Giving up on swimbaits....? 2025

It's sad really.  I've tried the soft plastic swimbaits...berkley hollow bellies, bass magic, and shadalicious along with several solid plastic swimbaits like storm, live swim bait or whatever, and some other thingamajig that sucked.  Out of that 50-60 bucks worth of junk, I have caught no fish larger than 12 inches.  These are tried and proven colors that I'm throwing...matching things that work already in my tacklebox.  All of those types were either given to me or I bought over the last 6 months.  I know the fishing is good because I switch to Rage Craws, *** ***, and my homemade jigs and start catching fish.  I establish a pattern with those lures, switch to a swimbait...cast, flip, pitch, hop, skip, and everything else...and I catch nothing.  So, I've caught a few bass under 12 inches...I can do that with a beetle spin.

So with that said...I'm going to swing for the fences.  I'm going to get a mattlures and give swimbaits one last shot at redemption.  I'm dropping the el-cheapo stuff and going for broke.

Any tips?   Like I said, I've established a sustaining pattern and presentation on my lake and I am trying to re-create that success with other lures.  (This is how I "prove" new lures that I want to try)  This is not working...at all.  I don't have a depthfinder for my canoe, so fishing a swimbait is not going to be structure orientated.  It's more or less a shotgun approach to hitting banks and some creeks that I know about.  So with all of that said...

halp plx!!!!

Have you tried any of Mattlures yet?

Brian and the rest of the forum plese forgive me if this sounds like spam. I am honestly only trying to help. My gils have accounted for more 10+ lb fish then all my other baits combined but  my baby bass is by far the easiest bait to use and gets a ton of bites. I would recomend the bass especialy for post spawn when the big bass are feedinging on 2-4in baby bass. Use this bait to gain confidence and from there you can expand your swimbait asenal. There are a lot of good brands on the market but now since "swimbaits" have become soo popular, there is a ton of junk. It is always better to buy a couple good quality PROVEN swimbaits then a buch of cheaper ones.

As far as the paddle tail baits go, I would stick to the smaller sized ones and use them for their strenghts. They are great weedless baits.

Also just because they are called swimbaits doesnt mean they are made for targeting big bass. This used to be the case but not anymore. Those paddle tails work but they are not big bass baits.I know it can be frustrating but dont give up!

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Brian and the rest of the forum plese forgive me if this sounds like spam. I am honestly only trying to help. My gils have accounted for more 10+ lb fish then all my other baits combined but my baby bass is by far the easiest bait to use and gets a ton of bites. I would recomend the bass especialy for post spawn when the big bass are feedinging on 2-4in baby bass. Use this bait to gain confidence and from there you can expand your swimbait asenal. There are a lot of good brands on the market but now since "swimbaits" have become soo popular, there is a ton of junk. It is always better to buy a couple good quality PROVEN swimbaits then a buch of cheaper ones.

As far as the paddle tail baits go, I would stick to the smaller sized ones and use them for their strenghts. They are great weedless baits.

Also just because they are called swimbaits doesnt mean they are made for targeting big bass. This used to be the case but not anymore. Those paddle tails work but they are not big bass baits.I know it can be frustrating but dont give up!

Matt, it ain 't spam, it 's the tuth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and Brian please: I know it can be frustrating but don 't give up!, more truthful words have never been spoken, listen to what the man says, he knows a few things about swimbaiting & swimbaits.

You learn the hard way not to buy the cheapo stuff.  Stick to the quality proven baits.  

It is very tough, but when first throwing swimbaits, it usually takes awhile to get your first quality fish.  I know it took me about 1 1/2 years to get my first "QUALITY FISH" (Over 6#'s).  Before that, I only had a half dozen fish on them.  

A majority of the time, it's an all or nothing type deal.  When I first started throwing big baits, the first 3 trips I brought my swimbaits and nothing else.  In those three trips, I had one decent follwer (5+) and a 1 1/2# smallie that attacked a 8" BBZ.  

DON"T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!  

If you are giving up on them you are costing yourself a lot of good bass.

NEVER GIVE UP!!!!!  

Hey Brain... was just reading this (http://www.swimbaitnation.com/swimbaitarticles.html) article and thought about your thread. Read the one about wakebaits. It has some good info in there, especially the cost to benefit ration paragraph, for your current situation.

