Swimbait walleyes

[fishinfey8]

Well I just have a few questions about swimbaits for you guys. I have heard that a bigger profile swimbaits and various plastics can be a go-to for big fall walleyes. I have been at quite a few big name outdoor stores in search for these things and I have not found very good selection. So, my question is what kind do you use, and where do you get them?

Some other questions for you are: do you cast them, troll them, jig them, or all the above? What sizes do you use? What type of hooks do you use? Any info would be greatly appreciated...

[tunrevir]

I tend to buy the shad style bodies or use the gulp split tail minnows. On a tough bite I'll fish the 2" paddle tails, last week the fish were smacking 3" paddle tails and 4" split tails. I have used them vertical, cast and jigged and trolled but it depends on the body of water and the cover. Concentrated fish in deep water you can go vertical, shallower weedlines or reefs you can cast and jig it back or hop it, when looking for fish or trying to make contact you can troll them. I like to use the longer shanked bass jigs to get the hook back near the tail 1/0 I believe is what I use in 1/16th-3/8ths. Typically 1/8th-1/4 works in most situations. Check out the video at the top of the page walleye with plastics. I believe they are using the Northland mimic minnows. One other tip is if the fish aren't hitting the plain jig and body put on the clothespin spinner to add more flash and vibration. I haven't used this with the split tail minnows just the paddle tails. This is a great combo for casting and using a slow retrieve especially when fish are shallow.

Tunrevir~

[Northlander]

Go to any good baitstore and get some big power bait paddle tails and toss them on some big bullet shaped jig heads or even round head jigs with long shanks. Go light shallow and heavy dep. They can be tossed and retieved or vertical jigged. Awesome fall walleye baits.

[fishinfey8]

Thanks for some good info! I've never tried this before, but I do like using plastic vs live bait when it works. I have been getting into casting and trolling crankbaits and jigging plastics more and more. I'm getting sick of the old live bait routine...

I watched the video that crappiekieth. made on trolling mimic minnows and it got me a little excited to try this type of fishing on my home waters this fall. Tunrevir - that's funny you mentioned the spinner. I was at Fleet Farm earlier today (before reading this post) and bought some mimic minnows and clothspin spinners! Anyways...do the spinners work in the fall as well? I could see this combo working great in the spring.

[palisade1kid]

I tend to buy the shad style bodies or use the gulp split tail minnows. On a tough bite I'll fish the 2" paddle tails, last week the fish were smacking 3" paddle tails and 4" split tails. I have used them vertical, cast and jigged and trolled but it depends on the body of water and the cover. Concentrated fish in deep water you can go vertical, shallower weedlines or reefs you can cast and jig it back or hop it, when looking for fish or trying to make contact you can troll them. I like to use the longer shanked bass jigs to get the hook back near the tail 1/0 I believe is what I use in 1/16th-3/8ths. Typically 1/8th-1/4 works in most situations. Check out the video at the top of the page walleye with plastics. I believe they are using the Northland mimic minnows. One other tip is if the fish aren't hitting the plain jig and body put on the clothespin spinner to add more flash and vibration. I haven't used this with the split tail minnows just the paddle tails. This is a great combo for casting and using a slow retrieve especially when fish are shallow.

Tunrevir~

that's pretty good...most 1/4 oz jigs are made with 1/0 hooks. There are some longer shanked hooks available which I have found at Cabelas for those 4 or 5 inch plastics.

A 1/0 hook works well for the 3 inch baits or the 2 1/2 inch baits. 3/8ths also comes in 1/0 normally.

Working weed edges you'll want to cast and retrieve so that your just above the weeds. Cast and count down about 1 second per fooot and then reel. Reel slow enough to pick up weeds then speed up so that your not picking up weeds.

For trolling my rule of thumb is 1.5 -1.75 mps with a 1/4oz head in 7-12 fow.Any slower than 1.5 with paddletails angd you'll find the tail freeze unless you find softer plastics like Cabelas brand of sassy shad or Gander Mountain in the bulk bins...same product.Better value at GM which is about 1$ a 10 count vs 3$ a 10 pack packaged under the Cabelas name.

Sizing comes from understanding what mood the fish are in.

I have 1.5" all the way up to 6" baits all in the same style and colors.

Those that know my fishing style...finesse is key ...walleyes or whatever species you are targeting may not be aggressive..more over they are nuetral to negative.

Speed can kill and so does over sizing baits at times.I guess I'll always error on the smaller side. If it appears they are hitting hard then upsizing is a good move to do.

Grub style baits are great fro going slower as the tails still will create vibration which is key to producing the strike just as the paddle tail thumps.

