Chinese Swimbaits 2024
aquaholic reply :
Anyone ever buy the chinese swimbaits off ebay? They are only like 8 bucks with free shipping. I've been wanting to give swimbaits a try but im not sure im ready to throw out big bucks just yet. Would love to hear if anyone has given these a shot or if i should just bite the bullet and buy from a known company.
deaknh03 reply :
they break very easily.
aquaholic reply :
On 9/14/2013 at 10:33 AM, deaknh03 said:they break very easily.
Which parts break? The joints or hooks? Ive read the hooks are junk but those are easy enough to replace.
This is the company i was considering
http://www.fishing24hours.com
gobig reply :
Save your money and don't buy junk. Just because its made in china does not mean that its junk. If your going to buy cheap baits make sure they are proven.
aquaholic reply :
On 9/14/2013 at 12:57 PM, gobig said:Save your money and don't buy junk. Just because its made in china does not mean that its junk. If your going to buy cheap baits make sure they are proven.
thats what im trying to find out.
morjam401 reply :
i would stay away from those swimabits as well. there's a few proven ones that can be found for not much more on ebay as well. The biggest plus is confidence, you can throw these and know they will catch unlike the others. They will last much longer as well. I would start with the 4" and 6" bbz for swimming and a black dog g2 shellcracker for a wake bait. For an inexpensive but great glide bait is the river2sea s waver.
CPBassFishing reply :
There are a lot of very good swimbaits for just a little more that will last through 100+ fish.
Spro bbz1 jr.- $20
Black Dog Baits G2 Shellcracker- $20
River2sea S-waver- $18
Cheap swimbaits are built of hollow plastic that expands with the tiniest bit of heat. I left a strike king sexy swimmer in a box in the shade on a 95 degree day and the back swelled up. It doesn't even swim anymore.
gobig reply :
On 9/14/2013 at 11:15 PM, CPBassFishing said:There are a lot of very good swimbaits for just a little more that will last through 100+ fish.
Spro bbz1 jr.- $20
Black Dog Baits G2 Shellcracker- $20
River2sea S-waver- $18
Cheap swimbaits are built of hollow plastic that expands with the tiniest bit of heat. I left a strike king sexy swimmer in a box in the shade on a 95 degree day and the back swelled up. It doesn't even swim anymore.
Guess where at least two of these baits are made? China. Good suggestions though.
deaknh03 reply :
On 9/14/2013 at 11:26 AM, aquaholic said:Which parts break? The joints or hooks? Ive read the hooks are junk but those are easy enough to replace.
This is the company i was considering
http://www.fishing24hours.com
I would try a proven company if I were you. I have bought the cheapies before, anything that can break probably will, maybe even in the mail on it's way to you. Savagegear makes a similar looking bait as the ones you are looking at, with great quality and super action in the water, check them out.
Jrob78 reply :
On 9/15/2013 at 1:21 AM, Crankenstein said:Am i the only one who doesn't get the whole giant swimbait thing?...
What is it you don't "get" about swimbaits?
gobig reply :
On 9/15/2013 at 1:21 AM, Crankenstein said:Am i the only one who doesn't get the whole giant swimbait thing?...
Yep, your the only one. In all seriousness there are many people that don't get it. Once you experience it, your whole perspective will change. Some have no desire to explore the world of swimbaits and that's ok. Through my experience I have learned more about bass from throwing big swimbaits than anything else. Some people think you have to fish countless hours to get bit. Just like any other bait there is some truth in that statement. If they are not eating swimbaits I don't throw them. But what you will learn through persistence is that poor presentation, angles, location and other factors will have a huge impact on how often you get bit. I have had plenty of 10+ fish days throwing baits 8in or larger. There is nothing like culling 6 lbers.
aquaholic reply :
Isnt the idea of a swimbait to have a more realistic presentation?
Jrob78 reply :
On 9/15/2013 at 5:16 AM, Crankenstein said:I don't get why people use 'em.. I see people using 8" swimbaits for bass and they catch one or two 3 or so pound bass or maybe just one big bass, but if they were using a more appropriate sized lure, they could be catching 20-30 bass or more, and they could be big too! Stick with your giant swimbaits, I'll stick with my texas rigs, crankbaits, etc..
That's fair enough. Some guys want to catch a bunch of 1-3lb bass while some guys want to catch the biggest bass swimming in the lake. The big swimbait gives you a better chance to catch a giant. It really just depends on what you want to get out of your time spent fishing.
roadwarrior reply :
Well, if you are going to invest the time in big swimbaits, use a high quality lure,
not a Chinese knock-off.
bigbill reply :
I looked at them but they come in assorted colors. I like purchasing one color in each package. I have most of the newer stuff here that you guys talk about. I also use the yum money minnow plus the swimsuits I been using for many years from Wal-Mart there some off the wall brand. They do work great. I notice the blue glimmer is a hot color here. I'm not frugal when it comes to lures.
