Soft Swimbait Buyer's Guide: Styles, Colors, and Rigging Tips

Giant swimbaits work everywhere! If you haven't tried them yet, the time has come. They can be pricey and they're not all created equal. How do you know which baits to invest your time and money into? Today we're teaching everything you need to know about soft swimbaits.

We're covering wedge tails, boot tails, paddle tails, as well as rigging and color selection. If you've ever wanted to try big swimbaits this is for you. Don't waste a fortune trying dozens of baits, wondering if you're doing it right. Stick with these proven options and you'll start catching in no time.

The actual act of swimbait fishing is very simple. It is almost always a cast and slow, steady retrieve. Season to season the speed may change (some times you're reeling like a spinnerbait, other times its as slow as you can stand to turn the handle) but the cadence never does. There is no need to add action, stop and go, pop the rod, etc... just a slow and steady retrieve.

Below is a complete list of the soft baits and equipment we have confidence in including color recommendations for each.

The Baits...

-Huddleston 8" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2azFTon

(We Recommend ROF 12 in Hitch or Holdover Trout)

-Huddleston 68 Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2dj5apG

(We recommend both ROF 5 and 12 in Black Gizzard Shad and Rainbow Trout)

-6" and 7" Osprey Tournament Talon: http://bit.ly/2bqsLS0

(Chartreuse Shad, Reverse Hitch, T.S. Bluegill)

-Scottsboro Tackle Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2NpyLjU

(6" and 7" in Mullins Madness, Natural Light, and Ol Smokey. Recommended Rigging: 8/0 Owner Beast Hook listed below)

-Keitech 6.8 and 7.8 Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Recommend Tennessee Shad, Electric Shad, Ghost Rainbow. Recommended Rigging: Matt Allen Swimbait 3/4 oz or 10/0 Owner Beast Hook, both listed below)

-6" Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2xRdCFP

(LC Blue, Tucked Out Chartreuse Shad, Tucked Out Ghost LC Hitch. Recommended Rigging: 6/0 Beast Hook listed below.)

-8" Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2hmXtg1

(Ghosted Chartreuse Shad, LC Hitch, Just Shad. Recommended Rigging 6/0 Blade Runner Head or 8/0 Owner Beast hook, both listed below.)

Megabass Dark Sleeper: http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

(1/2 or 3/4 oz in Donko, Haze, Wakasagi)

Big Swimbait Combo...

Rod- Dobyns Champion 807 Mag Heavy: http://bit.ly/2aivwYX

Reel- Shimano Calcutta 400B: http://bit.ly/2b6NX0d

Line- 80 lb Power Pro MaxCuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 30 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Beast Hook Rigged baits...

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 966: http://bit.ly/2x9kxuS

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 AHG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- 80 lb Power Pro MaxCuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 30 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Budget Swimbait Combo...

Rod- Dobyns 795 Fury: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Cardiff 300: http://bit.ly/2cvhtMO

Line- 65 lb Power Pro: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- 25 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

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3 Underspin Tricks You Haven't Tried!

Making the perfect underspin is easy! There are some awesome products on the market now that let you convert any hook, swimbait head, or jighead into an underspin. You can modify baits, change hooks, weights, blade sizes, and more, and it only takes a few seconds.

Bass love chasing baitfish in the Fall and the underspin is a great way to target those fish. Unfortunately no two lakes are the same so one day you might be fishing in 2 feet around grass and the next day find yourself in 25 feet on a flat. With these simple baits and hooks you can quickly adapt to changing conditions.

Below you'll find a breakdown of the the individual items and tackle Matt discussed in the video. Farther down you'll find his recommendations for making your own "UnderSpin Kit" to store in the boat so you can easily adapt to changing conditions when the need arises.

Our Preferred Underspins...

Blade Runner Underspin: http://bit.ly/29UVegz

Owner Flashy Swimmer: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

Hog Farmer Baits War Pig: http://bit.ly/2pcQnRP

Cool Baits Underspin: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

Underspin Parts...

