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South Florida swimbaits? 2024


fishing user avatarI.rar reply : 

Curious if anyone throws swimbaits here in South Florida with success. I have a MH rod on the way along with some 5" keitech paddle tails but am looking for  some more options under 1 ounce. 


fishing user avatarWurming67 reply : 

We use gambler ez swimmer swimbait in June bug color with 4/0 hook and have good results. 


fishing user avatarhawgenvy reply : 

I use 4.8" Keitech Swing Fats a lot, but also like Gambler Big EZ and the smaller EZ Swimmer. They have good action but are much slicker and slide better through more dense vegetation, or over pads easily, because they don't have the ribs. Use a 4-0 or even a 5-0 hook. Also, you can actually punch mats with them rigged with a 1 1/2 oz tungsten weight. The EZ twins will attract big fish. Also, I've been meaning to try Zoom Swimming Super Flukes with the paddle tail. The regular Super Fluke keeps bringing me dinks. Oh, I use the Strike King Rage Craw sometimes Texas rigged 3-0 with a tiny screw weight and use it just like a spinner bait with success. Also can use the T-rigged Rage Craw like a jig, or as a jig trailer, or on a punching rig with a big weight. All depends how much jiggle you think the bass want.


fishing user avatarSoFloBassFiend reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 11:35 AM, I.rar said:

Curious if anyone throws swimbaits here in South Florida with success. I have a MH rod on the way along with some 5" keitech paddle tails but am looking for  some more options under 1 ounce. 

All day every day is swimbaits season in south Florida. 


fishing user avatarBassinLou reply : 

I throw alot of  Gambler Big EZ's and EZ swimmers, mainly when I fish on Lake O. Locally however,  I haven't had too much success with them compared to other non swimbait baits. 


fishing user avatarMike L reply : 

Absolutely!

There are times down here, in no matter what type of waters you fish, that you won't put the rod down. RI Skinny Dippers for a faster tail action and the Big EZ for the times when you want a little more thump. I don't use the EZ Swimmer's as I just don't see the need. 

I like the Houdini color for the Dippers and either Copperfield or 49er for the Big EZ. 

 

Mike 


fishing user avatarFloridaFishinFool reply : 

Agree. What he said.


fishing user avatar0119 reply : 

Gambler EZ Swimmers are my favorite but they are very fussy about keeping them at just the right retrieve speed or they lay over on their side.  Everyone here is using Spoolteks but they look to gimmicky to me and I haven't seen a color I'd use.  I just got some Berkeley Ripple Shads and Ripple Mullets on closeout.  They are much less susceptable to rolling over.


fishing user avatarI.rar reply : 

I'll definitely look into those gamblers. They seem to be everyone's go to down here. 

Thanks guys! 


fishing user avatarDwight Hottle reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 10:28 PM, Mike L said:

Absolutely!

There are times down here, in no matter what type of waters you fish, that you won't put the rod down. RI Skinny Dippers for a faster tail action and the Big EZ for the times when you want a little more thump. I don't use the EZ Swimmer's as I just don't see the need. 

I like the Houdini color for the Dippers and either Copperfield or 49er for the Big EZ. 

 

Mike 

 X2


fishing user avatarMike L reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 11:37 PM, 119 said:

Gambler EZ Swimmers are my favorite but they are very fussy about keeping them at just the right retrieve speed or they lay over on their side.  Everyone here is using Spoolteks but they look to gimmicky to me and I haven't seen a color I'd use.  I just got some Berkeley Ripple Shads and Ripple Mullets on closeout.  They are much less susceptable to rolling over.

That's one of the reasons I don't use the swimmers. I saw those Ripple Shads out your way somewhere and thought about picking up a pack but didn't. 

 

Mike


fishing user avatargeo g reply : 
  On 2/2/2016 at 12:05 AM, Dwight Hottle said:

 X2

X 3,        Especially good at Loxahatchee and lake Okeechobee.  They are great any time you have thick cover on the shallow flats.  Not so much in the canals, until the water drops and the fish are concentrated.   


fishing user avatarI.rar reply : 

Unfortunately I fish my local neighborhood lakes and the bite must be different than what you guys experience at okee or lox, lol. I have plenty of days without a single bite. 


fishing user avatarsoflabasser reply : 

The big ez's work good down here,I use them in the lakes and canals with good success. 


fishing user avatar0119 reply : 
  On 2/2/2016 at 1:34 AM, I.rar said:

Unfortunately I fish my local neighborhood lakes and the bite must be different than what you guys experience at okee or lox, lol. I have plenty of days without a single bite. 

