Soooo many paddle tail swimbaits!!

[Fallcraw]

Good morning! This is my official first post. So with all the swimbait research (mind boggling!!) and I have collection going but my eyes keep going back to the BB kicker. (Not sure if I can say the company name) Anybody like them? I'd like to try them out.

[A-Jay]

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

There are tons of choices in the swimbait category and you can say the name.

In fact it's encouraged

A-Jay

[Fishin' Fool]

You can't go wrong with the Keitech Swing Impact Fat. But the one you suggested seems to have a lot of different colors on back order on TW which is a good sign.

[Fallcraw]

Keitech is definitely a great choice. Most of the guys I fish with throw them. I want something slightly different. Due to my darned stubbornness I sometimes won't let myself get sucked into the hype. (Foolish I know) Like senkos and whopper ploppers.

[collards]

8 minutes ago, Fallcraw said:

Keitech is definitely a great choice. Most of the guys I fish with throw them. I want something slightly different. Due to my darned stubbornness I sometimes won't let myself get sucked into the hype. (Foolish I know) Like senkos and whopper ploppers.

I agree with the hype about whopper ploppers, but the keitech has caught me a lot of fish. I am trying the jackall rhythm wave this spring. I hope they work well, but there are so many. I have a lot of fun trying new lures.

[Fallcraw]

The whopper ploppers have been catching some nice fish. My buddy that I fish tournaments with throws the keitech a lot and does great with them. He also threw the whopper plopper a lot as well and didn't do so great with it. My son also lost some good fish on it during a jr tourney which is kinda disappointing. The local pro cut his spook off and tied on the plopper. Figures?

[roadwarrior]

Gave away ALL my Keitech replaced by the Rage Tail Swimmer:  

 

 

[Crestliner2008]

I've tried a lot of them and keep coming back to the Keitek Swing Impact Fat.

[DBL000006]

Z Man Diesel Swimbaits are great. You get 5 and the baits just won't rip. Their 4 bucks a bag of 5 i think, but it's worth it for sure.

[Oklahoma Mike]

I still fish the Swing Impact Fats but my favorite has become the Jackall Rythm Wave. 

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Jackall_Rhythm_Wave_Swimbait/descpage-JRWS.html

 

[primetime]

The New Yum Pulse is a really nice and soft swimbait with a nice profile, good color choices, and only $3 for a bag of 5. The better soft swimbaits are usually less durable and softer (Not all the time) but baits from the Keitechs, Swim Senko, Strike King, Super Swimming Flukes, shad bodies are all good baits for different times.

 

I use the Gambler Big Ez, Ez swimbaits as they cast a mile, durable, and have a unique action when compared to one of my other favorites the Skinny dipper by RI. I think they all work and have a place and time.

 

The Rage Cut'r Worm has been producing well for me lately when I fish it like a soft swimbait on light weight. Kind of a flicker type tail instead of a boot tail like the Swim Senko (They are worth the price IMO), I am happy if they get one fish per bait as you can use them as trailers, same with Keitechs, or just fish them torn up, the fish do not mind.

 

If durability matters most, like say you buzz them on top, I would say the Gambler versions are the best since they are the heaviest, Put out alot of thump, and you get good hook sets with how they are designed and hooks hold well in them.

 

Hope that helps. I find they all work well, Color & profile can matter as well as the weight and how you fish each one. Lots of good arrticles on how to fish them on this site, I have learned some cool tricks like fishing Hollow belly Swimbaits Flat or Nose Hooking swimbaits as often as possible for better hook up ratio's.

[ww2farmer]

3 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Gave away ALL my Keitech replaced by the Rage Tail Swimmer:  

 

 

Funny you say this, but I think I am going to do the same thing...........

 

If the swimmers are anything like the Rage grubs, It will be a terrific 1-2 punch on the back of my swim jigs.

[Fallcraw]

I'm gonna give the rage swimmers a try for sure. I have some of the damiki anchovy shads and I really like those. They look good on spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jigheads and are just slender enough for a decent dropshot. I just had some megabass spark shads come in and am looking forward to fishing those. But still like the looks of those bb kickers.

[CTBassin860]

I'm going to give the BPS Speed Shad a shot before I start buying others.

[IndianaFinesse]

Keitech for tournaments, and grass pigs for everything else.

[Mike L]

For me it's a Skinny Dipper for when they want action or a Big EZ for more thump. 

 

Having a a lot of luck lately with a punch skirt on the Dipper. 

 

 

 

Mike

[RoLo]

Among the great soft swimbaits is the Keitech Fat Impact, Basstrix Swimbait and Skinny Dipper (by a whisker).

However, my hands-down favorite soft swimbait is the "Gambler Big EZ" (pure poison).

 

Roger

[Angry John]

9 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Gave away ALL my Keitech replaced by the Rage Tail Swimmer:  

 

 

Why is the knock off better than the original.  They are the same including the package and are just a cheaper version.  So you gave away the keitech to switch over the new bait is better in what way???

 

[Airman4754]

Two years ago I bought a bunch of Keitechs, Kicker Fish, and Speed Shads. I just dumped them into a big bag.

 

Today I have no idea which is which and shockingly neither do the fish. 

 

These aren't Hudds that need extreme balance and ultra soft material. The jig head or keel weight will determine the action. 

[mwh33]

I use keitechs and RI dippers in multiple different sizes. Been meaning to pick up some Gamblers to try them out.

[Jagg]

3 hours ago, Angry John said:

Why is the knock off better than the original.  They are the same including the package and are just a cheaper version.  So you gave away the keitech to switch over the new bait is better in what way???

 

Yeah, the Rage version, BPS Speed Shad and Keitech Swing Impact Fat are the same beast. Only diff is the exclusive colors and sizes that Keitech others to have. That's what I'm told by someone I trust and should definitely know.

[MisplacedTexan99]

If I remember correctly the rage swimmers are a good bit different, the ribs on the rage swimmers go opposite the others like towards the head. The keitech have such good action at slow speeds they are tough to beat. I will give the rage swimmers a try I haven't been disappointed by a rage product yet .

 

[Jagg]

You're probably right. Not gonna argue with a man with blue bonnets in his avatar. Could probably do without the 'horns though. Gig 'em!

[smalljaw67]

The difference in all of the paddles tails is the plastic, the softer it is the slower the speed at which you get tail kick and body roll. In the waters I fish, the Keitch Easy Shiner worked better than the Swing Impact models, then I tried a River Rock Baits Striker swimbait, similar to the easy shiner but 1/4" shorter (3.75"), and it is softer and I get full tail kick and body roll even when using no weight and just a rivet for a line through presentation. All of them work, it just seems certain places one type will out produce another, I know most of the good anglers and guides are switching out the Swing Impacts and going with the Easy Shiner type, most of the river smallmouth guides are using the River Rock model, it just depends on what the fish prefer. I have Gene Larew sweet swimmer, those are good as well as the RI Skinny Dippers, so my suggestion would be to buy a few different brands and types and see what does better.

[roadwarrior]

10 hours ago, Angry John said:

Why is the knock off better than the original.  They are the same including the package and are just a cheaper version.  So you gave away the keitech to switch over the new bait is better in what way???

 

 

The ribbing on the Rage Swimmer gives this  bait more action at slower retrieve speed. This is an improved version of the original.