topwater

Over the past three years, Ive got a dozen or so, trips in where i threw glides for big spots. Put 12-15 fish in the boat. Two over 5, few over 4 and rest 3ish not counting the couple random suicidal dinks not much bigger than the bait. Mostly been throwing Gancraft and River2sea. 230 178 Gancraft and 200 and 168 River2sea. with the 230 and 200 getting most of the play. Like mentioned above i have also noticed lots of slashing and nipping at the bait. Definitely more than when fishing for largemouth. Most of my spotted bass follows have been very aggressive charges from long distance ending in either a quick slash or nip. This Rarely happens in my largemouth experience. Most of the glide bait spots that i have actually put hooks in, I never saw the fish before the bite. Most largemouth glide bait fish that i have caught I saw the bite. Not sure if I am seeing more of the largemouth bites because they are more target oriented casts thus closer to the boat, or if the largemouth follows are little slower and easier get to commit. Largemouth seem like they fall for the reel pop twitch way more often than spots. The spots that I have seen actually eat the bait it was fast and no need for any added twitch or reel pop. More often they rush it, turn on it, and are gone as fast as they appeared. I have also noticed. spots really seem to knock the bait around, possibly without touching it? Largies will slow bump or sorta bite and not get hooked but you can definitely feel it. Where spots if I feel the fish at all, they r actually trying to eat the bait and end up hooked. I seem to get more bites, more follows, and put more fish in the boat on the bigger of the mentioned baits than smaller versions of same bait.

Talk to me about glide baits and spotted bass. What ever you got lets hear it.

Deps Buzzjet is soid option when it comes to readily available wake bait. Pushes a good wake, and gets quality bites. Quite a bit smaller than a slammer, but still a good size bait that fishes well in most of the same situations that you would fish a slammer.

Don't look for a magic bait. Med to large glide bait and a med to large slow sink softbait. Don't spend more than a cast or two on any one spot. Keep moving. Make adjustments according to what happens throughout your day. Thats kinda just swimbaiting 101. More information would be helpful. Its totally possible that your fish are more catchable doing something besides swimbaiting.

Did you actually have a real question, or did you want one of us to tell u what bait you should buy/fish. Oliver is doing what works for him. Do what works for you. I guarantee Oliver is spending more time on the water than he is on here. He's buying baits that fit what he's doing.

Dang the advice on this site is getting week. Might as well just ask Siri. Open up and bend out the hook just a bit. You gonna tear up baits a little more but you will hook way more of the bites you get. Fish it on nothing less than a flipping stick and heavy low stretch line. When, Where and How? That's on you. its a tool, use it where u need it. Doubt it's gonna out fish a jig in most jig situations. Sure you can fish it in those same situations but why?

Pretty sure first bait is a lunkerhunt fetch.

and Both good advice. My advice is pretty much exact opposite of the "snapping" your cast advice. Try making smooth and very deliberate casting motions. Load the rod and follow your cast. Try short lob casts, keeping line pretty much controlled slack. Gradually increase power until u feel what a full cast feels like without the tumble. Ive been tossing glides of all sizes for long enough to know that you can for sure cast without tumbling, but it's still gonna happen. Keep adjusting. Smooth is key.

Why would you not Butch Brown rig it. This stuff has already been perfected.

Guidewear.

Lot of opinions here. i agree with some and respectful but fully disagree with some. Just gotta take what works for you and your style of fishing. I've been throwing swimbaits since about 2004 never been a swimbait only fisherman. I feel u are seriously limiting yourself by only throwing swimbaits. If you are trying to build confidence in swimbaits, fishing nothing but swimbaits is not a good confidence builder. Sure grinding it out and throwing nothing but swimbaits your bound to stumble onto a few fish. Fishing for days with only a few bites will seriously hurt your confidence. The best way to gain confidence in a bait is to catch fish on that bait. Assuming you have the proper tackle, learning when and where to throw certain baits is the key to consistently getting bit. I would suggest fishing a proven bait in key locations at times of high activity. Take your time to set up on the spot and make one or two well placed casts. If don't get a bite or follow try out a little deeper.Still nothing move to you next spot. When the fishing is tough a big bait can draw attention that other baits won't. For the most part when fishing is tough, its gonna be tough with the swimbait also. When fish are actively feeding is the best time to be throwing the bigger baits. The idea of downsizing your baits is bunk in my opinion. It will catch fish but, Throwing small 3-5 inch paddle tails is not really swimbait fishing. Technically speaking a "swimbait" by design but the results are closer to fishing a grub. Catching fish on smaller swimbaits is not going to help your confidence in the bigger baits. Swimbaits make excellent search baits but while your trying to gain confidence in a bait I'd stick to target fishing. Swimbaits flat out catch fish. 7" slammer can produce some serious numbers in summer time night fishing. Pick a few baits and take your time learning how and where to fish them. Don't get to frustrated long the way. lots of good info on this site to really slow the learning curve but noting beats time on the water. good luck and have fun.

Lot of good info there. Take key points from each post and that pretty much sums it up.

Rising son.

Spots love the rain. Check every little cut that has water coming in. spots will get surprisingly shallow even in colder water. Make your casts right up into the incoming water.