Favorite Size Keitech SIF for Smallies?

[ABrugs]

I’m going to be throwing the Keitech Swing Impact Fat this year for smallies and I’m curious what everyone’s favorite sizes are? I was planning on going w/ the 3.3” w/ a 1/8 oz head, but would love to hear opinions. I’ll be mainly fishing less than 8’ on Lake St. Clair.

 

^ Also, if you use a different type of paddle tail swimbait, that’s fine. I’d still like to hear your favorite sizes. Thanks!

[EWREX]

2.8 to 3.3 swing impact fats and easy shiners

[Sphynx]

This isn't as easy to answer as I wish it was, I use a number of different sized heads when I'm throwing paddletail baits, just depends on the depth/current I'm targeting, gets a bit more convoluted because the weight of the plastic is a factor too, the size depends on the size of the forage I'm seeing, if all the baitfish are little 2in fish, use the small one, just try to match the hatch, colors are another variable, as a general rule with this I try to match the hatch, but I guess my basic categories are shad colors, sunfish colors, and bold/attractor type colors, I like the Owner Inshore heads, red and white both show up in my box, I also use the Owner underspins when I feel like the extra flash would help.

[Big Hands]

Our smallies are mixed right in with our largemouth, with the largemouth being about 3:1 or 4:1 more prevalent. Since I've discovered the Keitech baits, the regular Swing Impact in Electric Shad has been my go to finesse bait in the winter season with the 4" and 3.5" VERY s-l-o-w-l-y dragged on a c-rig.

[A-Jay]

3.3 - 3.8 - 4.3 and every once in a while 4.8

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

2 or 2.5 inch 

[MickD]

40 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

3.3 - 3.8 - 4.3 and even once in a while 4.8

A-Jay

I have had good luck with the Strike King KVD Perfect Coffee swim bait in the 5 " size for smallies, too.  Although I usually go with the 3.8 Keitech.  Strike King in pearl is its best color, IMHO.

[TnRiver46]

I found a picture in the archives. Let them sit in a bag of purple worms for a few days for added amounts of fun 

[roadwarrior]

Too small and the paddle should point up. Otherwise, crappie and bream probably don't care.

 

[Mat_ski]

Not fat, regular swing impact 4” 

[TnRiver46]

59 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Too small and the paddle should point up. Otherwise, crappie and bream probably don't care.

 

This one ate it right before I took the picture. There’s no way I could count how many 20+ inch smallmouth I’ve caught with that exact same bait. And I’ve caught a whole lot of  22 inch smallmouth on baits even smaller

My wife caught this 22 1/2 inch bruiser with a 1.5 inch big bite baits crappie soft plastic. 4 lb test 5’ ultra light rod 

[Junk Fisherman]

One of my main presentations is a 4"Keitech Swing Impact non-fat with a 3/0 3/16th oz round jighead.  I also use the 3.8 Jackall Rhythm Shad.  The non-fat Swing Impact have been so good to me that I've never used the fat for smallies except for on an A-rig.  I use the 3.8 fat with a weighted t-rig hook for largemouth in grassy lakes with much success.  I probably should experiment with the fats for smallies.  

[FryDog62]

Smallies like flash. When the bite is slow or in colder water - I will throw 3-4 inch Keitech Easy Shiners on underspins like a 1/4 oz Hogfarmer WarPig. 
 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=30&searchtext=Hogfarmer+WarPig

[ABrugs]

This has been really helpful so far. I do have a follow-up question: What jig heads would you recommend for the 3.3” SIF? It supposedly weighs around 0.2 oz and I want to make sure I’m balancing it for the depth I’m fishing.

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, ABrugs said:

This has been really helpful so far. I do have a follow-up question: What jig heads would you recommend for the 3.3” SIF? It supposedly weighs around 0.2 oz and I want to make sure I’m balancing it for the depth I’m fishing.

1/8, 3/16, 1/4 oz depending on water depth, substrate, fish depth, etc 

[roadwarrior]

Another option along the same line:

 

Several years ago we had a BassResource Roadtrip to Pickwick during a flood.

https://www.wideopencountry.com/nashville-floods-grand-ole-opry/

 

When the rain stopped the lake had risen 9' overnight, water was flowing over the

flood gates and the Tennessee River was closed. There was a strong current ON THE

LAKE! Low expectations...but we were wrong...

