Looking to throw finesse swimbaits

[Dypsis]

I want to start throwing light swimbait jigheads (1/16-3/16oz) on spinning gear.  Probably a Medium Power.  Looking for advice of some jigheads to try as well as what size baits pair well with them.  I throw a Keitech for example a good amount but am throwing the 4.8" alot on a lightly weighted swimbait hook.  Does a 3" or 4" size pair better?  Any baits you like better than others or the normal Keitechs, skinny dippers, etc.

I will be targeting grass lines in less than 5' of water primarily.  Is 7lb FC too light of line with the grass edges they can dart into.  If it helps 3-5lb fish are fairly normal, not pulling any 10lbers out, maybe one day!

Thanks!

[bholtzinger14]

I had my daughter setup using the Yum Money Heads from Walmart (b/c I did not want to place an online order for different heads) with the 4.25 Lunker City Grubsters.  She caught fish, but I think next time I will get the Swimmin' Ribsters or something a little skinnier to see if they have better action (or something that somebody recommends on this post). I use braid to a fluorocarbon leader and I don't see why 7-10 lb fluoro would not work. If you keep losing fish with the 7 then bump it up a few lbs. 

 

 

[FishOnLMB]

Some other swimbait a I like to throw besides a Keitech is a Jackall Rythm Wave. It has great action in the water. If you are going to throw swimbait around cover, you should probably switch up to 10lb broad. I would also invest into some belly weights EWG swimbait hooks. The size of the swimbait really depends on how big the shad are that the bass are feeding on. 

[Hogsticker]

I like the Owner ultrahead inshore jig heads, 1/8 oz with a 3/0 hook. I use these for baits in the 3.5 inch range. I also like the Picasso Smartmouth Gamakatsu swimbait jig heads. These go as light as 1/16 oz and come with whatever hook size you want. I'd probably step up to 10 lb fluoro but I use casting gear. Braid to leader may be better with spinning gear, though I'm sure 10 lb Tatsu would work. 

[Montanaro]

I use revenge darter heads and gambler tz swimmers. 

 

Large crappie and bass love em.  Very good on smallies

 

Ill have to look into those owner inshores tho.

[scaleface]

• Finesse swimbaits , you mean like a a Sassy Shad ?

[Dypsis]

16 minutes ago, scaleface said:

• Finesse swimbaits , you mean like a a Sassy Shad ?

Yes just 3 & 4" paddle tails really.  Im used to throwing the 4.8 keitech on belly weighted hooks.

[scaleface]

A short shank hook gives the Sassy Shad type baits a lot more action . The only company I know that makes then is D.O.A.

[Angry John]

I run the regular 4" keitech and the shiner on the owner 3/0 weghted hook.  i end up using standard ball heads on the 3" baits, both on a dobyns 743.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

These Trokars are awesome sharp. 1/8head with a 4" Keitech

 

[Hogsticker]

I understand the weight you want to use is somewhat finesse, but if you really want to finesse you should downsize the bait as well. Try the 3" Keitech easy shiner. It will catch plenty of fish. Also try swimming a smaller Keitech crazy flapper along those weed lines. They flat produce. 

[EvanT123]

I've had some decent luck with a 4 inch easy shiner on a 1/8 ball head with 1/0 hook. Also throwing a fluke on a jig head has produced a few decent fish. 

Is a grub a swimbait ? Those always seem to work. 

[Jagg]

59 minutes ago, EvanT123 said:

I've had some decent luck with a 4 inch easy shiner on a 1/8 ball head with 1/0 hook. Also throwing a fluke on a jig head has produced a few decent fish. 

Is a grub a swimbait ? Those always seem to work. 

The grub is the original swimbait. I really like the VMC boxer jigs now, but wished they came in 1/16. There were a lot of jigs I had the utmost confidence in, but they went out of business one by one. Now I mostly use saltwater jigheads (H&H) with shorter hook shanks. Gonna try those Picasso's. They look interesting.

[Jagg]

Also, the Lunker City Lunkergrip jigheads are super also. I've gotten away from them, but next year I will be fishing them again.

[Dypsis]

8 hours ago, Hogsticker said:

I understand the weight you want to use is somewhat finesse, but if you really want to finesse you should downsize the bait as well. Try the 3" Keitech easy shiner. It will catch plenty of fish. Also try swimming a smaller Keitech crazy flapper along those weed lines. They flat produce. 

