OVER PRICED SWIMBAITS ADVICE

[chmeyers]

 

I have fallen into the trap of big swimbaits. I have had alot of luck with the Huddlestons. Although I like to fish fast, i tend to get bored creeping a Hudd.  Recently I have bought the Gantaral Jr, Black Dog shell cracker, Spro BBZ rat. I have had ZERO luck. I dont know if im fishing them wrong, wrong placement or what.

 

 

What kind of advice do you all have for retrieve methods and placement. Im using an Dobyns Fury with an Shimano Cardiff.

 

Thanks

 

[Big Swimbait]

The 3 baits you mentioned are very good baits. But as with most big baits, the retrieve is key. You have to change it up - even during the retrieve. A slow, steady retrieve, stop, burn it about 3 feet, rip it with the rod etc are things to try. On the Spro rat, I rarely get bit waking the bait like you would think. That bait gets hammered cranking it down. Also this time of year a Bull Shad is awesome. And burning it is the way it works if you like to fish fast. Check out the videos from bassresource. They really go in depth.

[DINK WHISPERER]

You haven't even scratched the surface if you think those are overpriced. Don't expect to get a lot of bites on big baits. Just doesn't happen like that often. But when you do get one it's usually a good one. I gave up on big baits for this reason. I don't get to fish often so I don't want to waste the little time I do have. The overall best retrieve for me was always just a slow and steady with the occasional pop/directional change. 

[MassYak85]

For the Spro rat try varying retrieve speeds from just a slow wake to cranking it down. Also it is a very good walking bait, it will do near-perfect 180 degree walks with very little forward movement, and don't be afraid to just deadstick it next to cover, got my biggest one on that bait doing that with intermittent twitches (like every 15 seconds). 

 

Similar deal with the shellcrackers, wake them slow or burn them down ticking the tops of vegetation but don't forget to let them sit a bit next to cover sometimes. 

 

The Gantarels are nice because of the duel line tie. You can either wake them up top or crank them down a few feet. But with any glide style bait you are gonna want to add in something "extra" in your retrieve. You will get a lot of followers just straight retrieving it but a lot of times they won't commit without some kind of change. The Gantarel will turn completely around with the right twitch of the rod and look at whatever may be following it. Don't wait until the bait is within sight to do this though, make it an intermittent part of your entire retrieve, or do it as it passes a piece of cover. 

 

As far as price, I still don't like paying that much for a lure (but I do it lol), but bang for your buck these are some of the best swimbaits to get your feet wet. 

 

Also, I know you said you are "tired" of throwing a hudd, but your goal throwing swimbaits is to put the odds in your favor for a chance at a big fish. Some days that is going to mean they want a soft bait. 

[chmeyers]

So when you are cranking down on the rat? You get it swimming sub surface at a pretty good speed ?

On 10/11/2018 at 8:15 AM, MassYak85 said:

For the Spro rat try varying retrieve speeds from just a slow wake to cranking it down. Also it is a very good walking bait, it will do near-perfect 180 degree walks with very little forward movement, and don't be afraid to just deadstick it next to cover, got my biggest one on that bait doing that with intermittent twitches (like every 15 seconds). 

 

Similar deal with the shellcrackers, wake them slow or burn them down ticking the tops of vegetation but don't forget to let them sit a bit next to cover sometimes. 

 

The Gantarels are nice because of the duel line tie. You can either wake them up top or crank them down a few feet. But with any glide style bait you are gonna want to add in something "extra" in your retrieve. You will get a lot of followers just straight retrieving it but a lot of times they won't commit without some kind of change. The Gantarel will turn completely around with the right twitch of the rod and look at whatever may be following it. Don't wait until the bait is within sight to do this though, make it an intermittent part of your entire retrieve, or do it as it passes a piece of cover. 

 

As far as price, I still don't like paying that much for a lure (but I do it lol), but bang for your buck these are some of the best swimbaits to get your feet wet. 

 

Also, I know you said you are "tired" of throwing a hudd, but your goal throwing swimbaits is to put the odds in your favor for a chance at a big fish. Some days that is going to mean they want a soft bait. 

I have tried a few retrieves with the rat, have not let it sit.

 

The shell cracker i have tried everything with no luck.

 

the Gantarel i do mix up the speed and add a few pops and pauses. i have only tied off to the nose, does it work better at the other tie down?

 

Dont get me wrong, I do love the Hudds, just looking to trying newbaits. The Hudd is probably why I feel like im lost. I had so much success with that right after i started using it, im expecting the same from these other baits.

