Technical Notes:
Size: 5 inches, Weight: 2oz
Sink rate: 2 ft per second
Optimum Retrieving Speeds: From slow roll
to just about as fast as you can make it go!
Minimum Recommended Line Test: 15-25 lb test.
Recommended Rod Specifications: Due to the large size of bass this bait tends
to catch I recommend a heavy rod made for fishing swimbaits. The 7’6" heavy big
bait rod by Okuma is an excellent choice, however this is one swimbait that you
can fish with a regular flipping stick, but don’t let its small size fool you.
Big bass eat bluegill.
Colors
Ok, this is how I choose colors. First I look into the water and look at the
bluegill. If I see a particular species than that makes my choice easier.
Generally in the spring and summer they become much more colorful. The males
will have their spawning colors and the females will have a little more color to
them also. I usually like the male pattern at this time. For most of the year
the males aren’t as colorful and the females are dull. Towards the end of summer
you will se a lot of juvenile bluegill. Smaller bluegill are usually not very
colorful and this is when I throw the female pattern
If I know that a particular lake has a lot of red ear or if I am sight
fishing and I notice that the bass are bedding close to the red ear nests,
that’s when I fish the red ear. Also if I graph a deep school of pan fish that I
think are red ear with some large fish close to them, I will throw the red ear.
The crappie is for when there is a lot of stunted crappie and the bass are
feeding on them. If I was going to fish just one of them, I would base my choice
on when and where I thought I would use the bait the most. I really think that
they all can be used for any of the applications but I generally try to match
the hatch.
Recommended GearWhen fishing big baits, you need the right
gear. You can get away with a heavy flipping sticks when throwing most 5in baits
but when it comes to 7 in and up you really need good quality heavy gear. I use
and highly recommend the
Okuma Guide Select big bait casting rods.
Designed specifically for the needs of West Coast big bait fishermen, the Okuma Guide
Select big bait casting rods do just what they are designed to do, throw big
swimbaits. As far as reels go. I recommend the Okuma Induron 400. You will need
a 400 sized reel for making long casts with heavy line. A 300 size real will
work well also but I prefer the 400 size because they also work well in the
saltwater.
When choosing a line you absolutely cannot use cheap line. You are fishing for trophy
sized bass and they will exploit any weakness in your equipment. I have tried
virtually every brand that’s on the market and I have only found one that hasn’t
let me down. Maxima is the best line that you can use, especially for swimbaits.
Maxima fluorocarbon is
super abrasion resistant and its practically invisible. The biggest difference
between Maxima and the other brands is its fishability. It has little memory as
far as fluoro’s go and it casts extremely well. So far every other brand that I
have fished has failed me at some point and it either cost me a fish or a bait. Maxima hasn’t
failed me yet and I have put in more time than most with it.
I use a minimum of 20 lb line and I often use 25 lb line for the big baits. When
I am throwing smaller baits like the bluegill or baby bass I sometimes will go
down to 15lb but I usually stay around 20 lb test.
Mike Long also uses Maxima but he prefers the Ultra green Mono. I also like this
line for top water baits but I prefer Fluoro for everything else. If Mike uses
it, that’s all I need to know. I highly recommend this brand of line!
Remember when you are fishing these baits, you are fishing for big bass and
you need to have gear that can handle these trophy fish.
Swimbait Maintenance
Have you ever wondered how guys are getting 15-20 or more
fish per soft swimbait when yours are getting torn up after only a few fish?
There are a few tips that every swimbait thrower should do to get the most out
oh their baits. The first thing I do when I get a new bait is to glue all the
potential weak spots. Anything that protrudes out of the plastic should be
reinforced with super glue. I will
gently pull back the plastic away from the hook until there is a small hole just
big enough to put a drop of glue into it. I will do this where the hook eye
comes out of the bait and any other metal eyes that are used to add hooks. If
you have problems with getting the glue all over your baits just put a drop on
some cardboard and dip a tooth pick into the glue, then apply the glue with the
tooth pick. It is also important to inspect your bait after every fish. Check
for tears and make the necessary repairs with Mend-it before you make another cast. This will
keep them from tearing any further.
Now that you have your bait reinforced and you are ready
to fish it you will need to apply some lube to the bait. Most scents that will
stay on the bait for a long time will make a good lube. I prefer Pro Cure and Mega-strike
because they have the consistency of Vaseline. Most guys know how important it is
to lube your Swimbaits because it increases your odds of hooking the fish when
you get bit. The lube will also help your bait resist tears. Even if you don’t
think scents and attractants will get you more bites you should still apply a
generous amount of lube to your Swimbaits. If for nothing else it will prolong
their life.
Another common problem with soft Swimbaits is they tend to get warped or twisted when they are
not stored properly. It is usually very easy and quick to straighten them out.
Soft plastic will return to its original shape if you put it in boiling water.
It is not a good idea to submerge the glue on eyes in the boiling water because
they could become clouded or fall off, but the rest of the bait will be fine.
Dip the body of the bait in the water for about 1-3 minutes and then suspend it
in cold water until the bait is completely cooled. This should bring it back to
its original shape. Now maybe you will get more fish per bait.
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