Oh I'm not giving up completely...but I am giving up on the crappy baits.  That's for sure.  Next step is jumping to the top of realistic looking baits and I'm going to start chunking a mattlures.  Maybe they will work better when I move in a few months.  Who knows?  I am definitely getting fed up though.  It's taken me longer to get fish on swimbaits than it did jigs.  

matt speaking for myself, i always look forward to your posts on here. you are a small scale manufacturer who makes an exceptional product (i fish with a guy who caught a 9 pounder off a bed on a local lake here that was frustrating tons of locals for a week in 5 mins with your ultimate gill) and i have read an article about you and know that you are a regular down to earth guy and do not make a killing off these baits, so i have no problem with you pushing your lures here whenever you want. i do not currently own any of your products but will be soon as im finally getting right on my feet with my money ( havent had much to throw around trying new stuff and keep my regular tackle replenished). but would def. like to try your baby bass. i have been wondering about you mattshad as well, how have your catches been on that lure?

No bait catches big bass exclusively; a 2 pound bass will eat a blue gill the size of Matt's.

I've compiled a little info on swim baits and how to use them

Mattlures Bluegill Series

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1199229912/0

LC Real California and Mattlures Baby Bass test... Amazing!

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1200179750/0

This was posted by fourbizz  

Asking someone how to swim bait is just like asking someone how to bass fish. There is no one way. It is a technique that is HUGE in scope. Just about as diverse as "traditional" bass fishing. I, at least, fish from 1foot of water up to 100 feet of water. Surface, mid-column, and on the bottom. You can dead stick, stitch, slow roll, moderate retrieve, and burn them. Twitching, hopping, directional changes, cover/structure collision..... Man I could go on, and on, and on, doing absolutely nothing to help you

Now you fish in Florida and from what little I know of Florida fishing in general and what I have seen from your outings posts, we are talking about shallow water, lots of grass, and some docks thrown in. We have 2 waterways here that fit that description pretty well in the California Delta and Clear Lake. I throw a scant handful of baits at these waterways. I do not fish either of them much, mind, but the first tourney I ever fished was on the Delta and was an 82 boat team tourney, we won, swim baits in hand.

I like to relate big baits to traditional baits when I am describing their application to guys just starting out. I'll just relate my key baits for the Delta and Clear Lake. In order of preference.

#1 3:16 Lure Company Mission Fish-7"

My go to bait. I fish this in two distinctively different ways that I relate to a jig and a spinner bait. I like to flip it to key spots, let it sink, shake it, hop it. You can do this all the way back to the boat or just target the primo spots and burn it back. Anywhere you might throw a jig; you can fish a mission fish there, in much the same way. My favorite way to fish them is much like spinner bait. A fairly fast, mid column retrieve going through and over any cover you can find, this bait is as weedless as it gets. The bites are savage when fishing like this. Bumping cover and ripping it free of grass (much like a ratl trap) really bumps up your number of bites.

#2 3:16 Wake Jr.

Now this is fun right here. Wake baits are my favorite way to catch big fish. Now I realize that is expensive bait, but it is by far my favorite. The MS Slammer, AC Minnow, and Mattlures Woody, are all more budget friendly and get bit too. But regardless of which you buy, the application is same. Think spook. If the conditions scream SPOOK! Then big fish are aching to get poked on wake bait. Just a slow steady retrieve with OCCASIONAL pauses or twitches will get you bit. Obviously the closer you get to the ambush spot, the better, but fish will travel A LONG WAY to eat wake bait. (got on a bite last year where fish were suspending 25-35ft down over 100, and would come up to eat the wake jr!)

#3 Osprey Talon/ 3:16 Rising Son

I don't fish these nearly as much as the two above, but they sure do work. If I were to relate them to something, it would probably be a shallow crank. These baits are not weed less, but they run comfortably from surface to about 3ft down. Great for running over the tops of weed beds or along outside weed lines. A very slow retrieve seems best as the baits tend to roll if you move too quickly. Works well for pulling fish out from under deeper docks that you can skip under, or even parallel.

