primetime

I used to be in the same place that you are when it comes to pure FC...However, if you have not used it in the last 2 years (always check dates on boxes) it has become so much better than it was. I used to hate them all, it would snap during casts, hook sets, knots would break, and it still stretches more than mono (Yes that is a fact) they only marketed it as less stretch when it first came out because it was so stiff, that was a selling point they tried to drive home. The Invisible is kind of BS since clear to clear is like .001 difference, and how is it each company makes invisible green,pink,clear? The advantage FC has over other lines is in the abrasion resistant department and the smaller diameter makes it more dense and lures sink more naturally. I picked up Stren Fluorocast on clearance at K Mart for $3 a pack and it actually has not failed me once. Once it stretches, I cut off a few feet since it never recoils back to original shape. I also use braid as backing to save money. I only spool up maybe 40 yards if pitching and I use 20lb Red Label or Stren, whatever is on sale, and the diameter is closer to most 14lb mono and I believe I get more strikes since baits fall more naturally since it is dense and it rarely frays. I only tie an improved Clinch Knot, tighten it down with Pliers using the tag end which avoids fraying. If your not is not carefully done it can be an issue. I also will use 30lb Triple Fish Leader which is an OEM who makes many brands we use today (Hi Seas just purchased them so expect to see lots of the Trik Fish stuff on clearance, it is the same but they were sued by a company and had to change name to Trik) I use it for punching if wood is around since Braid frays too easy, and leader material is truly great around sharp objects and is quiet in the mats as braid makes loud rubbing noises.. I would give it a chance again if you like to use lighter lines since you can put a 10lb FC leader on braid for say a wacky rig and it is almost like using 6lb diameter...But imo, the only advantage is density and abrasion resistance...It stretches more than Mono, that is fact, the only reason it was marketed as low stretch is because it was so stiff when it first came out and it transmits energy better due to density which causes it to sink more naturally...But Hybrid is fine if you have confidene in it, I use Braids, FC, Copoly, and Mono, just depends but mainly use FL as a leader and I believe it helps. Many people feel the same way you do and I get it 100%, Hybrid is really good line especially for the money. Line companies use so many gimmicks, that is why breaking a pound test record is so rare these days, I think Ande is the only brand that makes lines in the diameter it should be for its rating....If you use a line that says #10 and you are pulling in trees, it is because it is #15 test being sold as #10. Hope that helps...I type fast and didn't proof read but maybe you find you like the new consumer ready stuff.

Here is an awesome link of all lines, size, and everything you would want to know about all types of line and what is best etc...I think its 2012, I had it saved.... http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniques/rigs-and-tips/sport-fishing-line-test-2011

I used to know the Hybrid chart from memory only because I used to help out at a tackle shop where that was the main brand of line we sold.. #10 Hybrid breaks at 16.5 and is not all that thick compared to most 10lb copolys, but I use #4, #6,#10, #15, #20 since I feel they offer the best of all worlds in all areas... Let me put up the chart. Also because Hybrid is a fused line, I believe it does lose strength when wet over 2 hours, I never had issues with it, but it is only like $4 a spool of 600 yds here in Florida at every outlet store and for that price I change it out often but it is really good with abrasion resistance...I would not use the Ultra Soft for casting gear or for cranking unless you are not worried about abrasions...It is too soft imo... #4 is what I use on spinning gear Med Light and it is not your normal 4lb test..I know that number scares people but it is practically 10lb test and much stronger than say Trilene Xt 4lb...

It is hard to beat the colors and quality and price of the academy cranks...They have flat, rattles,silent, Medium, Kind of medium, More Medium, some on sale, some like the new Berkley lures and you could put some of their lures in a box and give it a cool Japanese Name, put it on the shelves at Dicks, and get 9.99 and people would give their cranks 4.5 stars... Someone would say the paint chips after catching fish....Just give it a 5 then, paint missing = the lure I borrow.... I can't believe how well built their lures are, and for $3 they offer 40 colors and all have legit VMC hooks, really good colors, and $25 free shipping and you get your order overnight????? I am so glad they came to Florida... I am sure if you are a die hard crankbait fisherman you may find something wrong with them, but for me they fish every bit as well as any other plastic crankbait....Strike King may be the best of them all if you look at hook quality, sizes, and keeping it simple which you are looking for. Rapala should have a home in all boxes simply for the Shad rap, and DT series which some days just work well, but shad rap on spinning tackle, 8lb test, #7 hard to beat....