I'm definitely going to try 3 & 4" and go from there.  My thoughts are especially when fishing in the summer to down size and pick off a few fish on a 'bad' tide or slack tide.  

3 hours ago, Jagg said:

The grub is the original swimbait. 

For sure!

[Bankbeater]

I have good luck this time of year with the small size sassy shad on a 1/8 ounce jighead.

[Oregon Native]

Throw a lot of three inch swim baits and I usually just pour my own heads.  Normally just use a light wire hook in a 3/0 size.  A mustad 32746 BLN works well.  Like fishing either 8 or 10 pound Power Pro with a fluro leader.

Tight Lines

[scaleface]

I bend the hooks on cheap crappie  jig heads to make them shorter and give them a bigger bite then fished them with Sassy Shads . Because there is not as much hook going through the plastic it is not as stiff and has more action . The whole lure vibrates sort of like a lipless crankbait .  I just now went to the DOA web site and ordered a pack of 1/16th , 1/8th and 1/4 ounce   short shank jig heads and three packs of three inch shad tails . No more fishing with inferior heads and the risk of  hook failure . LOL .

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

I bend the hooks on cheap crappie  jig heads to make them shorter and give them a bigger bite then fished them with Sassy Shads . Because there is not as much hook going through the plastic it is not as stiff and has more action . The whole lure vibrates sort of like a lipless crankbait .  I just now went to the DOA web site and ordered a pack of 1/16th , 1/8th and 1/4 ounce   short shank jig heads and three packs of three inch shad tails . No more fishing with inferior heads and the risk of  hook failure . LOL .

I like your style. Not believing that "techniques" (or patterns for that matter) exist, makes it easier to think outside the box (I think). Sassy shads are one of my fav lures. I use a short shank salt water hook, wrap some solder around the shank, take a pair of scissors to the shad, and voila, What ya'll call a swimbait. (you can also peg a worm hook to the nose) T-rig-swim-boot-tail-shad® something or other...

[Hogsticker]

Here's a couple of the Picasso Gammys. I think they are 3/16 oz with a 4/0 hook. Nice jigs 

[WRB]

If price isn't an issue Little Crippers baby 4" Trash fish is a good small swimbait.

Kietech 3"-4"  Easy shiner are good choice.

Using light line you need a jig with lighter wire hooks like the Owner Ultra round jigs. 8 lb line the medium wire hooks are good. This issue is getting a good hook set with heavier wire hooks.

Tom

[Dypsis]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

If price isn't an issue Little Crippers baby 4" Trash fish is a good small swimbait.

Kietech 3"-4"  Easy shiner are good choice.

Using light line you need a jig with lighter wire hooks like the Owner Ultra round jigs. 8 lb line the medium wire hooks are good. This issue is getting a good hook set with heavier wire hooks.

Tom

 

Wow you weren't kidding about the price tag on those bad boys.  

 

Agreed I am defiantly looking for a light or medium wire jig head for this set up.

[fishwizzard]

I fish the 4' Impacts on 1/16oz Owner Ultra heads with a 1/0 hook.  It still leaves plenty of the body free to kick at low speed.  Decoy makes a line og jigheads called "Nailbomb" that is similar but has a longer shank than the Ultras and a more vertical line tie.  I also like them a good bit but have yet to do a real side by side test with the Owners.

 

[snake95]

2 hours ago, Bunnielab said:

 

I fish the 4' Impacts on 1/16oz Owner Ultra heads with a 1/0 hook.

 

Bunnielab, you or one of the others on the board introduced these to me I've been using them with various baits since the summer.  I love how well they are made and the sharpness of the hooks, but find both TRDs and swimbaits slip down from the head easily because of how short the hook is past the head.  Do you glue yours?  Also, on a ball head like that do you prefer to swim or hop your swimbaits, or fish them some with a variety of retrieves?  Thanks.

[fishwizzard]

Yea, they are great.  I just happened to buy some very early on in my fishing career and just love them.

 

I do use glue most of the time when I am using elaztech plastics.  I have a small bottle of glue with a brush applicator and add it as needed.  I have vague plans to try and tye a small keep onto them but have yet to actually do it.  

 

For normal plastics I never bother, I just reset the baits all the time.  I mostly only use them with the smaller Keitech swimbaits and they usually lose their tail before the heads become too loose.  I also like them a weedless jig for small tubes.  Other than that I prefer the 1/16" Ketich Shakey head or a Confidence Baits Draggin head for all my other finesse plastic needs.