Are swimbaits a joke to throw in NOVA?

[NewAngler]

It couldn't hurt going with a 300. I was looking at the okuma big boy rated for 1-6 oz suckers? Could that handle punching too, or is that too much rod?

Sorry about the typos, btw. I'm. On my phone.

[XLFISH]

New Angler, I am short on time but if you want to shhot me a P.M. I will talk Swimbaits with you tomorrow.

[Dan:]

XLFISH, if you don't mind I'd like to hear any tips you might have as well (baits, gear, seasonal patterns, location, etc...)

[soccplayer07]

x2

[NewAngler]

Josh starting a revolution!!!

[soccplayer07]

revolutions are only started by NoVa members...for the record.

[NewAngler]

this is where the whole argument of Stafford having now real association with NoVa, ey?

[soccplayer07]

just messing w/ you. great post!

[quanjig]

Chris, anything you can pass on to us about bigger swimbaits would be greatly appreciated!!

[NewAngler]

"Mid-summer swimbait NoVa (plus stafford) special" a tourny with nothing but swimbaits. genius!

[Bigs]

It couldn't hurt going with a 300. I was looking at the okuma big boy rated for 1-6 oz suckers? Could that handle punching too, or is that too much rod?

Sorry about the typos, btw. I'm. On my phone.

Dude I have a shimano teramar inshore series tc4 rod that will work great for punchin. Its a 7 foot medium heavy extra fast but the lure weight is rated up to 1 and a half ounces which is perfect. Its stout and not that heavy either. Its a hundred dollar rod I bought at bass pro last year. You can have it for 50 bux if u want it, its in perfect condition with not very much use. You could also throw small swimbaits with it too. Its actually designed for inshore salt fishing which usually involves big lures. I used it as a frog rod for a month or so after I bought it and then got a flippin stick to replace it.

[XLFISH]

I gave New Angler my Phone #. The topic of big swimbaits is just too vast to delve into on here or even an email. Several years ago I was going door to door at some tackle stores with big Optimum baits when they were a big hit. I was telling guys that swimbaits were the wave of the future. They basically laughed at me. Well a couple of years after that swimbaits started showing up and rapidly caught on. For once I was on the cutting edge, at least on this coast, and was ridiculed. I digress, swimbaits have come a long way since then and I am still learning as much as I can about them. Mentally it is a different ball game when you commit to throwing big baits. By big baits I mean seven inches and up. You have to forget most of what you have been taught and relearn with a new set of rules. This may sound like some deep Rick Clunn mumbo jumbo, and it basically is. There is a "Zone" assosiated with big baits. For 99% of us it nearly imposible to be "Born agian" and make the committment to change everything we have been taught. The book called The BBZ, the big bass zone touches on some of this. I enjoy throwing baits from five to seven inches but just cant make the move to throw 8 to 12 inch baits YET. I have some and will force my self to test drive them this year. But I can quickly loose confidence in swimbaits and reach for a jig which tells me I am far from being committed. I have probably not come close to answering your question which brings me full circle to saying there is just TOO MUCH TO TELL

[Dan:]

I enjoy throwing baits from five to seven inches but just cant make the move to throw 8 to 12 inch baits YET. I have some and will force my self to test drive them this year. But I can quickly loose confidence in swimbaits and reach for a jig which tells me I am far from being committed.

I started throwing bigger baits (7-8 inches) this season and I'm on the fence about getting into the really jumbo sized baits. I know what you mean about switching baits. I always find myself putting down my swimbait rod for my jig rod basically whenever the sun comes up. Most of my good swimbait days have been in low light so I have trouble not switching to the jig once the sun comes up.

[quanjig]

Thanks for the little peek into the mental side Chris, appreciate it.

[RockvilleMDAngler]

That book Big Bass Zone by Bill Siemental is an awesome read. I don't throw swimbaits often but that book does more than just tell you how to fish swimbaits, it explains an entirely different outlook on bass fishing that has helped me put bigger fish in the boat. You can pick up a copy at http://www.bass fishin. com/store/big-bass-zone/

[XLFISH]

You are right R.MD.Angler, the book touches on many different aspects of swimbaits. I have an autographed copy and Bills video. Some of the info in the book must be "tweaked" a little for our waters, but the concept can apply wherever bass live. I dont remeber the book talking about river fishing though, but I have used SPRO"S BBZ-1 smaller swimbaits and they work well in rivers. Years ago I looked at the score and decided that I had caught enough small fish and decided to target big bass. I looked at where I was fishing and elliminated all but 3 or 4 bodies of water. These 3 or 4 bodies of water had the potential to produce fish greater than 8 pounds with consistancy. Which means if there are numerous 8's there are several 10's and and a few bigger. There is an equation for that. I decided to leave those dink factories alone and concentrate on those 3 or 4 lakes. I think that was a step in the right direction. I did gamble last year and fish a couple of old farm ponds and whacked a couple of 7's and 8's but still not the fish I was looking for. No matter what lure you are throwing, if you are after big bass, you are wasting your time fishing waters that do not yield big fish with some regularity. If you are going to gamble, why not put the odds in your favor. You may already be doing the right things, but you are doing then at the wrong places.

[Froggin]

I love throwing the swimbaits....I'm not throwing the monster baits.... i like the optimum 7 inch line thru baits...if you catch it right you can have an outstanding day on briery creek with the swimbait...

[Aluma-Bass]

I also throw some large swim baits and know what yall mean about losing confidence but thats where i seem to shine! where guys will fish few hours and not catch anything and put it down and fish something else i will keep throwing it ALL day long and sure enough in most cases it pays off! My theory is stick with it and it will produce! maybe not huge numbers but the ones you do catch will be nice size! Cant wait to get out to briery and sandy this year!! I also love HUGE top water baits!!

[shimmy]

I wouldn't get started with swimbaits unless you have the money to keep tying on new ones. With the cover that you have in VA, the swimbait will work best hitting structure or cruising in a creek channel. It's a big investment and with as nasty as some of the cover is, your two swimbaits will get snagged before you even learn a pattern with them. Plus, if your going to use the swimmys, i advise taking nothing else with you on your fishing trip. Thats what it takes to pull some with it. A lot of time, patience, and money for losing them. I have lost some just by breaking off on the cast. It's a nightmare. I'm not rich enough to toss em full time

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Someone get me on the Potomac this year and we can throw swimbaits all day, if you like.

They will catch you fish anywhere in the country, not just SoCal.

Dan is a puss, BTW.   ;D

[Dan:]

Someone get me on the Potomac this year and we can throw swimbaits all day, if you like.

They will catch you fish anywhere in the country, not just SoCal.

Dan is a puss, BTW. ;D

You supplying the gear and baits?

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Someone get me on the Potomac this year and we can throw swimbaits all day, if you like.

They will catch you fish anywhere in the country, not just SoCal.

Dan is a puss, BTW. ;D

You supplying the gear and baits?

Sure, but you only get to throw floaters.   ;D

[slomoe]

If youre gonna be fishing the potomac more so this year then spend the money on a nice setup for punchin mats instead.

Or you could punch mats with swimbaits.. ;D

[NewAngler]

I'm all in. Swimbait rod setup will be ready by spring.

[A.Do?]

slomoe with a swimbait awhile back...