 

I had my best day EVER! 78 bass for me, over 50 by my partner. The Red Eye Shad had

just been introduced and my buddy caught all his fish on these. I caught ALL my fish,

both largemouth and smallmouth, on a Sworming Hornet. LFT Live Magic Shad

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, ABrugs said:

This has been really helpful so far. I do have a follow-up question: What jig heads would you recommend for the 3.3” SIF? It supposedly weighs around 0.2 oz and I want to make sure I’m balancing it for the depth I’m fishing.

 

Dirty Jigs Tactical Bassin' Finesse Swimbait Jig Head,

VMC Boxer Jig Head

and 

VMC Flat Shad Jig Head 

 

IME ~ and as a general rule, 

the softer the bait, the more the boot tail will move and at a slower speed.

Durability usually suffers but I may get more bites if & when slow is the deal.

I almost always want & need the bait to 'have good action' (or swim) 

every time I kill it and allow it to fall back to the bottom.

Either on a slack or especially on a tight line. 

That said, the jighead weight (line / leader size and the hook wire gauge to some extent) play a few roles here.

I'm always looking for the right 'match'.

Casting distance, rate of fall and how it swims (as noted above)

can all be dictated by the type of plastic (softness),

 and the size of the boot tail as compared to the weight of the jig head. 

Too light and the bait/tail has nothing to 'push against' 

and to heavy a head can over power the bait completely.

When I get it right, the jighead will act as the perfect counter balance for the bait & the tail, which will enable the swimbait to have that tail thump and THE SHIMMY, which often times is the magic sauce. 

A-Jay

 

 

[ABrugs]

That's exactly what I was hoping to learn. Thanks, @A-Jay! I was planning on going w/ the DJ Tactical Bassin' Finesse Jig Head as well. Per your insight, I might need to consider the 3/16 over the 1/8 to create the ideal balance. I feel that might be slightly more versatile as well.

[roadwarrior]

1/4 oz 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-BUCKEYETT.html?from=basres

 

I fish the Rage Swimmer

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_Rage_Swimmer_Swimbait/descpage-SKRSW.html

[Bluebasser86]

5 hours ago, Mat_ski said:

Not fat, regular swing impact 4” 

Same if I'm targeting smallies.

[Sphynx]

Yep, @A-Jay said exactly what I was thinking, there's definitely a magic combination of heads and plastics that you kind of have to do some trial and error with to get it exactly right for your fishery, but boy when you do you can absolutely obliterate the fish, some of my best days ever have been on the paddletail pattern, both numbers and size

[Hollada]

On 2/3/2022 at 10:22 AM, ABrugs said:

This has been really helpful so far. I do have a follow-up question: What jig heads would you recommend for the 3.3” SIF? It supposedly weighs around 0.2 oz and I want to make sure I’m balancing it for the depth I’m fishing.

I throw 1/2-3/4 ounce heavy wire jig head with a 3.8 and drag  slow so you feel every rock and shell it hits.  This is from ice out till end of April.  I use a MH to be able to set that hook.  Killer approach on LSC in early spring.

 

also throw the 3.3 and 2.8 on 1/4-3/8 heads as things warm up a bit.  
 

All summer I keep that 1/2 ounce 3.8 on deck but in the summer I’m burning it a bit.

 

you in a boat or on shore?

[ABrugs]

I’m currently fishing from shore and usually in less than 6’. My strategy is to use the Keitechs for covering the middle column of the water on a steady retrieve and to use the Megabass Dark Sleeper (3/8) on a slow retrieve along the bottom. If I was fishing from a boat on LSC I’d definitely be going up to a 3.8” and a heavier head. That will be in my future so your post was helpful as you’re also fishing LSC.

[newapti5]

I like Keitech just as other guys, but I recently found this to be an effective alternative for smallies, especially if you want a bit tighter action in cold water. 

 

 

[Kirtley Howe]

I have had great luck using Storm Wild Eye pre-rigged swimbaits. The 3", 3.5" and 4" sizes work great for both Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, and also catch a lot of Walleye.  I only buy them when I find them on sale, or on Ebay or Amazon. Not as cheap as buying non-rigged swimbaits and rigging them up myself (I do that also), but they are handy and work great. I have also caught some Musky and large Pike on them...