So does everyone else too!  Neighborhood ponds are a thing all into themselves. Bowl shaped, little structure, they can be a tough nut to crack. I find down sizing a must as prey species are usually very small especially here in s. fl. like released aquarium fish and stunted bream. I think they have to prey on their own young a lot too.


fishing user avatarJames Frise reply : 

I like to use a Spooltek 4 inch fatty perch. I catch a ton of fish on them including: Peacock Bass, Largemouth Bass, Tarpon, and Snook. I like to work it near the weeds. 


fishing user avatarI.rar reply : 
  On 2/2/2016 at 8:05 AM, 119 said:

So does everyone else too!  Neighborhood ponds are a thing all into themselves. Bowl shaped, little structure, they can be a tough nut to crack. I find down sizing a must as prey species are usually very small especially here in s. fl. like released aquarium fish and stunted bream. I think they have to prey on their own young a lot too.

I'm all about downsized/finesse fishing and just recently got the bfs bug. Actually, all of my largest fish have come from baits weighing at or under 1/4oz including the 12+lb arrowana lol. But it did take alot of sifting through dinks to get them.

But after seeing a near double digit bass try to inhale a dink I just released right at my feet, I just had to give these swimbaits a try but don't really want a bag full of them. 

I'll have the keitech easy shiner, impact fat and roboworm ez shad soon and will be picking up a pack of those gamblers to start with. 

... Then I saw some budget friendly jointed baits like the sebile magic swimmer and lucky craft pointer smasher and the bait monkey almost broke out of his cage. 

What's everyone preference for jigs to pair with these? My few lakes are 20+ ft deep with bottoms that are covered in weeds so I opted for screw lock swimbait hooks. 

 

 


fishing user avatarsoflabasser reply : 
  On 2/2/2016 at 10:25 AM, I.rar said:

I'm all about downsized/finesse fishing and just recently got the bfs bug. Actually, all of my largest fish have come from baits weighing at or under 1/4oz including the 12+lb arrowana lol. But it did take alot of sifting through dinks to get them.

But after seeing a near double digit bass try to inhale a dink I just released right at my feet, I just had to give these swimbaits a try but don't really want a bag full of them. 

I'll have the keitech easy shiner, impact fat and roboworm ez shad soon and will be picking up a pack of those gamblers to start with. 

... Then I saw some budget friendly jointed baits like the sebile magic swimmer and lucky craft pointer smasher and the bait monkey almost broke out of his cage. 

What's everyone preference for jigs to pair with these? My few lakes are 20+ ft deep with bottoms that are covered in weeds so I opted for screw lock swimbait hooks. 

 

 

I bet the Arrowana was a nice surprise!I also fish for exotic fish, my favorite are the Pacu. Probably the strongest pound for pound 100 % freshwater fish we have.


fishing user avatarSoFloBassFiend reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 11:35 AM, I.rar said:

Curious if anyone throws swimbaits here in South Florida with success. I have a MH rod on the way along with some 5" keitech paddle tails but am looking for  some more options under 1 ounce. 

All day every day is swimbaits season in south Florida. Check out the River 2 Sea S-waver also for jointed baits. A good weedless option also is a Huddleston 68 weedless. The big girls gobble them up down here. 


fishing user avatarN Florida Mike reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 12:45 PM, hawgenvy said:

I use 4.8" Keitech Swing Fats a lot, but also like Gambler Big EZ and the smaller EZ Swimmer. They have good action but are much slicker and slide better through more dense vegetation, or over pads easily, because they don't have the ribs. Use a 4-0 or even a 5-0 hook. Also, you can actually punch mats with them rigged with a 1 1/2 oz tungsten weight. The EZ twins will attract big fish. Also, I've been meaning to try Zoom Swimming Super Flukes with the paddle tail. The regular Super Fluke keeps bringing me dinks. Oh, I use the Strike King Rage Craw sometimes Texas rigged 3-0 with a tiny screw weight and use it just like a spinner bait with success. Also can use the T-rigged Rage Craw like a jig, or as a jig trailer, or on a punching rig with a big weight. All depends how much jiggle you think the bass want.

