Fall Wake Swimbaits

[Montanaro]

Im getting a spro rat in mail tomorrow and plan to throw it until we get hard water. Ill be kayaking a pond this weekend and water temps are probably 55 to 60.

Ive seen pictures of late season MS slammer and BBZ bass but is this something yall have experience with (looking at you bluebasser). Should I stick to it all day looking for one big bite? I have a tendency to lean on my dropshot at that pond.

[stkbassn]

I'm curious about the topwater aspect of the question in the late fall too. I do hear of bass being caught on buzzbaits in the dead of winter so I suppose fall shouldn't be out of the question for good topwater action.

 

The part I can comment on is don't expect only big fish on the rat because you'll get small fish too. The smallest fish I've caught on it was around 12-13 inches but that's small. So it will catch fish big and small and I don't look at it like I do some of those other monster baits that might only get that one or two bites or even no bites on a trip. I think you're going to love that bait! I do for sure. Post pics and results.

[gulfcaptain]

I've caught all but one of my large swimbait fish in the middle of the day, sun out.  I wouldn't worry about time of day, but if you're serious about throwing it, only take that rod and bait and fish it.  After the first fish you will have the confidence to continue to throw it.  But if you bring a dropshot rod, odds are after a hour or two fishing if you don't get a bite the dropshot will come out and that will be it.  Last fall I had a great bite on the hollow body frog when everyone else was fishing small dropshots.  First fish on the 2nd cast was a 5+lb fish....bright sky and middle of the day. And in open water.

[Big Bait Fishing]

i don't know about back east , but out here in California , most all of the resovoirs stock rainbow trout . the bass out here love them so throwing big trout imitations is mandatory !!! i like to fish the entire water column ..

[Dogmatic]

Have had success throwing north side(south facing) rip rap in the morning after sunrise. I'm usually off the water by 10,so can't tell you if it'd be good the rest of the day, but as the water warms it'd probably continue to be effective.

[Montanaro]

Just caught a one pounder... Pic wont upload though

[BradGuenette]

Look into the Jackall Kawashi Mikey 140, one of my favorites.

[Cgrinder]

Look into the Jackall Kawashi Mikey 140, one of my favorites.

What are you throwing that on? I'm interested.

[WRB]

That's a interesting pile of stuff, did you empty out a few tackle bags looking for a swimmer?

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

Bass will eat a big bait in surprisingly cold water. The key is to move it slowly and make it look easy to catch. One big prey item is a lot more tempting than a small one right now. 60-55 degrees is still plenty warm for them to work. In the fall I'll catch topwater fish all the way into the high 40's sometimes. 

[BradGuenette]

What are you throwing that on? I'm interested.

Champion 706cb

That's a interesting pile of stuff, did you empty out a few tackle bags looking for a swimmer?

Tom

Just the tackle pile on the table in my fishing room, baits that need terminal swapped out, spares that get tossed around, just a overall tinker table

[Bluebasser86]

Just the tackle pile on the table in my fishing room, baits that need terminal swapped out, spares that get tossed around, just a overall tinker table

I have 2 of those tables at my house, one in the garage and one in the spare bedroom. It's amazing how much of the same stuff is on mine in the garage. 

[bass_masster]

I'm curious about the topwater aspect of the question in the late fall too. I do hear of bass being caught on buzzbaits in the dead of winter so I suppose fall shouldn't be out of the question for good topwater action.

 

The part I can comment on is don't expect only big fish on the rat because you'll get small fish too. The smallest fish I've caught on it was around 12-13 inches but that's small. So it will catch fish big and small and I don't look at it like I do some of those other monster baits that might only get that one or two bites or even no bites on a trip. I think you're going to love that bait! I do for sure. Post pics and results.

Yeah, you're right and this was surprising to me, while you'll usually catch larger sized fish on big swimbaits, I've had no shortage of smaller bass hitting them.

 

Got this one in a 30* cold snap the other weekend on Spro BBZ1 Rat:

 

[blckshirt98]

No life vest bro!??!

[bass_masster]

No life vest bro!??!

 

Stuffed it behind the seat, was in the middle of de-layering (2 underarmour layers were a little too much), swimbait was just sitting out in open water, rod was laying on the gunwale, scared the hell out of me thought it was going overboard.

 

Never had that happen before, a fish hitting a non-moving bait.

[ChrisD46]

I say the new series of Spro Rats in a Bass store I frequent recently - as unconventional as they look , the owner can't keep them on the shelf !! I tend to still go old school with Mann's , Bandit , Bomber Long A's or Bass Pro "The Egg" for wake bait duty .

[C0lt]

Stuffed it behind the seat, was in the middle of de-layering (2 underarmour layers were a little too much), swimbait was just sitting out in open water, rod was laying on the gunwale, scared the hell out of me thought it was going overboard.

 

Never had that happen before, a fish hitting a non-moving bait.

a lot of these bigger swimbaits do really well when they are being dead sticked. With the segmented bodies of these baits the movement of the water gives them a really subtle and enticing action. Ive had several fish hit my bbz floating trout when I had my rod in one hand and my phone in the either reading a text.

[bigbill]

Yum money minnow with the dying minnow twitch presentation just snap twitch it and let if go where ever. Wait and repeat.