t8erbug

https://www.rodsbyairrus.com/pages/display/home#news It seems they're the first to go. Good on them. Hopefully more to follow.

Thanks! Trinity

Lews 8ft Magnum Swimbait rod and Shimano Cardiff. Very budget-friendly setup, but for as little as I throw magnum swimbaits it definitely is the perfect fit for me. I'm super impressed with the rod at the $169.99 price point. The rod is rated for 3-10oz, so that price is even more impressive.

Thanks guys! Seems like they're simple enough to find but you know how these things are. You don't want to stick the wrong stuff on a bait like this haha

Where have you been getting your replacements, BOZ? I had a bass knock one off my BB 250 last week!

I bought my first 250 last Summer just to get a feel for the bait after falling in love with the 175 SS. I ended up scoring a BB Trout on TW and an Emerald Trout from a member here also. I couldn't NOT have a couple of these in trout. Anyways, I've probably put about 6hrs total behind the 250. I try to only throw it in the right places at opportune moments as they present themselves which is why I've only got a few hours throwing it. Well, it paid off. No giant but I'll take a 4# slump buster. That's all I needed to validate my swimbait expenditures haha!

Brent builds to order so if you're wanting a brand new one you'll need to get on his list and wait for a month or so. He's a freaking grinder and pumps them out consistently though so no worries about getting your bait. Otherwise, just keep your eyes peeled on the classifieds. I've bought one of his baits used before and it was a fair price and in perfect condition. Either way, you'll be stoked to have this arrow in your quiver.

Obviously not a giant, but it is the first fish on the new bait. Water temps were 49° on this trip and the bass were pretty sluggish. I think water temp definitely has an effect on sink rate. As a secondary point, the baits are typically tuned without paint. Thickness of the paint per coating doesn't scale based on the size of what you paint. In other words, the paint is a constant. So, after painting, the smaller baits will tend to see more of a performance change because the paint makes up a larger percentage of the bait. Think of it like a chocolate dipped strawberry. Whether you dip a large one or small one, they both come out with the same thickness of chocolate. If you're a chocolate lover you're going to want to eat more of the small ones because the amount of chocolate per strawberry, as a percentage of the whole, will be higher. Worth thinking about as food for thought..

What swimbait contributed to the catches?

Took her out for a swim yesterday in the snow. I didn't get any bites but caught a few on the jig (it was just too cold to get follows on the SB). I am VERY pleased with the action of the Shortcake. It didn't disappoint at all. The glide is awesome, obviously not as wide as its big brother, but still extremely consistent and maneuverable. The only downside is it seems the sink rate is a touch faster than the Donut Shad. It's really only a downside if you're wanting a slower offering and longer pauses without catching the bottom in shallow areas. All in all, I'm happy with it and will report back with some fish catches.

Great looking. Swim test to come. Paint looks fantastic (this is the first he's ever done in a white bass pattern). I fell in love with the Donut Shad last year and I'm stoked to try out the 5" version of it. In my experience downsizing baits usually comes with a large price in terms of action. I'm hoping this bait will break away from that stigma. Updates to follow..