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First Swimbait? 2025


fishing user avatardpeels37354 reply : 

Ok so I'm planning to buy my first Swimbait. What are some of the good ones? I'm looking at a Spro BBZ-1 is that a good one? What are your suggestions? I'm not really looking at one over 1.5 oz


fishing user avatarPondHopper96 reply : 

Huddleston 68 special weedless! Got mine a few weeks ago and I love it! It's 2 oz but close enough right?


fishing user avatarBluebasser86 reply : 

I wasn't a fan of the BBZ at all, none of them. If I was going to give one another try, I'd get a floater.  I'd suggest either an S waver 168 or a MS Slammer, either the mini or 7" version. 


fishing user avatarCrestliner2008 reply : 

You can't go wrong with the BBZ-1 in my opinion. I have the slow sink version; however I would really prefer the fast sink, as I believe I would be able to control my retrieve better with it, but since I don't have one, I can't really say. I have only about a half doz. swimbaits, including a couple of 8" Hudds. I've caught some decent bass on the BBZ, but it, along with most swimbaits, is not a "high percentage" bait. That is, you may have to cast one all day long and maybe get only one strike...or none! I usually hit the water with the intention of using one or two baits for the entire outing. I would be targeting only the largest bass in the water I'm fishing; SM or LM. I get my mind-set set up that way and just keep tossing. Sometimes you will win.....most times not. JMO. :)


fishing user avatarMontanaro reply : 

I love my g2 shellcracker


fishing user avatarcatch anything reply : 

mattlures u2 gill


fishing user avatarcatch anything reply : 

pm speedbead about them he loves the things


fishing user avatarWeld's Largemouth reply : 

Storm swimbaits. Don't waste your money on expensive Hudd baits, waste of money. Storm swimbaits are even better and much cheaper


fishing user avatarPondHopper96 reply : 
  On 6/23/2014 at 8:51 PM, Weld said:

Storm swimbaits. Don't waste your money on expensive Hudd baits, waste of money. Storm swimbaits are even better and much cheaper

I'd have to disagree on that one! I fished those storm baits hard for about to months and only caught a handful of fish
fishing user avatarRaul reply : 
  On 6/23/2014 at 2:44 PM, PondHopper96 said:

Huddleston 68 special weedless! Got mine a few weeks ago and I love it! It's 2 oz but close enough right?

 

Oh yeah baby !

 

Basstrix Paddletail hollow belly.


fishing user avatarHogsticker reply : 

I've played around with a bunch of hard swim baits. The only ones that produced with any regularity were the R2S S Waver, and the BBZ1. Hollow body swim baits are where it's at. I use to scoff at these things but they are big fish magnets. I was out this morning just fishing from the bank with one. I'd chuck it out there and let it sink to where I was fishing it just above bottom. When I finally slowed down (should have to begin with) and just crawled it along fast enough to make the tail activate I hooked up. It was just a sudden stop and some weight. I railed her pretty good and it was on. Caught a 5.2 oz smallie kinda on! She completely choked the bait. When I opened her mouth I could barely see the head of the bait choked. They work. I won't leave home without them. I caught this one on a Lethal Weapon precision swim bait. These things are pretty sweet. They only weigh a quarter ounce, well so the package says, but they cast like a donkey. They sink pretty quick and have an amazing action as they do. The hooks are pretty good too. I haven't had any problems hooking up. You should check them out at TW.


fishing user avatardpeels37354 reply : 
  On 6/24/2014 at 3:08 AM, Hogsticker said:

I've played around with a bunch of hard swim baits. The only ones that produced with any regularity were the R2S S Waver, and the BBZ1. Hollow body swim baits are where it's at. I use to scoff at these things but they are big fish magnets. I was out this morning just fishing from the bank with one. I'd chuck it out there and let it sink to where I was fishing it just above bottom. When I finally slowed down (should have to begin with) and just crawled it along fast enough to make the tail activate I hooked up. It was just a sudden stop and some weight. I railed her pretty good and it was on. Caught a 5.2 oz smallie kinda on! She completely choked the bait. When I opened her mouth I could barely see the head of the bait choked. They work. I won't leave home without them. I caught this one on a Lethal Weapon precision swim bait. These things are pretty sweet. They only weigh a quarter ounce, well so the package says, but they cast like a donkey. They sink pretty quick and have an amazing action as they do. The hooks are pretty good too. I haven't had any problems hooking up. You should check them out at TW.

