Winter Swimbait Fishing Is Easy! (I'll Prove It)

Its not hard! Anyone can catch the biggest bass of their life on a swimbait! Anglers fall into the trap that swimbaits are a magic bait that require some secret knowledge to produce and its just not true. If you head to the lake with quality baits and put in time, the bites will come. Winter bass are easy to predict, they love to group up, and they don't want to travel; this is the perfect scenario for big bait fishing for trophy bass.

Understanding where these bass are positioned is the key. We recently did a video explaining exactly where these fish are heading (see it here: http://bit.ly/2XOY2WR) then followed it up with a swimbait buyer's guide to show you the best baits for the job (See it here: http://bit.ly/35DIGqI) With that information all that is left to do is go fishing. The biggest mistake you can make during the Winter months is to fish quickly with a big swimbait. Slow down, then slow down some more, and just creep that swimbait along the bottom.

The bites typically feel like a distinct "tick". They will not be overly aggressive but they will clearly be a bite. When you feel the tick, set the hook hard and fast. Once the fish is hooked grind them to the boat as quickly as possible, never slowing down or letting up. Its really that easy! You can do this! We're rooting for you this Winter and when it pays off, come back and let us know about the big bass you caught.

Matt's Exact Setup...

Bait-Huddleston 8" Trout ROF 12 (Hold Over): http://bit.ly/2azFTon

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

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

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

Leader- 35 lb Sunline FC-100: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Other Great Winter Soft Swimbaits...

-Huddleston 8" Trout ROF 5 Top Hook: http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

-Huddleston 68 Special 6" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2dj5apG

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

-Scottsboro Tackle 6" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2Oy7CKH

Budget Swimbait Combo...

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

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

Line- 80 lb Power Pro Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

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

Buyer's Guide: Winter Bass Fishing Baits That Always Work

From giant swimbaits to ultra-finesse, this video is covering everything you need for Winter Bass Fishing. We respect anglers that brave the elements and fish through the Winter so we're giving up all our best tricks to consistently catch fish through the Winter months. Don't fall into the slow fishing trap in Winter; you can catch fish fast, slow, and everywhere in between if you know when to make the adjustments.

Today's video is all about keeping it simple. These are our best confidence baits for the cold water months. The only baits missing are the dropshot and Ned Rig but we'll be covering those in their own video in the coming days. In addition to the baits, Tim gives some awesome tips on the Tube and A-rig and Matt shares some knowledge on the big swimbait and crankbait.

"Winterizing the boat" should be a thing of the past if your lakes don't freeze solid. Get out on the water, apply these tips, and catch some of the best bass of the year! Below is a breakdown of the baits and equipment the guys discussed in the video. Each bait is linked direct to Tackle Warehouse where you can see close up photos and detailed descriptions of them.

A-rig...

-G Funk A-Rigs: http://bit.ly/2n8cOGO

-Matt Allen Swimbait Heads 3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Keitech 3.8 Swimbaits: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Rage Swimmer 4.75 Swimbaits: http://bit.ly/2evZF8j

Crankbait...

-Tactical DD Crank 75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

(Ghost Minnow, Mirrored Minnow, Glass Minnow)

Small Swimbait...

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

(Haze, Hanahaze, Wakasagi)

Underspin...

-Cool Baits Down Under Spin 1/8-3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

-Keitech 2.8" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Tubes...

-Dry Creek Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

-Big Bite Baits Tour Tube: http://bit.ly/32e23VR

-Bite Me Flat Eye Tube Head 3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2diyVXK

Neko...

-Daiwa Fat Neko Worm: http://bit.ly/2o2O3LG

-Swagger Tungsten Nail Weight: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

-Owner Sniper Finesse Neko Hook: http://bit.ly/2kfdv37

Jig...

-Dirty Jigs Finesse Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Supermatt Brown, Go To, Green Pumpkin Craw)

-5" Twin Tail Grub Trailer: http://bit.ly/2qS1YtE

(Green Pumpkin, Tilapia)

Big Swimbait...

-Huddleston Deluxe 8" Swimbait (ROF 5): http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

-Huddleston Deluxe 8" Swimbait (ROF 12): http://bit.ly/2azFTon

(Trout, Ayu, Silver/Blue)

Buyer's Guide: Big Swimbaits, Glide Baits, and Swimbait Rods

Which swimbaits work the best? Which big baits should you try? Is there one rod that will throw every swimbait? Today's Buyer's guide is here to make your bass fishing life easier! Don't waste time with mediocre baits, focus on the proven options that put big bass in the boat every day. Matt shows his favorite picks for soft baits, hard baits, rods, and reels in today's Big Swimbait Holiday Buyer's Guide.

When it comes to soft baits Matt and Tim prefer baits with a jig hook on top. When necessary they switch to a weedless offering around thick cover. Baits like the Huddleston and Trash Fish are great in cooler water while the more rigid boot tail style baits shine year round. Color selection should be focused on imitating the prey species in your local lake but we've included a few color recommendations with each swimbait to give you a starting point.

