swimbait vs shad body

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

What's the deal?  It seems that all of a sudden, EVERYTHING that can swim is being called a swimbait.

Call me old school but when I think "swimbait", I think a 10" or 12" minimum,....Hudds as an example.  (some of Matt lures stuff would be the exception here)

Now paddle tail type baits (shad body baits) are being called swimbaits too.  Well geez, just about EVERY bait "swims", even a jig.

I just wish they would class the stuff more realistically.  I bet it has something to do with search engines.  It's like the companies are "piggy backing" off the ever so popular "swimbait" meta tag.

[deadeye32.]

I agree totally,  We used to use those 2in. sassy shads years ago in some old strip pits to catch bass and crappie.  Now it seems like all of these little baits are considered swim baits.  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Exactly.  Even in saltwater, we have been using 9,10 and 12" shad bodies on umbrella and spreader rigs for cow stripers for years,....they cost about $.80 each!!!! lol  

Now we call the same thing with a sexy paint job a "swimbait" and pay $50 for it. :

[fishizzle]

I agree --every company is jumping on the bandwagon to cash in on a new trend.

Also I think jointed crankbaits are confused with hard swimbaits.

I disagree that swimbaits are 10" though, but I do agree that they are over 6"

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I disagree that swimbaits are 10" though, but I do agree that they are over 6"

Understandably,...you catch the smaller fish..... ;D : (a joke of course )

We are neighbors and you're right, in New England, I would say 8"+ for freshwater

[Willzx225]

I totally agree.  I caught a fish the other day on a small Sassy Shad and my partner looks at me and says "This is the first time I have seen anyone catch a fish on a swimbait".  I let it go the first couple of times but I had to set him straight after the 5th or 6th time he said it.    Something about a 2-3" piece of plastic being called a swimbait bothers me as well.

[Willzx225]

Wow,  By the time I answered 3 phone calls and 2 emails at work someone had posted almost exactly the same thing I did.  Sorry for the redundancy guys.  Deadeye seems to have had the same idea I did  ;D

[senile1]

I just wish they would class the stuff more realistically.  I bet it has something to do with search engines.  It's like the companies are "piggy backing" off the ever so popular "swimbait" meta tag.

I think you nailed it, LBH.  I've wondered the same thing.  I have some paddle tail baits I bought a few years back and I see the same type of baits carrying the moniker of "swimbait" now.  

[ba7ss3in]

Just wondering what you guys would consider the Lake Fork Live Shad?

[Willzx225]

I got to thinking about this Swimbait thing and did realize that it is nice to tell people at a tournament you caught them on a swimbait (3" shad body actually) and then see the number of Basstrix style baits showing up on the front deck the next morning  ;D  Its a good tactic to keep fellow competitors off of your pattern the next day  

[Crowcommander]

Want to get the little woman to talk 'dirty' to you,then order a few swimbaits over the phone or internet and wait till she gets the bill. I wish I had never heard of a #@%%% swimbait. The thing about it I can't put it down. I guess I'm going to get them out of the boat and leave them home. It's worse thwn the football jigs that everyone had to have. Crowcommander

[Catt]

It all about the $$$$$$$$$$  

[grimlin]

I like it....if some guy sees me catching hawgs and asked me what i'm using,i'm gonna say swimbait.

I'll leave him guessing which one.

[burleytog]

 Hudds as an example. (some of Matt lures stuff would be the exception here)

         

Hudd's are 8" or 6".

[Rob G.]

This is nothing more than capitalism, and we should be glad we have it.  If we did not, our bait selections would be limited.  I have a few "soft swimbaits", basstrix to be exact.  I have not jumped on the bandwagon, in fact they were given to me.  I will fish them, if I like them and the technique, I will obtain more.  I for one do not really give a rats what the slang term "swim bait" covers or does not cover.  Each year, marketing creates these bandwagons and most hop right on without a thought.  We are all guilty of that.  Heck they are slowely running out of fresh ideas and bringing back some old ideas that did not fly in prior attempts.  Good example is that goofy Yum Dancin Eel thing.  Might even work, who knows?  Calling lots of different baits "swim baits" is like the "bass fisherman" that targets stripers.  We all criticize him, but who's fish is really in the bass family?

[Mattlures]

Actualt a paddletail tube is more of a swimbait than an MS Slammer or an AC plug. the original swimbaits were saltwater boot tailed baits. Worm king, Fish traps, Big hammers, etc. Before those would have been the sassy but they werent named swimbaits. IMO a true swimbait is a rubber fish type bait that swims. NO hard bait is a swimbait. The Castaic with the hard head rubber body would be a hybrid. Size is irelevant. If you look on Calfishing Rob has the hard baits classified as "trout plugs". even though they are not all trout, I think its better than calling them swimbaits. Yes all the CO's are trying to cash in on the hot trend. Its all about the $$$$ Most of the new baits are sub par. they are in such a rush to get something out that they dont take the time to properly develope them. Its a race. This is also the reason why smaller Co.'s like mine, Hudd, 3:16, MS Slammer etc stay in buisiness and can compete with the massive amount of new "swimbaits" being dumped into the market. the baits have been tested to death and proven to catch fish. Not saying all the new baits are bad, some are great but most are knock offs. Just incase you didnt all know Basstrix has been making swimbaits for at least 20 years. They aint new.

[Dean]

I think Mattlures pretty much summed it up perfectly.  

[.dsaavedra.]

...rapala...They come out with new crap everyday! ;D

OH NO YOU DIDNT!!!!!

RAPALA IS FAR FROM CRAP!!!!

but i agree, i think they will call just about anything a swimbait nowadays just cuz swimbaits are hot and stuff will sell w/ a name like "swimbait" on it.

[dougw82]

Dont dog rapala. i love rapala.

[Branuss04]

I don't classify swimbaits on size, I do it by the bait itself, hudd's (Both sizes), Most of mattlures baits, all of 3:16 hardbaits, you get the picture.  I don't think a bait has to be 10-12 inches to be considered a swimbait, the hudd at 8 is a hog catching machine and could be considered the swimbait of all swimbaits.  Just my .02

[BASS fisherman]

Rapala fishing on any system is crap.  

That game is terrible!!!

[RoLo]

Several years ago, Doug Stange defined a "swimbait"

as any soft-plastic crank with two separate actions.

At the time Doug was throwing a soft-plastic fish with sliced sides

and a thumping shad-tail like the Bass Assassin.

Roger

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Several years ago, Doug Stange defined a "swimbait"

as any soft-plastic crank with two separate actions.

At the time Doug was throwing a soft-plastic fish with sliced sides

and a thumping shad-tail like the Bass Assassin.

Roger

Leave it Rolo.....

[RoLo]

Several years ago, Doug Stange defined a "swimbait"

as any soft-plastic crank with two separate actions.

At the time Doug was throwing a soft-plastic fish with sliced sides

and a thumping shad-tail like the Bass Assassin.

Roger

Leave it Rolo.....

Elaborate