Pit Boss....Price and colors... I feel I can buy beavers from any company that will work as well as RI and I hate paying $6 since I can buy Rodents instead....But they are all good... The pit boss now has a 5" which I need to try...Havoc hit a homerun with the Pit Boss, great Jig Trailer, Topwater, punching bait.....Reaction Innovations makes a great bait however...They have a few colors that I really like, their version of sprayed grass is the only bag I carry from them at the moment. Colors...The Norm but I like the watermelon Orange I think it is, Melon maybe? similar to the vampire color.

Siebert has awesome deals on Jigheads and will do custom skirts, has great pricing on Tungsten etc...If you don't make jigs yourself, Siebert is the only place I would order from Online (I am sure other guys make great jigs but he has a great selection) I like an arkie Jig with the Weedguard not too heavy because I flip them and swim them, and use them instead of a football jig...Skipping..An Arkie does it all, but not good if too wide and heavy in weeds...1/4-3/8 arkie in black....I buy black and then will add a few strands of accent color myself or take a sharpie too it etc.... Black, brown, white.....and then my new favorite...Lighting Bug.....Or anything with Magic craw which flashes blue....Also blue,White, Amber with a strand or two of chart is really good on days everyone else is fishing jigs or punch rigs.... I prefer the Finesse Silicone for Swim Jigs and like to add some Rubber to jigs for profile and soaking....Mop Style Jigs work well, for a store jig I only buy 3...SK Hack Attack, SK bitsy Flip, AT Jigs...Love their Punch Jigs, Berkley Gripper jigs on clearance can be good for you fishing health as well. Not alot of Good Jigs in the stores, hooks, Line Tie, Angles...Can make a HUGE difference, so pay the money for a good jig, I would rather have 2 good jigs than 20 Decent Jigs from say Terminator. just my opinion... I have to make an admission....Bluebasser made some jigs for me after I asked him since he was always posting pics of Bass on Home made Jigs he makes, and I let him pick the colors....He was nice enough to hook me up with top notch jig quality and color, and I stole the Amber,Blue,White pattern, and I would not give the color away usually, but I have seen a few posts with him showing that same color....So I copied the color and how he cuts skirts, but that color has seperated itself for me, and I use it on spinnerbaits to all jigs etc...

Hit Overstock bait today, its Friday, they have 20 packs of GYB grubs which are the same design as the BPS grubs for 2.99 a pack and have 40 colors to choose from in all sizes...They also have Kalins really cheap, but the BPS grubs are similar to the GYB as far as shape and action... Honestly, check out Ebay, There is a guy who sells brand name soft plastics in bulk, mostly stick baits and grubs, not sure size but I think all 5" and I think he is buying the grubs from Locket lures.....Oh, Just order from Locket, they do Big Bite, Gander and more.... I use BPS grubs in 4" and 5" XPS grubs, if you were using 3" then you were using the walleye grubs or standard inexpensive grubs..Those grubs can be had at Barlows, Hagens fish, Locket, but I would suggest using a GYB grub for 2.99 since they have awesome colors and you will be able to cast further....I have a bunch of those exact grubs in bulk I could hook you up with super cheap but do not have green Pumpkin....I have a few thousand but different colors and some are mister twister which are more finesse and walleye grubs in my view but the BPS 3" is very basic and will surely catch fish....You should not pay more than a nickel to a dime for those grubs if buying 100....Hagens has 1000 packs for like .04 each....New, not seconds. Hope that helps.....

Green Pumkin Blue, GP Candy, Black and blue, Junebug, Blue Saphire, Watermelon seed, Watermelon candy, Watermelon blue, Black, Black chart tail, Motor Oil, Green Pumpkin Amber.....and Clear silver, gold,copper flake....Red Shad...I think that is it....Smokes maybe, black and red flipping tubes...

