautiful pics you take!

[Dwight Hottle]

below $20 - my local pond has very clear water and is very abundant in perch, so I was looking for a good perch swimbait but cant decide on hard vs soft. People seem to prefer the soft but I can't find out why.

 

 

Since you want to stay under $20 & you have a lot of perch in your local pond I suggest you look here.  Check mattlures Eastcoast & Tournament soft baits in perch pattern.

[buzzed bait]

river2sea s waver if you're on a budget

[Crestliner2008]

maybe a Spro BBZ-1 in the 6 to 8 inch.  

X2 - Definitely! Even the "Jr." version is great. Just don't fish where there are sizeable pickeral around.

[Theangler1]

I would like to recommend the z9 perch from bass pro. It is the shape of a bluegill and slays 'me by me. Just replace he hook to a red size 4 and you won't miss them. They are also only 14$ for a great deal. I bet you can find the color for you.

[primetime]

Personally, I am not throwing an expensive lure in a pond simply because there are way to many obstacles to cast around and getting snagged in a tree, rock etc...is much more common from land than on a boat IMO....I also find I rarely get any lures back when fishing in a pond since I try to cast the shoreline and weedlines, and most ponds have spots where I need to backhand cast, and landing a Large Bass is also tough as you don't have the leverage, and if she takes you into the weeds, or underwater structure, there goes your $20 swimbait...I agree that the more expensive swimbaits work better, come with the right hoothk size and are designed well.

 

When I fish a pond, I like to throw soft plastics and if I go with a segmented swimbait, the Reaction Strike 3" and 4" triple jointed wake bait and suspending, slow fall and fast fall are all good, under $10, way under if they are on sale, but they require a treble hook upgrade so the I would buy a pack of much larger trebles as they only come with very thin and small #6 I think they are.

 

They make about 30 color patterns from Perch, sunfish, bream, shiner, and other nice patterns but the paint chips easy but I don't mind because they flat out catch fish....The wake bait in 3" is perfect for ponds and will swim over submerged grass and the suspender is great as well and will do the 360 degree spin if you practice snapping it like the xrap will also do....I never use that action but usually just throw the wake bait and reel steady at night, or simply use stop and go and it floats and gets smashed....

 

It is a great lure for the money and only other swimbaits that are good for under $20 are the academy versions (They have terrible action on the fall & are well built, good finish, but just ok if worked erratic, but only $5.99....Cabelas Rad Swimmer looks like a sebile Magic swimmer but does not have the shimmy on the drop like sebile but it is good for $4.99 and they also have a spro bbz knock off, although it looks identical, however it does not have good hooks (They use Matzuo and I just don't trust them for some reason even though I have never used them.....Strike Pro has a few good ones, Cabelas real image I am told fall apart,but that comes from a friend who complains about everything, yet still always buys what is cheapest and spends more replacing them as cheaper swimbaits often come apart if smashed hard.....

 

Overall, I would go Reaction Strike with a changed out treble, or Academy h20 Express shad or bluegill for $6 as they are most durable. Cabelas Rad Swimmer is worth a shot, but look for a sale and buy the Sebile Magic swimmer and it will catch more fish. I have not tried the Okuma Savage swimbaits but they look good, and I am a fan of Okuma, so for $10-$15 or maybe less I am sure they are good to go.....But, I would rather buy a pack of Lake Fork Soft Swimbaits since you will be able to fish them weedless, any depth, and for $6 you get like 5 baits that are each good for 4-5 fish. I like all the Lake Fork stuff, love to flip the Paddle tail worm with the segment and use their Hyper sticks for wacky rigs.

in

Every company makes a segmented swimbait now that I think about it from Yo-zuri, Live Target, and the Storm Kickin stick is a heck of a deal for the money....Forgot about that one....Check out storm....