What are your thoughts on $100+ swimbaits?

[BigBassCatcher]

15 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I have some and enjoy fishing them. I also have some $25 swimbaits that I really enjoy fishing. They're really kind of a thing that you either understand the appeal or you don't. I enjoy targeting big fish with big baits, just something about it that appeals to me.

Another thing to consider other than the initial cost, is the cost per fish ratio of a bait. I have an MS Slammer that has caught a few hundred fish for sure. Initial cost was $50, so let's say I've caught 200 fish on it, each fish I've caught on it cost me $.25. Now let's say you're fishing your favorite color 5" GYCB senko that cost $.50 apiece and only last on average for 1 fish (we've all fished senkos and I think can probably agree that each fish you catch after the first one is a bonus fish), those fish cost you $.50 apiece. My Slammer is still going strong, and as long as I don't do anything silly with it, could last for hundreds more fish, while the senko fisherman has to keep going back to the store and buying more baits. 

So if you look at it that way, swimbaits aren't that expensive at all. Of course, there's also the chance you do like I did this winter and cast off an $80 glide that can't be recovered after catching about 20 fish on it, then those fish cost me $4 apiece. It's the risk I'm willing to take to try to get a bite from the biggest fish in the lake, or at the very least bigger than average sized fish. I'm positive that I catch fish on them that ignore all other offerings. 

No price tag on this one.

That's a very good point! These lures are pretty durable, so as long as you don't lose it it should actually be more cost effective than senkos. 

[MassYak85]

You generally pay for quality with swimbaits and along with the shear size (increased material and production costs per bait) you are usually looking at baits that are handmade out of some dude's basement or garage. And these guys aren't killing it financially, they charge these prices, sure because people pay them, but also because they have to if they want to actually run a business. My bigger gripe with swimbait costs are when injection molded baits like a new style Deps 250 is priced the way it is. But I have no issue paying 70 bucks for something like a Mattlures or MS Slammer. And like BlueBasser said, you can general fish these things until any vague idea of the original paint scheme is a distant memory. 

[LxVE Bassin]

With $100 I’m buying a new rod, no way I would pay that for a swimbait. I gets snagged a lot and lose a lot of lures.

[BigBassCatcher]

Honestly, listening to your guys' opinion has really changed my mind on these swimbaits! At first I couldn't even fathom the idea of spending even 60 dollars on a lure, but now I can actually see the purpose in owning one, and also why it might actually be worth it. 

 

I might even purchase one in the future, probably not a 500 dollar high end one, but maybe a $60-100 very high quality one. Personally I've never fished with swimbaits much, but it would be fun to try out. I'll definitely invest in a lure retriever or something of the sorts as well. 

[Angry John]

1 hour ago, LxVE Bassin said:

With $100 I’m buying a new rod, no way I would pay that for a swimbait. I gets snagged a lot and lose a lot of lures.

But do you own a mask and snorkel because no way am I leaving that bait behind.

[DogBone_384]

$100+ swimbaits? I’ll pass. I have a hard time paying $9 for a bag of Senkos.

 

Good on those that do. I read thay catch BIG fish.

[LxVE Bassin]

6 hours ago, Angry John said:

But do you own a mask and snorkel because no way am I leaving that bait behind.

I’m too reckless to have a bait that cost that much.

[Bluebasser86]

If you want to dip your toes into the big bait world without breaking the bank, look no further. Get the big one though, the size is where the drawing power of the bait comes from. 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_3D_Shine_Glide_Bait/descpage-SG3DG.html

[Sam]

First, if you do purchase a $100 bait of any type you will be a general in the Bait Monkey army.

 

Second, if you have the funds to purchase a $100 bait of any type go for it.

 

Third, don't get upset when you lose your $100 bait of any type.

 

Just go out there and see what you can catch and let us know along with some pictures.  

[DINK WHISPERER]

It's all personal preference like a lot of life is. Why do some of us spend thousands on bass boats and modifying the trucks we tow them with? Or on a race car just to beat the next guy at the track that weekend. Or on insanely priced rods and reels. Because we can, we like to and it brings us satisfaction in some way.

I have some of those very expensive hand made lures myself. Why, because I think they're beautiful works of art. And I know that when I decide I don't need them anymore and sale them, I will get my money back and then some. Do I use them, not really. I throw the "cheaper", under $100 ones with great success. I believe big baits (not expensive baits) target big fish more so then most baits. The fishing game is no different then anything else in life. We use what we like and can afford. Nothing wrong with either side of the fence. 

[Bankbeater]

Nope. Not for me.  Maybe in a few years when I'm retired and fishing more, but not now.

[smithy97]

I got my first swimbait to try this year, an s-waver 168. I suppose this is the gateway drug to $100+ baits for a lot of folks. Up here in Ontario big swimbaits and glidebaits aren't too popular. If I can prove that these things work in our pressured lakes, I might have to start saving my money to buy more. I don't think I'd spend over $60 for a swimbait, only because our pike and musky will love them too much. 

In my opinion if you have the funds, go for it. If it boosts your confidence, more power to ya.  

[Angry John]

1 hour ago, smithy97 said:

I got my first swimbait to try this year, an s-waver 168. I suppose this is the gateway drug to $100+ baits for a lot of folks. Up here in Ontario big swimbaits and glidebaits aren't too popular. If I can prove that these things work in our pressured lakes, I might have to start saving my money to buy more. I don't think I'd spend over $60 for a swimbait, only because our pike and musky will love them too much. 

