surferdave

If you're coming out here in April or May, you'll have lots of options. We had a really good spawn this year as the water level was so high, so I have a feeling next year will be one of those wide open bites come spring. Bob Myskey and Larry Hemphill are a couple great guides in CL. Highland Springs and Blue Lakes are two nearby lakes that can also produce a good bite, but honestly, why fish those places when Clear Lake is right there. Good luck and you'll definitely have fun.

Has anyone had good experience with the Delta Demon color in the past? I usually like naturals, but was thinking about changing it up. Thoughts? D.

I kind of agree in the "just go out and throw it" mentality, but there are other factors. If you want to build confidence in throwing a frog, you don't throw it on open water points in the winter. Find the absolute IDEAL time for that bait to produce. The first two times I took out my 3:16 baby wake, I had 20 blowups and about 12 fish. I let the fish dictate how long to throw it though, and each time I only tossed it for about 1 hour before the sun came up.

In that link, it said the MH Swimbait rod was rated for 5-8" baits, and the H was rated for 3-5" baits, is that correct? I thought it was the other way around. D.

In like flin

Wow, I can't believe she let you get away with that! Sick cake, congrats on the wedding.

Hmmm, maybe a "HITCH" colored shad....

Awesome fish, even sicker that it was your first time throwing the shad.

Cool, great advice guys. I threw mono for the tournament, but was wondering if braid would increase landing ratios. I'll definitely look into a rod that handles 1-5oz. I'm kinda waiting for the new line of crucial swimbait rods this summer and hoping to find something in their lineup that works. I'm gonna experiment with it more this weekend, so I'll try the Powell out. Also the 4.5 lber bent out one of my wake bait trebles, anyone know what 3:16 uses for their baby wake trebs? Sorry for all the questions, I'm pretty noob at this.

Thanks guys, yeah the rod definitely feels overkill, but I haven't got so into swimbaits/wakebaits to get the perfect gear for the each individual bait. Outside of that crucial swimbait, I have a Powell 7'2 heavy 12-25lb fast 1/2 to 1 1/2 oz. Which I feel is too light. Thanks for the advice.

Thanks, this is interesting stuff. I'll hold off on the braided line right now, get a rod with a softer tip and sweep hard to the side. The 4.5 stuck solid, it was just the 2-3 lbers with the fast head shakes that threw the bait.

Hey swimbait underground. This last weekend I had a tournament at the Delta, 70 boat field. I wanted to take advantage of the morning bite by throwing a baby wake. I was able to stick two keepers, a 4.5 and a 1.5 lber, but lost one that was about 3 and another about 2. Ended up being out of the money by half a pound and could have used both those fish. I was throwing my wake bait on a XH 7'11 Crucial Swimbait Rod, 20lb yozuri hybrid. What is the best way to maximize hookup ratios. I specifically remember waiting to feel weight on the fish, and setting straight up, on wakebaits should I have a strong sweeping hookset instead? Also do you guys throw these baits on braided line? Thanks in advance.

I'm in

Ben, your rods are probably out of my price range, but just out of curiosity, what is the price range for rods in your "set" page of the website. I'm not looking for anything too blinged out. You can PM me if you'd rather tell me there. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah I think I'll wait around for the new Crucial, my buddy has the old one and loves it, I can't find that one on TW anymore though.

Hey SU, I was wondering your suggestions on the best swimbait rod priced at $160 and under. The biggest thing I'll probably throw is an 8" Hudd, my 6" Freestyle, Baby wake etc. Any thoughts?

Jake, same here. Taking him bank fishing is the worst, he's actually swam out and retrieved fish while they're still on line. Good thing labs are soft mouthed. Great looking dog too by the way.

Great looking lab too. I love that breed, as hunting dogs they're super versatile, mine goes nuts for upland and waterfowl. He is a real pain in the ass once he see's a hook set or hears drag running, as if he should be the first one to land the fish

Thanks Bassindon. I actually lost one just as good if not bigger 3 casts later. I haven't thrown swimbaits much, but is it a rule of thumb to give a sweeping hookset with baits that have trebles and straight up hooksets for baits that have a single top hook? It was pretty frustrating to feel solid weight just to have my bait come back to me folded up. Then again, maybe that's all a part of the swimbait game.

She was all spawned out, but came in right at 9 lbs. Caught her on a Little Creepers Trash Fish. I think my lab is more pumped on the catch than me. D.