GoneFishi'n reply :
I don't know if your ragging on swimbait fishermen, or just won't take the time and do some research about swimbait fishing. So what if you catch 20-30 bass using a crankbait. That's what you like to fish. Different strokes for different folks comes into play here. I've heard of people catching 40+ bass on 8" baits such as a bull shad in one day. There's many reasons why I would throw a big bait over a crankbait. 1. It's really fun to fish big baits haha! 2. You're basically cutting out the middle man(your 1 lbers you catch on cranks). 3. It's fun to fish them(wait, I said it again)! 4. They catch some monster bass. Those are my reasons. Keep chucking those small cranks, and I'll keep on chucking my 8-10 inch swimbaits.On 9/15/2013 at 5:16 AM, Crankenstein said:I don't get why people use 'em.. I see people using 8" swimbaits for bass and they catch one or two 3 or so pound bass or maybe just one big bass, but if they were using a more appropriate sized lure, they could be catching 20-30 bass or more, and they could be big too! Stick with your giant swimbaits, I'll stick with my texas rigs, crankbaits, etc..
SirSnookalot reply :
I'm not against larger lures or expensive ones, it's the tool for the job. My freshwater areas are not conducive for large swimbaits nor do I care to use a heavy rod for bass fishing. I do use some heavier gear for certain species caught from a specific location, I can use anything from $3.00 bucktail or a fluke on jig head costing me a buck or I can use a $20 lure, my catch rate doesn't vary it's just what I feel will get the job done at that time. I personally have never owned a lure that has lasted me 5 years, I lost one the other day brand new out of the box on the very first cast (a snag), just the way it goes and nothing to get upset about and not the first time it's happened. As a rule my lures are lucky to get a month's use, either I'm getting cut off or the saltwater just ruins them. At present the 2 hottest things going right now for me are sling jigs and Shimano waxwings.
bigbill reply :
I been casting the 9" cardiac trout lure every so often. I swim it perfect but nothing yet. These were $30 each. I'm sure it will work in time. I'm not giving up on using it.
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
For peoole who want to watch a good bid about swimbaits. Pm I have a few vids on why there are efftective , the type of presentation it offers , different aspects of how bigger bass see the bait..
BradH reply :
I'm not much of a swimbait guy but I do throw large baits often. One of the main reasons I'll throw big stuff is to avoid unhooking dinks while I could be fishing.
aquaholic reply :
The main reason i want to throw a swim bait is to keep the dinks away. A couple ponds i fish are loaded with them.
bigbill reply :
I recently had some pike sized lures painted in bass colors.
I'm still thinking big bait big fish.
SirSnookalot reply :
Time and a place for everything. I've caught many a small fish on big baits and many larger fish on small baits.
Sam reply :
Aquaholic and Crankenstien, you have to be patient fishing swimbaits.
Swimbaits catch big bass in lakes and rivers.
Just purchasing a swimbait will not guarantee good results. You need the right rod, reel, line and water structure and cover for a swimbait to be productive.
You may have to throw it at least 100 times before you get a strike, if you do get a strike.
Many tournament guys will use swimbaits after they have their five fish limit as they try to cull out for larger bass.
As for baits made in China, if the China company uses American parts and manufacturing processes the baits are excellent. Otherwise you really don't know what you will be getting so please stick to name brand baits no matter where they are made.
Ratherbfishing reply :
On 9/14/2013 at 12:57 PM, gobig said:Save your money and don't buy junk. Just because its made in china does not mean that its junk. If your going to buy cheap baits make sure they are proven.
Not to be a "hater" but your statements seem to contradict each other. It is "fashionable" to hate Chinese stuff BUT there is a lot of crap coming out of China so it isn't without cause.
einscodek reply :
I broke down and bought a pair on eBay since all the wood swimbait I was after are OUT OF STOCK! So I'm looking for genuine reviews on these as to how effect they are as they have some awesome paintjobs.
I don't know if they are gen2 or somethin but a few years ago I saw what looked to be Chinese wooden jointed lures on eBay with great paintjobs but now they guys have these realistic paint or print on and they are freakin awesome lookin.
I am going to have to assume that given how ridiculously great they look that they are gonna land me some fish this year. I've caught fish anyway on the most pathetic lure with little action and lookin much less attractive as these.
