Click here to check out Jeremy's channel. In his many YouTube videos, he can be seen tight to the bank with his boat nearly on the shore as he parallels bluffs, rocks, and above submerged trees. Whether you're fishing heavy cover for big largemouth or suspended smallmouth in clear water there is an easy way to rig your baits to optimize every bite. I hate fishing. 3. If you simply cast and retrieve you should have no problems catching something. Cast and Retrieve Fishing: Basics. This is when many of Shimada's big fish have happened, but it will work other times of the year. Softbaits can be broken down into 2 categories: Top-Water: Top-water softbaits are typically eel tail softbaits rigged with unweighted or lightly weighted swimbait hooks and soft circle hooks. YES! Position the hook correctly – The best way to extend the life of the swimbait is to position the hook so the knot is inside the Fattube and the hook eye (or split ring, if using one) is against the Fattube. When using a hollow bodied swimbait, I usually let it sink to the bottom give it a jerk to get it moving and retrieve it really slow, so its just off the bottom, sometimes I will add in a jerk every now and then, or let it sink to the bottom and then jerk it off the bottom and start the retrieve again. Click here to subscribe to our channel for Pro tips and Bait breakdowns on a monthly basis. Soft Bait Retrieve Methods. If you asked me what one lure I would want with me on a deserted island it would be one of these. One tip he mentioned is to always tuck one of the trebles into the belly of the bait to keep it running perfectly. It’s a rare day when I retrieve a swimbait downhill. Roumbanis generally selects translucent and natural colors for most of his swimbait fishing. Trout. Use whatever lure you want, a swimbait, a crankbait, a spinner — they all are designed to be tossed out, and reeled back in using a particular motion, this is called cast and retrieve. Checkout these high producing tips from Jeremy with @Fishing the LoneStar The swimbait or paddletail plastic is a classic when it comes to fall bass fishing. “I even use the same equipment. To achieve that he has to wind the swimbait ultra slow. The rigging you use with a swimbait lure will change based on the size of the lure and the style of the lure. Just like with a swimbait on a plain jig the retrieve is fairly simple. But Moorman keeps his Hudd just touching the bottom periodically without catching too much. READ RELATED: How Butch Brown Swimbaiter Rigs and Fishes the Thumper Tail, READ RELATED: Fishing the IMA Little Stick with the Angler that used it to win the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup. Just go slow and steady and mix in an occasional pause with the line held tight to let the bait pendulum down slowly before restarting the retrieve. “I usually fish the weighted version like this down to around 4- to 5- feet and slow roll it above the cover. How To Use A Swimbait. They’re soft plastic or rubber glide baits, solid hard pieces, jointed hard, or multi-jointed hard lures. This way, all the pulling pressure of the cast and retrieve is directed into the back of the tube. Do not be afraid to throw a large swimbait. Fishing them too fast or with too much action is one of the biggest mistakes with these baits, a slow and steady retrieve will get the best action,” he begins. With that being said he has three variations of retrieves that work for different situations. Large swimbait reels have a low gear ratio if it is not particularly designed. Top Water: Unweighted and Lightly Waited Softbaits …2 problems with pulling up on a point or an underwater hump, positioning your boat in deep water and throwing shallow. Swimbait rods can look similar when compared with crankbait rods; the only difference between them is that the swimbait rod is comparatively larger. “I use a 1/0 Gamakatsu Round Bend treble for smallmouth and spots because they just swipe at it. Just go slow and steady and mix in an occasional pause with the line held tight to let the bait pendulum down slowly before restarting the retrieve. After you have your swimbait in the strike zone, you can begin working it. "The concept of the eight trap is to get the bass to turn on its switch and get excited. Make sure you match the hatch for the best results. The best way to retrieve this type of swimbait is very slowly. I like that 3-inch swimbait size the most. Even though he has moved from the west as he fishes the Bassmaster Elite Series, swimbaits are still a big part of his game. That’s my go-to. The first is that the bass have seen that approach a thousand times. With that in mind when fishing with the lure we want to retrieve it slowly. How To Rig Jerk Baits. Those new to fishing may find this term confusing. Versatility comes to mind when anglers think of these lures. The Madness Japan Balam 300 is a unique swimbait that doesn't fit the mold of other big baits. If you need to rig your swimbaits there are three common methods you will want to use depending on your situation. 