Thanks I definitely will


fishing user avatarMattlures reply : 

I can assure you that Huddleston swimbaits are not a waist of money. They have caught more 10+lb bass then probably any other bass fishing bait in the last 10 years since they became available. I recommend buying a good quality bait to start with don't waist your money buying cheap junk because thats what you will end up with. A Hudd 68 is a great bait. Not counting any of my own baits here are some other great small swimbaits.  Rago mouse and rats and bv 3d. Osprey winged talon, 7in MS Slammer. I have heard the S waver is good too. The hollow belly baits are good baits that produce well but I don't consider those as real swimbaits. If you want to try those then I recommend the original, Basstrix. They are still the best ones.


fishing user avatartimsford reply : 

Hudd 68 in waters where shad or herring are the main forage and mattlures ultimate gill or hardgill where sunfish are the main forage


fishing user avatarBluebasser86 reply : 
  On 6/23/2014 at 8:51 PM, Weld said:

Storm swimbaits. Don't waste your money on expensive Hudd baits, waste of money. Storm swimbaits are even better and much cheaper

Don't tell Butch Brown they're a waste of money. 


fishing user avatarMr_Scrogg reply : 

Hudds dont work... Ill PM you my addy. Just send them to me, Ill dispose of them.


fishing user avatarPrimus reply : 

Speaking of Hudds, I've been fishing the weedless Hudd Shads a lot lately and I'm very impressed with this bait. Matt's hard Bluegill's are fantastic , I also like his tournament series baits .  

 

The River to Sea live eye bottom walker is one of the best bargains in fishing, another good bait to fish .


fishing user avatarcatch anything reply : 

live target makes some sweet baits to


fishing user avatarWRB reply : 

Difficult to get a small 1 1/2 oz swimbait to perform good, larger sizes 2 to 3 oz work better, unless you are talking about hollow bodies like Bassrix 6" paddle tails. 6" and  68 Huddleston rof 12 weigh 2 oz, not 1 1/2 oz.

R2Sea S-Waver 6 3/4" is 1.6 oz, a glide bait, not a true swimmer.

Black Dog G2 shell cracker is a surface wake bait. 1 1/2 oz.

BBZ-1, 4"  swimbait is OK, a little fragile.

Matts soft Gills all are in your weight range and good.

 

You need a medium heavy swimbait rod to fish 2-3 oz swimmers effectively and should consider that when getting into swimbait fishing.

Tom


fishing user avatarBasshunterJGH reply : 

Jerry rago line-throughs r good. Also Huddleston


fishing user avatarBass_Fanatic reply : 

Hard to beat the Shellcracker G2


fishing user avatarSGT Rico reply : 

BBZ-1 fan here. One of my most productive lures of all times.


fishing user avatarFishTank reply : 

I have tried a couple but none of the super monster swimbaits.  I have the tried the storm lures with no luck and a MattLures Swimbait with little success.

 

I have used a couple of the Megabass Limber Lambers with great success.

leurre-xs-limber-lamber-slow-sinking-bas


fishing user avatarPrimus reply : 
  On 6/29/2014 at 8:39 AM, BasshunterJGH said:

Jerry rago line-throughs r good. Also Huddleston

 

The 7" BVD is my go to in spring for a big swimbait .


fishing user avatarhatrix reply : 

There is so many options out there and tons of people ask this question on here. Really though a good indicator of what swimbaits to buy should be what have you heard about the most? Sure there are some sleeper baits but of you don't know stick with the famous and well proven baits.

As for your BBZ I have had waaaayyyyy better results throwing floaters compared to the sinking versions.

Just buy a couple baits you know are legendary and spend some time throwing them to get a feel for it and then decide if you want to take your addiction further and drain your bank account buying the most expensive baits in bass fishing.


fishing user avatarGrizzn N Bassin reply : 

i think its time to go throw my 9 inch slammmer


fishing user avatarA-Jay reply : 

Another vote for the Hudd 68.

 

A-Jay


fishing user avatarChoporoz reply : 

I got an Academy H2O Express 3 1/2 inch jointed shad a week ago.  Only fished it once.  Looks fantastic --   Caught a four inch bluegill.  The action is pretty sweet.  However, it seems hard to control.  The speed window is fairly small -- too slow and it's not flappin or it's on the bottom.  Two fast and it's rolling or skidding on the surface.  I didn't have the patience to find the sweet spot, but I do intend to work on it some more.  When it's moving right, it looks like it should be irresistible.   




9070

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