Swimbait Recommendations

wgbassgirl · Post by **wgbassgirl** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:28 pm

The swimbait discussion has been pretty popular lately, so I thought I would post this article about jigging a swimbait.

Jigging a Swimbait with Grant Goldbeck
By Ed Harp
(Archive)

Sometimes the best way to trick-out a bait is to fish it in an unusual way — do something different with it. After all, the idea is to give the bass something they haven't seen before. Elite Series angler Grant Goldbeck does just that with soft plastic swimbaits.

"I don't dispute that you can catch a lot of cold water bass with jigs and other traditional lures," he says. "But I wanted to try something different. During this off-season I started experimenting with plastic swimbaits. They catch fish in the spring, summer and fall, why wouldn't they work in the wintertime?"

He first started fishing them in cold water in the traditional manner — letting the bait sink and then slowly reeling it back to the boat. But he soon found that his bite was better if he maintained constant contact with the bottom.

Over time he refined his cold water — around 52 degrees — largemouth technique by stopping the swimbait from time to time. "Forward weighting of the lure seems to work best. And, using a 6-inch ABT soft series Wagtail helped, too. It's important that the lure stays upright with the dorsal fin on top. The Wagtail does that."

Maintaining constant bottom contact with these lures isn't easy, however. (They aren't called swimbaits for nothing.) And so, Goldbeck discovered another refinement that he believes makes the difference between a good day of fishing and a great day of fishing — working the lure uphill rather than downhill.

"I think that's the key to the whole thing, really. It'll let you maintain contact with the bottom on the drag and also when you stop. You don't waste so much time letting the lure fall."

Goldbeck's tackle and tips
1. Use a heavy baitcasting combo spooled with 20-pound-test Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon line. This will give you the power you'll need at deeper depths.

2. Use a plastic swimbait that's forward weighted and that won't roll over when you stop it. Goldbeck recommends an ABT 6-inch Wagtail.

3. This technique is most productive in cold water with the bait moving uphill, along offshore humps and other forms of permanent structure.

4. Watch your line. A high percentage of your best strikes will come when the bait is holding still, sitting motionless on the bottom

"I'm just getting started with this. There'll be refinements that I've not thought about that other guys will, and it'll get even better as time goes along. The important thing is for us, as anglers, to think outside the box when it comes to catching bass."

Roboworm99 · Post by **Roboworm99** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:00 am

Ya this is technique i use..especially fishing from shore you are working it uphill...a couple of baits i use for this technique are the river2sea bottom walker and the storm swimbaits...a great inexpensive bait..which lets you work the bait by fishing it like a jig really.

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:54 pm

Wendy thanks for the info, good stuff.

Robo (I got it right this time),

I have used the storm swimbaits many times in salt water and had great success. I have tried using them throughout the summer and fall, but have not seen good results in freshwater. In your opinion, do you feel this technique and that style lure are best suited for the cold water months?

Thanks,
BC

Roboworm99 · Post by **Roboworm99** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:31 am

I think it really depends on where the fish are in the water column...you can use this during the summer months on long points..look for ambush points..//steep rock cliffs...remember it doesnt just represent a trout or a shad(depening on which lure you throw) but nice easy to catch meal...

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:44 pm

Like every other technique, this one will require paying my dues. For me personally I find it best to set aside a few trips where I leave everything else at home and just bring the particular lure I want to learn to the lake. This way, I don't get frustrated after a few hours and stray from the task at hand.

BC

Roboworm99 · Post by **Roboworm99** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 4:16 am

yup thats the best way to learn, what lures can and cant do. but keep in mind....swimbaots...wont get you numbers, but quality

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:36 pm

That's exactly why I want to learn to use them better... I'm just looking for that one good bite! If I connect on the lakes I'm thinking of going to, there is definetely double digit potential, which is extremely rare in the northeast. (Regardless of what all the guys up north that claim to have caught multiple 10 lb+ bass say)

dansfishntales · Post by **dansfishntales** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 4:32 am

Brendan,
Have you tried rigging the new Gulp Alive Minnow on a plain lead head jig? I've had some good reports, and caught a few myself while rigging it this way on a Pro Series Road Runner, which uses the willow leaf blade.

Not sure if this will be helpful, but thought I would throw it out for consideration while I was passing through.

Best of fishing,
Dan

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 5:02 pm

Hi Dan,

I have used similar baits like the squirmin shad on lead heads, but I'm really looking to imitate a 8" - 12" stocked trout. I have another situation in mind for that rig you mentioned.

Good to see you around the boards again...

Brendan

brendanc · Post by **brendanc** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:27 pm

Thanks Nunz,

Matt Lures also makes a great blue gill swimbait, as I said, I'm looking to mimic a trout, but there's no reason why we can't expand this topic into swimbaits in general.

Here's a nice tank shot of the Matt Lures Blue Gill:

They also have many others fish styles:
crappie, bass, perch, walleye, bar yellow fish, stripers, trout, you name it...

Check out this hard bodied trout:

Here's their perch: