Hollow belly swimbaits

[KevO]

I'm looking to buy some of these and would like some help.  The Luck-e-strike bass magic baits have caught my eye, has anyone used these?  What size hook do you recommend for the 4.5" and the 7"?  I've only seen the keel weighted hooks in 1/8 and 1/4oz do they come in larger sizes?  What kind of setup would be best for these baits?  I've been using a 7' MHF with a Cardiff 200... is that acceptable?

Thanks

[tallydude]

I've used them before but always had trouble keeping them on the hook until I switched to Owner. For the 7.5", I just purchased some Owner 8/0 Beast swimbait hooks that are weighted with 3/8 oz. Haven't got to use it yet but and planning on it this weekend.

[Bryant.]

I usually use the falcon hooks but I have lately been using the the bladerunner hook insert for paddletails. That insert comes in various hook sizes and weights. It also has a place to attach a treble. You can't really throw that rig in heavy cover that's were I would throw the falcon.

[Willzx225]

I have used the BassMagics and they are ok.  I prefer the Berkley Hollow Belly 10-1 over the BassMagics though.  They have a thinner profile and I believe that causes them to swim better.  Plus the Berkley baits don't have the horrible plastic smell nearly as bad as others.  If I am fishing over cover or in open water I use a minnow shaped jighead with a big hook (They can be hard to find but I love the bite-to-catch ratio with these ).  Other than that the Owner Beast Hook should work well.  I have not used them but did see them at a tackle show a few weeks back and they should be the deal.

[mrbassky]

Dont use a standard wide gap get a hook that screws into the head of the bait. It will save you alot money and the hookups are just as good. Also dont throw your baits away glue them and rotate as they tear up.

[21farms]

i find the tail section of the bass magics to be too thick...this gives them a really exaggerated wagging action which i guess the fish will sometimes want but i catch a lot more fish on the original basstrix. the berkley hollow bellies look very much like the basstrix so i'd expect a similar, more subtle action.

[KevO]

Thanks guys I will look into the berkeley swimbaits.  I've got some screw lock hooks made by diaichi* called the buttdragger.  They seem pretty good.

[basser89]

Hey, check out ***'s hollow bodied swimbaits as well!    Brent has some great colors that I'll be picking up to try this year!

[Primus]

Last year I tried several different brands of hollow belly swimbaits, I personally like the original BassTrix the best with the Berkely a close second.

[rynobass]

I like the Yum fat money minnow with a Lakefork 7/0 swimbait hook with a 3/16 oz. wieght on the hook. This bait has a large profile which looks more like a big shad or bluegill then the longer slender baits

[BARON49_Northern NY]

I like the Yum fat money minnow with a Lakefork 7/0 swimbait hook with a 3/16 oz. wieght on the hook. This bait has a large profile which looks more like a big shad or bluegill then the longer slender baits

 These money minnows have caught me a lot of fish the past year.  Another thing I like is they slit the belly so when you place you hook it does not have to go through both the belly and the back plastic.  I get a better hook up with these baits over others without the belly slit.

[Md]

I like the Yum fat money minnow with a Lakefork 7/0 swimbait hook with a 3/16 oz. wieght on the hook. This bait has a large profile which looks more like a big shad or bluegill then the longer slender baits

These money minnows have caught me a lot of fish the past year. Another thing I like is they slit the belly so when you place you hook it does not have to go through both the belly and the back plastic. I get a better hook up with these baits over others without the belly slit.

I just started experimenting with the hollow bellies last year and had some success. Tonight I finished watching Hank Parker's show and he featured the Berkley Hollow Belly and had a great tip. On a Berkley Hank slits open the belly before he rigs it with a weighted hook. He said he missed nine fish before he figured out that the belly rubber was in the way of good hook ups, just as Baron noted.

[Captain Chaos II]

Last year, you couldn't hardly find suitable hooks for bigger hollow bodies.  This year....BPS has a whole section of weighted hooks.  I went last week and couldn't believe all those new hooks.

[Crestliner2008]

One tip which you might want to consider, with regards to the hook. There are two types of nose connections; one is a barbed straight piece of metal. The other is a screw type. Get the screw type with these baits. The barbed metal will not hold in the head.

[mattm]

I caught my PB on a Bass Magic's last year.  Fourbizz is going to make fun of me forever.

To the guys that are having trouble keeping the bait up on the hook.  If you are going to use a weighted hook, but not one of the screw on types it is pretty much mandatory that you retie after every single fish.  What you have to do is put the point throgh the nose and out the bottom just like you normally would, but stop b4 the weight gets to the nose.  Then back the hook out of the bait and put the eye of the hook through the hole you created in the bottom and out the nose.  Then tie the hook to your mainline.  Then embed the hook point into the bait however you normally would.  If you are rigging it just like you would a plastic worm or fluke the hook weight is tearing too big of a hole in the baits nose.

Obviously the first time you rig one each day you will have to begin with a hook not attached to a line.  

[Md]

I saw Kim Stricker thread the hook out the nose first also, and then tie on. After that, he buried the eye back into the nose. He then stuck a toothpick into the top of the nose and out the bottom while passing though the eyelet of the hook. Then he broke the toothpick off flush with the rubber on top and bottom. Seems like it might work for a better hold.

[mattm]

The toothpick is a great idea.  Especially when fishing vegetation, and the natural drag from the grass would be pushing the bait down.  Unfortuantely b/c om my laziness I will never use it.  The only reason I convinced myself to reitie after every fish was to improve my speed knot tying skills.  That and I don't really catch/fish hollow belly swimbaits to matter.

[EastTexasBassin]

I like the Lake Fork Tackle swimbait hooks 'cuz they have the screw in part and a really wide gap.  I used to skin hook the point but I get a much better hook-up ratio leaving it exposed.  It doesn't get hung up much, even in heavy cover, because the point rests so close to the bait.