Are Big Swimbaits Worth it??

[crispychurro17]

I've been bass fishing for the past 4 years and only fish smaller lakes and ponds from the bank. I've always wanted to throw big swimbaits but didn't really know if it was worth it or where to start. 

[jimmyjoe]

   You're in California, and I'm in the Midwest, so take this with a grain of salt.

 

   I'm a shorecaster.

   I would not use large swimbaits from shore. I might use small ones, but not big ones. With the big ones, there's too great a percentage of snagging up, too much money lost and too much physical labor. If I were in a boat, it might be different. But I'm not in a boat.

   The biggest reason, however, is simple: I don't see that I need them.

   Perhaps your environment is different than mine. If you try them, I wish you the best of luck!                jj

[J Francho]

I have a slow sink Hard Gill that is deadly prespawn and spawn on the ponds I fish.  Once it warms up, it's too choked with slop to fish anything but a hollow frog.

[crispychurro17]

31 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   You're in California, and I'm in the Midwest, so take this with a grain of salt.

 

   I'm a shorecaster.

   I would not use large swimbaits from shore. I might use small ones, but not big ones. With the big ones, there's too great a percentage of snagging up, too much money lost and too much physical labor. If I were in a boat, it might be different. But I'm not in a boat.

   The biggest reason, however, is simple: I don't see that I need them.

   Perhaps your environment is different than mine. If you try them, I wish you the best of luck!                jj

I think i used the word "large" wrong lol the biggest swimbait ill be throwing is a 7 inch s-waver. For alot of people especially here thats pretty small now that i think about it but hopefully soon i can try some out

6 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I have a slow sink Hard Gill that is deadly prespawn and spawn on the ponds I fish.  Once it warms up, it's too choked with slop to fish anything but a hollow frog.

i was looking into mainly bluegill profiled swimbaits since the bodies of water i fish dont have shad any good recommendations? 

[Big Hands]

Rule #1: If you can't afford to lose it, don't throw it out in the water, especially if it sinks.

 

That said, you can manage your risk. Maybe don't start with a swimbait that sinks, or at least on the sinks very slowly. Go with a floating wake bait of one that only goes down a foot or so when you crank it in.

 

A River 2 Sea S-Waver 168 costs around $20. They can be reeled in near the surface, or they slowly sink and you can retrieve them lower in the water column. 

 

You can also make your own. They can be made pretty cheaply if you already have access to some tools and paint them with rattle can spray paint.

 

They may not be as productive as other methods at any given time (and probably won't much of the time), but you can definitely catch some big fish with them. 

[crispychurro17]

1 minute ago, Big Hands said:

Rule #1: If you can't afford to lose it, don't throw it out in the water, especially if it sinks.

 

That said, you can manage your risk. Maybe don't start with a swimbait that sinks, or at least on the sinks very slowly. Go with a floating wake bait of one that only goes down a foot or so when you crank it in.

 

A River 2 Sea S-Waver 168 costs around $20. They can be reeled in near the surface, or they slowly sink and you can retrieve them lower in the water column. 

 

You can also make your own. They can be made pretty cheaply if you already have access to some tools and paint them with rattle can spray paint.

 

They may not be as productive as other methods at any given time (and probably won't much of the time), but you can definitely catch some big fish with them. 

Definitely wouldnt be throwing a deps 250 lol. The R2S S-waver is the swimbait i was looking at wont break the bank if i lose one and i can buy a couple at a time. was also looking into some topwater baits like the Deps Nz crawler dont gotta worry about that getting stuck to a shopping cart at the bottom of echo park lol

[Bluebasser86]

It's up to you to decide if it's worth it. I enjoy using them even though I don't have a lot of success with them.

 

If you're afraid to lose a 50-100 dollar bait, don't get into them.

[crispychurro17]

2 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It's up to you to decide if it's worth it. I enjoy using them even though I don't have a lot of success with them.

 

If you're afraid to lose a 50-100 dollar bait, don't get into them.

Im sure losing anything that cost over 40 dollars hurts anybody just a little lol. I just want to try out a new way to hopefully catch some giants.

[jimmyjoe]

19 minutes ago, crispychurro17 said:

I think i used the word "large" wrong lol the biggest swimbait ill be throwing is a 7 inch s-waver.

 

   Okay  .....  that's different! I misunderstood.   ??     ??

 

   Do  you have the rod, reel and line to handle it? Even the 7" S-waver is almost 2 ounces. The good thing is, it stays shallow. Not only that, but it's cheap as far as swimbaits go.

   So yeah, I'd say, "Go for it!". You don't know until you try.          jj

[crispychurro17]

3 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

 

   Okay  .....  that's different! I misunderstood.   ??     ??

 

   Do  you have the rod, reel and line to handle it? Even the 7" S-waver is almost 2 ounces. The good thing is, it stays shallow. Not only that, but it's cheap as far as swimbaits go.

   So yeah, I'd say, "Go for it!". You don't know until you try.          jj

Currently no but im looking for the most cost effective rod and reel hopefully picking one up before the middle of next month before spawn really sets in

[J Francho]

Okuma Guide Select is a good gateway to SB rods.

[walleyecrazy]

I think they are absolutely worth it, and they can be very addicting to use once you gain confidence in them. I got more heavily into them last year, and had some pretty good success on them for my first year really taking them seriously. Two of my three biggest fish of the year last year came on my glide baits. 