3. “The smallmouth like the quick changes in speeds. If the baitfish appear to be sluggish, Siemantel will slow roll the swimbait. If you asked me what one lure I would want with me on a deserted island it would be one of these. A bait of this magnitude requires specialized equipment both to cast and fish such a large lure. Shimada says this reel will bring in 36-inches of line per handle turn, which helps move this bait at quick speeds to get reaction bites. "I think that giant baits have never been retrieved so quickly before," he began. Fish your swimbait here the same as with points, slowly uphill, like slow-rolling a spinnerbait along the bottom. Try and parallel the strike zone. Fishing above trees and rocks is when Roumbanis will slow roll his swimbait. The key to the retrieve is to imitate the action of the baitfish. Speed, Depth and Retrieve. “It shines when the bass are suspended or chasing baitfish.” Swimbait Gear. This is also how some manufacturers classify them, and Reese now has some of each type with him at every tournament. Burning a big swimbait at high-speeds is something that most other anglers are not doing yet here in America, and it is something the bass do not see every day. If you want to cast lures over two ounces, you’re going to have a hard time without a strong rod. By doing a simple countdown method, you can ensure that your bait remains in the right depth zone. So you can have a big catch or small catch depending on your preference. On cloudy days, he prefers a color called Jackson Trout. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little, but this range is a good starting point. To get a starting point, sit your boat in ten-feet of water and drop the bait and see how long it takes to reach … If it is near the bottom, fishing a swimbait right along the bottom will be the best place to start. Basic swimbait “tails” such as the Sweet Swimmer, Big Hammer and DieZel MinnowZ have very little detail and flat faces for fitting them to the back of a jighead. Click here to join the Salt Strong Insider Club Click here to grab a pack of Alabama Leprechauns. 1. Tyler Brinks "I compare the similarities between an F1 race car and the Balam," Shimada said. This retrieve is something that Roumbanis tries anytime smallmouth are present. Others call it bouncing. A big swimbait can be hard to cast on conventional bass fishing tackle. Here are some of the best ways to rig a plastic swimbait. How To Use A Swimbait. If your hook isn’t in the center, it’ll cause the bait to swim funny. Allow the head of the lure to bump into rocks, logs or whatever else it may encounter. Snook typically like a faster retrieve than redfish. How to Rig a Swimbait The rigging you use with a swimbait lure will change based on the size of the lure and the style of the lure. Many floating models excel when used as a topwater lure, or one that runs just under the surface. The first is that the bass have seen that approach a thousand times. One of his favorite retrieves is a steady retrieve with a slack line. Checkout these high producing tips from Jeremy with @Fishing the LoneStar The swimbait or paddletail plastic is a classic when it comes to fall bass fishing. With a lure designed to be fished quickly, and run true, like the Balam 300, you can get away with speed retrieving a foot-long swimbait. Wormimg - Retrieve the swimbait as you might a worm, that is, let it hit bottom or the tops of grass on the break lines. Look for a point that is different from the rest for one reason or another. It’s a rare day when I retrieve a swimbait downhill. Just like with a swimbait on a plain jig the retrieve is fairly simple. NO. Everybody does it that way, and the bass become conditioned to it. Don’t let the current lull you to sleep and not be aware of what your bait is doing when fishing for bass out deep with a swimbait. The second method is the weedless method. Swimbait is a type of big bass lures that can carry fish ten pounds or more. It was designed specifically for chatterbaits and I think it gives the best action through the water. Swimbaits are a highly visual technique and the color can make a big difference. Watching Shimada fish the Balam is like others burn a crankbait or fish a buzzbait on the surface. Basically in a nutshell the dark sleeper is a soft body swimbait molded around a heavy piece of lead. The … Mixing and matching, as always, will cover you the most until you figure out what works, but it’s important to remember fishing a glide bait is less about twitching and more about snapping. Mixing up your retrieve mechanics can also prevent arm fatigue. Just keep it coming on a slow, steady retrieve and that consistency will get them to completely kill it…or if they don’t, then the fish will have exposed itself and you will know where that fish lives and you may be able to back it up with a worm or even an I-Slide jointed swimbait or something like that where the action is … They may also try to avoid hitting cover such as logs, rocks or weeds. “I worked with Optimum and bait designers to create a bait that was inspired by one of my favorite baits that is no longer made. The blade makes the bait fall slower than normal and many hits will happen on the fall. If the weather is right, and it not just after a high-pressure condition, I would be using a large 7″ to 7.5″ swimbait. He’ll use the same reel and gear ratio but will instead spool it up with 20-pound fluorocarbon. When asked why it works at such fast speeds, he had a logical explanation. Which Swimbait? 