Swimbait help...

[Tin]

Ok so a few weeks back I caught a three and half pound largie with a 10 inche brook trout in his gut. It makes me really want to get into swimbaits next year. It something most of the bass in New England have never seen and hopefully it something they will like. But around here isnt the place for huge swimbaits because a quality fish around here is anything over 2.5-3 pounds and the biggest we get is usually between 6-8 pounds. Not anything over 15 or 20 like you guys out west  :'(. I would like to try to fish with smaller swimbaits say under 7 inches because I dont have much confidence in really really big baits. So any tips would help. Primary under what conditions to fish them and where (around what types of structure/cover) that sort of stuff.

[bpm2000]

The smaller 2-3lb fish will still hit the big baits, FYI.  Fish the big ones to go after the 6-8s you are talking about, and you will still stick the 2-3lb fish!

[Trevor in Burke]

go to SFTtackle.com and click on the Mizmo link, they make a nice swimbait called the baracude with awesome unique action....

http://sfttackle.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=30

[Supermat]

There are more BIG bait guys than you might think there are in your area and they're catching a lot of fish on 9"+ baits. Don't be afraid of a little size, you'll still get fish.

[Tin]

Thanks for the info, really appreciate it. I'm just looking for another big fish bait to get my average weight in a tourney up this year. All in all it was pretty good, about 2-2.5 lbs average a tourney except 2 or 3. But if I could ge that one 4+ pound fish some I could get rid of that last little one it would have given me more wins this year, I had 4 second places where I lost by under a pound and a half. And that one little guy left in the livewell would always kill me.

[Branuss04]

The first SB I ever tried was a 316 mighty minnow.  It's a weedless soft bait that swims right under the surface.  It's about 5in long and weight a little over an ounce.  It's a great little bait that a buddy gave me.  I let it sit in my box for 2 months, I was at a local pond and nothing that usually works was working, so I threw this on, and was catching them left and right.  It may not be the best bait out there, but is easy to throw, cheap (4pk for 10 ish), and durable (even when they get destroyed, you can melt them back together).  Anyway hope this helps, good luck.

[roadwarrior]

Start off with the Mattlures Baby Bass. It's only 1.3 oz, but it will seem HUGE! It doesn't require special equipment, you can fish it with a Heavy Power bass rod. The cost is about $34 (shipped) for the 3-pack special. The baits are rigged and ready to go.

I have had good luck with this lure.  8-)

[Lightninrod]

Start off with the Mattlures Baby Bass. It's only 1.3 oz, but it will seem HUGE! It doesn't require special equipment, you can fish it with a Heavy Power bass rod. The cost is about $34 (shipped) for the 3-pack special. The baits are rigged and ready to go.

I have had good luck with this lure.  8-)

What RW said..6 lber..Matt's Baby Bass.

Dan

[Tin]

They look pretty sexy, any other suggestions on brands of swimbaits that wont take up my whole pay check? And also, are swimbaits primarily a clear water type bait or what?

[bpm2000]

You can fish a swimbait anywhere.  Dispell the cali clearwater myth!

[Tin]

Thats what I figured, that big paddle tail must thump like crazy so I figured it would get the job done in muddy nasty water too.

[fourbizz]

Baby Wake

Do it.

[Micro]

Strike King King Shads are getting great reviews.  I've picked up some and will being using them for the first time next week.  

[Tin]

Ya, I have used a few, they swim in an S pattern like the rebel jointed minnows, really like them.

[fish-fighting-illini]

I'll sound like a broken record but Storm swimbaits 6 for $3 best value out there. You can buy them from www.customspinnersunlimeted.com and get much larger and many more colors.

I use them a lot and catch a good portion of my fish on them.

I buy the flat paddle tail ( swim shads?)ones with the single hook

Just got a nice 4lb er last week on the 3"

Whatever swimbait you pick let us know how you do

[mike bat]

i will always toss a mattlure baby bass first .... the bait is a killer .... i live in northern wisconsin ,,, we olny have the northern strain of large mouth bass here .... here a 5lber is a toad and 8 are almost unheard of .... or record bass is 11lbs i believe so we dont have big bass by any means .... this fish is 14 inches if i remember correctly ....

look how he ate that thing ....

these are the ones i use

give matt a call he really makes a great bait  ;D

[Tin]

Ok ordered a few from Mattlures. A couple in the baby bass version and a couple in the perch color. Might have to wait till next year. The fish aren't feeding tooo much. They are just on real shallow wood, so the jig is the go to bait right now.