Bought one 4" lookin like a baby smallmouth and a 6" one which races my heart each time I looky at it .. small perch.
Gonna take them out for a spin after vacation a few weeks from now!
I dunno I think I'm in love with a fishin lure..
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
You can bet the chinese KOs are going to break. If you are fortunate, it will be on a cast. God forbid you get your PB to eat one of those baits, keep your fingers crossed.
Buy a River2Sea S-Waver 168 or 200, a 9" Slammer, a 6" BBZ or if you can find one/have some extra cash a Mattlures Hardgill.
Those baits will get bit by fish of all sizes and will instill confidence in "new" guys.
einscodek reply :
They are connected via some dynemma strap which made them look el cheapo but it does make them more responsive.
Did you buy any and had them broke off?
You know I got straps which are tie downs and they can hold alot more weight than a freshwater fish ever could exert..
I have the s-waver and never had great luck on them but these look like knock-outs compared to those which are kinda bland..and forget Mattlures.. always OUT OF STOCK.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Three piece SS Pink in stock. I have this bait.
Guys get too hung up on colors. The action is where it's at with the Hardgill.
einscodek reply :
Yea I'm lookin for the Bluegill color in SS. If I'm gonna drop $60 for a lure it needs to be painted like the Mona Lisa.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
A little birdy told me he is going to be making some this summer.
WRB reply :
I didn't read through this thread, but got the gist of the pros and cons.
The old saying you get what you pay for is mostly true, however you may not get anything in this day and age.
Hard body swimbaits that catch bass are hand made and hand tested small production run lures. Very few mass produced swimbaits work good. Like a bass producing crankbait, not all crankbaits are equal, swimbaits are similar, some work and some don't
I didn't see any reference to 22 Century Triple Trout and they make a reliable hard swimbait.
Black Dog wooden Shell Cracker are good, the plastic models fall into the "try it" category.
Save your money for a hand crafted swimbait.
Tom
PS, the big lure big fish syndrome isn't always true!
einscodek reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 3:12 AM, SPEEDBEAD. said:A little birdy told me he is going to be making some this summer.
I hope so if he wants to actually make any money he should keep crankin them out so I dont have to buy any more gorgeous chinese swimbait.. I swear theres another pattern I am lookin at ..baby bass man does it look sweet.
These chinese are gettin better..
Kevin22 reply :
Cheap swimbaits- http://lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Closeout-Tru-Life-Swimbaits/SF-5-Tru-Life-Swimbait-Fast-Slow-Sink.html
einscodek reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 6:07 AM, WRB said:I didn't read through this thread, but got the gist of the pros and cons.
The old saying you get what you pay for is mostly true, however you may not get anything in this day and age.
Hard body swimbaits that catch bass are hand made and hand tested small production run lures. Very few mass produced swimbaits work good. Like a bass producing crankbait, not all crankbaits are equal, swimbaits are similar, some work and some don't
I didn't see any reference to 22 Century Triple Trout and they make a reliable hard swimbait.
Black Dog wooden Shell Cracker are good, the plastic models fall into the "try it" category.
Save your money for a hand crafted swimbait.
Tom
PS, the big lure big fish syndrome isn't always true!
I only dropped $14 for the both of the swimbaits I aint breaking the bank.
The only question would be durability cause these look sweeter than sweet.
I'll post again once I've used them in the water as an update..
Those are good bait u listed but I'm waiting for the Mattlures hardgill.
einscodek reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 10:35 AM, Kevin22 said:Cheap swimbaits- http://lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Closeout-Tru-Life-Swimbaits/SF-5-Tru-Life-Swimbait-Fast-Slow-Sink.html
Look like good baits but the ones I got look much sweeter..
bigbill reply :
I purchased a few hard swimbaits off of eBay.
einscodek reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 10:52 AM, bigbill said:I purchased a few hard swimbaits off of eBay.
How about a review..
primetime reply :
The Chinese Swimbaits are Very good if you pay roughly the same price as a Spro, Savage, River 2 sea lure from a Trading Company in China who is getting them from the OEM that makes them. I don't have enough Money to meet the 3k MOQ, but you are getting fakes on Ebay as the Oem who makes them is not risking losing his contract with Sebile to sell knock offs or the real thing under a different name...
With that said, The chinese lures will catch fish, look pretty, and I once thought they were gold when I was buying 5 for $25 in awesome paint jobs. My friends and I started throwing them, and we thought we had the real deal as they look and swim just as good for the most part.....Here is the trouble, and when you figure this out, it is too late.......The Split Rings, and the screw that holds the hook and eye into the lure is put together very poorly, and when a true 7-8lb fish strikes one, you will soon find your line going slack, only to reel in a treble hook, or split ring that once attached the $5 swimbait that sure looked just like a River 2 sea model.