Those are really the only baits I throw at the places that resemble my idea of Florida. As I have mentioned before, I don't believe that the "paddle tail tube" and knockoffs are big fish baits at all. Frankly, I think they are a waste of money/time. If I am gonna pay big bait prices, I want big bait results. And as much as I have bellowed it out in the past, I will say it again, have the proper equipment! I know someone who tried throwing an 8" bait on a MH rod when he first started, it cost him no fewer than 15 double digit bass. I wouldn't even be able to stomach 1 DD loss if it was due to my refusal to use the correct gear. Big rod, big reel, big line, big fish, big fun.

I don't know if that is any help whatsoever. But if Mattlures or Randall would like to chime in, they could probably help all of us

I bet that baby bass is wicked! You dont know how many lures I own that are "Baby Bass" from flukes to zara spooks, crankbaits, and if they had a worm called baby bass id probably buy that too.

Brian, I'm with you on the hollow tube type paddle tail baits. They just haven't done it for me. I've bought the Berkley version, the Money Minnow and the Shadalicious, all in several sizes and colors, along with the ridiculously over-priced weighted hooks to go with them.

I will not be buying any more of them. I will be buying more Swim Senkos.

The Swim Senko has produced so many more fish, on the same days, in the same conditions, fished side by side, that I've made my choice.

As far as the "real" swimbaits go, I haven't jumped on that bandwagon yet. I don't have a rod capable of handling baits that big. And, to tell the truth, I don't see myself spending that much of my cash on those really big baits. I would like to try some of Matt's smaller baits. I do have rods that will handle those baits. The Baby Bass and the 'gill would probably be just the ticket for the waters I fish most. Might have to spend some of my "economic stimulus" cash on a few of his baits. If I do buy any, thay will be from Matt. I don't know how he manages to make such realistic baits at the prices he's set.

Anything over 5 pounds is a trophy in my neck of the woods, and I catch my share of them on conventional gear. I really have no need to go to the giant sized baits. If I lived in Florida or Cali, or near similar waters, I may very well be singing a different tune. The pictures of giant fish caught on those giant baits by FishChris, Fourbizz, Randle and Matt are truly impressive. These guys really do have a different mindset.

Cheers,

GK

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Oh I'm not giving up completely...but I am giving up on the crappy baits. That's for sure.

Yup.

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Next step is jumping to the top of realistic looking baits

What for ? realistic doesn 't mean they are good, the Mission Fish looks like crap and gets a minus 10 in the "realistic" department however is one of the best swimbaits around and has been a proven fish catcher for years :. The Lucky Craft Amago & Real Bait get a 10 plus in the realistic good, killa looking bait department and so far I 've caught nuthin on either.

If you are going to buy screw the "realistic" department, get proven baits and if they look realistic it 's a bonus.

One question that may help us newbies.  When you swimbait, do you guys mix it up with your "arsenal" or do you kinda focus on that one bait for long periods of time?  I haven't had luck with swimbaits as I tend to jump around to different baits while on the water....usually fish plastics more than anything.

Next time, I may just take my swimbaits....and one shakey head.

Thanks

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One question that may help us newbies. When you swimbait, do you guys mix it up with your "arsenal" or do you kinda focus on that one bait for long periods of time? I haven't had luck with swimbaits as I tend to jump around to different baits while on the water....usually fish plastics more than anything.

Next time, I may just take my swimbaits....and one shakey head.

Thanks

Here 's the deal with swimbaits, there are basically 4 limitations when it comes to swimbaits:

1.- Gear limitations: gotta have swimbait gear wether you like it or not, it don 't have to be the most refined or the last scream of fashion, it 's gotta be capable of handling the baits even though some swimbaits are light enough to be fished with heavy gear it may not be the best option.

2.- Physical limitations: being young and strong helps a lot when you fish all day long with a bait of most of the others guy 's average catch.

3.- Economic limitations: gear may not be the most expensive but if you want to catch fish on swimbaits you gotta pay the price, GOOD BAITS ARE EXPENSIVE !!!!!!, when you are used to fish with a 20 cent worm paying 15,20, 30 or more bones for just one bait it may seem that you just blew your last functional brain cell when you purchase.

4.- Mental limitations: if you keep on fishing with one shakey head for average fish that 's exactly what you 'll catch, average size fish, same applies to every other bait, as long as you continue with the "numbers" mentality swimbaits won 't be for you.

Catt mentioned a good point: a 2 pounder will eat a bait the size of a Mattlures bluegill or baby bass, it 's true ..... but you aren 't after a 2 pounder, you are after bigger fish, if you are after numbers there are better ways to catch a limit of 2 pounders than with a swimbait.

