“Swimbait” - Confusing terminology

[Masaccio]

For a long time, I thought “swimbait” referred to soft paddletails and other softbaits I may not know about that also mimicked a swimming fish on retrieve. 
Now I know that the term (usually?) refers to a hard bait which mimics actual fish species. So when Insee the term “Swimbait” apart from context, what is the assumption. And when people commonly refer to “small swimbaits” are they usually referring to the hard types?

And if they are speaking of soft paddletails or similar, will they usually call them paddletails, or “soft swim baits”?  Thanks!

[roadwarrior]

"Swimbaits" usually means hard baits.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Great point it's very convoluted.

 

To me you have two types:

 

Small Swimbaits:  Most of which are soft plastic rigged on a jighead of some style 

 

Large Swimbaits:   Both soft and hard baits.  

 

You could even have "Micro swimbaits" as well like the sassy shad style baits 

[a1712]

I use the term Paddle Tail for the soft plastic bait (Kitech, etc) and Swimbait for the hard bait (Triple Trout, etc.). Brian.

[Bass Rutten]

The term swimbait referred to hardbaits in the early days and over time the soft swimbaits got lumped in to create one big category. Opinions vary on what constitutes a true swimbait, hardcore swimbaiters use size as the main metric and generally don't consider anything under about 5 to 6 inches to be one.

 

Outside of the hardcore swimbait bubble what most people call small swimbaits are the soft plastic ones ranging anywhere from 2.5" to 5". Swimbaits, soft swimbaits, softies, swimmers, paddle tails, boot tails, take your pick, the terminology is all over the place.

[PressuredFishing]

No definition set in stone really, it's a very very broad category,

 

it's like saying soft plastic, it could mean a 2 inch grub or a 10 inch ribbon tailed worm and anything inbetween

 

 

[WRB]

Swimbait terminology started out west to describe jointed hard lures like original Huddleston wooden  Castaic lure and Allen Coles wooden AC lure with soft plastic tail. The term followed the salt water big 8” to 12” boot/paddle tails by Worm King who also made small 4” soft plastic paddle tails that Cole used as a tail.

Thats how it started and hasn’t changed with hundreds of swimbaits available today. The term swim bait always had a mixed definition between hard and soft.

Tom 

[Columbia Craw]

Look at the category SWIMBAIT.  They don’t have a lip or bill.  Within that category are sub categories such as hard body, hollow body, paddle tail and  so on. Even the term glide bait still falls under the general category of swimbait. Tackle Warehouse does a good job of filtering the category.

[Bluebasser86]

Swimbait to me is the big baits, hard or soft. I refer to the smaller Keitech style baits as paddle tails or hollowbodies. 

[WRB]

^^^^this^^^^ except I call the small baits “swimmers”.

Tom

[Deleted account]

Yes, but can you flip with them using monofilament line and a XF rod?...

 

[Bird]

Haha, also noticed that finesse fishing is broadening it's boundaries.

[Deleted account]

40 minutes ago, Bird said:

Haha, also noticed that finesse fishing is broadening it's boundaries.

They have fishing info shows on short wave in between how to prep chatter?...  

[Masaccio]

Thanks for the responses.  Good stuff! 

[Masaccio]

14 hours ago, Deleted account said:

Yes, but can you flip with them with monofilament line and a XF rod?...

 

 

11 hours ago, Bird said:

Haha, also noticed that finesse fishing is broadening it's boundaries.

 

10 hours ago, Deleted account said:

They have fishing info shows on short wave in between how to prep chatter?...  

Why don’t you guys just get a room? 

[Dash Riprock]

Can't the same question be asked about "jerkbaits"?

[Masaccio]

Now that you mention it, yes, I think. But maybe the difference between hard and soft jerkbaits isn’t as pronounced as between the different styles of baits  that share the designation of “swim bait.”

[Bird]

9 hours ago, Dash Riprock said:

Can't the same question be asked about "jerkbaits"?

I'm still of the mindset " Jerkbaits " are hard baits with trebles.

I've never called a fluke a Jerkbait.

 

 

[Masaccio]

On 11/4/2022 at 5:30 AM, Bird said:

I'm still of the mindset " Jerkbaits " are hard baits with trebles.

I've never called a fluke a Jerkbait.

 

 

True.  When I just type "jerkbait" in on TWH, all of the baits that come up are the hard ones.  But, "soft plastic jerkbaits" gets some returns too.  But the fact that there are so few of these proves your point.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=30&prevsearch=jerkbaits&searchtext=soft+plastic+jerkbaits

[Drawdown]

I too thought a swimbait was the term for soft paddletails. Never had a clue about jointed hard baits.

[king fisher]

  I don't feel the names are associated with the style of baits, I believe the terms reflect the cost of the baits.  

Small soft baits that come in a package of 5 to 7 and cost under $10, I call paddle tails, and if they are very soft and only hold up for one fish I call them Kietech's .  Soft baits that cost over $10 and come in packages of two, I call hollow bodied paddle tails, because my head must have been hollow at the time I bought them.  Hard baits that are under $30 per bait, I call glide baits because I may have to quietly glide out of the house when my wife finds out how much I paid for one bait.  Hard or soft baits that cost between $30 and $1000 I call swimbaits because if the Bait Monkey ever talks me in to buying one and I snag it, I am going swimming until I retrieve it, regardless of water temp, depth, or current.

    Needless to say I may never own a swimbait, but a couple years ago I said the same thing about A rigs. 

[Bird]

5 minutes ago, king fisher said:

  I don't feel the names are associated with the style of baits, I believe the terms reflect the cost of the baits.  

Small soft baits that come in a package of 5 to 7 and cost under $10, I call paddle tails, and if they are very soft and only hold up for one fish I call them Kietech's .  Soft baits that cost over $10 and come in packages of two, I call hollow bodied paddle tails, because my head must have been hollow at the time I bought them.  Hard baits that are under $30 per bait, I call glide baits because I may have to quietly glide out of the house when my wife finds out how much I paid for one bait.  Hard or soft baits that cost between $30 and $1000 I call swimbaits because if the Bait Monkey ever talks me in to buying one and I snag it, I am going swimming until I retrieve it, regardless of water temp, depth, or current.

    Needless to say I may never own a swimbait, but a couple years ago I said the same thing about A rigs. 

Haha, well you're actually correct about the Keitechs, 1 fish, but I keep throwing them because they catch fish and leave that nice fragrance of squid on the fingers ?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

3 hours ago, king fisher said:

  I don't feel the names are associated with the style of baits, I believe the terms reflect the cost of the baits.  

Small soft baits that come in a package of 5 to 7 and cost under $10, I call paddle tails, and if they are very soft and only hold up for one fish I call them Kietech's .  Soft baits that cost over $10 and come in packages of two, I call hollow bodied paddle tails, because my head must have been hollow at the time I bought them.  Hard baits that are under $30 per bait, I call glide baits because I may have to quietly glide out of the house when my wife finds out how much I paid for one bait.  Hard or soft baits that cost between $30 and $1000 I call swimbaits because if the Bait Monkey ever talks me in to buying one and I snag it, I am going swimming until I retrieve it, regardless of water temp, depth, or current.

    Needless to say I may never own a swimbait, but a couple years ago I said the same thing about A rigs. 

I read your replies if for only the hidden hilarious gems found within them, don't change pal ?