Bottom bouncing also works well.Tubes can be used for eyes although most think that they are bass baits.

Talking about downsizing..here's Chris on Winnie last Sat. We had been pounding jumbo perch verticle jiggin with a 2 inch glow worm that I had poured on a 1/16th oz head and a bonus fish shows up. Mind you a very small bait presentation in 8 fow.

...and yes the perch...

You should be seeing a pattern...as long as your infront of the fish they will indeed cream a plastic bait. As long as it's the right size odds are you will load up your rod.

[tunrevir]

Great input there CK! I figured with you making the video lead in and all, you'd chime in. I really like plastics when it is cold out, both spring and fall because you aren't dipping into a minnow bucket and freezing your hands! I think the best part about plastics is you can create the action on the bait by using pauses, twitches, drags, letting it sit and giving it a hop, ect. The sky is the limit when it comes to working the bait back to the boat.

Tunrevir~

[mainbutter]

Use paddle tail swimbaits (generally bodies on a jighead) just as you would twister tail grubs. Both simulate bait fish with different tail action.

Paddle tail swimbaits were originally designed to be used on belly-weighted EWG hooks, but those are better for shallow bass and pike fishing in weeds than in most walleye territory. Jigheads with shad bodies or pre-rigged internal head-weights are the way to go for walleyes. Use in the same size as you would grubs.

[Northlander]

I have been using the Bass Assassin 4" Paddle Tails with good results. Many nice colors to choose from. The wihte or white with pink or red tail is a killer on Rainy River in the spring and fall.

[Scott M]

Just won some Big Hammer Swimbaits in a raffle, big 5" paddle tails. The testimonials at the HSOforum are mostly salt reef anglers, but there are some chunky bass and walleyes to be seen too. Guess I'll have to get on the In Fish bandwagon now and toss some swimbaits.

[fishinfey8]

I put a little bit of time into them this fall, with little success. I'm sure that was the result of a combination of getting used to a new technique, and my confidence level while using them. I did have some success trolling mimic minnows in the orange pattern. Also, I plan on using them on rivers a lot more. The current really gets that tail pounding, even when holding it still in one place.

Let us know how you do, and throw some tips this way if you have some success!

[Northlander]

FF try them in the river through the ice. NASTY hits when they take it. I like the 2-3" paddle tails in perch, smelt or glow white down there. Gander has some great long shank bulk jig heads that have a life like minnow head looking leadhead on them. Might be Northland tackles Im not sure. The combo of a 1/8th or 1/4th oz with a paddle tail can be good or even on a whistler jig.

[scott b]

Little late, but you could use this info next year if you want. I like to think of myself as an avid swimbait fisherman as I use them about 60% of the time in lakes and rivers all open water season long. A swimbait in the fall should feel like a crank with a hard thumping tail. Sorry mimic minnow! A swimbait, in my opinion, should have a thin profile of solid rubber for casting distance and be 4-5 inches in length. Castaic makes a great 5in. one to be found at FF. Berkley 5in saltwater handpour is another option, but you have to cut off the belly with a razor to give it that slim profile. I use them at night over shallow rocks when the water temp. is 50 and below. These baits are big and heavy and will easily tear of the jig head. Owner makes great 1/4 oz. heads but still need a dab of superglue to keep the body in place. Cast them in known night time locations in the fall and hang on!

[fishinfey8]

FF try them in the river through the ice. NASTY hits when they take it. I like the 2-3" paddle tails in perch, smelt or glow white down there. Gander has some great long shank bulk jig heads that have a life like minnow head looking leadhead on them. Might be Northland tackles Im not sure. The combo of a 1/8th or 1/4th oz with a paddle tail can be good or even on a whistler jig.

Thanks for that little tip. I will be trying it here in the next couple weeks. Also, thanks for the thinner profile tip hotime! I also plan on trying them out this spring on the rainy, mainly to build my confidence level (if the river conditions are good that is)!!

[mnviking28]

Another way I like to use the swimbait is if you have a windswept shoreline. I literally cast them in and work them back like a crankbait. The one that I have had the most success with is the Storm Wildeye Shad. This works from a boat or from the shore. If the faster approach of fishing them like a crank doesn't seem to produce, you can always slow it down and jig them back.

[scott b]

Mn viking. My thoughts exactly, Great presentation. Don't forget that a steady retrieve at night is deadly also. Some times walleyes and sauger will want the rod bounce or constant "tapping" of the rod tip, but this is usually when they are very active, or the water is dirty. It is the tapping retrieve that, if they are biting, I will catch the most fish. Cast, let sink to desired depth, retrieve slow and steady. It doesn't get any easier than that.