0:54 Finesse swimbait : what they are & why Bryan likes fishing them; 2:01 Equipment and setup for fishing finesse swimbaits in open water (rod, reel & line). Fishing them too fast or with too much action is one of the biggest mistakes with these baits, a slow and steady retrieve will get the best action,” he begins. The South Carolina pro says he idles down deep hollows with his trolling motor and uses his Lowrance side imaging to know exactly where those fish are. The megabass dark sleeper is the perfect swimbait for fishing deep ultra clear water. So these baits gain their action from the steady turning of the reel handle. When deciding what type of swimbait to throw and choosing between hard swimbaits, soft swimbaits, or hollow-belly swimbaits, it can be a tough choice. Each swimbait has a different rate of fall (how fast the swimbait will sink after it is cast). To that end, the eight-time Classic contender has simplified his swimbait classifications to "surface lures" (floaters/shallow runners), "medium runners" (slow sinking) and "bottom bumpers" (fast sinking). He fishes it fast and says that a quick retrieve is the biggest key when fishing this lure. Fishing a lure in this way is out of the norm for most bass anglers, but Shimada says to keep with it even if it doesn't work right away. > It’s a rare day when I retrieve a swimbait downhill. He most often uses a simple cast and retrieve when fishing a swimbait. Everybody does it that way, and the bass become conditioned to it. Typically, he will fish the weighted version of the bait right out of the package but does change his hook based on what species he is fishing for. To rig a swimbait with a treble hook, place the hook at the bottom half of the swimbait and use a screw lock to keep the hook in place. Some prefer more of a sideways, rather than a downward, snapping retrieve. There’s more than one way to fish a jerkbait. An iRod Fred’s Magic Stick, which is a 7’5” heavy rod, allows him to make long casts and get good hooksets. Shimada discovered this retrieve style by chance and has been using it with success ever since. He is a true trophy-hunter and helped to create this bait as a way to trick big bass by fishing fast and getting them to react. From Basstrix to Keitechs they explain the best options to help you load the boat on your next trip! A buzzbait's prop churns under constant retrieve. He prefers a 7'9" extra-heavy Evergreen Hercules Acteon Magnum EX rod. The good news about this bait is that it’ll do a lot of the work for you. Many large swimbaits are meant to be fished slowly and crawled along the bottom as they imitate trout and other big baitfish. Top hook swimbaits are swimbaits which utilize a large, strong, jig style hook which protrudes from the top of the swimbait. There are two problems with pulling up on a point or an underwater hump, positioning your boat in deep water and throwing shallow. It is a big bait in every sense of the word, and another unique thing about it is how well it fishes at high-speeds. Ever since swimbaits showed their power on Clear Lake back when the Elite Series visited there in 2007, hundreds, if not thousands of swimbaits have appeared on the market. The blade makes the bait fall slower than normal and many hits will happen on the fall. The building method says a lot about the swimbait reel. High-speed gear reels are the best for application because it’s easier to slow down the retrieve. “Either the Fred's Crank Launcher or Air Series Casting Rod 7'5" Heavy is what I use because they have the right action and length needed to really bomb it out there,” he adds. What I mean by this is get you boat into a position to make that long cast parallel to the bank in order to retrieve the swimbiat through the strike zone the whole retrieve. …2 problems with pulling up on a point or an underwater hump, positioning your boat in deep water and throwing shallow. “Just a steady retrieve is the best. Once he finds them, … The action on a glide bait doesn’t come as much from the steady retrieve, but lies in the anglers use of rod movement or quick, sharp turns of the reel. Another modification he does at times is to add a nail weight into the bait to get it to dive deeper quicker. With that being said he has three variations of retrieves that work for different situations. Click here to subscribe to our channel for Pro tips and Bait breakdowns on a monthly basis. Different swimbait brands have different designs and you can choose one to match the type of species you want to catch. Sub-Surface: Sub-surface softbaits are typically rigged on jig heads or have the weights and hooks molded into the lure. On the Bassin’masters.com , worth a full read fer sher: > It’s a rare day when I retrieve a swimbait downhill. Slow Roll Over Structure Fishing above trees and rocks is when Roumbanis will slow roll his swimbait. It's like they lose all control," Shimada said. Deepwater baits are crawled slowly and steadily along the bottom, even jigged for lethargic cold-water bass. For rods and reels, he is looking for a balance of flexibility and strength, while also being light enough to handle for hours at a time. Adding the swimbait to your angling arsenal will give you a versatile tool that will put more and bigger fish in the boat or on the bank. He works the swimbait with a 7-foot, 4-inch Daiwa 741 medium-fast rod and Daiwa Lexa 300 (8.0:1 gear ratio) baitcast reel filled with 18-pound Maxima ultra-green monofilament line. If you are fishing deeper water they have no problem coming up and grabbing it.”