How should I change it?

[Quarry Man]

my favorite rig for fishing in 2-8 (mostly 4-6) feet of water is a 3.8" Keitech Swing Impact Fat. setup is a 7' M Fast Spinning rod, 3000 size reel with 15 lb braid and 8-10 lb leader. I use the 3.8" Fats exclusively, and in various color patterns. I have experimented with hooks a little bit, but have found a 3/0 light wire EWG by Gamakatsu to have the best hookup ratio. Only issue I have is that they bend out easily and that the baits get destroyed very quickly when I use these hooks. I also use a 1/8 oz tungsten weight and double peg the weight against the hook. I am currently using a cast and reel retrieve. Bait comes through grass and through cover pretty well. My strategy is typically to fish a topwater mimicking a baitfish. Once that bite dies, I switch to a chatterbait or spinnerbait, depending on what and how I am fishing. Once that dies, I start fishing the keitech as my moving bait for the rest of the day. I find that some of my biggest fish come on that keitech rig.

 

I am looking for any advice on how I can improve my small swimsuit game. I do fish the easy shiners and other swimbaits on other rigs. I mostly looking for what rod you would throw this exact rig on, where, and what hook, how you retrieve it, etc.

[Mike L]

I don't use spinning rigs at all, but on my casting set up I use an Owner keel weighted hook with centering pin for my swim baits (either a Skinny Dipper or Big EZ) I don't like a nose hooked paddle tail, I'd rather it fall horizontally. 

 

As far as where I throw, it's around, in and through grass and scattered pads dropping into any holes. 

 

When using a straight retrieve, I fish it somewhat like a spinnerbait and chatterbait. 

Speed up, slow down, yo yo etc. until they talk to me. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

[slonezp]

Switch from Keitech's. Like senkos, they are good for 1 or 2 fish or no fish at all before they wear out. Kalin's makes a much more durable swimbait 

[Bluebasser86]

Have you tried something like a keel weighted hook with a screwlock? Soft baits like that tend to last a little better rigged on one. Maybe even try a rig like an Owner flashy swimmer to get a little extra flash and thump. 

 

A swimbait on something like a swim jig head fished on a baitcaster is a good option as well. 

[Koz]

5 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

I am looking for any advice on how I can improve my small swimsuit game.

 

Mankini?

[TOXIC]

I can't give much advise on your setup since I'm trying to figure out how you are bending 3.0 Gamakatsu EWG hooks????????  Unless you are catching 50lb catfish.  In 20 years of fishing those hooks, I'd wager I've bent 2 or 3.

[Quarry Man]

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Have you tried something like a keel weighted hook with a screwlock? Soft baits like that tend to last a little better rigged on one. Maybe even try a rig like an Owner flashy swimmer to get a little extra flash and thump. 

 

A swimbait on something like a swim jig head fished on a baitcaster is a good option as well. 

Great advice! Totally forgot to mention that I love to fish the 4.8” swimbaits (have tried multiple brands here) on weighted superline Swimbait hooks that have the screw lock. I love them on a casting rod with braid around heavy cover or larger fish. I actually bought a few small Swimbait hooks like the flashy swimmer for the easy shiners. I will try them and maybe pick up a few larger ones for the 3.8” keitech. Thanks for reminding me!

6 hours ago, Koz said:

 

Mankini?

Haha autocorrect is very annoying!

55 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I can't give much advise on your setup since I'm trying to figure out how you are bending 3.0 Gamakatsu EWG hooks????????  Unless you are catching 50lb catfish.  In 20 years of fishing those hooks, I'd wager I've bent 2 or 3.

Not necessarily bending them on fish. When I get snagged I do almost everything I can to get it off. Last resort is a yank and tug attempt. This usually works but the hook bends a bit. I have been using a 3/0 light wire? Gamakatsu EWG

[TOXIC]

3 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

Not necessarily bending them on fish. When I get snagged I do almost everything I can to get it off. Last resort is a yank and tug attempt. This usually works but the hook bends a bit. I have been using a 3/0 light wire? Gamakatsu EWG

That explains it.  

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

my favorite rig for fishing in 2-8 (mostly 4-6) feet of water is a 3.8" Keitech Swing Impact Fat. setup is a 7' M Fast Spinning rod, 3000 size reel with 15 lb braid and 8-10 lb leader. I use the 3.8" Fats exclusively, and in various color patterns. I have experimented with hooks a little bit, but have found a 3/0 light wire EWG by Gamakatsu to have the best hookup ratio. Only issue I have is that they bend out easily and that the baits get destroyed very quickly when I use these hooks. I also use a 1/8 oz tungsten weight and double peg the weight against the hook. I am currently using a cast and reel retrieve. Bait comes through grass and through cover pretty well. My strategy is typically to fish a topwater mimicking a baitfish. Once that bite dies, I switch to a chatterbait or spinnerbait, depending on what and how I am fishing. Once that dies, I start fishing the keitech as my moving bait for the rest of the day. I find that some of my biggest fish come on that keitech rig.

 

I am looking for any advice on how I can improve my small swimsuit game. I do fish the easy shiners and other swimbaits on other rigs. I mostly looking for what rod you would throw this exact rig on, where, and what hook, how you retrieve it, etc.

5

5

You seem to be smack dab in the middle of an age-old tackle quandary - one that has several aspects.

Don't know what to tell you about your small swimsuit game - perhaps reach out to Sports Illustrated. 

?

First, you seek to have tackle that is both light enough to cast well & illicit strikes, yet strong enough to be effective.

Then you long for a bait that is soft enough to have that sweet swimming action but dislike the lack of durability.

 Both deals may best be satisfied with knowledge & a bit of compromise.

The knowledge in that you know your gears abilities & most importantly, it's limitations. 

Use that your advantage and aim to compensate for the areas where it needs help.

As a side note - while I'm all about tungsten for bottom contact baits, throwing a swimbait that occasionally hangs up seems like a job for good old (cheap) lead.

Strike King Rage swimmers decent baits that may not be much more durable than the Keitechs but they are a little cheaper.  If you use a heavier wire hook you may need to bump up your gear, rod & line, to account for that and you'll not be as apt to open one up on a fish or a snag.

Finally, and I'm just throwing this out there, for a change of pace - pick up a bag of green pumpkin Rage Bugs.  Put them on the rig you're fishing that swimbait on, Go up to a 4/0 EWG, and fish it a little slower along the bottom.

Be careful though, you might get your arm broke.

Good Luck.

A-Jay

[fishwizzard]

Look at the Moaner weighted swimbait hooks.  They come in a good range of sizes and weights and they have a flat $4 shipping fee.  I like the 3/0-1/8oz ones for the 3.8oz swimbaits but just bought some 3/0-1/16oz ones to try.  If you swap the stock spring keeper out with a L Owner Centerpin you will get a lot better plastic life. 

[Ratherbfishing]

13 hours ago, Koz said:

 

Mankini?

For the love of God, PLEASE! No Speedo's!  ;  )

[Koz]

1 minute ago, Ratherbfishing said:

For the love of God, PLEASE! No Speedo's!  ;  )

I was going to post a picture with my original response but I Googled an image for it and it's something you just can't unsee. I decided to spare everyone else the horror.

[The Bassman]

I just bought some Parasite clips and weighted clips that I'm going to try for this and T-rigging worms. Heard about them in another thread. Should prolong the life of soft baits.