In order to get the real thing, you will have to pay for them.....I have found that the Cabelas, Academy, Tru Tungsten, Savage, Sebile and a Strike Pro model which can all be had for under $10 are pretty good and most importantly are not going to break or fail when under intense pressure....If I am going to fish a big swimbait, I am in lunker hunting mode and only looking for one good strike. Landing a 10lb plus bass in tough enough with quality gear, and doing it with lures held together by unkown materials and poor construction to save a few bucks is not worth it to me..
With that said, I don't fault anyone from buying any lure from China on Ebay as i is a free market. What burns me up are the guys selling "Similar to or flat out calling a lure a sebile or Savage when it is not. Some Lure Designer developed that lure and if you shop smart, you can find top brands for almost the same price I see the $3 chinese swimbaits going for on Ebay, and yes, they only cost $3 if you buy 20.....Buying Them on ebay is silly.
primetime reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 10:37 AM, einscodek said:Look like good baits but the ones I got look much sweeter..
I have fished almost every swmbait that the chinese offer and used to import alot of them to sell at flea markets etc. and I used to think they were awesome as they will absolutely catch fish, swim nicely, and look the part....
Here is the issue I ran into...3-5lb fish are not a problem and even if you change the rings and hooks, if you get slammed by a true 7-8lb bass or bigger which is usually the goal with swimbaits, the Screws that hold the line tie and split rings will fail and you find your line going slack and you end up with a split ring on the end of your line or a treble and split ring.....I sold a few dozen at a flea market and had a few very angry fisherman show me pics of the same problem...
The ones on Ebay are poorly constructed, and I would suggest hanging a 10lb weight from the lure to make sure it can handle some weight and pressure. I lost a fish that was for sure in the 10lb range and it still gets me angry to this day. I still by china lures but if I do, I pay good money for them and look for original models from reputable suppliers that are hoping a big company picks up the design. The you get what you pay for is not true in the fishing industry as many 10-15 dollar lures truly can be found for under a few bucks, but are they blemished? defects? knock offs or the real thing?
Catching a trophy is hard enough, so I wait for sales and you can get the name brands for close to $6-8 if you look around. With that said, I wish you the best and hope they work for you. I have had Top brands fail on me as well, but I then get my money back, or they send me a few free ones, and usually they never fail from a simple failure like the eye ripping out.
CJV reply :
Deps 250 side swimmer.
einscodek reply :
On 4/13/2014 at 6:09 AM, primetime said:I have fished almost every swmbait that the chinese offer and used to import alot of them to sell at flea markets etc. and I used to think they were awesome as they will absolutely catch fish, swim nicely, and look the part....
Here is the issue I ran into...3-5lb fish are not a problem and even if you change the rings and hooks, if you get slammed by a true 7-8lb bass or bigger which is usually the goal with swimbaits, the Screws that hold the line tie and split rings will fail and you find your line going slack and you end up with a split ring on the end of your line or a treble and split ring.....I sold a few dozen at a flea market and had a few very angry fisherman show me pics of the same problem...
The ones on Ebay are poorly constructed, and I would suggest hanging a 10lb weight from the lure to make sure it can handle some weight and pressure. I lost a fish that was for sure in the 10lb range and it still gets me angry to this day. I still by china lures but if I do, I pay good money for them and look for original models from reputable suppliers that are hoping a big company picks up the design. The you get what you pay for is not true in the fishing industry as many 10-15 dollar lures truly can be found for under a few bucks, but are they blemished? defects? knock offs or the real thing?
Catching a trophy is hard enough, so I wait for sales and you can get the name brands for close to $6-8 if you look around. With that said, I wish you the best and hope they work for you. I have had Top brands fail on me as well, but I then get my money back, or they send me a few free ones, and usually they never fail from a simple failure like the eye ripping out.
Yes I do wonder about the internal construction..
maybe I will weigh test it before putting it in the water.
Where I come from though a 10 pounder is near a state record.. I'm dealin with lighter northern strain LMB
basshole8190 reply :
On 4/13/2014 at 8:05 AM, CJV said:Deps 250 side swimmer.
you can buy a bb saiko trout (box only , no swimbait) for $222 right now lol
WRB reply :
Chinese are counterfeiting everything made in China....no laws against it in China. If you buy counterfeit products you are supporting this underground or black market business activity.