Great question. Hopefully someone who is better with crankbaits than I am will give a few suggestions since I am always afraid to change hook size and type on crankbaits like Squarebills etc. I am sure plenty of people on this site will know how to swap out hooks on a SK Squarebill. I would consider myself an "Average" crankbait fisherman at best, and I like to change hooks to keep them sharp and sometimes add a red hook, and I usually just replace them with the same hooks if possible, or sharpen them quick. From what I have read, and been told, Inline Trebles are a "Safe Choice" if in the same size, but I have wanted to put EWG or Shorter Triple Grips on cranks but I am afraid it will mess up the action on the one's I have marked as good lures. I know for lipless Cranks you can go up a size and it rarely hurts the action, but with Floating Rip Baits and wake baits I am always modifying hooks and lures to get them to run high, and I have noticed some baits can take a bigger hook with shorter shank, some will act differently, but I am usually most concerned with matching the treble to the rod and line I am using it on...If I am using braid on a heavy rod I sometimes will use a shorter split ring that is stronger and then go up to a 2x strong etc.... Changing trebles seems simple, but I have changed them out a few times and then had issues, I know guys who are good at cranking will modify hooks to make the bait hunt better etc. but I find with Strike King Squarebills they use Good quality hooks I want to say Trokar, and a quick file touch up can keep them going a long time.... Hope that helps, Sometimes you need to just head down to the pool and do the adjustments in crystal clear water and make casts to feel the action. I like the pool since you can see the bait deeper down and see if it is running off to one side etc...

Because you quoted a piece out of one of my posts directly...All good, even if you were to disagree, that is what boards are for...I respect everyone's opinion, and I know you do as well....I have been called worse than a Pilgrim so not a big deal...I was lost about the Mercedes however....All good, I always read your posts and you make lots of good points and give good info. Thanks.

At the end of the day...... I know that Keitech makes a great bait...and I also know that Strike King makes a great bait....So I have room in my box for both, I like the fact that so many sizes are now available for this type of bait...Hopefully I like a few of the colors they put out on the shelves.... I guess you heard something I was not saying....But it will all be OK.

I actually like some of the trout colored patterns as they look similar to other fish or have some nice contrasting colors and I actually think sometimes a different colored bait that is rarely used in a pond for instance can be a good thing...Bass that are keyed in on Golden Shiners and Bluegills are constantly pounded with baits in those color patterns. I often like to purposely try to not match the hatch since a Bass that sees shiners all day long will quickly notice that your bait is not the real deal. I think size and action of a bait is often more important than color, but I have had success fishing shad colored baits in ponds that do not have any shad but most fish have silver scales or flash, blue or black backs, so I think it is a reaction strike most of the time. Some of the trout colored baits I have could be mistaken for a crappie or a bluegill or even a small bass since they all take on different colors during different times of the year, water color, deep or shallow etc...I like swimbaits both soft and hard to have some flash and a light color bottom and darker top and that is as deep as my thinking goes....I used to get way to concerned with trying to get a perfect match with custom baits etc. and never did any better personally... Sexy Shad seems to be a color that works anywhere from my experiences....I like some chart for flash on the bait, but profile and action is the key in my opinion as well as figuring out the retrieve and depth...So many variables, but I would use a trout color in a pond that only had golden shiners since it would stand out and Bass are curious by nature, and if it is wounded,they will smash it.... When I was a kid we would buy Gold Fish in the winter time for bait, and fish would kill them...They worked as good as any bait you could buy, and that is a color we never use...Bright orange....I am guilty of overthinking color, but working on just trusting my gut instinct.

Good point about the rage Flange not on the tail..I am sure they must have tried to add one but it probably didn't swim well. My only point about Keitech is how impressive it has been that they are a top seller on TW and have made it into retail stores, yet they made it by word of mouth for the most part...I think that speaks volumes as to how good of a bait they have, I watched a video someone posted about their stick bait and I have to say....It had an impressive action, really good. If their Stick baits were more affordable I would love to try some but then again, the tank is supposed to make the lure look good to our eyes...We don't really know what the fish want to see... I have a legit question.....Did GYB have a line of plastics before the Senko became so popular? I honestly don't remember since I was late to the Senko Party and entire GYB thing due to price. I think Yamamoto had some twister tails but I used to only fish Power Worms and Culprit, Mister Twister and BPS baits and not look at anything that was expensive because I couldn't afford it...I have been amazed that GYB is still able to get such a premium for their soft baits after all these years, you would think another company would get a chemist to break down the exact Senko formula. I am sure a few companies actually have done that...They just can't advertise that, instead they go the 14 grams of salt route or "same as the Real thing"...I still think it is the colors in GYB that make them work so well... Just my take...I hope this helps Keitech Grow into a bigger company since I always pull for the little guys...good Points.

