Swimbaits: Things to know when Getting Started

We have been getting more people asking about where they should start in the swim bait category when targeting bass, or many other species for that matter.

We have our ideas, of course, and carry some of the products, but a friend of ours, Rob Bolke, is a fanatic.

We asked him if he could give us a little deeper insight into swim bait culture; where people should start if they want to get into it, and to help us breakdown what is becoming a massive category in fishing baits.

A guide to swim baits paraphrased: Swimbaits are becoming one of the most intriguing categories and an entire sub-culture has developed around the swimbait technique.

It's been mostly out west in California but has been spreading across the country over the last few years. However, the big, deep, trout filled lakes of Northern California is the birth place (or as Rob says "re-birth").

There are many different segments to swimbaits, and the different segments can be very regional.

Types of Swimbaits

Hard body Swimbaits

• These range in size but generally these are the big boys people are casting in search of 10 lb.+ fish out west or in the south-east. They can be extremely high priced baits, works of art, often times hand carved and crafted by individuals.  This segment has a significant Japanese influence from companies like Megabass, Roman Made, Gan Craft, Duo Realis and Jackal.  If you want to be the envy of your peers, buy one of these and get ready to often times spend more time admiring it than fishing it.
• There are companies like SPRO, River 2 Sea, and Savage making some very popular versions that are less expensive and more practical to fish every day. You can check out a couple options we have in the Matzuo and Savage Baits line up here.
• This style is not weedless like many of the others due to the treble hook set up more like a crankbait, so they are more limited to where you can throw them.
• This style generally needs a bigger, higher capacity bait cast reel with a longer and heavier action rod to handle the big baits. A good tip that Rob points out is to dig out your pike and musky equipment if you want to be able to throw these on the cheap, then you don't have to buy gear exclusively for these swimbaits right away.
• This is a go big or go home deal. More than likely, you're going to fish all day for 5 bites or less, but they should be big fish.  If you believe in the "big bait, big fish" theory, as many do, then hard body baits should be in your future.
• These baits usually come in fast sinking, moderate sinking, slow sinking and floating options. Slow sinking is generally the best for spring as it is easier to run in the shallow water, and it allows you to stop the lure in front of their face like you can with a jerk bait.

Paddle Tail Swimbaits

• Hollow body paddle tails are soft plastics with a hollow core. Again they range in size but are generally in the large bait category.  They are very detailed looking baits due to the process they are built with.  They are initially poured, then painted, then eyes are added and then dipped in a coating to protect all the detail.
• Solid body paddle tails are not new. As Rob points out, "I'm pretty sure my grandpa probably had something like this from Mister Twister or Northland Tackle back in the day." The great thing about this style is that they can be fished by anyone.  You cast it and crank it back.  Of course you can twitch it, drop it, or pump it if you want, but honestly, a straight retrieve works just about better than anything.
• The category leader here has been Keitech and Reaction Innovations, but there many companies making these now. Now Strike King has entered the game with a great value on probably the most effective style of all with the Strike King Rage Swimmer.
• The Keitech Swing Impact is a great bait. Rob says, "I actually fish walleyes on the river with this bait as well, and it's great for using as a trailer on a chatterbait or spinnerbait."
• A quick tip from Rob on fishing these baits, "You can throw on a baitcast rod (of course) but I personally like a 7 ft. medium spinning rod with 12 lb. braid and an 8 lb. fluorocarbon leader. The goal is to get long casts and cover a lot of water."
• Use these when cover doesn't allow for a crankbait or spinnerbait, or when you want something a little more subtle, natural, and quiet.
• This is the most popular category of swimbaits, and should always be on deck for spring time bass fishing and if you want to get into this game this could be a great starting point with the Matzuo Raibu Swim Shad.

Soft Body Swimbaits

• These are a mix between hard body baits and soft body plastics. They have more detail and shape than the standard soft bodies and often come pre-rigged with hooks and/or eyes.  They also generally have weight in the head of the body for better sinking options.
• Huddleston or a "Hud" is probably the most popular brand in this segment. These again are big baits.
• Be aware, these baits are a pike magnet. So be mindful that there is a big risk of losing them in waters with high pike populations.
• Storm, however, has released a great selection of soft body swimbaits, such as the Storm Wildeye Live and a very good price point for people who want to try these types of baits.

Glide Baits

• This is probably the newest technique in the category and hasn't spread across the country- yet. However, it has been in the musky and pike fishing category for a long time.
• Popular baits in this category would be the Megabass Slide, the Jackall Gantarel, and the sweet but spendy Gan Crafts.
• Much of what was outlined about hard baits applies to these glide baits. The difference is that the idea it to pop and slide the bait.  Like Rob says think "a walk the dog action under water." This is a dying baitfish appearance and the bait falls between glides.

Long story short, this is one of the hottest trends in the bass market today, but it really is a play on something that has been around for a long time.  The high dollar baits are seriously works of art.  As Rob says, "In many ways, this reminds me a lot of the fly world.  It's about how cool the bait looks on Instagram, but that's an evolution in the sport... and it's cool."

The soft baits are where you catch numbers of fish and big fish.  Soft bait swimbaits are extremely easy to fish, and they are so effective they are on every pro's deck.  Swimbaits have allowed us to get a lot closer to the fly world in "matching the hatch" so to speak.

Bass are either going to hit them to protect their fry in post spawn or will cruise the flat for an easy meal once the bluegill gets on beds during their spawn.

While we don't carry all the products we listed here, we ARE watching this category--and have a list of some great starting points for anyone looking to get into the swimbait game.

If you have any additional questions please ask below in the comments section and we will do our best to answer you as honestly as we possibly can from people who know exactly what they are talking about... whether we carry the product or not.

See our swimbaits here.