Tom
SirSnookalot reply :
Whether it's Chinese or not there are fish that can and will destroy a lure, the lure in this pic saw it's demise from a fish that wasn't anymore than 5#. Just a suggestion for a very durable lure that I have used many times, 6" Bomber windcheater weighs about 2 ounces. They make a 4" model at 3/4 oz which I have used for bass fishing.
primetime reply :
On 4/13/2014 at 3:20 PM, SirSnookalot said:Whether it's Chinese or not there are fish that can and will destroy a lure, the lure in this pic saw it's demise from a fish that wasn't anymore than 5#. Just a suggestion for a very durable lure that I have used many times, 6" Bomber windcheater weighs about 2 ounces. They make a 4" model at 3/4 oz which I have used for bass fishing.
I love the windcheater series for salt and fresh. I still have a ton of Rebel Windcheaters from the late 70's and early 80's I fish with and I can say for sure that the Older Bomber Long A and Rebel Plugs, Red Fins, and Tracdown series were much better quality then as they are now. Many Pradco Brands are nothing more than a bunch of cheap imports packaged in bulk, and only worth .50 only we are paying for their advertising and name from the past.
If you look at a Rebel T10 or Rebel T20 Topwater Walking lure which they discontinued at one point but brought it back due to popular demand, the new models lack a split ring, sound like noise as opposed to the dual knocker sound the older models were equipted with, and the packaging actually listed a part #, How to fish, Size, and had some English writing. I look at a Rebel Squarebill and I see a .50 chinese lure so I get your point and you are right.
I have cracked a few Rapala DT bills, Sebile Flatt Shad and BOngo Minnow bodies, and the finish on many top lures is terrible compared to my older spooks and rattle traps as an example.
I am not experienced enough with the swimbaits over $20, but I have never found that any of them are durable, and I now fish large soft hollow bellies, Ez swimmers, and Lake Fork Magic minnows as well as the soft Sebile Magic swimmers instead. I watced my buddy snag a seagul with a Ragu Swimbait that was $89 and I felt terrible for the poor bird to have such a heavy lure tangled in its wing....I laughed at my buddy since the lure was stiff and didn't seem to offer anything special if compared to say a Giron IMO.
All Lures are being made cheaper and it is often a race to the bottom as profits become the main motive instead of R & D, and that is why I love companies LIke CHarlies Worms and Mirrolure as they don't have to advertise and prices of their products are more than fair, and you get what you expect when a shipment comes....
Anyone looking for TRUE floating worms needs to get on the Charlies site since they have not been around for years because they sell junk. Every worm and even their lipless crank is quality and should be in every box.......I do like the bomber A Salt Saltwater lures and love a CHug bug, but they are looking cheap these days as well.
I guess if you fish any lure hard and run it into cover for deflections and cast toward rip rap even well built lures can break, defects occur, so I have no problem with the chinese making lures since they make everthing else in the stores from Electronics to clothes, and now tackle. It is what it is. We need them, and they need us, I just want to get a good value and why Pay certain companies a markup for a product you can by from a site owned by Yahoo when they didnt develop the lure, just picked it out of the OEM's catalog and said we will take 3million pieces and mark them up 600%. I can find my own cheap square bills and many are not cheap if they come with an owner, VMc, or gamakatsu treble which only raises price a few cents each as a good chinese carbon steel hook is what we get often anyhow.
bigbill reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 10:54 AM, einscodek said:How about a review..
I can't review them till I swim them. These little Chinese swimsuits look so real in bluegill and sunfish. There about 2" long if that. I have many of the decent looking one's.
The more lures we learn the more knowledge and skills we learn the better fisherman we become. Live it, try it, learn it, the success will follow.
Mattlures reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 10:31 AM, einscodek said:I hope so if he wants to actually make any money he should keep crankin them out so I dont have to buy any more gorgeous chinese swimbait.. I swear theres another pattern I am lookin at ..baby bass man does it look sweet.
These chinese are gettin better..
I would like to see a picture of these Chinese baits that look awesome. I don't see what you see when I look at the Chinese baits. If you ever go to forums that are specifically swimbait forums you will quickly learn that NOBODY who consistently catches big bass uses the cheap Chinese knock offs or Chinese designed baits.
As for always being out stock on my hard baits, there is a reason for that. When I do manage to find enough time to do a big batch, 100-300 baits, they usually sell out in a day or two. There may be a few of the less popular colors left but the popular colors are sold out very quickly. So why don't I keep making more of them? Because I make less money on a hard bait then I do on my soft baits. My soft baits are almost always in stock. The soft baits just take much less time and labor to produce plus I personally do a lot more work on a hard bait then I do on a soft bait. Also I am always filling the next order of soft baits. I am just about never caught up. Plus hard bait molds deteriorate quickly so I have to make new molds after each batch. That in itself is expensive and very time consuming.