I don 't mix swimbaits with my arsenal, I have an arsenal of swimbaits which is a completely different thing, I 've got swimbaits of every kind: floaters, sinkers, wakebaits, suspending, hard, soft, hybrid, you name it.

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Next time, I may just take my swimbaits....and one shakey head.

Thanks

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got

Matt's baby bass is sick, I use it pretty often. I have one question for whoever can answer. Say I'm fishing in 8 feet of water with 8 foot visibility. Will a swimbait be productive even if your only getting it down like a foot below the surface?

If you have that much vis.  Fish will come up aways for the bait.  4bizz was saying one time that he was fishing in 100ft of water with fish suspending somewhere around 20-25 and coming and eating surface baits.

Those small swimbaits although do catch some decent fish, catch a TON of little fish.

Just because it's called a swimbait, as someone said, doesn't mean only big fish will eat it.

Jigs, Frogs, Swimbaits all catch LITTLE fish as well.

I stuck a 2 1/2lber on a 8" Huddleston swimbait.

Just stick with it, but maybe upgrade to some bigger and better quality swimbaits.

To me learning to swimbait takes more time and effort than any other bait, but the payoff is much better.  You have to have the right gear and spend the money on quality baits. My first foray into swimbaits was with the Storm WildEye series; shad and sunfish. I only caught maybe 4 fish total on these things. Their action was essentially nonexisent. I almost gave up, but decided to spend the money on some quality baits. I now use Matt's Bluegill, Ultimate Bluegill, and Baby Bass. I know it is diffucult to spend $20+ on one lure, but they are worth every penny. Although I haven't landed that +10# yet, I have caught several in the 4-6# range, which is better than any other bait I normally use. Other than Matt's stuff, I only have 2 other swimbaits in my bag and they are hard swimbaits; Jackall Giron. These guys have put some quality fish in the boat as well. Don't give up, this is one technique that pays off.

A little aside: I find it odd that some of us are willing to spend $200-$500 on a rod and/or reel, but tend to spend less than $5 on our lures. The lure is what is getting the fish's attention, not our rod and reel. Maybe we should spend a little less on rod/reel and get some quality lures. :

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If you have that much vis.  Fish will come up aways for the bait.  4bizz was saying one time that he was fishing in 100ft of water with fish suspending somewhere around 20-25 and coming and eating surface baits.

cool man thanks thats a real help

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I bet that baby bass is wicked! You dont know how many lures I own that are "Baby Bass" from flukes to zara spooks, crankbaits, and if they had a worm called baby bass id probably buy that too.

they do, zoom makes a 6" lizard in baby bass...

Alex

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To me learning to swimbait takes more time and effort than any other bait, but the payoff is much better. You have to have the right gear and spend the money on quality baits. My first foray into swimbaits was with the Storm WildEye series; shad and sunfish. I only caught maybe 4 fish total on these things. Their action was essentially nonexisent. I almost gave up, but decided to spend the money on some quality baits. I now use Matt's Bluegill, Ultimate Bluegill, and Baby Bass. I know it is diffucult to spend $20+ on one lure, but they are worth every penny. Although I haven't landed that +10# yet, I have caught several in the 4-6# range, which is better than any other bait I normally use. Other than Matt's stuff, I only have 2 other swimbaits in my bag and they are hard swimbaits; Jackall Giron. These guys have put some quality fish in the boat as well. Don't give up, this is one technique that pays off.

you like the giron huh? i have been debating between that, tru-tungstens gill or the shellcracker

When I first started fishing Mattlures Baby Bass I lost several fish.

Mattlures gave me a tip which I am going to share with you:

Landing bass on a swimbait does NOT involve "playing" the fish.

You need the right gear so that when you hook-up, you bring the fish

to you, right now! Big bass, huge bass, are landed immediately,

not after a 5-10 minute fight.

8-)

I haven't jumped on the expensive swimbait bandwagon just yet.  I guess I'm the only one that catches alot of 3 to 7 lb bass on the Storm SwimShads ;D  eventually though im going to be ordering some mattlures.

I just bought some Mattlures today (blue gill and baby bass) to go with my new swimbait setup. I am looking forward to seeing some results.

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