Swimbaits

Just wanna hear if u guys have had any luck with bigger swimbaits (S-Wavers, Bull Shads, Jackalls etc.) in the last couple of years. I’ve caught a few nice ones but I’m really gonna take it seriously this year.
If so, what kind of swimbait and what kind of structure/time of year?

Curious to hear about your swimbait successes.

-FDCMN

I haven’t. I have never had good luck with them. I can get males to hit them when they are guarding a bed, and lots of pike but not much for bass.

I have great success on Riptide Mullets and Culprit Sardines.

Prespawn around timber and post spawn as a search bait are probably my two top patterns. If I’m finding a lot of schools of shiners or yoy bait, a paddle tail does wonders

I don’t largemouth fish very much, but I almost always have a keitech on a VMC darter head rigged up on a couple rods for smallmouths. Swing impact 2.5 and 3. I use it as a shallow water presentation. Typically less than 10 feet. For smallmouths I have the best luck on a slow steady retrieve. No jigging or ripping. Just a slow retrieve.

Swimbaits – yes.
Glidebaits – to be determined.

If you’re not throwing a small swimbait like a keitech or berkley swimmer, you’re really missing out. Especially if you chase brown fish. From 1 foot to 30 foot, these baits simply perform.

As far as glidebaits like S-wavers, Gantarels, etc., I’ve had some success, but their application, or at least how I’ve applied them is much more limited than a swimbait.

RT wrote:

Swimbaits – yes.
Glidebaits – to be determined.

Exactly…..Regular 3-5 inch paddletails can be deadly. I think the OP is talking big glidebaits/swimbaits like you see on the west coast.

I recently bought a 4inch softail phantom for this reason. Would be really fun if it works for some beast smallies

Glidebaits are incredible. Thrown over weed beds and aroud docks. I caught my PB large and smallmouth on the S waver 168. Also the Megabass I slide 185 is another go to of mine. They are a bit more expensive but you get what you pay for. Always swims true, perfectly balanced and catches the biggies. I throw this on a Megabass Orochi XX Launcher with 15 pound Tatsu Fluorocarbon. Line has enough give to let the bait glide how it should, and has a little extra strength if a northern decides to take a run at it.

For swim baits I throw the 6 and 8 Megabass Magdraft exclusively. The 8 inch is a BIG bait (3 ounce). People laugh at me throwing them for bass until they see it work, and it does. Just slow rolling them back to the boat. The Magdraft has a magnet that does a good job of keeping the hook against the body and helps prevent it from catching on weeds. I throw these on a Megabass Destroyer Mark 48. I use 65 pound braid to a 25 pound Fluorocarbon leader.

I highly recommend taking the time to learn how to fish these baits. They can make for some incredible fishing!

Hope this helps!