If I am out of stock I urge you to try another PROVEN quality bait instead of the Chinese bait. If you choose a good quality PROVEN swimbait made in the USA by a guy who knows what they are doing, you wont buy anymore cheap Chinese stuff. I know this because it happens all the time. Guys start out buying cheap junk and they give up after a while because they don't produce like they think they should have or they have problems with the baits. Or after using the cheap junk for a while they decide to try a good bait and they realize how big the differences are.
Mattlures reply :
There are also different levels of Chinese swimbaits and it has a lot to do with who is behind them. Take for example the Lunker Punker. Those baits were designed by guys who knew how to design that bait. They knew what made that bait work. They tested them and proved them against the fish. Then they sent them to China to me manufactured. The baits had issues with the paint falling off but they still were very productive. This worked because the guys behind them knew how to design a bait.
When the Chinese knock off a bait they do not understand the bait like the guy who designed it. Subtle differences can make all the difference in a bait that produces consistant big bites and cheap junk knock off. Very rarely does a Chinese knock off work literally half as good as the original design. An example would be the Hudd vs bass harasser or any of the other knock offs. Many of them cost 1/10 the amount of the Hudd and they cant produce 1/100 of the bites.
The worst of the Chinese swimbaits are the ones they design themselves. They design a bait and put it in their catalogs to produce for other companies. I have been sent boxes of sample baits they sent me in hopes that I would buy them and put them in my name. It was obvious that they never even tested them because many wouldnt even swim. or they broke really easily.
So to break it down if a good design is being manufactured in china and meets the approval of the original designer then there is a chance the bait will bee acceptable. But there will usually still be issues like the original wooden Lunker punkers. Jeremy had to buy them unpainted and paint them himself and properly clear them to remedy the "china issues"
If a china bait is a knock off, it has almost zero chances of even being close to as good as the original and very little chance of being good at all regardless of who sent the bait to be copied.
If the bait is a chinese design(most likely the ebay baits) then the odds are low that you will even get a functioning bait , let alone one that consistently gets big bites.
Guys think they are better off saving some money buy buying these cheap baits but what they forget to realize is they are putting no value on their own time. When I do finally get time to go fishing, I want to give myself the best chance at catching what I am targeting. I would rather spend a little more money ( or even a lot more) to give my self better odds at success.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 10:31 AM, einscodek said:I hope so if he wants to actually make any money he should keep crankin them out so I dont have to buy any more gorgeous chinese swimbait.. I swear theres another pattern I am lookin at ..baby bass man does it look sweet.
These chinese are gettin better..
LMFAO! Make any money?
Guys will line up around the block to buy whatever Matt puts out next and for good reason. I've rethought this, you go on with your knockoff stuff and your "lighter northern strain" fish. I'll keep doin' what I do, I'm sure Matt will do the same and I'm pretty sure both of us will be juuuuuuust fine. 
roadwarrior reply :
"just as good as..." has never cut it with me either.
primetime reply :
Unfortunately, several of the large OEM's who produce these lures for major companies will sell the real thing to trading companies who meet the MOQ of 3k pieces, and they then sell them in small blocks of 10, 100,1000 because I have had customers bring me lures they purchased from overseas and they are the exact thing unless the weight, color, size of hook and split ring, action, all just happen to be a coincidence? Now, with that said, some OEM's will protect your design and not allow you to buy certain lures in their catalogs, but the fact they are in the catalogs is strange enough to me, especially when they say " we can't ship it tot the USA")...HMM...maybe it is stamped? The Real thing, but will they ship to someone in Australia or Romania??? Yes they do, and they do it all the time, so I guess we just never know. If Apple Engineers visited an Apple Store full of Knock offs in China, and did not pick up on it, I doubt lure manufactures are going to.....That is a true story by the way..... Who knows, but unless a lure is in original packaging with an original bar code, never tampered, I will not trust it when it comes to landing a trophy.