Those swimming super flukes catch a lot of fish but one fish pretty much destroys it.


fishing user avatarSFL BassHunter reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 11:35 AM, I.rar said:

Curious if anyone throws swimbaits here in South Florida with success. I have a MH rod on the way along with some 5" keitech paddle tails but am looking for  some more options under 1 ounce. 

I pour my own swimbaits now. Similar to the Ez Swimmers. Very successful with them. They have become one of my favorite baits to use.


fishing user avatarMikeOGNR reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 12:45 PM, hawgenvy said:

I use 4.8" Keitech Swing Fats a lot, but also like Gambler Big EZ and the smaller EZ Swimmer. They have good action but are much slicker and slide better through more dense vegetation, or over pads easily, because they don't have the ribs. Use a 4-0 or even a 5-0 hook. Also, you can actually punch mats with them rigged with a 1 1/2 oz tungsten weight. The EZ twins will attract big fish. Also, I've been meaning to try Zoom Swimming Super Flukes with the paddle tail. The regular Super Fluke keeps bringing me dinks. Oh, I use the Strike King Rage Craw sometimes Texas rigged 3-0 with a tiny screw weight and use it just like a spinner bait with success. Also can use the T-rigged Rage Craw like a jig, or as a jig trailer, or on a punching rig with a big weight. All depends how much jiggle you think the bass want.

x2 on this. we slayed them on golf course ponds in the rain with these. I ran mine pretty fast and they just slammed them.


fishing user avatarSFL BassHunter reply : 
  On 2/5/2016 at 2:36 AM, MikeOGNR said:

The regular Super Fluke keeps bringing me dinks.

Interesting you mention that. I've never caught a bass bigger than maybe 12-13 inches on a fluke. Not sure why.


fishing user avatarMikeOGNR reply : 

Also to add i'll be in the Sunshine state in 23 days.... and I know what i'll be throwing. especially trying to get that 10lber me and Hawgenvy gonna make the fish crawl back to there holes when were done with them. Fact


fishing user avatarGonzoFishing reply : 
  On 2/2/2016 at 12:43 PM, soflabasser said:

I bet the Arrowana was a nice surprise!I also fish for exotic fish, my favorite are the Pacu. Probably the strongest pound for pound 100 % freshwater fish we have.

X2!! Had a Pacu hit a top water propeller type lure with such ferocity that I actually flinched! Don't know if hit out of hunger or annoyance but it was an amazing drag pulling fight. Same pond has a nice red tail catfish that I'm dying to catch! SoFlo fishing is crazy!! Never know what the next cast brings ?


fishing user avatarsoflabasser reply : 
  On 2/5/2016 at 3:57 AM, GonzoFishing said:

X2!! Had a Pacu hit a top water propeller type lure with such ferocity that I actually flinched! Don't know if hit out of hunger or annoyance but it was an amazing drag pulling fight. Same pond has a nice red tail catfish that I'm dying to catch! SoFlo fishing is crazy!! Never know what the next cast brings ?

South Florida is fishing paradise!There are few places in the world where you can catch as much variety of freshwater fish like we do down here.We also have awesome saltwater fishing which makes the fishing even better for us.


fishing user avatarI.rar reply : 

Found the pic of the arrowana... 

20141108_095848_zpscf4fa185.jpg

Everyone likes pictures... 

some other exotics.. 

 

20140504_161528_resized_zps04cfc46b.jpg

20150222_125010_zpsfb6ebc04.jpg

20151122_105008_zpsqjyitobb_edit_1454636

 

20151122_104949_zpsf1s3qd8i.jpg

 

09032010051-1.jpg

 

11132010101.jpg


fishing user avatarGonzoFishing reply : 
  On 2/5/2016 at 9:50 AM, I.rar said:

Found the pic of the arrowana... 

20141108_095848_zpscf4fa185.jpg

Everyone likes pictures... 

some other exotics.. 

 

20140504_161528_resized_zps04cfc46b.jpg

20150222_125010_zpsfb6ebc04.jpg

20151122_105008_zpsqjyitobb_edit_1454636

 

20151122_104949_zpsf1s3qd8i.jpg

 

09032010051-1.jpg

 

11132010101.jpg

First time seeing an arawana caught! Awesome!! If you don't mind sharing, what did you catch it on? How was the fight? 