I think alot of what makes a prop bait effective is the sound, kind of how guys tune a buzzbait to sound the way they prefer...I have a box full of prop baits and I have a few that seem to always work well, and then a few that no matter how I bend the props or adjust them they just do not produce fish..I have a few old Skitter Props I found years ago for only a few bucks and I thought they would be great since it is Rapala, and I like the profile...For some reason I can't get them to catch fish and have put them in the Hoarding box at home.. I need to find one of these Heddon Flutters which sounds familiar and hopefully I get lucky and find one at a tackle shop we have in our area that sells used tackle. I had a lure that was wood, I don't know who made it and it was all scuffed up so you couldn't see any markings except sandpaper from all the fish it had caught. It was an awesome lure and it was about 4" long, thinner than a Devils Horse, 2 props, and the nose was not a popping mouth but had a cut in the middle which gave it a diving action & it was really good. I get lazy with changing leaders and I tied a lazy knot and lost it...Nothing worse than seeing you lost a fish because it was the knot, especially when you are telling your fishing partner it was not the knot...And then as you both look at it...It was the knot...

I was joking about buying both although I didn't write it that way. I like to buy frogs and topwater lures, but I would suggest simply buying a frog since it has already been proven to be effective. I don't think a Bass knows it is hitting a frog most of the time, I have no idea what they see, but I know I have never been fishing and have seen a Zara Spook walking on the surface in the wild, a buzzbait swimming, and I have always felt the manufactures also know this which is why so many frog colors have some orange color under the nose like it was a panfish.... Dick's Sporting goods has a BOGO sale on all Live Target lures right now including all the frogs, and it helps to see the sizes side by side since the 65T is a big frog and you may find you like the bigger size or maybe the smallest 45T. If I were to buy 2 frogs I would get one Popping frog and one standard since the Popping Frog is a really good bait since it walks, pops, and Booyah makes a great frog for only $5-$6 and other than really heavy cover you will probably get more use out of a popping frog than the sunfish. I am starting to hear some people say the Sunfish has a poor hook up ratio and even if it is user error, I would go Frog...Just wanted to clarify...I know that the Sunfish is $15 in some places and that is money you could spend on better options imo. Good Luck. Frog Fishing is addicting since it really does get your adrenaline pumping when a 4lb Bass comes up and Slams it...

If you want to fish frogs...I think you should have both as well...The live target frog is a legit frog by any standards with good hooks, colors, and it is soft but most people like soft hollow bodies... I have just started using the gill and I love the action, it glides and walks really easy with the shape of the body, and I do not have enough time on the water with it yet to tell you how well it fishes...I have missed the few strikes I have had but only 1 really took it under but I plan on using it more..I am sure the frog is better overall, I don't like having all that plastic behind the hooks if that makes sense but the Live Target Frog is probably one of my favorite frogs when it comes to hook up ratio and colors, and they make a really good line of sizes..I love that middle 55T....

I usually only put the rear prop on the bomber long A, but I like it better than the Bagleys at times because they cast easier and also can be fished on heavier line which I need at times. Many of the big lakes where I use Prop Baits to fish the Post Spawn get windy with big waves, so I like the double prop, but I have never tried a prop in front of the Bomber. Have you ever tried 2 props on the Bomber, and is it worth it as I imagine it would take some tuning etc.. I like 2 props when really choppy and it's funny you mentioned that your best day was when you were working it with fast rips...I had one of my best days ever last year working a Bagley's with the one prop in back and the Fish wanted it moving at all times and they would rip the rod out of my hands right when it would surface since I only work them about 6-12" below the surface since grass is often right at that point...But for 2 hours is was awesome, never had a strike in that area again the last 2 times I visited the lake and I tried everything...That was the day I realized how strong P-Line Cxx Was since 10lb test was handling some nasty stuff, and the VMC trebles held up great....Just the regular inline short shanks...Thanks....I would love to get anothe 10 feet on every cast and I like the Long A for all my casting rod hard bait/Topwater work....If you have not tried the Rapala X Rap yet, it is a well deigned bait with the props designed to work in opposite directions and it really seems to get more strikes than the Devils Horse, Boy Howdy etc...Plus they go on sale and for $7 it is money well spent.

