Spotted bass on trout swimbaits

[Riley201dc]

Looking for some more experienced feed back on this topic. I know some people rig there softbaits in their head for largemouth or spotted bass specifically. I fish lakes that almost always have both so the chances on any cast can be 50/50. With my limited experience catching the 3 hudd fish I have caught (largemouth), they all choked the bait so deep it didn’t matter that I even had a stinger or how it was rigged. I have yet to hookup with a spotted bass. I would think it would be a lot more difficult for a spot to choke a 8 inch plus bait but even if they could it is probably a lot less likely than a largie. I’m just looking for any information you guys are willing to share on hook placement when targeting spots or philosophy of how they have ate baits for your in your waters. (Mag in pic it rigged with a head hook but have yet to be “headshotted” by a spot lol). Thanks 

[Morgan Y]

From everything that I've heard and know, spots will try to crush or pin the bait to the bottom in an attempt to "kill" it and then come back to eat it. With their mouths being so small they struggle to get the bait down sometimes, although I've heard of 10 inch Hudds way down their throats, so it would probably be valuable to rig a stinger far back by the adipose fin in case they eat it tail first.

[CaliBassin]

Yup the head hook is definitely a must for me. Instead of tying it down how you have it, use 2 lb test and tie it to the ring directly behind where the quad is now. It breaks easy when you get a bite and allows it to swivel a bit. Other than that, clip the jighook off and run a small stinger behind dorsal

[Riley201dc]

14 minutes ago, CaliBassin said:

Yup the head hook is definitely a must for me. Instead of tying it down how you have it, use 2 lb test and tie it to the ring directly behind where the quad is now. It breaks easy when you get a bite and allows it to swivel a bit. Other than that, clip the jighook off and run a small stinger behind dorsal

Will try that thanks 

[SVT THUNDER]

I’ve had spots here eat an 8” Optimum head first with a belly hook snagged in the lip on the outside. And some I couldn’t understand how they even fit the bait into their mouth. I don’t live on a "Spotted bass lake". But they're here and they’re extremely aggressive. 

[Bsampson]

For me with spots. Anything over 6” I run a stinger to the back of the dorsal or adipose fin. That seemed to limit the short bites 

[browniez]

I’m in native spot country and we primarily fish for them. We have very different bait here (primarily herring and gizzard fisheries) so they probably feed differently than on trout. 

Our spots will primarily try to stun a bait and wheel back around for the headshot. So much so that our regionally produced swimmers generally have a “soft tail” and “hook tail” variants for sale.

I call them “baby striper” in that regard, both in how they set up and how they attack. 
 

They are not an ambusher in the same way as a LM. They almost always a pack hunt here, and seem to operate on a group dynamic. “If we all go berserk stunning herring we all eat”.

They seem to be highly lateral feeders, coming across a bait with a glancing blow. We usually catch them on the back hook, rarely headshots. 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by browniez

[BASS_SWINGER]

My pb spot was on a 8in hudd BB rigged they will definitely get the head but I’d still add na stinger of course

[DrewManFishing]

i think @Csweitzer has some experience with spots…. 

 

[Morgan Y]

I can tell you right now after fishing for spots yesterday with a glide that they take forever to get the hooks, like ages. If you’re going to fish for them you probably will want to stick to softbaits because it is soooooooo annoying trying to get them on a hard bait. 

[Bsampson]

3 hours ago, Morgan Y said:

I can tell you right now after fishing for spots yesterday with a glide that they take forever to get the hooks, like ages. If you’re going to fish for them you probably will want to stick to softbaits because it is soooooooo annoying trying to get them on a hard bait. 

I love/hate glides for spots! I have watched them absolutely freight train them with a T-bone shot and not get a hook in them. It’s cool to watch but maddening to not hook up.

[Morgan Y]

12 minutes ago, Bsampson said:

I love/hate glides for spots! I have watched them absolutely freight train them with a T-bone shot and not get a hook in them. It’s cool to watch but maddening to not hook up.

Yup, I had a 5-6 do that earlier this year about 30 feet from me. It smoked the daylights out of it and came away unscathed. 

[Csweitzer]

On 3/27/2022 at 5:50 AM, Riley201dc said:

Looking for some more experienced feed back on this topic. I know some people rig there softbaits in their head for largemouth or spotted bass specifically. I fish lakes that almost always have both so the chances on any cast can be 50/50. With my limited experience catching the 3 hudd fish I have caught (largemouth), they all choked the bait so deep it didn’t matter that I even had a stinger or how it was rigged. I have yet to hookup with a spotted bass. I would think it would be a lot more difficult for a spot to choke a 8 inch plus bait but even if they could it is probably a lot less likely than a largie. I’m just looking for any information you guys are willing to share on hook placement when targeting spots or philosophy of how they have ate baits for your in your waters. (Mag in pic it rigged with a head hook but have yet to be “headshotted” by a spot lol). Thanks 

Instead of running the line around the bait, run 4lb to the hook hanger on the back, it’ll look cleaner. 
I’ve caught 100s of spots on Mags and 250s and a quite a few on the 8” hudd and Savage Gear. They really like to hit the head, but they will avoid it if there’s a big hook on it. I go really small and try to use bronze so they blend in. Use a soft rod and 20lb line and don’t lock your drag. Size 1 or 1/0 Gamis are sticky enough to get the ones that hit with their mouth closed.