bullshad and summer swimbait questions

[kscatman76]

I got a 5 inch bullshad I've been using. I'm having some decent success with it but pretty much smaller fish, I'm going to get a bigger one soon. What is the best way to fish this thing? Do I want to burn it back on the surface or just a slow steady retrieve or do I want to crawl it back really slowly in some deeper water? Also this spring I got into Hudds quite a bit and they were awesome do they still work the same way in the summer? In the colder water I reeled them painstakingly slow to get bit, do I need to do that same thing in the summer time?  Water where I was fishing this weekend was 88 to 89 degrees if that help's the scenario at all.  also the majority of the water is less than 10 feet deep, the deepest depth is 12 to 13 feet in the entire place I'm fishing.  There is almost zero cover other than a shallow weedline that doesn't extend past 3 feet deep and the forage is shad, bluegill and crawdads.   are the fish shallow or deeper and how should I fish a swimbait in this type of water temps and what kind?  I own hudd 68's and a 5 inch bull shad and a couple others being the smashtech convict and megabass sparkshad. 

[northeast_trev]

from everything you mentioned regarding the pond, it sounds like it should be an easy place to figure out. Fish the weeds and edge, if you don't get bit fish the open water. not really many places for them to hide it sounds like. If the sun is up and its hot, try fishing docks or any points of shade. I can tell you that my swimbaits aren't getting me much now that we're in the dead of summer. If i was punching and flipping all the time I could probably have some monsters, but instead i throw swimbaits and sweat my a$$ off for no fish lol

 

As far as how to work your baits, that's something that you'll have to figure out. I'll try like 5 different retrieves in an area if i think there's a fish there. Believe me if the fish wants it, you're probably gonna see him follow it regardless of the retrieve. Sometimes i'll see fish following say the 250 like they're mesmerized. Other times they race up to it mouth open. That usually tells me if they want it faster or slower. IMO you're gonna know better than others what works best in that place if you put some time in. 

 

I honestly ca't tell you how to work the baits in Kansas because i don,t live in Kansas. But that's how i usually approach new places. Just my $0.02

Edited August 1, 2016 by northeast_trev

[kscatman76]

thank you so much for your answer.  I know the Hudd's did awesome by reeling them really slow in the colder water but wasn't sure how to fish them in the warm water or if they even worked very well.  The Bullshad has me mesmerized and I want to learn to fish it badly cause it looks so awesome in the water but again I'm not sure what retrieve I should be using with it. 

[FunkEeeeee Fisherman]

Summer time is the time the bass that eat Shad and blue gill have some of the biggest baitfish available to them.

I have gotten bit in my bull Shad, bull gill, Ultimate gill and hud 68 weed less in July fishing lakes. I fish then around ambush points mostly. Flooded cedars, suspended grass and deep structure wiTh the hud. Mostly slow and study man. Just grinding those thing along. A little faster over the top of the weed beds trying for a reaction bite. This is my first summer throwing Swimbaits so what do I know:

[swimbaitman]

Trevor's response is absolutely perfect, it seems like every body of water is different. ill even find different ponds in my town fish react differently. theres only so many things you can make a bait do. i don't fish hudds often but if you've watched southern trout eaters try rigging it that way and using it with a steady retrieve.

[jtipton91]

I fish kansas sandpits. 20ft depths with steep banks. I can tell you without a doubt the hudd 68's work just fine. There's no fish in the waters I fish that resemble the hudd, but it still gets bit just fine. I'm getting bit this summer mainly on the drop, or slow rolling it about 10 ft deep. Hope this helps

[kscatman76]

I fish kansas sandpits. 20ft depths with steep banks. I can tell you without a doubt the hudd 68's work just fine. There's no fish in the waters I fish that resemble the hudd, but it still gets bit just fine. I'm getting bit this summer mainly on the drop, or slow rolling it about 10 ft deep. Hope this helps

 

it does and thanks for the reply.  I'm from Wichita as well (well butler county actually but I work in Wichita) so I'm glad to see another Kansas swimbaiter on here!

[jtipton91]

it does and thanks for the reply.  I'm from Wichita as well (well butler county actually but I work in Wichita) so I'm glad to see another Kansas swimbaiter on here!

I have had luck so far with the gantarel I just bought, so you may consider one of those as well. Bluegill are the primary forage on all the places I fish. Good luck to you, have fun with it!

[hookedonbigbaits]

I primarily fish community lakes between 30 and 100 acres from my boat here in Johnson County, KS and I have yet to have much luck with shad profile baits in this heat. Water temps here are holding mostly around 84-88 degrees and the swimbaiting is slow. Most of my fish are coming on a smaller 5" Biwaa bluegill profile swimbait. Because of that I have a bluegill OG shellcracker on the way and recently picked up a Deps 175 in a carp profile. Seems like all but the larger lakes and reservoirs around here the bluegill profiles and top water baits like slammers and rats are going to be your best choice. Most of my fish come early morning and late evening when the sun is setting.  

 

Hope this gives you another angle man.

[Jschulz11]

Found 2 other swimbait guys in the Overland Park area in one post, not sure where you shop but if your interested in getting together to talk shop we all should get together. Swimbaits in KS are tough but the shads seem to work well for me early and late where the gills and smaller lures get but in the afternoon or morning, when it's 110 out it's tough to get them to bite unless you are on larger water.