I agree that copying baits is not a good thing especially for the little guy trying to make it, but I would think Keitech Makes more money now since Strike King has this bait instead of the other 20 companies before them who are not big enough to make a dent in the swimbait market...Almost all the baits are designed by the same engineers in the same tanks...I would imagine Keitech who has never advertised and is a top selling bait will now have a spike in sales since people always are curious to see why and who everyone is copying...It is like saying Zoom should not have made the Trick Worm or GYB the Senko since the Creme Scoundrel is the original plastic worm. I agree with your point, I actually think this is a good thing for Keitech, Havoc copied them years ago and undercut the price big time and so did a few other companies, one could argue Keitech copied the ring design from Rebel to Lucky Strike to Lunker City etc...I am sure they are doing fine getting $6 a pack and now more for their frogs and other baits that are now ending up in main stream retail stores....I know the baits cost nothing to make, but it is the marketing that costs money, so free advertising is good for everyone. I remember when people hated companies for making stick worms and that debate still get's people heated..But GYB must not have been able to get a patent like Z-Man/Renosky who was able to shut down Pure Fishing and Strike King from copying the chatterbait but that goes to show that companies can fight if they own the design, but I just figure it is what happens to every lure or bait....

I love the bagley's tail spinner like I have in the pic...That is the dual prop rip bait that dives a foot, and it is a killer post spawn, summer bait...I also like all the baits mentioned but the tiny torpedo is a great topwater for action, if fishing clear or semi clear water...A clear torpedo or tiny torpedo is fantastic... The Older wooden baits like Devils horse are popular but I have recently made the switch to the X Rap Prop and I like the colors and action but I also use the Cordell Crazy Shad, add tail spinners to long A's, Rapala minnows, and the Zara Spook prop bait is also really good.... I like to start out with a twitch twich pause...then rip it and kill it...then maybe try to walk it, or slowly swim like a buzz bait...Some days they want the prop bait moving fast, some days you barely move it...But if you find a group of Bluegill beds which in Florida you can smell and they will all spawn in a giant area...If you fish that area in the morning or evening with a prop bait you will do well and I don't think it matters what brand etc...I also use the Academy Slush which is fatter like a bluegill and has awesome colors for $6...I have never used expensive Prop baits like you see on TW for $30..Not sure why unless they are hand carved balsa and even then I am not sure they are better than an old vintage Luhr Jensen woodchopper or wooden lure made of cedar you can find on Ebay for nothing...and the color no paint is usually really good...Don't change the hooks for as long as possible and if you do, try to keep everything perfect..prop baits need to get broken in, some never do, but the blades need the perfect bend to get the right action.....You can also remove them from the bagleys and others and then you have a killer Rip bait...

Rage Tail Craws flat out catch fish...I really don't think you could fish them wrong, king of like a Senko since you can swim them on top like a buzz bait, weighted hook or rage rig, flip or pitch, split shot rig, drop shot, and they are dynamite in stained water if you are anti rattle..they are like the Paca Craws only better since they catch water and are the ultimate Jig Trailer as well... I would not limit myself, you can use them on a carolina rig, to a weightless rig, but I love to pitch them into cover, lift 2x, then slowly swim them out, kill it, then rip them fast after contacting grass but they work just as good as a toad if you see a fish break the surface and want to throw a topwater that covers water...They will crush it and not let go either.... Best bait imo that strike King Makes although the Menace and Flukes are also pretty good....They have a color called Blue Magic I think, I know they do for jigs and I have craws in the green pumpkin blue color, and it is money every time I use them...

If you have never used the Z-Man or Strike King Zero Elaztach baits then I think you will really like them...They make a line of baits that is really good and you can fish one bait all day long....You can't mix them with other plastics, or leave them in the sun, but if you soak them in scent they will not dry out, or add some lunker lotion to a bag since one bag of worms can last you a full season if you don't have any toothy predators, but they make a bait called the Razor Shad that is designed for a chatterbait trailer and it actually floats and is like the Pop Shadz so it is supposed to have an action like a floating Jerkbait..The Diezel minnowz are 4" and very popular as a trailer for swim jigs since they slow the descent and help float the jig...The grass kickers are nice as well, they will float a weighted hook, but you need glue to hold them on the hook...They have a ton of info on their site and are really making a push to take over a chunk of the soft bait market and they are doing a good job...People seem to always be talking about Z-man since the Ned Rig and Chatterbait, and now the Saltwater guys are all over their baits and Strike King sells the Diezel Minnows under the name Redfish Magic in the saltwater section, same material and bait from same place.... The Keitechs are really good, and to be honest, I buy what is on sale, I like to try new baits, and I buy baits based on color and size more than I do brand....I have heard you can straighten tails in boiling water but I have never tried it...I guess for $3 maybe spending some time with the dingers is worth a try to fix the tail but GYB knocked it out of the park with the Swim Senko and it is a bait that is well under the radar and seems to not get fished by as many people as you would think...People will ask what I am using and I say "Swim Senko" and they say..."OH, Swimming a senko, thats a good idea..". They are only in catalogs and hard to find in stores, plus many fisherman skip over the GYB section due to price...Overstock bait and tackle has had Z-Man and GYB soft baits on sale evey Friday for really good prices and a good selection. I had to buy enough tackle to cover free shipping....Can't spend 5 for shipping when $100 I can save it...But Kinami bags for $2 is worth stocking up on...

