Big Swimbaits

[jwo1124]

The notion that big baits get big fish has always been around. But, just recently has the craze of big swimbaits to target large bass reached popularity throughout bass fishing. Obviously you have a better chance of getting a big bass to expend the energy into pouncing on or chasing down a large lure than you do with a smaller offering. Most anglers know that fish are energy conservative and will not make the effort into an attack unless it intuitivly knows that it will gain more than it expends in the effort. This is why anglers use big lures/baits for big fish. It just makes sense.

My question is, how many of you guys or gals, have actually put it a good amount of time fishing a "big" swimbait. Also, have you had good success with them. I was thinking about buying a few Storm Swimbaits that come in 6" and 10" size. Since I do my freshwater fishing in the local ponds up in Massachusetts, I am thinking about sticking with the 6" mainly because the bass don;t get as big up here as they do down south due to the shorter growing seasons. A lunker up here is around 5 lbs, where as down south a lunker is about 10 lbs. A big bass is around 3 lbs up here. Most of the bass I catch are around 1-2 lbs. 3.14lbs being my Personal Best. I'm sure there are a couple 5+ bass in these pounds, I have heard and seen pics of guys catching them, so I want to better the odds of catching them and use a big lure, but I want to know the success rate of these things before I go out and buy them. And spend valuable fishing time using them. Any comment and replies are appreciated.

[jwo1124]

Replies from Northern anglers, as well as those who mainly Bass fish in natural ponds will be at the up most value since that is what relates to me. Thanks.

[.ghoti.]

I caught quite a few two to four pound bass on a Storm Swimbait, and a few five's. I don't use the big ten inchers, for the same reason you proposed. Here in the middle of Illinois, an 8 is a giant. I've had the most success targeting deeper structure, cast out, letting it hit the bottom, and cranking it back just fast enough to get the tail wiggling. I'll pause and let it sink back on tight line from time to time, whenever I think it's gotten too far from the bottom. This retrieve works well with the storm baits. Some of them will not run true at higher speeds, and I've found no way to correct this. They seem to track well at low speeds. Experiment with speed in shallow water where you can see what's happening. When you get it just fast enough to get the tail moving, speed up just slightly, and you'll find the right speed to make the bait do a kind of side to side searching action. That's the right speed, and the right triggering action. If it won't do that, throw it away and get another one out of the bag.

To answer your first question, I don't do this very often. It's a lot of casting for a few fish. I tend to bring these baits out when my regular offerings either aren't working, or I'm just catching dinks. This is the most neglected part of my arsenal, and I intend to build up my stock of bigger baits over the winter, and buy a rod suited for this tactic. I currently use a Quantum Tour Edition rod; a 7' MH that's not quite stout enough for some of the big plastic swim baits.

Cheers,

GK

[Mattlures]

You are about to make the most common mistake in swimbaiting. Why would you handicap yourself?

The notion that starting with cheap baits and working your way up to good baits is bassakwards and just plain waist of time and money. Yes I am sure the storm bait have caught some fish and even a few big ones but i am aslo sure that quality baits will catch big fish 25 -1 over the storms. NOBODY and I mean NOBODY out here who consistantly catches big fish uses junk baits. They have learned that if your going to put the time and effort into hunting those big bass why would you ever handicap your self with a bait that looks and swims nothing like a real bait fish. Those big bass didnt get big by being stupid. Now coming from me this must sound like a comercial but....... if you give me an idea of your fishing situation I will recomend a quality bait that is NOT made by me.  Buying a bunch of storms etc is the equivalent of bying a bunch of $10 rods as aposed to a couple decent ones. Trust me you will save money in the long(and short) run buy buying quality in the first place.

[Randall]

I am going to have to sort of disagree with my buddy Matt on this one bait. I am guessing the six inch and ten inch baits you are talking about is the Kickin' Minnow. Well, with a few easy modifications it can be a good swimbait. The ten inch bait out of the package is not very good but it can be made into a good bait in about one minute with a knife and some glue. If you decide to get one send me a PM and I can tell you how to fix it. The rest of what Storm makes will not compare to the baits that guys like Matt make and are a waste of money IMO but that Kickin' minnow will work and I catch big fish with it on a consistant basis when they are feeding on gizzard shad. The only thing about the Kickin' Minnow is that it imitates one forage species well for me and thats about it. For it to work real well your ponds would need to have big gizzard shad and big fish to feed on them. Most likely your ponds don't have gizzard shad so that may not be the best choice of bait.  The rest of the time I mostly use Matt's baits and a few other hard baits. My biggest fish that weighed 15lbs 12oz hit one of Matt's bluegills as well as a bunch of other big fish over ten pounds. I have used his perch bait for big fish as well in a few lakes that have perch in them. I only believe in the big bait theory to a point. If the fish are feeding on big baits like big trout and big gizzard shad then throw a big bait. But, I don't think you need a big ten inch bait to catch big fish since I catch more big fish over eight pounds on Matt's bluegill and my best soft plastic bait for big fish is a trickworm not a big twelve inch worm. What I would suggest is finding out what forage is in the ponds that the big fish feed on if you do not know already and try to match it. If its big bait size trout then get a Huddleston. If its five to six inch bluegill, crappie or perch then get one of Matt's baits. Also don't think that just because you don't have big bass over five pounds that you can't use a ten inch bait. I have caught plenty of four pounders on a ten inch bait and often will catch more four and five pounders on a ten inch bait in a day than I will seven and eight pounders.

[Mattlures]

Randall I do not disagree with you. You have the fish to back up your statements. Most guys just like to sound like they know what they are talking about especialy with swimbaits. I Have never thrown that KM but since there realy isnt a great gizzard shad bait on the market that might be a bait to look at under those conditions. HMMM maybe there is a nitch i need to fill....

