Super User ChrisD46 Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 Looking for advice on a dedicated 3.5" to 5" soft paddletail swimbait set up for using : RI Skinny Dippers , Big Bite Cane Thumpers , Keitech Swing Impact FAT , Basstrix , Strike King Shadiicious , etc. Rod length and action ? ...Reel & Gear Ratio ? ...Line & # lb. test ? ...Weighted Swimbait Hook Size or Lead Head & weight ? ...Thanks in advance !! Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 Depends on how you want to fish them. Are you fishing for schoolies, or finicky spots in deeper water... Or are you throwing them in the veggies? 1 Quote
Super User gulfcaptain Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 I would fish them on any 7'MH Fast action rod. There really isn't a special set-up for these. You fish them pretty much like a swimjig minus the jig. 2 Quote
Global Moderator Mike L Posted January 25, 2015 Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2015 I only throw a Skinny Dipper or a Big EZ. For both I'll use either a 6/0 1/4 oz weighted screw lock hook or a 5/0 unweighted screw lock with a pegged glass bullet, or a 1/16 oz bullet weight. I re-rig my frog rod when I do. 7' H/F, PQ with a mid 6 ratio reel, spooled with 30# braid. Mike Quote
Cgrinder Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 I throw paddletails in pads and over grass where lots of people would use a hollow-body frog, so my setup involves weighted hooks (I like Owners), a Heavy power rod, and 50+ lb. braid. If you have Pike, keep the braid thick. Pike love to steal Keitechs. Secret Weapon: Missile Baits Shockwave in Candy Gill. You're welcome. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted January 25, 2015 Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2015 Depends on how you want to fish them. Are you fishing for schoolies, or finicky spots in deeper water... Or are you throwing them in the veggies? Yep, need a little more info because where and how you fish them is going to be the deciding factor. I fish regular Swing Impacts in open water on a 6' 10" ML/XF spinning rod with 10lb braid and a 8lb leader and an open jighead. At the same time I'll fish a full sized Grass Pig or bigger Sick Fish on a weighted swimbait hook on a 7' MH/F with 50lb braid and fish it in vegetation. 1 Quote
Super User ChrisD46 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Super User Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the replies ! ...Current plan would be to fish open , shallow water out to about 15 ft. with occasional structure (docks) ...In the Spring these same waters will have grass growing up .... Other areas of the same depth (1 ft. to 15 ft.) have bare , hard bottoms with scattered rock piles . Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 Generic answer: 6 1/2'-7' M or MH/F #12 Yo-Zuri Hybrid 1/4-1/2 oz Weighted hook or Jighead My rig: G. Loomis MBR842C/ Core 50Mg/ #15 Tatsu/ Weighted Moaner Stroker Hook http://mysterytacklebox.com/moaner-hooks-weighted-stroker/ Specifically for the Keitech Swing Impact Fat: http://buckeyelures.com/jwill_swimbait_head.shtml 1 Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the replies ! ...Current plan would be to fish open , shallow water out to about 15 ft. with occasional structure (docks) ...In the Spring these same waters will have grass growing up .... Other areas of the same depth (1 ft. to 15 ft.) have bare , hard bottoms with scattered rock piles . In that case, I would fish those cane thumpers on casting gear through the grass. If the grass is really heavy, I'll fish it on my frogging setup (7' MH w/7.X reel and 50# braid). Then I would fish a smaller swimbait (*** swim bento is what I'm going to try this year) on a 1/4 oz jighead bouncing it off the hard/bare bottom w/spinning gear and 8# line (I'm gonna try Berkley IronSilk for that this year) Quote
livetofish28 Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 My setup is a St Croix mojo bass 7' mh fast with a 6:4:1 PQ and 40# braid Tight lines Andrew Quote