In my opinion if you have the funds, go for it. If it boosts your confidence, more power to ya.  

In your area I would be running braid to leader with 80 or 100 lb.  I don't fish swim baits on braid but in shark infested waters I want some chance of getting the bait back.

[jbmaine]

Swim baits like that are approaching works of art. If you have the money and want to spend it, more power to you. I don't, and never will, but that's just me. 

[EGbassing]

On 4/3/2018 at 9:04 PM, BigBassCatcher said:

Personally, I've never fished with a lure worth more than 20 bucks. I wouldn't even think of buying a lure if it crosses the $30 mark. I have combos that are cheaper than some swimbaits out there. Is there even any point to buying such an expensive lure?

 

I mean, bass don't really care if your lure is worth 10 dollars or 200 dollars. How much better will an action get on a 200 dollar swimbait than a regular 20 dollar swimbait? 

 

Not to mention, just the fear of losing that lure will drive me nuts, to the point of me never even using it when I'm out on the water. It's like buying a supercar just to park it in your garage. 

The $100+ swimbaits probably have much better action and quality than a $10 kind, but I would rather just get a new rod if I have 200 bucks to spend.  

[J Francho]

$100 is about my limit for a proven, hand made bait.  I have a few.  They work, some so well, that like BlueBasser, they've ended up costing me pennies per fish.

[BassNJake]

What are your thoughts on $100+ swimbaits?

 

If you can afford one you've got a better paying job than me 

[Goldstar225]

I'll never spend that much for a bait.  But for those who can afford them and want them, do it and enjoy.  And for those craftsmen who can make them and command top dollar for their skills, my hat is off to them.

[Cak920]

Well it’s simple for me. I just can’t afford to spend that kind of money on a lure. Especially when a lot of my fishing is done in a rather treacherous river for lures. I lost 5 lures in 3 hours already. Can’t imagine losing one that cost hundreds of dollars

[DomQ]

On 4/3/2018 at 11:24 PM, WRB said:

What is a bass of a lifetime worth?

 

Being able to eat as many big macs and not have any of the horrible side effects that come along with them

[BigBassCatcher]

On 4/5/2018 at 1:11 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

If you want to dip your toes into the big bait world without breaking the bank, look no further. Get the big one though, the size is where the drawing power of the bait comes from. 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_3D_Shine_Glide_Bait/descpage-SG3DG.html

Thanks for the option. That lure is definitely in my price range for right now!

 

On 4/5/2018 at 3:48 AM, Sam said:

First, if you do purchase a $100 bait of any type you will be a general in the Bait Monkey army.

 

Second, if you have the funds to purchase a $100 bait of any type go for it.

 

Third, don't get upset when you lose your $100 bait of any type.

 

Just go out there and see what you can catch and let us know along with some pictures.  

Yeah currently I'm not in the market for such an expensive lure, but maybe in the future I will definitely look into it. As BlueBasser said, the lure could end up costing you only pennies if used correctly and taken care of. 

[WRB]

When you get into high end swimbaits $100+ Or any big swimbait you also need to spend money for the tackle required to properly cast and retrieve these lures. Swimbait fishing, real swimbaits not jig trailers, takes dedication a willingness to spend both time and money to catch big bass. 

I am not a dedicated swimbait fisherman and prefer using my hair jigs with pork rind.....however I own 4 swimbait rods & reels, dozens of highend wooden hand painted custom swimbaits and soft Huddleston no longer in production and fish them under the right conditions because I am a dedicated trophy bass angler. If you are worried about loosing a one of a kind swimbait don't consider using it.

Tom

[Raul]

“Pros” don’t hunt big fish, seldomly a big fish hunter is a “pro”. I used to hunt for big fish, I was obsessed with catching big uns, traveled hundreds of miles to go hunting to different big momma lakes in order to get the big uns, nowdays I’m happy if I go and catch a few ones and size no longer matters ( can you believe it ?!?, yes, me saying size no longer matters ..... what the hell is wrong with me ? )

 

 

I can’t say much about toothy critters robbing you from your favorite bait, but down here there’s these wooden sobs called submerged mesquite trees and we deal with them with these things called plug knockers .....

[everythingthatswims]

Before I started tournament fishing, I threw big swimbaits a fair amount. It was a blast and can be very effective at times. As others have stated it can (under the right circumstances, as with any bait) give you a much better shot at a high caliber fish.

 

My favorite part about swimbait fishing was seeing how bass hunted them, it is unlike any of the normal baits we are used to. Now that I tournament fish a considerable amount, it makes sense for me to spend time using baits I will use during a tournament so I become proficient with them.  I may throw a big swimbait during a tournament one day if the conditions are right, I have used a glide bait during practice to look for fish and it works well.

 

As @WRB said "what is the fish of a lifetime worth"

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, everythingthatswims said:

My favorite part about swimbait fishing was seeing how bass hunted them, it is unlike any of the normal baits we are used to. Now that I tournament fish a considerable amount, it makes sense for me to spend time using baits I will use during a tournament so I become proficient with them.  I may throw a big swimbait during a tournament one day if the conditions are right, I have used a glide bait during practice to look for fish and it works well.

 

 

The way they hunt down a big bait is almost as much of a thrill as actually landing a fish on one. If you like muskie fishing, you'll like fishing big swimbaits for bass.

 

Fred Roumbanis often talks about fishing swimbaits in tournament practice because so many fish will show themselves without striking so he can see what caliber of fish might live in an area.