Soft Swimbaits

[Spankey]

Really just talking off the top of my head. This is a bait I have to keep throwing more and more. For the most part been fishing it weightless on Owner SB hooks with some success on top and in front and sides of grass lines. Might try to weight it some with swim bait rigs or possibly with Sliders jigs. Maybe fish it more in open water or around rock structure. May need to expand on style also. Have only been throwing the Little Dipper. Decent bait which does not lack in action. Just have to keep forcing myself to throw it more and more. 

[NorthernBasser]

To me, the Keitech's are still king. But there are tons of really good options out there nowadays. 

For weedless presentations, the Warbaits head is one of my favorites. They also make one without the weed guard.

 

[PhishLI]

4'-5" swimmers work very well for me, so I throw them often.

 

Megabass Hazedong Shad 4.2/Owner Twistlock Light 5/0 3/32 weighted hook.

Skinny Dipper. Same hook as above. I do far better with the Hazedong though. Shown with an Oener 3/0 1/8oz weighted.

 

Fish Arrow J Shad 5" and Berkeley Champ Swimmer 4.5. Owner Twistlock Light 6/0 3/32oz Weighted hook.

 

Beast Coast Miyagi Swimmer 4.75"/ Owner Beast hook 1/4oz weighted. Far bulkier bait than the ones listed above. HF rods only. One Miyagi is rigged with a Trokar unweighted swimbait hook, but has two tungsten pagoda weights inserted into its nose.. Lighter hook for MHF rod. Weighted this way swims it slightly nose down.

 

 

 

 

[NorthernBasser]

Just now, PhishLI said:

 

 

Beast Coast Miyagi Swimmer 4.75"/ Owner Beast hook 1/4oz weighted. Far bulkier bait than the ones listed above. HF rods only.

Yesss. This and the 5" Jenko Booty Shaker gets thrown a lot for me. 

[Spankey]

I saw local that the Twist Lock Lights were weighted but were in the larger hook sizes. TW might have a weighted 3/0. Little dipper seem to match up good to the 3/0. 

[PhishLI]

9 minutes ago, Spankey said:

I saw local that the Twist Lock Lights were weighted but were in the larger hook sizes. TW might have a weighted 3/0. Little dipper seem to match up good to the 3/0. 

4/0 minimum, IMO

13 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Yesss. This and the 5" Jenko Booty Shaker gets thrown a lot for me. 

This is a good sub for the Miyagi and a near knock off ,if your local DSG stocks them.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/deathwish-swimbait-20jawudthwsh5cryplur/20jawudthwsh5cryplur

[Finessegenics]

They're definitely one of the baits I throw the most but in recent years I have been gravitating towards smaller swimbaits. 3"-3.5" on 1/8 heads. Usually a slim profile like an easy shiner or slim swimz from zman. If I do throw the 4" it's still these thin profiles.

 

A 4" Swammer or 4.3" fat swing impact are not huge baits but I've lost confidence in them. I don't know if it's a match the hatch deal or what, but they just don't get bit as well. And in my home river, all the baitfish I see are tiny. I need to branch out and throw those baits around bass which eat bigger baitfish. 

 

Swimbaits are definitely the most versatile bait anyone can throw. Can be fished on bottom, mid column or as a topwater. Keep throwing them!

[NorthernBasser]

5 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

4/0 minimum, IMO

This is a good sub for the Miyagi and a near knock off ,if your local DSG stocks them.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/deathwish-swimbait-20jawudthwsh5cryplur/20jawudthwsh5cryplur

Is that just for one? That's the same price as the Miyagi, which is a 3-pack. 

[Spankey]

5 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

4/0 minimum, IMO

This is a good sub for the Miyagi and a near knock off ,if your local DSG stocks them.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/deathwish-swimbait-20jawudthwsh5cryplur/20jawudthwsh5cryplur

I could try to step up my hook size. Probably with a 4/0 Grammy EWG. Little Dipper at best is 3.3-3.5” length. 

[PhishLI]

2 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

A 4" Swammer or 4.3" fat swing impact are not huge baits but I've lost confidence in them.

I can't get bit for nuthin' around here on Keitechs or their knockoffs or anything else without silver eyes. The champ swimmers shown are about to get some glued on. Must be the extra flash, or the fish here are highly conditioned and resistant to standard eye-less swimmers.

