Trout Swimbaits

[JakeKeenom]

Lately ive been seeing alot about trout colored swim baits (both the jointed and soft body) and i was curious if this was just in lakes where their is trout as the forge or if they are catching bass on these in lakes without trout in them. Also which is better the jointed or soft and can you fish with them in water between 45-50 degrees?

[Catch and Grease]

No trout swimbaits won't work in lakes with no trout, for the same reason worms won't work in lakes with no worms swimming around and jigs won't work in lakes without crawfish.

[rippin-lips]

The body of water doesn't have to have trout to fish them. They'll eat it. Both bait types have their place but in water that cold I'd go with a hudd.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

45-50?

 

As much as I'm not a fan, throw a hudd.

[Raul]

Forget about the "match the hatch" nonsense, a bass will eat anything that looks "alive" even though it has never seen it.

 

Got my first 10 + lber with a rainbow pattern Rapala Original Minnow, how many trout bass have seen in that pond ? -----> 0 ! , and they will never ever see one. The amount of fish I have caught with that lure is ridiculously large

 

Got my PB ( 13. 86 lbs ) with a Rapala Shad Rap SHAD PATTERN, how many shad bass have seen in that lake ? ----> 0 ! and bass will never see one. That lure has caught me literally thousands of fish.

 

So, next time you see something you like get it.

[NorcalBassin]

Just another example... Clear Lake bass readily hit rainbow trout Hudds despite never seeing a trout.

[Matthew2000]

Look up southern trout eaters....

[everythingthatswims]

Lots of trout baits come in different color patterns, so if you live somewhere with absolutely no trout then don't by trout patterns. Bass will hit trout patterns everywhere, but you need to worry less about the color and more about using a bait that is known for getting bit. 

[WRB]

The 68 Hudd soft comes in several color patterns, excellent cold water swimbait.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

Hudds come in other baitfish colors, like hitch

[*Hank]

Huddleston 8in.

[JakeKeenom]

Huddleston 8in.

Ive been looking at the hudd 8 inch is there a best rate of fall? I was thinking the rof 12 would be the best

[deep]

Choose the ROF depending on the speed you want to fish the bait at.

Fast retrieve with a low ROF => bait planes up on retrieve; slow retrieve with high ROF => bait'll sink down. ROF5 stays on level for about 1.5 secs per reel handle turn for a reel with 22 IPT.

If fishing on the bottom, choose your ROF according to whether you want the bait to dig in (12/16), or not (5).

 

I'd be VERY wary of listening to folks who have never caught a fish on a big bait, no matter how well-intentioned they are.

 

Good luck.

[WRB]

You can Use a heavy standard jig rod (not my recommendation) for the 6" or 68 ROF12 about 2 1/2oz, 8" Hudds require swimbait tackle! The ROF 12 is the popular rate of fall, experienced anglers often use the 5 during the winter because planted trout are close to the surface.

Tom

[JakeKeenom]

You can Use a heavy standard jig rod (not my recommendation) for the 6" or 68 ROF12 about 2 1/2oz, 8" Hudds require swimbait tackle! The ROF 12 is the popular rate of fall, experienced anglers often use the 5 during the winter because planted trout are close to the surface.

Tom

7'6 broomstick heavy enough?

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Not for the 8", no.

[WRB]

Not for the 8", no.

+1. Speed is right, you need a swimbait rod for swimbait over 4 oz's, 8" Hudds are between 4 1/2 to 5 oz.

Tom

[basshole8190]

Never seen a trout in my home lake but bass 2.5lbs and up still hit the 8" hudd in rainbow. I would suggest starting with the 6" or 68 and working those for a while and see how the fish react. Lots of different color schemes on those models. imo rof 5 is the most versatile

[JakeKeenom]

+1. Speed is right, you need a swimbait rod for swimbait over 4 oz's, 8" Hudds are between 4 1/2 to 5 oz.

Tom

So looking at more like a 8 ft heavy rod?

[bassindon]

No rules. Go out and write your own story and you will do better than most. Don't listen to people, your trying to catch fish not people. Just pay attention to the fish. The rest will get better and better. And if and when you do good, fish alone. They all go bad over big fish. I lived it. And don't show backgrounds they like that. Tell them if they want scenery go to Yosemite lol. It only takes one or two people to make you have to search for new water while they beat what they took from you. Creepers are the worst. They make you stop fishing . They are trying to see what your doing and come back and beat it up. Bites die that way but they don't care they just want what you got. Take that to the bank.

Good luck!

[bassindon]

A heavy rod in most cases is good if you butch brown your hudds. Get something to drive the huge jig hook home with some backbone. It needs to be opened up some for better hook sets though. Have some confidence. Like a H LDC pro is nice but you will have to much flex on the hook set. And the fish can use that extra flex against you. I guess it's the same teaching at all sites these days. Same people . I go against most things tought and that causes heated chat.

Good luck guys

This is how one hand keeps going on top of another till its not fun. Just like other sites but when it sounds week I say something.

Good night.

[Jtrout]

Just ordered 2 hudd 68 specials Weedless n 2 kickin storm 6in minnows got a stocked trout lake nearby work!

[teamtrout]

Okay, here is a thread I finally can add something to 

 

With the exception of last year, I have fished exclusively big swimbaits for the last 5 years. I don't catch nearly as many bass others, but I don't care, as long as I'm getting bigguns. 

 

Hudds are the favorites, but a lot of them work. I'm a big fan of these - they're cheaper, and work pretty darn well. 6 inch to 8 inch.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Swimbaits/Rigged-Plastic-Swimbaits%7C/pc/104793480/c/104775480/sc/103996980/Castaic-Boot-Tail-Rainbow-Trout-Swimbait/728093.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Frigged-plastic-swimbaits%2F_%2FN-1100351%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_103996980%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104793480%253Bcat104775480&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104793480%3Bcat104775480%3Bcat103996980

 

For rods and reels, some good tips have been given. I personally use a 8 foot medium heavy baitcaster with a big circular reel and 60 pound braid, to a 60 pound mono leader. I don't think the gear really matters, as long as it can handle a lure up to 3 or 4 ounces.

 

More important is where you fish them. Almost all of my swimbait bass have come from deep reservoirs that I know hold big bass. Don't waste your time fishing them in a spot if you don't know if it holds bass 5+ pounds. Trout colors are good if it's stocked with trout, but it doesn't really matter. I do use swimbaits in smaller, weedier ponds, but then I usually opt for a shiner or shad color.

 

And of course, be prepared to put the time in. It's not rare to go a week without a bite, but it's all worth it in the end. And you don't have to be in CA, FL, or TX. I'm in Massachusetts and have had great luck with them. A friend of mine went all last year only fishing 10+ inch swimbaits (must've been tough getting all those 0's), but he landed a total of 15 fish over 6 pounds, with 5 of those being over 8. Thats incredible for here in MA.

 

Good luck, 

Hope some of this helped,

 

~Troy

[gulfcaptain]

So looking at more like a 8 ft heavy rod?

There are a bunch of good swimbait rods.  Depending on how deep you want to get into the swimbait world is up to you.  If you're looking to get your feet wet, I would suggest Diawa's new swimbait rods at just over the $100 mark.  The Okuma big bait rods I think run up around $120-130.  Personally I got my feet wet throwing the 8" Hudd with a BPS IM6 Graphite 7'6"H Musky model rod.  It ran me about $60 and had the action I needed. Still fish it with great success.  But you are going to need a rod that can handle the 3-8oz lure rating.