Owner CPS Springs (Medium): http://bit.ly/2b2YgDf

Khan Baits Easy Spin: http://bit.ly/2RUVXVW

Pro Point Lures Underspin Blades: http://bit.ly/2f6uwne

Decoy Versatile Keeper: http://bit.ly/2NNtJci

Hook Selection...

Matt Allen Swimbait Head: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Owner 4/0 Beast Hook: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Owner Jungle Wide Gap Hook: http://bit.ly/2sBsR1Z

Gamakatsu 6/0 Superline EWG Hook: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

The Baits...

Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Scottsboro Tackle Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2NpyLjU

Matt's Kit Recommendations...

-Plano Pro Latch 3500 Box: http://bit.ly/2QVH7NI

-1/8 oz Easy Spin (Silver)

-1/8 oz Easy Spin (Gold)

-3/8 oz Easy Spin (Silver)

-Weightless Easy Spin (Silver)

-Pro Point Lures Silver Blades

-Decoy Medium Versatile Keeper (Holds Blades in place)

-Owner Medium CPS Spring

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Underwater Sight Fishing - Which Lures Work Best?

Ever wondered why one lure works better than another? Let's head underwater to see the differences between a variety of swimbaits. As we watch, Tim explains why each bait is effective and how to use it most effectively. 

We're sure you've noticed that many youtubers throw small swimbaits for their underwater footage. Wondered why? Its very easy to get a bass interested in a swimbait. Bass are hardwired to defend their nests against predators. 
Swimbaits are a perfect imitation of a variety of predators that bass face. However, a swimbait is rarely the best bait for CATCHING the bed fish. For this style of fishing they have an incredibly poor hookup to land ratio. You're much better off using a small swimbait as a tool to aggravate the fish, then using a traditional bait to get the final bite. 

The swimbaits... 
Mattlures Ultimate Bluegill: http://bit.ly/2aAuAz5
Storm WildEye Live Sunfish: http://bit.ly/2psTO6t
Little Creeper Baby Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2yDvkKG
Little Creeper All American Sunfish: http://bit.ly/2ahBNOT
*Paired with Trokar 5/0: http://bit.ly/2iTeTSh
Keitech Fat 2.8, 3.8,4.8 Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v
*Paired with...
2.8 and 3.8 exposed- Dirty Jigs Guppy Head: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS
4.8 exposed - Matt Allen Swimbait Head: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN
Weedless Rigging for all sizes - Owner Flashy Swimmer: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

Additional baits Matt uses for this Aggrevation method...
Castaic 4" and 6": http://bit.ly/2prXuGh
Mattlures U2 Bluegill: http://bit.ly/2s1dqyf
Basstrix 6" Paddletail: http://bit.ly/2aiy7SR
Basstrix Bait Fry Bluegill: http://bit.ly/2dPHA4e

You do not need a dedicated swimbait rod for this technique because you're not actually trying to hook the fish on this setup. However, bait control is key so you do need a very stout "flipping" style rod to control the bait on short casts. Any flipping rod will work but here is our setup...

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'11" XH: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL
Reel- Shimano Curado 200K 7:1 Ratio: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh
Line- 65 lb Power Pro MaxCuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ
Leader- Tim- 20 lb Sunline Sniper: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju
            - Matt- 20 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Budget Combo that can handle all of the baits listed above...
Rod- Exage 7'6" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2mGp1Vc
Reel- Shimano Casitas 150: http://bit.ly/2geKxsp
Line- 65 lb Power Pro: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b
Leader- 20 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Glasses are CRITICAL to sight fishing. We both wear the exact same glasses when sight fishing, they're the best lenses we've found at ANY price. It just happens that they're affordable. Check these out...

Eye Surrender ESE Glasses (Amber or Copper Lense): http://bit.ly/2glE3eN
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