I love Sebile Magic Swimmers, and when I saw Cabelas selling the Rad swimmer which is identical to it in appearance, then storm has the Kickin Stick, Strike King has a version, and now lots of up and coming lure brands are including one in their line up, and I have tried most and have had success with all but they all have slight modifications that I don't think most would mind. I like the shimmy the magic swiimmer does on the fall, and the cabelas version is a bit off, although my buddies think I am crazy, they say it is identical in action. Is it a copy? I don't even know what came first anymore, but it was not the magic swimmer in terms of color, and the Academy Hardbait segmented swimbaits with another 50 brands now making them for $5-10 all seem to be awesome, and the Chinese versions on Ebay sell more than the Academy and Cabelas version....Why is Spro and Sebile not going after these companies? So I guess if you design a segmented swimbait in a new color, you are a lure manufacturer if you by 1000 and package them with a new logo and brand? You would only pay a few bucks to get 3k OEM direct, $1 for nice packaging, so I guess unless a lure is stamped MADE IN AMERICA, you never know what you are getting.....I have seen glitter filled cavities on lures from China, and Sebile Lures are made in China, and the same OEM has every lure they make in their catalog....They would allow anyone who wants to buy them to buy them, and if I had a few million dolllars, I bet I could get the price under a few bucks......Just my 2 cents worth as I know Power Pro will not honor any fake braid if you purchased from online for replacement as these shady companies overseas are knocking of good quality products that end up in the hands of USA distributors, and then end up in your local tackle shop.
We had a dozen fake Max Raps show up a few months ago, and these were HORRIBLE knock offs, but packaging was sharp and very good....It is a shame for companies doing business the right way, I guess there are not many protected pattents in Fishing, since all new lures are a spin offs from someone elses idea. Gee, I will make a 5/8 instead of 1/2 oz. use Owner trebles in chrome not silver, and add a Red eye...So confusing, but a little research and buying some stock in companies will open your eyes to some things that are quite amazing.
A $10 lure from China if the lure is made in china anyway, is most likely going to be good, just look at feedback, and then read back of package of real lure to see if that lure is indeed made in china, not costa rica or another area. Most times on Ebay the quality is subpar from my experiments. We have 2 new comapnies in Florida starting to take off nicely copying a few lures from other comapnies, and i can see where they are getting them from.....Can't blame them, we see BPS doing this for years.
primetime reply :
I just checked out the Mattlures website....I need to have one of those gliding versions in 7"....With those patterns I can see whey they are not in stock....I want a baby bass swimbait that is big like that, and I also checked out a video on you tube with bluegills trying to mate with one of the bluegill lures....I would love to have a 12lb Lunker here in Florida Try to Mate with my Bass pattern swimbait while my partner gets us a limit throwing soft baits....I would have to think I could get a 1-2 strikes from 7lb plus fish in Lake Tarpon right now with all the Fry in the water.....I hate how Hollow bellies that list as 6" are only 5" when measured from front to back. I want to start throwing 7-10" versions on my Round Baitcasters for Lunker Snook as well......
I would think Color matters for this size bait as I would see myself fishing it very slow in most situations, although a 7-10" bass cruising fast at another fishes territory sounds like a sound strategy for a Lunker.....Going to get one, need to look for one in stock and order.....I have never seen anything overseas in a gliding version or that large with color like that.......
Mattlures reply :
There is a big difference in a complex swimbait and a simple crank bait. When the Chinese copy a bait that is mass produced it looks the same and can even function the same because the original manufacturer is using the same process and the originals may be being produced in china in the first place. Swimbaits that are made here in the USA are not mass produced from machines. They are not made from PVC and the molds are not machined. There are a handful of companies in the US who design and manufacture their own swimbaits. On these baits every detail serves some type of purpose and all these details were worked out through experience. When somebody copies them, it is almost impossible to match them. Many of our baits have been copied in china and in most cases they failed miserably. the more variables the bait has the harder it is to match. a simple crankbait that is already manufactured in china is much easier for the Chinese to replicate.
Primetime I thank you for the good words.
gulfcaptain reply :
On 4/12/2014 at 2:58 AM, einscodek said:Yea I'm lookin for the Bluegill color in SS. If I'm gonna drop $60 for a lure it needs to be painted like the Mona Lisa.
If I could get Triple Trout that cheap I'd have a bunch. Try $70-90 each, and we aren't even gonna get into the Baitsmith glide baits or Roman Made. Bottom line, if you want to fish a cheap swimbait, go for it. But don't complain if it doesn't work. If you don't want to fish a "big" swimbait, don't. I fish everything, it's a tool. If you limit yourself in what you choose to learn then you will put yourself at a disadvantage one day. Over the last year, fish over 5lb on regular bass lures.....2. Fish over 5lbs on swimbaits.....6 Yes I could have better numbers, but fishing city park lakes for 5hrs while my son is in school is about my only free time. Bottom line, just beware of what you buy. If you spend $50 on cheap swimbaits and they don't work or do not preform the way you like, then you turn around and spend $50 on a quality swimbait and catch a fish, well you could of bought 2 quality baits and had a spare.