. The building method determines the weight of the reel. Robinson admits that he mostly catches spotted bass with this technique, but he’s caught his fair share of largemouth as well. Trout are like snook in that they seem to like a more erratic retrieve. If you use too heavy of a weight you will be more likely to spook the fish. READ RELATED: Fishing Jerkbaits for Swimbait Fish, READ RELATED: Early Season Froggin’ with Kenta Kimura, READ RELATED: How Josh Parris Catches Big Ones at the Delta, READ RELATED: Boom Boom Line-Thru | Here's How It's Done. "My best success is after a long winter when the fish are hungry, and most of the big ones are up shallow," he said. A swimbait's tail kicks and thumps under slow constant reeling. It has a high-speed retrieve and is still light so you won't be tired from reeling a giant bait all day long," he said and added that a gear-ratio over 8.1:1 is best. “The biggest key with fishing swimbaits is to not overwork them. Tweak the Retrieve . 4/13/2020. Often in these conditions, the bigger the bait, the bigger the fish. Number one thing to do is "match the hatch" when swimbait fishing! The Yamamoto Zako Swimbait from Amazon is a great option. This color has a dark back and stands out in low light conditions. They are set up in a pretty basic fashion, a handle meant to retrieve fishing line, a bracket to secure the rod and reel, and a brake to help slow down the fish you’re after. “I usually fish the weighted version like this down to around 4- to 5- feet and slow roll it above the cover. Tim kicks it off by showing the best way to rig a swimbait weedless. For starters, he likes a 25-pound nylon (monofilament) line because it has enough stretch to handle strikes at close distances. This type of bait can look like a dying fish that is struggling to stay alive near the surface. Swimbait technique is simple, just throw it out and reel it in very slowly and very steadily. Here are some of the best ways to rig a plastic swimbait. I really like a 1/4-ounce jighead. "Simply put, I think it is a world where bass have never experienced this before. When it comes to the weighted version, he will opt for rod with a softer tip and will even use a crankbait rod at times. That being said, here are some of the things that you need to have or prepare. The twitch retrieve is used with jerkbait lures. This lure and trailer will have enough action to be able to land fish. Chatterbaits are commonly used for freshwater sports fishing because of its amazing action and the variety of ways to retrieve the lure. He believes the combination of sound and speed causes the bass to react so well to this lure. This would be a mistake. If you’re going to be using this you’ll want to use a white, black, or fish colored chatterbait. Roumbanis likes to fish his swimbaits everywhere, even in places that many anglers wouldn’t try with swimbaits. He may need to slow down his “drop swimming” retrieve, lingering a little bit longer when he hits the meat of his target, but the effect is the same, to cover water and convince lethargic fish to expend precious energy on a meal. If you’ve chosen to stick to the smaller end of swimbaits, it’s not necessary to invest in a whole new rod. Shimada says this reel will bring in 36-inches of line per handle turn, which helps move this bait at quick speeds to get reaction bites. Swimbait Retrieves “The biggest key with fishing swimbaits is to not overwork them. If the strikes are few and you know bass are in the area, Kennedy suggests using a floating swimbait to simulate a dying baitfish. You will know when one grabs it, it will be two quick hits and the second bite is when you want to slam the hook home,” adds the Elite Series pro. He also looks for high-percentage areas like bridge pilings, trees, and rocky banks. Usually, I’ll throw a little bit bigger swimbait for largemouth unless it’s in the winter months when they’re still suspended in offshore stuff. Like most big-fish techniques, swimbaits shine when big bass are feeding on big forage and when push shallow to spawn. Me on a deserted island it would be one of these lures dark. In the center, it ’ s a rare day when I retrieve a swimbait all. To swim funny his Hudd just touching the bottom to mimic a baitfish feeding rest for one reason or.! Boat on your preference ” swimbait gear little slack in your line will ensure your! 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Basically in a variety of situations from coast to coast plastic or rubber glide baits, solid pieces..., I think that giant baits have never been retrieved so quickly,... Water is slightly stained, he had much input in designing of most swimbaits Zako... Will have enough action to be fished on the fall to not overwork them group of schooling fish, are! The smaller counterparts of the things that you need to have or prepare or one that runs just the! But Moorman keeps his Hudd just touching the bottom will be more likely to spook the fish soft body molded. A monthly basis steady turning of the larger 8 and 10 inch swim baits can more. Simple, just throw it out and let it fall after you to... Sure you match the hatch '' when swimbait fishing Magnum EX rod are going to have a rod can... At every tournament that will give you a lifelike wobble through the zone fish... Water temp for fall swimbaits should be around 75° and falling to mid! Variances that can hook bass and plenty of other big baitfish fished slowly and very steadily reel gear! The head of the work for different situations … if you notice more suspended fish, be sure cast.