[TnRiver46]

this little dude does serious damage when floating the rivers 

[PhishLI]

17 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Is that just for one? That's the same price as the Miyagi, which is a 3-pack. 

3 pack. The 2 below the Rigged Miyagi are Death Wish Swimmers.

 

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

this little dude does serious damage when floating the rivers 

I do well with the Storm 360 GT 1/8oz in open cold water if they're short striking the Hazedongs. P.S. No rivers 'round here, but that looks good.

 

 

I've got some of these on the way to try to salvage the piles of 4" Easy Shiners I have that are collecting dust. I need weedless rigging around here for the majority of the season.

 

https://zmanfishing.com/cms/products/texas-eye-jigheads

[Spankey]

Have not river fished them yet. For the most part has been weightless in and around that lake grass. A true swim bait jig head I do not have. But Sliders and round heads I have in 1/0, 2/0 and 3/0 sizes. 

[DINK WHISPERER]

The bigger Berkley champ swimmer on an Owner 4/0 beast hook is my favorite all around right now. 

For any type of vegetation I only use the gambler big EZ with a 6/0 beast hook. 

For deeper structure I go with a Picasso 1oz head and a big 7" Bass Magic hollow belly swimmer. 

[Deleted account]

17 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

this little dude does serious damage when floating the rivers 

Oh, yeah. That looks like it came out of one of my boxes. Please tell me you didn't custom "cold set" that hook to increase the gap, cause it sure looks like it.

 

Skinny Dipper, Pulse, Shaker, Sassy Shads, a few different jig heads, swim jigs, and scissors.... Roll the credits...

[Catt]

[Mike L]

For me I only use 2, with only one color in each and have for as long as I can remember.
The standard sized Skinny Dipper in Houdini and a June Bug Big EZ. 
 

I let the fish tell me which they want and change when they let me know. 
 

Those are the only ones I need 
 

 

Mike

[scaleface]

I catch suspended  bass with them . I thought this was a secret technique of mine then heard about it twice in one week . Once here and once on Youtube.  When bass are suspended off the side of a ledge , throw a swimbait on a jig head on top the  ledge . Raise the rod then keep it  still . The lure pendulums back through the suspended fish . 

[TnRiver46]

32 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Oh, yeah. That looks like it came out of one of my boxes. Please tell me you didn't custom "cold set" that hook to increase the gap, cause it sure looks like it.

 

Skinny Dipper, Pulse, Shaker, Sassy Shads, a few different jig heads, swim jigs, and scissors.... Roll the credits...

I think that was after 40-50 white bass had been caught and released off it and got it stuck on bottom a few times, had to bend it back into shape over and over . I only wish I was that forward thinking haha

[softwateronly]

Gambler big EZ, EZ, little ez are becoming favorite all-arounders, price, action, durability, colors

Scottsboro swimbaits - 4" and 6" have unbelieveable waggle

R2S D walkers - both 100mm and 120mm, possible best bang for the buck with water over 50 degrees  They last forever...

Xzone swammers

 

These all give me a good head shimmy and have been durable enough....

 

Got Miyagi's, largos, and more time with the swammers lined up this coming year.

 

scott

10 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I catch suspended  bass with them . I thought this was a secret technique of mine then heard about it twice in one week . Once here and once on Youtube.  When bass are suspended off the side of a ledge , throw a swimbait on a jig head on top the  ledge . Raise the rod then keep it  still . The lure pendulums back through the suspended fish . 

Have had some good luck w/ fluke style baits doing this in near freezing water.  I think the limited action helps, could be wrong.

 

scott

[roadwarrior]

I prefer the Rage Swimmer

 

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

[bowhunter63]

Rage Swimmer are my go too

[king fisher]

Skinny Dippers for me.  I use them for everything from A rig to punching.  I'm sure there are better swimbaits I haven't tried, but if I can't catch them on a Skinny Dipper, I simply try another technique.  Bait Monkey is trying hard to get me to buy more expensive swimbaits, but so far I have been able to avoid that road.  A year from now, I may be a big fan of some other swimbait.  Seems like it only takes one big fish, and I am in a different band.

[5/0]

30 minutes ago, Catt said:

What’s the bobber stop for, knot protection?

[Catt]

6 minutes ago, 5/0 said:

What’s the bobber stop for, knot protection?

 

It was already on there why take it off!