djpeterbilt Posted August 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks guys for responding. I spent 12 bucks on my first 2 baits, the shad has produced the blue gill has not. I looked at the Huddleston’s and those are affordable. Plus I just can’t see spending 200 or more on a lure. My biggest problem so far is my Curado 100 it has way to fast of a retrieve, so I’ve got to get see about a new real or try my Curado 200. I'm open to suggestions on a reel. Also the rod I’m using isn’t really made for swimbaits. It’s a 7 foot Falcon FC-4-17. I’ve looked an I don’t think falcon has made a rod for swimbaits yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paynefish Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Plus I just can’t see spending 200 or more on a lure. I said the same thing less than a year ago. Now I have way too much stuff. a $6 bait is strangely cheap now. All a matter of confidence and then breaking that price ceiling. Once it produces, or just throwing it, you can tell the difference. How many of those h2o swimbaits do you think bass see vs a Rising Son or 6" Hudd? They swim better and aren't common. Start with some 3:16 softs and hudds. Also, don't sleep on the Mission Fish from 3:16. You can fish a 6" MF on the gear you have. Fish it like a jig. Try not to get too caught up on finding a Falcon sb rod. Falcon focuses on a different segment. You are moving from sub compact cars to heavy duty trucks. Different makes or at least models. If you want to throw the bigger cheaper baits first and need a different setup, look at the Okuma 7'11" sb rod and a 400 series cardiff. Less than $200 and pretty decent to get going. If you really love the Curados, look at a 300 series with a low crank ratio. Patience is a virtue. Take your time learning one bait. It takes time to readjust for getting one bite every five trips. Look at it as training and education. Learn to read maps well, understand weather, water column, biology of fish and you will become dialed in. It's hard and I am still working and grinding every trip but once you lock in things get better in a hurry. I am no monster slayer like some of the guys on here but I rarely leave home with anything but a handful of swimbaits. If I were to reco three baits to you I would say a 7" MS Slammer in white or shad (this will build confidence to go to the 9". ) a 6 or 7" Mission Fish in bluegill a 6" Weedless Hudd in Greenback/Silver. ROF depends on how deep but 12 will cover more water than 5. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Baiter Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 I almost couldn't have said it any better than Chris just did. You don't have to spend $200 on baits. For about $150 or less, here are 3 baits you could probably find in the Black Market or on other forums for cheap: Topwaters: MS Slammer 7-9 inch Mid depth: 7 inch Triple Trout (don't let the word "trout" fool you, you can buy different colors) Mid to bottom : 8 inch Hudd ROF 5 or 12 Easy as cheesecake!! Now for your Rod and Reel situation: Look for a rod from a company like Okuma, Dobyns, LDC, Powell, or Phenix that is anywhere from 7-9 - 8 foot. Bigger baits may call for a rod with a heavier rating. As for the reel, look for a Shimano Cardiff 300 or 400, Curado 300, Daiwa Luna 253 and 300 for a reel. A 100 size reel is not big enough for most swimbaits. You need a reel that holds a good amount of 20 pound test line. I and many others are I'm sure glad to help you with your gear search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paynefish Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 and one more thing DJ, I didn't learn any of this overnight and it is sure not original to me. There are some ridiculously good swimbait gurus here that have been more than willing to help those of us newbies when we are new and when we slump. The important thing is to listen to guys like Darth, Marbles, Mickey, Ali, Don, Speedbead, JT, swimbaitrookie, Buttaluns, Top Ramen, and a host of others. Ask questions you are willing to listen to the answers given and try it out without going back to worm fishing for that trip. It's hard at first but you have to commit. Spend less money on gear and more time on the water. I should have. You can get gear crazy real quick. And the last thing, always try to give credit where credit is due. These guys are awesome and deserve credit for teaching others so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpeterbilt Posted August 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 I appreciate all the helpful info everyone has given me, you guys have been super cool and have given a lot of useful info I am taking to heart. I know I'm going to have alot more questions for all of you. Again I appreciate all your help guys. I’m fishing a jackpot tournament tonight, swimbait is ready to go. Hopefully she’ll put me in the money tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpeterbilt Posted August 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 One other question..With swimbaits how big of a factor is water clarity? Here in Oklahoma we have very few clear lakes or ponds. The water is usually pretty dirty, sometimes extremely muddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Baiter Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 Don't let anybody tell you swimbaits don't work in murky or muddy water. They do!! Find something with a lot of movement so that the fish can find the bait. Maybe some kind of waking bait or sinking hardbait, go with something that may be a little brighter as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonesaw Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 get a 9" ms slammer and some owner hooks. Yes it costs 40$ but you would use/lose 40$ worth of senko's and hooks way before (if ever) you lose that bait. a 2lb bass will hit a 9" slammer no problem also. it is not that big. -Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpeterbilt Posted August 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 My Blue Gill Swimbait finally paid off. Not to mention this is my biggest fish so far on a swimbait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Baiter Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Good work!! Keep it up! Oh, and try some of the tips that were mentioned here....and feel free to ask questions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpeterbilt Posted August 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 I slowed down my presentation with a new reel, a Lew’s Speed Spool SS1S 5.4:1. (By the way the reel is great) He barely hit it at first I thought I was hung or had a catfish because he kind of rolled like a catfish. Only so far I don’t like about swimbaits is the possibility of getting hooks in the gills. The place I caught the fish here in Oklahoma City is listed as a “Close to Home†fishing spot run by the city. They stock fish but they do not stock bass because the city says it’s too expensive. But they stock sunfish and catfish. Which leads me to believe there is no shad in there, and the main forage food is sunfish. Also I found a rod I want, it’s an Abu Garcia Vengence VNGC76-7 7’6†heavy action. Plus it’s only 50 bucks. Any opinions on this rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDBEAD Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Other than the price, what is attracting you to that rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elhoward622 Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Don't do it man! I beat around the bush for a while as a noob and threw my baits on the biggest Abu Veritas. One month in, the graphite was creaking and groaning around the reel seat whenever I flexed it. If you have any interest in swimbaits, then just buy a swimbait rod and be done with it. I half-a$$ed it for a while and wasted my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpeterbilt Posted August 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Other than the price, what is attracting you to that rod? The only reason why I’m considering that rod is because I love my Abu Garcia 7†Veritas cranking rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDBEAD Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 I've handled a buddy's veritas and vengeance and those are great rods for what they are designed to do....flip, pitch, crank REGULAR baits. The baits that have been recommended to you in this thread are a whole different animal. Those rods, while they may work for a while, are not specifically designed to handle bigger baits and are definitely not designed to actually THROW them. Sure, a flippin' stick will throw two ounces of weight on a flip. Not much pressure there. When you really start to load up and rod and chuck a big bait, that is on a completely different level of stress on the blank. Bottom line, it's gonna do one of two things: Fail you on the cast or fail you when the fish you are really after decides to hit your lure. End result is still failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.