gulfcaptain reply :
And just realized Mattlures posted on this topic as well. Have to give him props on his baits as well, Realism is unreal and I have no problem spending my money on quality baits backed by quality people.
primetime reply :
I just want to make sure all my rambling makes sense....I will buy chinese lures that are cheap, knowing they are inexpensive, and I like to sell tackle as a part time hobby at flea markets here in Florida, so I am always looking for cheap lures that I can package, give a name, and sell for $1.99 or 5 for $10. I have a hard time getting $8 for a Yo-zuri crystal minnow, or $5 for a Rapala X Rap. I value every minute on the water, and every time I cast, I am prepared or hoping for a true Florida Lunker to strike, and I have always been willing to spend more money for a certain brand of soft baits regardless if they only catch one fish per bait, even if I know that I will only get 1 extra strike per day. That 1 strike could be a 15lb Plus lunker for all I know, but I am realistic and realize most guys don't enjoy casting for one or 2 strikes a day while your partner in the boat is getting a fish every few minutes on a smaller lure.
I am just getting into the big hard swimbaits after discovering how good the larger soft swimbaits are, and after seeing a Sebile magic swimmer and Spro BBZ in the water I have been trying every segmented swimbait I can find but my budget has been tight as I realize that my Reel, Rod, and Line for throwing large expensive lures needs to be top notch. I now have 2 nice set ups for big swimbaits, and I am now ready to try some of the lures that I thought were silly a few years back, but that is only because I see how good a spro or sebille magic swimmer is and a 6" money minnow. I want to throw a 10" swimbait that weighs almost half a pound in some cases, but I enjoy chasing big Fish lately and all my focus is on getting a 12lb fish, and then I will strive for a 15lb fish. I used to hate flipping as well, never understood how guys could do it all day, but after learning the finer points of how to truly do it right, have the right equipment, and once I started catching bigger fish on a regular basis, it was not work anymore, especially when I spent the money for a light rod that had plenty of power and a small reel I could palm instead of a heavy broom stick.
Overall, After having a swimbait that was genric break on a big fish, and then have several customers have the same thing happen, I just figure an American made version that may cost more is worth it as I can possibly lose the fish of a lifetime with an inferior lure even if it catches fish....I will still use lures that are inexpensive for fear of losing them, but like the previous post said....A lure is just a tool to get the job done at hand, and it is always different for everyone and for different places you fish.
Mattlures reply :
Its not only about them breaking. Its not about their paint jobs, good or bad. Its about the baits ability to consistently get the big bites. Very few REAL swimbaits are considered proven. Very few REAL swimbaits have that special mix that gets the big bites. when those baits are copied they loose that x factor. When you buy a cheap imitation, expecting the same results you are not saving money, you are waisting preasious time. Swimbaits are different then other baits. You can easily replicate a jig, worm, spinner bait, etc. cranks are a little harder but no where near as hard as a swimbait. beginners should never start of buying a bunch of cheap junk baits. They should always start off buying a couple proven baits. They will save money and get better results.
gripnrip reply :
On 4/15/2014 at 11:02 AM, Mattlures said:Its not only about them breaking. Its not about their paint jobs, good or bad. Its about the baits ability to consistently get the big bites. Very few REAL swimbaits are considered proven. Very few REAL swimbaits have that special mix that gets the big bites. when those baits are copied they loose that x factor. When you buy a cheap imitation, expecting the same results you are not saving money, you are waisting preasious time. Swimbaits are different then other baits. You can easily replicate a jig, worm, spinner bait, etc. cranks are a little harder but no where near as hard as a swimbait. beginners should never start of buying a bunch of cheap junk baits. They should always start off buying a couple proven baits. They will save money and get better results.
I'll definitely be lurking for some hardgills when you get them done Matt!
Kevin22 reply :
On 4/15/2014 at 8:06 AM, primetime said:I just want to make sure all my rambling makes sense....I will buy chinese lures that are cheap, knowing they are inexpensive, and I like to sell tackle as a part time hobby at flea markets here in Florida, so I am always looking for cheap lures that I can package, give a name, and sell for $1.99 or 5 for $10.
Is that Florida economics? Do they really fall for that down there?
roadwarrior reply :
It's not just Florida, we have lot's of members fishing this junk and bragging about it, too.
$2 reels with $20 shipping, $1.99 for "just as good" as Megabass or Lucky Craft. You don't
always get the best bang for your buck on the high end, but you rarely get any bang at the
very bottom of the barrel.
Now I love sales and bargins as much as the next guy, but I don't waste money on the next
lure that is "about to be banned for tournament fishing" or immitation lures.
related Fishing Tackle topic
previous topic
next topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.