Swimbaits

[FishinBill]

So I have become fascinated with these plastic baits this hard water season and can't wait to try them out. I have got a few packs of the Mr Twister Sassy Shad and some Berkley Inshore Shad (salt water plastic). Questions I have are these:

1. How do you rig them? Jig head? Shank hook?

2. How do you work them? Straight swim? Jerk? Jig?

3. When do you use them? Where do you use them?

I bought some jigs to pair them up with but they seem heavy enough to maybe just use a straight hook. Just don't know if they sink or not. Also, does anyone use the pre-rigged swimbaits? I never liked the Storm swimbaits, the weights always seemed too heavy. Also what kind of rods and line do you use?

Thanks in advance

[GullGuide]

Wow...the sassy shad...That was one of my first lures, been around a long time and it produced well for me, makes me wonder why I havnt used one in over 15 years.

There are tons of different swimbaits out there and they can be fished many, many ways. They can be jigged, straight retrieved, fished vertical, ripped through the weeds or pretty much anyway you can think of using them. They will work on almost any species as well, making them one of the most versitile lures out there, I mean, after all it is really only a glorified jig.

Some of the Storm baits look pretty good, but another line to look into is the Calcutta brand of swimbaits. They should become available in most tackle shops very soon. I know I'll be trying them this summer.

[Stratosman]

These baits work wonderful for bass, walleye and muskie, but it seems that walleye prefer these baits the most, I'm sure it has something to do with the profile and or action.

I have not dabbled extensively but when I have I have generally rigged them on a 3/8 to 1/2 oz. bullet head stlye jig head. I like to use whiplash or similar no stretch line especially when fishing weed related fish, when you slide on to weed, a quick snap of the rod tip will usually free you and often times triggers a bite. As far as retreive, like anything else, try to vary until a pattern is discovered, I like to drop to the bottom and retreive/pause in a consistant manner, but, don't be afraid to experiment.

Nice to use these for bass because often times you will pick up some weed related walleye's while working the edges, a nice bonus and usually nicer sized fish too.

[riverrat56]

I fish a sassy shad alot in the river for eyes, never used it for bass before. I usually swim it back or bounce the bottom and then swim it a few feet and then bounce it again. I rig them with a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig head depending on conditions.

[dan sexton]

I am no expert having only caught a half a dozen bass on this bait. I do know that the "Optimum" 4" swim-baits (built in head weight) have been the hottest baits so far here this year. One tackle shop I visited last week said that he sold 70 baits in one day (thats all he had in inventory). The latest Bassmaster mag has the best detailed "how-too" article on the Swimbait.

I just don't know how well this bait will work in the Northern waters with all the muskie, pike and walleye you have? Byron Velvick tried to make the baits work on the tour, but the bass are not the king of the chain back east like they are in the California waters.

From my limited experience: 1)Cast up to a point or tree (any place a big bass would hang out) and reel slow and steady, just like a spinnerbait or crankbait. 2)Put your boat almost on the bank on a point and cast as far as you can with the swim-bait and let it sink to the bottom. After making contact with the bottom retrieve slow and steady like #1. Make multiple cast to various directions around the point before moving to the next point.

For both of these techniques I like the pre-rigged (weighted) baits because I have most confidence in them and they may also swim straight on a slow retrieve better with a manufactured pre-rigged system. Storm baits do work! I also know that matching the forage, baby pike, perch and shad is very important.

Good luck,

Dan