Paddle Tail Swimbaits

[WI_Angler1989]

What's everyone's favorite solid body paddle Tail swimbaits? I don't have much experience outside of the good old Northland Tackle Mimic Minnow (classic around here). 

I'm interested in using them alone and as swim jig trailers, most likely.

[Bluebasser86]

Keitech Swing Impact, are there any others??

 

The Zman Diesel MinnowZ was actually really good for me last year too and didn't hurt so bad to use as the Keitechs.

[WI_Angler1989]

25 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Keitech Swing Impact, are there any others??

 

The Zman Diesel MinnowZ was actually really good for me last year too and didn't hurt so bad to use as the Keitechs.

The Keitechs are definitely not the cheapest. They look awesome though. Are they very durable? Any experience with their easy shiners? They definitely look pretty.

[Bluebasser86]

6 minutes ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

The Keitechs are definitely not the cheapest. They look awesome though. Are they very durable? Any experience with their easy shiners? They definitely look pretty.

Not durable at all, but their softness is what makes them swim so good and work so well. They're about on par with the GYB Senko in durability. I've used the Easy Shiner but didn't like them nearly as well. I'm going to try the BPS Speed Shad since they will be on sale next week and look similar to the Keitechs. Approaching with caution since the Havoc Beat Shad also looks like a Keitech and were very underwhelming. 

[WI_Angler1989]

It sounds like, so far, the Keitechs are the best. I've seen them in stores here but they run $7-$8. Looks like I'll be waiting till I make a tw order online.

[EvanT123]

Don't have a favorite but a money minnow or swimming fluke on a jig head or weighted hook  isn't half bad. 

[Montanaro]

Gambler ez swimmers.

Durable, good action, good colors, cheap.  Only issue ive had is that i need to boil some of their tails.

 

 

[WIGuide]

Big Bite Bait Cane Thumpers work well around here. I haven't tried the smaller sizes, but I think I'm going to order a few packs to try. I don't have any Keitechs at the moment. I've used some when fishing with a friend and they are very good. With as much as people talk about them, they seem to live up to the hype. I'll be having to pick up a few packs of those too. 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

7 hours ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

It sounds like, so far, the Keitechs are the best. I've seen them in stores here but they run $7-$8. Looks like I'll be waiting till I make a tw order online.

TW got me for 40 pack of Keitechs best

And put those Northland jigheads to use with them, Gander did have them on sale for .50 a 2pack

 

[scaleface]

I bought a Yum alabama rig kit on clearance and did well with them by themselves . The 3 " Mister Twister Sassy Shad has been slaying bass for decades .   The  prerigged ones work good too. I've used  Storm , Yum and Berkely , all three worked well . The Yum has rattling eyes and a weedguard , I did real well with it  . I usually let them sink to the bottom and use different retrieves hopping and dropping or slow and straight .

[Mike L]

For me it's the RI Skinny Dipper or the Big EZ. Haven't tried the Keitech..Yet

 

Mike 

[RyanFishing]

I really like the Strike King Swim'n Caffeine Shad and the Swim-n-Shiner. The caffeine Shad works better faster for larger action and the shiner works really well slower for a more finesse action. They're durability is also good as well.

[CJ]

I really like the Keitech myself but I also like Big Hammer especially if the water is a little stained.

[BaitMonkey1984]

18 hours ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

The Keitechs are definitely not the cheapest. They look awesome though. Are they very durable? Any experience with their easy shiners? They definitely look pretty.

I got into the keitech craze late. I started fishing regularly about one year ago. I tried the EZ shiner on a small jig head. I didn't get that many fish. I was fishing a yum money minnow on the yum money minnow swimbait hook and didn't want to retie so I put the keitech ez shiner on the yum money minnow swimbait. This is the only way I fish it now. The action is great and hook-up ratio is about 90%. They are not durable at all. You are lucky to get 2-3 fish on a bait. Generally you average 1-2 fish on each. 