[Lightninrod]

What Matt and Randall said! 8-)

I've caught a few Bass on swimbaits, the most and the largest(my PB, a 9 lb-even Bass) on Matt's swimbaits.

Here's a swimbait that fits your situation but it's expensive!  I have caught Bass with it in farm ponds down here.

Dan

[Guest btlva]

Great info from both guys! I own several of Matt's baits. They're top-notch creations for sure.

Would you guys say that clear water is really important for fishing swimbaits? Do you use them if you're fishing a lake with only saaay 18" of visibility? Do you have any tips for fishing them in dingy water? Thanks

[Lightninrod]

Swimbaits are usually BIG and therefore, displace more water than other baits.  With a thumping tail too, I wouldn't hesitate to throw one in murky water.

Dan

[smallfry]

Yes, 3-5 lb fish will easily eat 6-8" baits (some baits more easily than others).  In the last year I have had one 5.5 lb. smallie spit up a 6" perch and another 5 lb. smallie spit up a 7" sheepshead (hint hint Matt, would probably be a good muskie bait in the upper midwest) at the side of my boat.  

A lot of the "old timers" around here swear by live perch around 6" for catching big smallies.

I purchased a Mattlures perch and I've had a few "bumps" on it, but haven't been able to hook anything yet (no teeth marks, so I'm assuming not a pike or a muskie).  Admittedly, work and a 10 month old have cut into my fishing time this year so I've been less inclined to either experiment or forsake "quality" fish in hopes of "monster" fish.  I think it is much like muskie fishing, there are fewer windows of opportunity for the biggest bites, so you've got to put in the time or you won't have the confidence or percentages to make it happen.

[smallfry]

cough...this ones probably just a little bigger than the one my smallie spit out...cough....cough...and maybe just a little bigger than the bait I'd like to see....cough...cough...but the colors right, if anybody is interested...cough...

[roadwarrior]

Maybe you all should pick up a dozen of these and give 'em a try:

http://www.***.com/descpageSWMJRAGO-JRTB.html

[Boett43]

Yeah i deff think that Mattlures should look into making a smaller seris of swimbaits such as a shad or even a smaller bluegill but thats just something i would want and pay good $ for dont know about anyone else

[roadwarrior]

Well, I don't know what "the right size" is, but the Mattlures Baby Bass series is about right for me! 1.3 oz and it can be fished on a heavy bass rod, not necessarily requiring a dedicated swimbait rod. We don't have any 20 lb bass swimming around here, so this lure (seems) to fit the profile that interests some our bigger bass.

[bass109]

I think i would get a stroke if i lost $300.00 lure. Isn't Jerry Rago's Tool Swimbait one of the most expensive swimbaits on the market?

[fourbizz]

Yeah i deff think that Mattlures should look into making a smaller seris of swimbaits such as a shad or even a smaller bluegill but thats just something i would want and pay good $ for dont know about anyone else

Keep your eyes open for that shad

[smallfry]

Maybe you all should pick up a dozen of these and give 'em a try:

http://www.***.com/descpageSWMJRAGO-JRTB.html

Sure, just send me your credit card number...

[Bream Master]

RW,

$300.00!! What in the world!  Does it turn into a pretty mermaid at night and cook me dinner?

Cheers!

[bassmaster8100]

Im no swimbait expert by no means, just started trying to learn them. But the route I went when deciding what to fish was to get a good variety of swimbaits and see whats gonna work for me and then Ill stock up on whatever is the best, Ive purchased several sizes of the Storm swimbaits, some of the smaller Lake Fork Magic Shad and just ordered a couple of baby bass from Matt Lures( ive heard of more peeps catching big bass on this than the others) also ordered some of the hard bodied swimbaits from Japan. Over the last couple of months Ive picked up a pretty good variety of swimbaits and Im just gonna experiment with em all to see what works for me. So what Id say is maybe get some of the cheaper ones such as the Storm and then some better ones such as Matt Lures and just experiment with them and see what works for you. In other types of lure that Ive learned and experimented with I usually find that quality outfishes the cheaper stuff but not always.

[Mattlures]

OK keep mine and throw all the others away. Now go buy a huddleston 5 or 12 and a 9 MS Slammer.

The money you spent on those 3 would probably add up to what you paid for all the others and they are 100000x's better. You will need a setup for the slammer and Hudd

other good baits to start with

All of mine(take it for what ist worth coming from me   )

Triple trout

Rago rat

3:16 hard baits

Those are all proven, and proven by guys who know how to fish swimbaits.

Yeah I know you wont listen but if you ever get hooked and keep at it you will admit that my advise was right on. It might take you a year or two to realize it though.

PS I got nothing to gain by recomending any of my competitors baits. We are not friends and if you put us in a room together we would kill each other   I just know from personal experiance and talking to about 1000 of the best swimbait guys what actualy works!

[Catt]

Matt, it takes a rare breed of fisherman consistently catch big bass; some of the guys here will never stay with your baits long enough to see the results.

[bassmaster8100]

recieved my swimbaits from matt lures today, decided to try em out this afternoon and i gotta say best swimbait i own. Had immediate results, maybe I just got lucky but its a better looking bait than others I own and seems to have better action, didnt catch a monster but did get one about 4 lbs on matt's baby bass. Looking foward to using this bait some more and learning how to fish it, Im sure its gonna put some good ones in the boat.

[Outdoorsman60]

i use swimbaits but not big ones

[Bass Hammer]

Maybe you all should pick up a dozen of these and give 'em a try:

http://www.***.com/descpageSWMJRAGO-JRTB.html

I've had some Rago stuff on back order for months now