[fishwizzard]

The BBZ Rat 50 has been by far my most productive “big bait” and has by far the best hookup:landing ratio.  

 

I have never got a hit cranking it down however, most have mine have come either when I’m deadsticking it post splash-down or when I am slowly waking/walking it back.  

 

I had good luck with my Gantrel Jr as well. Most of my hits on it came from casting it into a school of sunfish and getting them all riled up.  I have caught bass by doing a slow stright retrieve with intermeitant pops and speed-ups, but I think I like the S-Waver better for that. 

[ItsHardwick]

I love the gantarel JR. Burn, stop, burn, stop. When you do it like that it veers out wildly left and right when you stop it. That’s normally when it gets crushed. 

[Dirtyeggroll]

Where are you throwing these baits?

[ItsHardwick]

Parallel to shore. Around the outside edges of cover. Over top of lay downs and such. Anywhere you think there’s fish and the trebles aren’t getting hung up basically. 

[chmeyers]

1 hour ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Where are you throwing these baits?

I have a few spots i target, parallel to shore, the lake i have been fishing lately has some good points i have been targeting 

[Harold Scoggins]

12 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

As far as price, I still don't like paying that much for a lure (but I do it lol), but bang for your buck these are some of the best swimbaits to get your feet wet. 

There are baits out there that can go $150+ and some of the customs upwards of $500. The best bang for your buck IMO are the Gantarel and Vatalion, both under $50. Between the two I've had the best luck with the Gantarel Jr and when fished using all the retrieves mentioned above it will put fish in the boat. I've landed some nice ones running it around wood. (Waiting for the day I'll have to pull out the lure retriever.) I've added a large turbo blade to the upper line tie on one of the Gantarel Jrs and started using it along the drop offs early spring with good results. I'm waiting for some parts to make a mod on the tail and I'll report back if it works. Swimbait Nation!

[Bluebasser86]

I like fishing big swimbaits but had very little success with the Gantarel or Spro 50. Bluegill baits in general have not been productive for me and I have no idea why because our bass eat tons of bluegills, just never when I'm fishing a fake one 

 

I have much better luck on shad glides like a Shine Glide for subsurface and a Slammer for topwater. Paralleling weed edges and docks, running across points, and fishing any likely ambush area (high percentage spots), are my best technique. 

[WRB]

Just a observation, swimming a Hudd slowly you have had success, retreiving shallow running wake baits you don't catch anything. What jumps out is depth. If you fish the hard swimbaits deeper your success should improve. Slow sinking wooden* BD shell cracker will sink if you give time. A sinking glide bait may fill this niche for you.

Big bass are't going to strike a lure that's isn't where they located or near the surface if they are not feeding near the surface. 

Next year those big bass will move up to spawn and pre & post spawn bass will strike all those wake baits you have. Remember wake baits are not crank baits, you still need slow them down.

22 Century 8" Triple Trout is fun to fish and responsive to adding more action then most swimbait. R2C S-Waver 168 & 200 sink and can be worked a little faster, but still a glide bait.

Tom

* you can sell this lure at a profit.

[Harold Scoggins]

The Gantarel Jr is known as the Chibitarel in Japan and is offered in many more color patterns.

[Primus]

On 10/12/2018 at 12:14 AM, Harold Scoggins said:

There are baits out there that can go $150+ and some of the customs upwards of $500. The best bang for your buck IMO are the Gantarel and Vatalion, both under $50. Between the two I've had the best luck with the Gantarel Jr and when fished using all the retrieves mentioned above it will put fish in the boat. I've landed some nice ones running it around wood. (Waiting for the day I'll have to pull out the lure retriever.) I've added a large turbo blade to the upper line tie on one of the Gantarel Jrs and started using it along the drop offs early spring with good results. I'm waiting for some parts to make a mod on the tail and I'll report back if it works. Swimbait Nation!

Such a cool idea, thanks for sharing.

Totally agree with WRB, the Triple Trout can be fished so many ways. I tend to do best with  quick reel cranks mixed with a few twitches. Don't overdue the jerks as their is no lip like a regular jerkbait so it will wrap around your line if you overdue it. 

 

 

[blckshirt98]

Also set the right expectations.  The large swimbait people are chucking them all day long from dusk to dawn looking for 1-2 big trophy bites.  If you're expecting 50 fish days because you're throwing $30-400 swimbaits around you're going to be disappointed.  It can be highly rewarding, but also may not be for everyone.