Tiny Swimbaits for Stubborn Bass

We talk a lot about swimbaits with the goal of catching giant bass but today we hit the water in some very difficult conditions and use small paddle tail swimbaits to find anything that will bite. 

When post frontal or other undesirable weather conditions set in don't be afraid to set ego aside and just have fun! Downsizing your baits to produce bites is a great move when you've been dealt a tough hand.

We used a mixed bag of small paddetails, pre-rigged swimbaits, and underspins to get bit in the hours after a storm blew out of the area. The bass had been targeting shad but with the return of the sun had stopped chasing them and had begun staying close to cover. By downsizing to the smallest swimbaits we could find we were able to find success despite the conditions. 

Baits used in this video...

-Keitech 3.3 Fat Swing Impact

-Keitech 4" Easy Shiner

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Swimbait Rigging: The Truth

This video is going to completely change how you approach stinger hooks! Have you ever heard of a haywire twist? If not you're completely missing the boat and its time to listen to this "tell all" on swimbaits! Swimbait rigging doesn't have to be difficult so forget everything you think you know and come along for the ride. 

In the interest of being fair, Matt explains the advantages and disadvantages of Crimps, 7 strand, braid, mono, etc before blowing them all away with the use of single strand wire. Neither Matt nor Tim has been able to figure out why the industry is virtually silent about single strand wire and the haywire twist. 

Unless you're a saltwater angler we'd be willing to bet "haywire twist" is a new phrase to you. Ironically we shot a video on this very subject more than 5 years ago and despite getting 25,000+ views, its still a virtual secret. Today is the day we set the record straight and explain what we believe to be the hands down, best method for rigging stinger hooks on swimbaits. 

Products Shown In This Video:

Stinger Materials:
7 Strand Wire
Crimps
Heavy Monofilament: Amazon
80-100 lb Braid
Single Strand Wire: Amazon 

Matt's Preferred Big Baits Equipment:
Rod- G Loomis 957
Rod- Dobyns 807
Reel- Calcutta 400B
Line- 80 lb Braided

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Huddleston Swimbait Retrieves

Are you trying to catch a big bass on a swimbait this year? These 3 retrieves are all you'll need to make it happen. Swimbait fishing is very simple it just takes a solid foundation and some dedication. 

The 3 retrieves are as follows:

1) Steady Retrieve: Think of the Swimbait as nothing more than a spinnerbait. Simply chuck and wind, mid-column. 

2) Bottom Creeping: As the name suggests this retrieve is all about going slow, and then slowing down some more. 

3) The hop: This retrieve doesn't work often but in a pinch, it catches the giants! It involves burning the reel handle then killing the bait, much like fishing a hair jig. 

Use the following links to the products we're using and support Tacticalbassin at the same time...

-Huddleston 8" Swimbait
-Huddleston 68 Special

Other Swimbaits we highly Recommend...

-JSJ Hitch 6
-Osprey Tournament Talon
-S-Waver Glidebait
-JSJ Siren Glidebait

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Best Swimbaits for New Anglers

The Swimbait market has exploded the last few years. We've gone from a handful of choices to hundreds of nearly identical baits flooding the market. So what is a guy to do? Are you supposed to buy them all and hope there is a winner in the mix? 

We'll make it simple for you! Tim recommends the 3 most consistent paddle tail swimbaits we've been able to find. We aren't saying the others don't work great, we're just saying that if you need a starting place, these are sure fire producers. 

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