First Swimbait?

[dpeels37354]

Ok so I'm planning to buy my first Swimbait. What are some of the good ones? I'm looking at a Spro BBZ-1 is that a good one? What are your suggestions? I'm not really looking at one over 1.5 oz

[PondHopper96]

Huddleston 68 special weedless! Got mine a few weeks ago and I love it! It's 2 oz but close enough right?

[Bluebasser86]

I wasn't a fan of the BBZ at all, none of them. If I was going to give one another try, I'd get a floater.  I'd suggest either an S waver 168 or a MS Slammer, either the mini or 7" version. 

[Crestliner2008]

You can't go wrong with the BBZ-1 in my opinion. I have the slow sink version; however I would really prefer the fast sink, as I believe I would be able to control my retrieve better with it, but since I don't have one, I can't really say. I have only about a half doz. swimbaits, including a couple of 8" Hudds. I've caught some decent bass on the BBZ, but it, along with most swimbaits, is not a "high percentage" bait. That is, you may have to cast one all day long and maybe get only one strike...or none! I usually hit the water with the intention of using one or two baits for the entire outing. I would be targeting only the largest bass in the water I'm fishing; SM or LM. I get my mind-set set up that way and just keep tossing. Sometimes you will win.....most times not. JMO.

[Montanaro]

I love my g2 shellcracker

[catch anything]

mattlures u2 gill

[catch anything]

pm speedbead about them he loves the things

[Weld's Largemouth]

Storm swimbaits. Don't waste your money on expensive Hudd baits, waste of money. Storm swimbaits are even better and much cheaper

[PondHopper96]

Storm swimbaits. Don't waste your money on expensive Hudd baits, waste of money. Storm swimbaits are even better and much cheaper

I'd have to disagree on that one! I fished those storm baits hard for about to months and only caught a handful of fish

[Raul]

Huddleston 68 special weedless! Got mine a few weeks ago and I love it! It's 2 oz but close enough right?

 

Oh yeah baby !

 

Basstrix Paddletail hollow belly.

[Hogsticker]

I've played around with a bunch of hard swim baits. The only ones that produced with any regularity were the R2S S Waver, and the BBZ1. Hollow body swim baits are where it's at. I use to scoff at these things but they are big fish magnets. I was out this morning just fishing from the bank with one. I'd chuck it out there and let it sink to where I was fishing it just above bottom. When I finally slowed down (should have to begin with) and just crawled it along fast enough to make the tail activate I hooked up. It was just a sudden stop and some weight. I railed her pretty good and it was on. Caught a 5.2 oz smallie kinda on! She completely choked the bait. When I opened her mouth I could barely see the head of the bait choked. They work. I won't leave home without them. I caught this one on a Lethal Weapon precision swim bait. These things are pretty sweet. They only weigh a quarter ounce, well so the package says, but they cast like a donkey. They sink pretty quick and have an amazing action as they do. The hooks are pretty good too. I haven't had any problems hooking up. You should check them out at TW.

[dpeels37354]

I've played around with a bunch of hard swim baits. The only ones that produced with any regularity were the R2S S Waver, and the BBZ1. Hollow body swim baits are where it's at. I use to scoff at these things but they are big fish magnets. I was out this morning just fishing from the bank with one. I'd chuck it out there and let it sink to where I was fishing it just above bottom. When I finally slowed down (should have to begin with) and just crawled it along fast enough to make the tail activate I hooked up. It was just a sudden stop and some weight. I railed her pretty good and it was on. Caught a 5.2 oz smallie kinda on! She completely choked the bait. When I opened her mouth I could barely see the head of the bait choked. They work. I won't leave home without them. I caught this one on a Lethal Weapon precision swim bait. These things are pretty sweet. They only weigh a quarter ounce, well so the package says, but they cast like a donkey. They sink pretty quick and have an amazing action as they do. The hooks are pretty good too. I haven't had any problems hooking up. You should check them out at TW.

Thanks I definitely will

[Mattlures]

I can assure you that Huddleston swimbaits are not a waist of money. They have caught more 10+lb bass then probably any other bass fishing bait in the last 10 years since they became available. I recommend buying a good quality bait to start with don't waist your money buying cheap junk because thats what you will end up with. A Hudd 68 is a great bait. Not counting any of my own baits here are some other great small swimbaits.  Rago mouse and rats and bv 3d. Osprey winged talon, 7in MS Slammer. I have heard the S waver is good too. The hollow belly baits are good baits that produce well but I don't consider those as real swimbaits. If you want to try those then I recommend the original, Basstrix. They are still the best ones.

[timsford]

Hudd 68 in waters where shad or herring are the main forage and mattlures ultimate gill or hardgill where sunfish are the main forage

[Bluebasser86]

Storm swimbaits. Don't waste your money on expensive Hudd baits, waste of money. Storm swimbaits are even better and much cheaper

Don't tell Butch Brown they're a waste of money. 

[Mr_Scrogg]

Hudds dont work... Ill PM you my addy. Just send them to me, Ill dispose of them.

[Primus]

Speaking of Hudds, I've been fishing the weedless Hudd Shads a lot lately and I'm very impressed with this bait. Matt's hard Bluegill's are fantastic , I also like his tournament series baits .  

 

The River to Sea live eye bottom walker is one of the best bargains in fishing, another good bait to fish .

[catch anything]

live target makes some sweet baits to

[WRB]

Difficult to get a small 1 1/2 oz swimbait to perform good, larger sizes 2 to 3 oz work better, unless you are talking about hollow bodies like Bassrix 6" paddle tails. 6" and  68 Huddleston rof 12 weigh 2 oz, not 1 1/2 oz.

R2Sea S-Waver 6 3/4" is 1.6 oz, a glide bait, not a true swimmer.

Black Dog G2 shell cracker is a surface wake bait. 1 1/2 oz.

BBZ-1, 4"  swimbait is OK, a little fragile.

Matts soft Gills all are in your weight range and good.

 

You need a medium heavy swimbait rod to fish 2-3 oz swimmers effectively and should consider that when getting into swimbait fishing.

Tom

[BasshunterJGH]

Jerry rago line-throughs r good. Also Huddleston

[Bass_Fanatic]

Hard to beat the Shellcracker G2

[SGT Rico]

BBZ-1 fan here. One of my most productive lures of all times.

[FishTank]

I have tried a couple but none of the super monster swimbaits.  I have the tried the storm lures with no luck and a MattLures Swimbait with little success.

 

I have used a couple of the Megabass Limber Lambers with great success.

[Primus]

Jerry rago line-throughs r good. Also Huddleston

 

The 7" BVD is my go to in spring for a big swimbait .

[hatrix]

There is so many options out there and tons of people ask this question on here. Really though a good indicator of what swimbaits to buy should be what have you heard about the most? Sure there are some sleeper baits but of you don't know stick with the famous and well proven baits.

As for your BBZ I have had waaaayyyyy better results throwing floaters compared to the sinking versions.

Just buy a couple baits you know are legendary and spend some time throwing them to get a feel for it and then decide if you want to take your addiction further and drain your bank account buying the most expensive baits in bass fishing.