Timing of swimbait usage.

[GoblinSlayer]

Sad to say i caught and released but ide be lying. Shes on my dresser right now thinking about hanging a swim bait in her mouth and not that pint size senko she bit lol- but that would just be wrong i guess

[GoblinSlayer]

I fished that lake for 10years and caught nothing not even a perch,,,,these guys really put me on the big ones- its hush hush though. I cant even tell my brother who i grew up with best friends with through high school and throughout life and even now thats hes my boss at work lol

[FishDr]

There are really only two things that'll make me put down the swimbait rod when I've got open water.  The first is a good weed mat - I love swimbaits, but I'm also addicted to frog fishing, so I just have to throw a frog on a mat to see if it can get pounded.

 

The other time I will put the swimbait rod down (other than when the lakes are locked up in *&@#$ing ice) is when there's a great float 'n' fly bite in the late fall/early winter and the water temperatures have dropped into the low 40s or high 30s (typically right before ice-up).  I don't have much luck with swimbaits for bass at those times (walleye are another matter entirely - and they thankfully get active right when bass slow down), so if I want bass, the long rod and hair flies come out.

 

Other than that, it's pretty much swimbaits all day, all night, all the time.  I'm an addict, and while I know there are sometimes more effective ways to catch fish, I don't want to catch them using those approaches.  I want swimbait fish, dammit!  

[Darin MacEachern]

My problem now is getting my hands on a pats perch. It sometime comparable.

[KillaBass]

I myself have been fishing these big swimbaits a lot over the last 4 months and have had some big followers and only have landed a few 2 pounders..but it doesn't help that where  i fish is heavily pressured and a big fish is 5 pounds..ive been fishing hardcore for 5 years and have yet to land a fish at or over 5 pounds.and i started throwing more swimsuits this season thinking i will break the 5 pound mark..but I'm starting to lose confidence

[Rogervang]

[wallyc]

Hi Darin, another Mass Bass fisherman...we have ALL gone thru with what you are going thru. I use to fish tournaments for years, but, got away from it to pursue largemouth Five pounds and up. All the tournament guys that are "exposing" the swimbait tackle & lures are going to possibly regret it someday when All the tournament guys spend the money to join in. Just my thought. I'll let you know, you WILL settle on maybe ten swimbaits that you will gain confidence in, like I have. Like some of the other great members have said, leave the "little bass stuff" at home and force yourself to just fish the swimbaits....give it time and don't get frustrated. Also, as far as Just throwing swimbaits, Like Doc said : There are THREE main food sources for bass no matter where you live 1. Baitfish, 2. Frogs, 3. Crawfish. When the time is right, I Will throw lures to imitate these three foods that bass desire. Hope this helps...Keep the faith, keep casting, & don't give up. (size vs. quantity)

[mjaygrunt]

I was told by one of the better sticks in So Cal that I have to except the fact that I wont always get one, but when I do it will all be worth it ( all those hours of throwing 6 to 10 oz baits, hiking some miles just to reach that spot, ect). I even implemented certain shoulder workouts ( to my existing work out program ) in order to build stamina on my casting.