Super User ChrisD46 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Super User Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for the additional replies ! Roadwarrier : I have got to buy & try those Moaner weighted swimbait hooks - The Buckeye jig heads look good as well (many swear by both !) Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 I don't know why Moaner isn't a sponsor, I feel like I'm almost friends with the owners. Big O uses their products which I think he helped develop. I have been fishing them for several years. The Buckeye jig head is simply the bomb! Quote
TorqueConverter Posted January 25, 2015 Posted January 25, 2015 I throw my swimbaits paired to swimjigs on a 7' MH Daiwa Jupiter paired to a BPS PQ in 7X:1 with #14 Suffix Elite. The swimbaits I use are the BPS Sassy Sally which is basically a more durable Skiny Dipper knock off. I like the MH power, fast action and 7 foot lengh of the Jupiter but the 7.X:1 reel is too fast to keep the bait down in the weeds or along deep weedlines making me wish I had gotten a 6.X:1 ratio instead. I'm taking the mono off the reel after I lost a giant smallie on it over the summer. The Suffix Elite is a quality mono, but mono has too much stretch for the longs casts I make fishing main lake structures with swimbaits. Quote
Super User ChrisD46 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Super User Posted January 25, 2015 TorqueConverter & Others : I'm thinking of a paddle tail swimbait rod with the following "wish list" set up : * 7' to 7'6" MH Moderate Fast to Fast action rated up to 3/4oz. ~ 1 oz. ... Rod needs to have some tip to it but adequate backbone as well . * For a reel , I already have a unused BPS PQ 6:4:1 reel and would "most likely" use a #30lb. ~ #40lb. 8 strand braid . Based on the way a bass "usually" stuns a swim bait then takes it head first - a slight delay (after the strike) then just reel down on it should seal the deal with the above set up ... Comments ? Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted January 25, 2015 Super User Posted January 25, 2015 TorqueConverter & Others : I'm thinking of a paddle tail swimbait rod with the following "wish list" set up : * 7' to 7'6" MH Moderate Fast to Fast action rated up to 3/4oz. ~ 1 oz. ... Rod needs to have some tip to it but adequate backbone as well . * For a reel , I already have a unused BPS PQ 6:4:1 reel and would "most likely" use a #30lb. ~ #40lb. 8 strand braid . Based on the way a bass "usually" stuns a swim bait then takes it head first - a slight delay (after the strike) then just reel down on it should seal the deal with the above set up ... Comments ? That would be a good setup. For grass that would be a great option. You may not be able to cast lighter weights though. But I would use the setup you mentioned for sure. Quote
Super User ChrisD46 Posted January 26, 2015 Author Super User Posted January 26, 2015 A 3" to 5" paddletail swimbait even with a likght 1/8oz. weighted EWG hook is going to weigh 3/8th oz. ... Add a 3/8th oz. ~ 1/2 oz. swimbait jighead for a open hook setup and you will be in that 1/2+oz. to 1oz. lure range . All swimbait rods have in common the need for a sensitive , lively tip with solid backbone deeper in the rod . The kicker is most all swimbait rods start out at at 1oz. lure rates and go up to 8+ oz. and beyond . The way I see it - the smaller paddle tail swimbait set up need is not really being addressed in : "technique specific" rod development (that I could find) mainly a 7'+ rod length lively , sensitive tip transitioning into a solid backbone which handles from 3/8th oz. to 1 oz. lure weights (MH , Moderate Fast Action) . So far , the only thing I have really found close to this under say $150 is : Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 Frog Casting Rod 7'6" Med Hvy , Medium Action . Abu Garcia touts this rod (TW) as having a sensitive tip with solid backbone able to handle 12lb to 25lb. line (on-braid ) and lure weights from 3/8th oz. to 1.25oz weights . * Would this rod have the right requirements ? Anything else (under $150) that could meet these smaller paddetail swimbait requirements ? Quote
rawjuice Posted January 26, 2015 Posted January 26, 2015 With some of those I go for 6'8"-7'2" MH/F, I like using 4/0-5/0 that is usually 1/8oz but will opt for 1/4 depending on the depth/conditions. Cane Thumpers work great and have caught some nice tanks on those and well as a couple others. GL! Quote
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