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                                                                 Swimbaits

Do big baits catch bigger fish ??

This is an issue which has been debated over years. Swimbaits have been around for a number of years already, only becoming more popular in South Africa in the last few years. They have undoubtedly in the past been responsible for some huge fish worldwide. “IRON” Byron Velvic (considered the pioneer of the swim bait craze) won the second event of the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series, the Golden State Shootout exclusively using a swim bait on Clear Lake in California. Velvick attributed the victory to both his primary area — a shallow, warm bay that contained grass, rock and hitch, a rare bait fish found in California — and his bait choice — a Rago BV 3D swimbait. Personally I think that most anglers do not give the swim bait enough chance here in South Africa. It is easy to give it a couple throws and after a while put it back down and pick up your confidence lure, which might catch you more fish but not that Lunker that’s out there. Swimbaiting takes a lot of perseverance and patience and just like any other technique takes time to develop.
There has been an explosion of different swim baits over the years, some really huge ones anywhere from 8” to 12”. Personally I think these would only do well in the States where the 10 pounders roam, California, Texas and Florida.
For our waters I think anything from 3”to 7” swim baits would do fine, maybe even bigger when going to Zimbabwe or Mozambique.

Hollow Bodies

There are a number of Hollow Body swimbaits on the market, which resemble your smaller baitfish species usually 3” to 5” and most have paddle tails. Some need to be rigged by you and some come ready to fish out of the pack. If you have to rig the swim bait yourself, find the right sized weighted shank hook. If the swim bait has a belly slit feed the hook through it as not to damage the head of the lure when feeding a weighted shank. A stinger trebble hook can also be added to this hook. If there is no belly slit, make your own. Always make sure that the hookset is straight and your lure swims true.

Berkley Powerbait                                          Strike King Shadalicious                                          

    
Soft Body Swimbaits

The solid soft body swimbait tends to be heavier than your hollow bodies, so heavier tackle might be needed. 5”to 6”  are the average size. These swim baits come ready to fish out of the pack and if not supplied with the belly trebble, the eye is there for the option of adding one. These baits are known to do well through grass (stinger not advised here), past laydowns, grass edges, lillies and submerged brush. The Mattlures Bluegill can be dead sticked on the bottom as it sits nose down as if feeding.

Mattlures Ultimate Bluegill                                   Mattlures Baby Bass

  

Mattlures Shiner Hitch                                                                                

Rago BV 3D swimbait (as used by Byron Velvic)


Hardbody Swimbaits

The hard body swimbait is usually jointed, anywhere from two to three and even more segments. The action can somewhat differ from lure to lure compared to the solid soft bodies with the paddle tail, some having a wider swim than the more erratic paddle tail action. Retrieval speeds also play a role.

Same goes when fishing any lure, “match the hatch.” Try and match your swimbait as close as you can to the baitfish the bass may be feeding on. Then locating the bass, as we know they can be found just about anywhere, deep, shallow and in between.

Mattlures Hardbody Bluegill                                     

  

Mattlures Hardbody Baby Bass



Storm Kickn' Stick                                                         Jerry Rago Raptor



Fishing Shallow water

When fishing in shallow waters anywhere from 2ft to 15ft of water and bass are relating to jetties, laydowns, grass lines, lillies and brush piles keep a slow steady retrieve. Try work your swim bait through the different depths starting between 3ft and 5ft. A stinger hook in shallow waters is more likely to get hooked up in brush etc.. You could twitch the swim bait every now and again, even let it drop and swim it back up. Although larger wiser bass are known to follow a swim bait for sometime inspecting it, this could trigger a strike.

Fishing Deeper water

When fishing deeper water you will need a faster sinking swim bait. 20ft to 40ft may seem deep to some, but the older, bigger and much wiser bass reside here holding onto structure. If the bottom is hard you can slowly retrieve your swim bait along the bottom, bumping it over rocks etc.. If there is structure try cast past it, let the swim bait sink, swim it past the sides then eventually through the centre, work the area properly as you would with any other bait.

Fishing the Flats

Bass love areas with the shortest distance from shallow to deep waters. Areas like these are patrolled, looking for any feeding opportunities. Fish your swim bait slowly uphill crawling it close to the bottom, stop, pause and continue.

Fishing Points

Position your boat so that you can fish your
swimbait uphill. Cast towards the end of the point, let the swimbait sink and work it up slowly along the bottom, these are perfect ambush spots for bass. You could also let your swimbait fall vertically along deep drop offs, as many baitfish will be taken on the fall. Jigg the swimbait 2ft to 3ft on the fall, letting it drop and repeat.