Oh and as far swim baits go I've used the Lake Fork live magic shad in the watermelon seed color and when the grass/weeds aren't so bad I also like Optimum baby line thru.


fishing user avatarI.rar reply : 

Spook Jr, 10lb cxx leader, 40lb power pro mainline, curado 51 and a Fenwick smallmouth m/f. 

I first thought I snagged a gator the way it just peeled line off the reel. Once I started to put more tension on him, it was epic. Huge jumps and head shakes till the end. The fight lasted a few minutes but was mostly me trying to get him away from the trees and sunken boat that he was chillin behind when we hooked up. Crazy strong fish. 

I love the lake fork baby shads. It's like candy to the peas. 


fishing user avatarGonzoFishing reply : 
  On 2/6/2016 at 3:05 AM, I.rar said:

Spook Jr, 10lb cxx leader, 40lb power pro mainline, curado 51 and a Fenwick smallmouth m/f. 

I first thought I snagged a gator the way it just peeled line off the reel. Once I started to put more tension on him, it was epic. Huge jumps and head shakes till the end. The fight lasted a few minutes but was mostly me trying to get him away from the trees and sunken boat that he was chillin behind when we hooked up. Crazy strong fish. 

I love the lake fork baby shads. It's like candy to the peas. 

Nice! Those things are built for that top water strike. Awesome fish! Thanks bro!


fishing user avatar0119 reply : 
  On 2/5/2016 at 2:39 AM, SFL BassHunter said:

Interesting you mention that. I've never caught a bass bigger than maybe 12-13 inches on a fluke. Not sure why.

All my biggest fish have come from a white ice colored super fluke fished weightless.  Especially snook.  Last year I got 2 bass just over 10# on it.  3 weeks ago the bass were hitting only it as they were staging for the spawn when a snook surprised me on it, she went over 40". Thank God I had a leader on.  Bigger swimbaits have only worked for me on bass in Lake Istokpoga.  Local fish are just too pressured to take big stuff.


fishing user avatarSFL BassHunter reply : 
  On 2/6/2016 at 9:50 PM, 119 said:

All my biggest fish have come from a white ice colored super fluke fished weightless.  Especially snook.  Last year I got 2 bass just over 10# on it.  3 weeks ago the bass were hitting only it as they were staging for the spawn when a snook surprised me on it, she went over 40". Thank God I had a leader on.  Bigger swimbaits have only worked for me on bass in Lake Istokpoga.  Local fish are just too pressured to take big stuff.

I've tried that color along with maybe 5 others with the same results. Small fish lol. Heck I even went and got me the magnum flukes to see if I could attract bigger fish and I haven't caught a darn thing with those lol. :-/ Guess I'm doing something wrong! 


fishing user avatarsoflabasser reply : 
  On 2/6/2016 at 9:50 PM, 119 said:

All my biggest fish have come from a white ice colored super fluke fished weightless.  Especially snook.  Last year I got 2 bass just over 10# on it.  3 weeks ago the bass were hitting only it as they were staging for the spawn when a snook surprised me on it, she went over 40". Thank God I had a leader on.  Bigger swimbaits have only worked for me on bass in Lake Istokpoga.  Local fish are just too pressured to take big stuff.

Same here!Flukes work very good down here for bass.Have caught many +5 pound bass on flukes,they are great lures for both numbers and quality sized bass.


fishing user avatartennsopher reply : 

I fish the Bitter's naked swimmer along with the big e-z with great success.The Bitter's bait is the same as the r.i.skinny dipper only much cheaper.Two pkg for 5 dollars.5 baits in each.Yes you can find them online.Google Bitter's bait &tackle


fishing user avatartgat77 reply : 
  On 2/1/2016 at 11:35 AM, I.rar said:

Curious if anyone throws swimbaits here in South Florida with success. I have a MH rod on the way along with some 5" keitech paddle tails but am looking for  some more options under 1 ounce. 

My  bro catches big bass nd swears on reaction dippers hudini is hot color most of the time swims on top like a zoom horny toad frog topwater bite you will catchem for sure




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