For hard baits, we focused on a variety of different profiles. We've selected great options that imitate trout, baitfish, and panfish. No matter where you are in the country, these hard baits will help you catch giant bass. Don't be afraid to upsize your offering this year. You may be shocked to find that larger baits actually get more attention from bass and will often draw them from great distances to inspect your swimbait.

Below is a breakdown of the baits and tackle Matt discussed in the video. You'll find direct links to each product on a Tackle Warehouse, links to the hooks and rigging components when necessary, as well as to the rods and reels. These buyer's guides are designed to keep everything simple so you can share these videos with your loved ones for the holiday season.

Soft Baits...

-Huddleston 8" Trout ROF 5: http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

-Huddleston 8" Trout ROF 12: http://bit.ly/2azFTon

Colors- Trout, Ayu, Silver/Blue Back

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

Colors- Chartreuse Shad, TW Shad, Reverse Hitch

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

Colors- Chartreuse Shad, LC Hitch, Just Shad, Rainbow Trout

-Owner Beast 10/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

-Keitech Fat Swing Impact 6.8: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors- Pro Blue Red Pearl, Electric Shad, Ghost Rainbow Trout

-Owner Beast 8/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

-Matt Allen Swimbait Head 3/4 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Scottsboro Tackle 6" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2NpyLjU

Colors- Mullins Madness, ol Smokey, Payback Shad

-Owner Beast 8/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Hard Baits...

-Baitsanity Explorer Ver. 2: http://bit.ly/33bQyxY

Colors- Trout, Kokanee, Shad

-River2Sea S Waver 168 and 200: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Colors- Light Trout, Warden, Rainbow Trout

-Storm Arashi Glide Bait: http://bit.ly/2nHdrL1

Colors- Oikawa Mesu, Green Gill, Threadfin Shad

-Jackall Gantarel: http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

Colors- Ghost Gill, Spawn Gill

Replacement Hooks and Split Rings...

Split Rings- Owner Hyperwire Size 4 or 5: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Hooks for Baitsanity, S-Waver 200, Arashi- Owner ST-36 Size 1/0: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Hooks for Gantarel- Owner ST-36 Size 1: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Hooks for S-Waver 168- Owner 3X ST-56 Size 2: http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

Favorite Rod/Reel Combo...

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

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

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

Leader- 35 lb Sunline FC-100: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Budget Rod/Reel Combo...

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

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

Line- 80 lb Power Pro Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

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

Giant Bass Everywhere!! Incredible Bass Fishing on Lake Baccarac!

Come along for an amazing morning of fishing on Lake Baccarac, Mexico! Tim and Matt are chasing schooling bass with swimbaits and crankbaits. If you've ever wondered how good bass fishing in Mexico really is, you need to see this! 1000's of bass have barricaded a giant school of shad and other baitfish in a large bay and the feeding frenzy goes on for hours!

The duo focus on two very different approaches to target the schooling bass. Tim uses a bare swimbait head paired with a single 4.8 paddle tail swimbait fished deep below active fish. Matt focuses on fast moving crankbaits near the surface in search of a reaction bite. Their two-pronged approach yields interesting results as Tim found big bites right away, then as his success wained Matt began getting the big bites higher in the water column. While this took place on an amazing fishery in another country, the information can be applied anywhere.

Big bass often sit below active fish and feed on the remnants that fall slowly to the bottom. They are lethargic by nature and use the smaller bass' efforts to get their meal. However, under the right circumstances these fish will become aggressive, move up in the water column, and feed heavily. This is exactly what we experienced this day as the big bass suddenly moved up in the column and hunted the fast moving squarebill crankbait.

Fishing in Mexico is an amazing experience! There are a ton of bass in Lake Baccarac and surrounding areas but it still requires focus and skill to consistently catch the bigger fish. Below is a breakdown of the baits and equipment we used to be successful with our time on the water. If you've been looking for a larger crankbait to mimic 3"-5" shad, be sure to check out the Mini-Mag Matt was using in the video.

Special thanks to Pro Bass adventures for lending us a boat and letting break down this amazing fishery on our own! It was an amazing experience! To experience it for yourself, visit their website.

Pro Bass Adventures Lake Baccarac Lodge: http://bit.ly/2MDiiVR

Baits...

-Red Eye Shad 3/4 oz (Chrome Sexy Shad): http://bit.ly/2fqX1RT

-Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Matt Allen Swimbait Head (3/4 oz): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Strike King Rage Swimmer 4.75 (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2evZF8j

-6th Sense Cloud 9 Mini Mag Squarebill: http://bit.ly/31KGyeC

(Ghost Shad Scales, Ghost Threadfin Shad)

Tim's Combo...

Rod- Dobyns Xtasy 755: http://bit.ly/36fIHCg

Reel- Shimano Metanium DC HG: http://bit.ly/2qrSZvs

Line- 65 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 20 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Matt's Combo...

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'6" MH Glass: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Tranx 200 HG: http://bit.ly/2Tv0yCy

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm