swim baits?

[slick2526]

So how many of you have added a type of plastic swim bait to your arsenal? I plan on trying these this year. I have seen them around but never gave them a chance. Have you had decent luck at all using them? Any color, brand, or size preference?

[mainbutter]

I've been pouring my own for a couple years now.

They consistently produce pike and bass of all sizes, and I love them. I tend to do a caramel color over a white belly, but don't know if it matters. On my bigger line-through swimbaits I make, 8 out of 10 I make just pure white, no glitter or pearlescent colors. Super simple, super effective.

IMO they fish extremely similarly to curly tail soft plastics, if you have confidence in those you'll like paddle tail soft plastic swimbaits. The big difference for me is that instead of having them rigged on a jighead, the ones I use rig so they are center weighted. Plenty of swimbait bodies, such as big hammer swimbaits, are rigged on jigheads and should be very familiar to fish, if with a little different action. Some paddletails thump slowly, others vibrate pretty fast. I use both and don't know if I have a preference, but my line-throughs swim at the surface even when slowly cranked in, and with a slow THUMP THUMP THUMP. Being at the surface makes for fun strikes

[delmuts]

I agree with Main, One thing to keep in mind is how differently the action can be when mounted on a jig head verses a keel weighted hook. Don't overlook these as a spinnerbait trailer!! Colors? I stay with white,perch color and a translucent. I have several different styles for different actions.

[TyGuy02]

it can be some of the best action and fun for the entire year when swimbaits work. The last couple years I've had the best luck in the mid to late spring for walleye, northerns and bass. I really like how you can vary the retrieve.

Another thing to think about is that pitching crankbaits usually produce at the same time the swimbaits will. You can usually cover more water with a crankbait, then switch to the swimbait when you find the fish. Yet you can still cover alot of water with the swimbait as well. Just make sure to check the paddletail after the retrieve. You don't know how many times you won't feel anything and you'll get it up to the boat and there's no tail!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I used the money minnow when they came out. I havnt stuck with them a ton as they havn't been a numbers bait for me but the fish I have caught (bass) have been nice fish, dont think Ive caught one less than 3 lbs on them. Mostly Im throwing the 5" versions later summer into fall.

[masoct3]

I used the money minnow when they came out. I havnt stuck with them a ton as they havn't been a numbers bait for me but the fish I have caught (bass) have been nice fish, dont think Ive caught one less than 3 lbs on them. Mostly Im throwing the 5" versions later summer into fall.

I was curious what hook make/size works best for you on the money minnow?

Thanks!

[mainbutter]

On my 5'' hook slotted swimbaits, I use a 3/0 EWG weighted hook.

[slick2526]

thanks for the info. When everything works out here I will be buying a boat soon and I hope to have add some of these to my arsenal

[Raider4ever]

IMO, do not use a 7.1 reel with them. No matter how slow you think you can turn the handle, you are going too fast for paddletail swimbaits. Use your 6.4 or 5.3.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I was curious what hook make/size works best for you on the money minnow?

Thanks!

[davidbigreelz]

I like swimbaits, in fact I now probably have more of them then hard type cranks. you can cover a lot of different water with the same bait. you can cast shallow and retrieve however you feel. Or, my favorite is bottom bouncing deeper waters. Fishing almost like a jig but moving faster.

Storm is probably the brand I have most of. And by far I have more of their 5in shad paddle-tail than any other. Ive caught northerns up to 36in, smallies and walleyes on them.

I would really like to get into pouring sometime.

[HandGunner]

the whole swimbait, mimmic minnow, paddle tail, craze came upon fishing and I never caught on to it. I have hard swimbaits the jointed body ones I like the action better but never caught anything with them but I do see how paddle tails can substitute for a crank maybe I dust off a few that I have and give them a try this year