[crispychurro17]

3 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Okuma Guide Select is a good gateway to SB rods.

definitely cheaper than what i was looking at. heard good things about the lexa 300 as far as reels go

2 minutes ago, walleyecrazy said:

I think they are absolutely worth it, and they can be very addicting to use once you gain confidence in them. I got more heavily into them last year, and had some pretty good success on them for my first year really taking them seriously. Two of my three biggest fish of the year last year came on my glide baits. 

thats what im hoping for... looking to break that 3.8 lb pb 

[WRB]

Shimano Cardiff 300A with Dobyns FR806 or Okuma GS A Heavy and IROD gen3 Heavy are excellent budget swimbait combo’s. I used Sunline Diefer Armiilo 25lb** Nylon line for 5 years without any issues for swimbaits to 7 oz.

Get Hudds 68 ROF12, 8” ROF5 both  in trout and focus your efforts at Castiac lagoon, upper lake and Pyramid*.

Ponds BB1 size 50 Ninja rat.

Start now.

Tom

* 11.3 lb LMB on 8” Hudd last week from shore.

** 165 yard 25# fills the 300 Cardiff perfectly.

[fishwizzard]

I wouldn't start with "big" swimbaits, but something like a S-Waver 168 is a good way to test the waters.  They weight a little over 1.5oz, so you can (carefully) throw them on a lot of bass rods to see if you like them enough to get a dedicated rod.  I have found that for the waters I fish, the smaller 4-6", 1-3oz glidbaits and wakebaits are the sweet spot in terms of getting me larger bass, but still being able to get a good landing ratio for the much more common 2-3lb bass. 

[crispychurro17]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Shimano Cardiff 300A with Dobyns FR806 or Okuma GS A Heavy and IROD gen3 Heavy are excellent budget swimbait combo’s. I used Sunline Diefer Armiilo 25lb** Nylon line for 5 years without any issues for swimbaits to 7 oz.

Get Hudds 68 ROF12, 8” ROF5 both  in trout and focus your efforts at Castiac lagoon, upper lake and Pyramid*.

Ponds BB1 size 50 Ninja rat.

Start now.

Tom

* 11.3 lb LMB on 8” Hudd last week from shore.

** 165 yard 25# fills the 300 Cardiff perfectly.

thanks ill definitely check check all this out and see when i can hit up the lagoon 

[12poundbass]

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It's up to you to decide if it's worth it. I enjoy using them even though I don't have a lot of success with them.

 

If you're afraid to lose a 50-100 dollar bait, don't get into them.

Hell I’m afraid to buy a Jackhammer for fear of losing it. Sooooooooooo I’m out. ?

[Derek1]

I had the same thoughts as you for a bit. Then just decided to go for it. I fish from shore also, so I went with top water baits. It’s allot of fun. I haven’t had a ton of success or any really big fish yet, but it’s still fun. You’d be surprised how many  2/3 pound fish you catch on the 10” mega dog or spro rat 50  At first you have to leave your other gear at home, so you stick with it. Once you catch a fish on a big top water, it will Absolutely  possess your mind. 

[walleyecrazy]

13 minutes ago, Derek1 said:

 You’d be surprised how many  2/3 pound fish you catch on the 10” mega dog or spro rat 50

That’s one of my favorite things when I fish them. People will look at you like you’re nuts if they have never thrown swimbaits, and they don’t think you can catch average sized bass on them. This bass is lucky if it’s 2 pounds, and that is a 7” glide bait. 

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, 12poundbass said:

Hell I’m afraid to buy a Jackhammer for fear of losing it. Sooooooooooo I’m out. ?

It's a serious question to ask yourself. First expensive bait I cast off was a Donut Shad, felt like I got punched in the stomach, but I knew when I bought it that it was a chance I was taking. 

[Derek1]

6 minutes ago, walleyecrazy said:

That’s one of my favorite things when I fish them. People will look at you like you’re nuts if they have never thrown swimbaits, and they don’t think you can catch average sized bass on them. This bass is lucky if it’s 2 pounds, and that is a 7” glide bait. 

Yup it blew my mind. It’s funny the looks I get when I show up to the pond and there is two guys throwing 1/4 Ounce inline spinners on ultra light rods. To them I show up with what  looks like a surf caster. I can tell what there thinking when the spro 50 splashes down in the middle of the pond. Then I catch a couple two pounders And they leave. Lol. 

[Born 2 fish]

Absolutely worth it I fish from shore also. I throw s waver 168-200  and 6” bullshads and catch fish I’m in the Midwest and with you being in California I would definitely throw swimbaits.

[Shimano_1]

I'll throw the 168 s waver and have actually done pretty well with it. Anything bigger gets no play for me. I'm more of a finesse fisherman overall but I fish a lot of tournaments so most of my fishing spring thru late summer is geared around that.  One local lake is small and is a trophy lake. Ive had days ive threw the s waver all day at this lake. Dont get a ton of bites but usually better quality 

[Hammer 4]

I'm just south of the OP. I do fish from shore at park lakes and ponds. If I'm planning on throwing swimbaits, I only take 2 rigs that will accommodate 2 to 4 oz baits, and will spend a good amount of time throwing them until I'm convinced I'm not going to get bit, or have landed 1 or more good sized bass.

So, 99% of the time I'm throwing Hudd 68's, I will mix those up with 6 to 7" wake baits, and a Rat. I find the 6" baits tend to get more fish vs the 8 or 10" where I fish.

If I were fishing Castaic lagoon, I'd be taking some 8" hudds in trout, been a few years since I've fished there, but have had decent luck when I did. I'm using the same line as Tom/WRB, but in 17lb test for the 6" baits. 

[ATA]

Since you talking medium size glides, I know for a fact, Swaver 168 and 200 are very good choices and worth the try, especially if you going to lake and ponds smaller size but they stocking trout in them, you decently going to get bite. get the in light trout color and deep the tail in JJs magic chartruce color. Good luck