Swimbaits

[Crestliner2008]

Anyone ever use these for smallies?

[roadwarrior]

I have not had any luck on the Tennessee River with the Mattlures Baby Bass or the new Shad, but I am going to continue using them on occasion. The Baby Bass has been very productive targeting largemouth on my local ponds, but I have yet to catch a fish on the new Mattlures Shad.

[smallfry]

I've had smallies spit up 7" perch, and that's the live bait of choice for some of the old timers around here.  I threw the Mattlures perch quite a bit this year, but only a few "bumps".  Nothing I could hook up on, so who knows if they were smallies, largemouths, or even if they had any size.  Could have even been other perch following the bait (I've had them come right to the boat).  I'll try again as soon as the ice clears out in April.

[Crestliner2008]

Thanks guys. I agree. A big smallie will take 7" perch with no problem. So it seems that these swimbaits would be a natural. Just too many other presentations that are productive though. I'd find it hard to focus on that one bait for long. But I would like to give it a whirl this coming year.

[smallfry]

I forgot one big bait that has been productive for me, although it isn't really a swimbait.  After losing numerous 5" jerkshads to muskies/pike while bass fishing I decided to try those baits for musky.  I bought some 7" jerkshads (which I don't believe Berkley even makes anymore) and went musky fishing.  Well, I didn't catch any musky but I did catch several nice smallies the first time out.  Since then I've continued to have success with these.  I've still got a few baits left in rootbeer color, and just after the spawn seems to be the time of year that they produce best.  Not a swimbait, but a good approximation of a 5-7" perch or walleye or smallie and they have that "walk the dog" action.  

[HesterIsGod]

I have caught a few with storm swimbaits and dont forget Steve Kennedy caught some 20+ inch smallies using a basstrix swimbait on lake Oneida this year during one of the majors.

[fourbizz]

They definitely work. I haven't landed any real big ones on them, but a bunch of 2.5-3.5 lbers.

I fought one from the end of a cast with a 7.5" bait all the way to the boat and dumped her at the net. She was huge, like REALLY huge :'( :-/

[Danceswithbass]

I caught a 3-10 at Texoma on a Storm wild eye shiner, and a 4lber on it at Tenkiller. They love them, just dont let them jump, they throw it easy.

[Supermat]

I've caught quite a few in the 3-5 lb range on Mattlures 6" trout swimbaits. The smallmouth just pound them!

[FIN-S-R]

Ive had 12" smallies and green fish hammer down on a 10" castic shad. Never caught anything real big, but then again Im not really a swim bait thrower. Had other person in boat slow rollin a big storm S.B. and smack a 4+ smallie behind me while throwin a DD22, so I guess there are times......

[TeamBerettaGold]

Lake Michigan I have had some pretty good success throwing 3"-5" swimbaits for smallies. The days you cant get bit on a 5" switch to a 3" and bang, your in business.  The color has to be a silver pattern of some sort.  We have a lot of smelt around here and the smallies gourge themselves on them, on the lake side at least.