 

There are two schools of people. Those that are happy they are catching em and those that want to complain about durability. Fishing aint cheap, but buy what you can afford. And when you hook enjoy it, dont fret that you just went through a pack of $10 plastics. 

[Hogsticker]

1) Keitech Impact and Easy Shiner

2) Reaction Innovations Dippers

3) Lunker City Ribster / Grubster

Bonus - River Rock Baits!

[Airman4754]

I like the Cane Thumpers. I don't think I have had any last more than three fish, but at $3 a bag I can live with that. I also use them for swim jig trailers.

Big Bite would be what I consider the "generic" to the $7 a bag companies and they have never let me down yet.

[Fishinthefish]

I use zoom, honestly not too happy with them. It's about the only product by them I don't like. This year I'm planning on trying out some keitech though. Heard great things from multiple places.

[iabass8]

Swing impact fat

little/skinny dipper

[WIGuide]

6 hours ago, Mosster47 said:

I like the Cane Thumpers. I don't think I have had any last more than three fish, but at $3 a bag I can live with that.

Try them on a 4/0 BPS vertical drop hook. It's just a keel weighted Gamakatsu hook, but that hook will fit the 5" Cane Thumper perfectly. It actually fits it so well the first 2-3 fish you don't usually even have to texpose the hook because the point stays right in the hook channel. After that I've had them last as long as 20 fish. That doesn't happen real often since a northern will usually come shred one with their teeth before it makes that long, but it's definitely possible. 

[Airman4754]

I also use the Big Hammer ringed swimbait. I only use the Bull Gull color to fish for Spots in the fall. Kokanee turn that red and black color when they spawn and they run up the river arms and Spots go after them like crazy. It's a hatch match that no one really has, but that bait has been extremely successful and durable. 

They are at a good price point too and come in a lot of colors.

[A-Jay]

The Berkley Havoc Bobby Lane's Grass Pig Swimbait - 5 inch is effective and very reasonably priced.

The Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper costs a little more but is a solid producer as well.

Both fish great by them selves and as a trailer on swim jigs and chaterbaits.

A-jay

 

[WRB]

You have over 20 mfr's of solid body paddle tail swimmers in the 4" to 5" category.

Mister Twister Sassy Shad was the first in the category.

Worm King was the fore runner of the longer skinner paddle tail, followed by Big Hammer when Worm King went out of business. Basstrix was the first hollow body paddle tail.

A durable lower price point soft plastic swimmer is Bass Assassin, take a look thier lures.

Tom

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The thing I like about the keitechs is how easily the tail swims. You can get good action and still have a slow retrieve. Fished on a 1/8 or 1/4 ball head with a dab of super glue durability improves a lot. 

[Bratcher]

I'm going to recommend the Big Bite Baits Swim Minnow, mainly because they are on sale at Tackle Warehouse at 75% off for $1.98 for a 4 pack.

I have the 5" version in the perch color and have had good luck with them. I don't know if they have as good of action as the Keitech's because I haven't used those yet but they are very durable. They are coated in some kind of silicone or plastic clear coating which makes them more durable while the inside is softer. The only downside to these is the fin on the top that makes rigging with a standard 4/0 to 5/0 size swimbait hook not work so great as you can see from the pics. You could rig it with the hook barb to the side so that the fin works as a weed guard but it might not track as straight. You could also just cut the fin off. What I do though is just rig it with a standard nose weight swimbait / alabama rig type hook.

ps don't buy these out before I get my next order in! I think Tackle Warehouse has them on sale because Big Bite Baits is discontinuing them. I could not find them on their site.

Here is link http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Big_Bite_Baits_Swim_Minnow/descpage-BBBSWMN.html

 

 

[Crestliner2008]

Another vote here for the Fat Swing Impact. Have taken many smallmouth and lake trout on the 5" size dressed on a 3/4 oz. bullet head jig.