If you and I were the owner's of Strike King....We would not think twice since every other company has already knocked off the Original design so it would almost be silly for Strike King to not make a version since any bait they make ends up getting marketed better than all the others, and I have no problem with it...Plenty of companies have copied some of their baits and lures, and I can't blame them for taking advantage of a trend...In a way it is good for Keitech that SK is going to be putting these all over TV etc...People will look them up and will probably by a pack of Keitechs as well... I agree with your point, however since Keitech has never really put a marketing plan forward, they made it by word of mouth for the most part, I think they are actually selling more baits now that big name companies are copying them...The Fact Dicks Sporting goods is carrying Keitech is a good sign, I am sure the SK baits will be popular at first and then will slow down like many baits... I always felt that the Lake Fork Flipper was the first beaver style bait with a flange but then again I also though Culprit made the first Punch Skirt in the 80's...If you don't pay for the patent or can't, it is hard to make it in any industry these days...You have to give it to Strike King.... They Market Bass lures and baits better than any other company, it seems they are being used on every TV show, Every pro has a sticker on etc...So they are investing in their brand and call me crazy but I have noticed that when I stop by certain shops they have really good SK baits on clearance in good colors..I wonder if people are starting to go with the Havoc, Zoom, and Yum which have all gone in the other direction, make a good bait, and if you have a $10 bill, you can get 3x the amount and I wonder if that is hurting Strike King since they ask a premium for their baits, not alot of plastic in a bag of dream shots for $6....All good, I do love me some Rage Craws, Menace Grubs, Rodents, big worms and I like the goby for saltwater which I think they stopped making...

I like the smell...I picked up a bunch from a local store in bulk and they seem to tear easy but that is just how it is with all good swimbaits I think....Or maybe short strikers just pull of tails since I have had issues with the Kalins as well losing tails, but they are also extra fat... I can't tell the difference anymore, there are so many brands making copies of the Keitechs and They all have some little difference, I like the sizes of the SK version, I also like how they pack them since Bent tails is always an issue when jamming them in bags, but keitech has invaded the sporting good isles and are usually buy one get one 50% off and start out with a lower price than the SK and other brands... I want to try the Culprit but can't drop the money since I have way too many swimbaits I need to use, but they look awesome and seem to have a new design not copied, I was amazed at how they looked in person and have to be good since I have never fished a bad Culprit bait and they have finally got their game going in the last few years with 3-4 winning baits.... SK makes a good bait, so I am sure they will work as good as any, they would be stupid to not jump on the ringed swimbait trend before it goes back to the hollow body or shad body in a few years....It seems like yesterday the Money Minnow style swimbait was the ticket, now I leave my hollow bellies at home...

I have been looking for a swim Senko replacement or cheaper alternative as well, and I was hoping the Yum Swimming Dingers were going to be the answer at $3 a pack, but they just have not worked as well for me, but I would give them a shot since they are priced right and some people really like them.. The Big Bite Cane Thumper is another similar bait but it is also super soft, and if you can find them on sale they are the closest to the swim senko imo, but I think the shape of the GYB is just perfect and does something that creates extra strikes...Maybe its color, but I also have used the Z-Man Grass Kickerz and they are shaped very similar as far a profile but are different since they are elaztach but they are a really good swimbait I would buy since they excel over grass.... The Keitechs are awesome but if durability is an issue then I would not suggest switching since most soft textured swimbaits seem to work the best for me...However, I have had decent luck on the Charlie Brewer Slider 4"-5" Bass Grubs which are a ribbed senko style body with a smaller boot tail but they do have a nice wobble and can work well at times...I used to use them before the Swim Senko and every once in a while I will find a pack and rig one up and remember how well they work with the wide wobble... Check out the Creme Reel Screamer, The Charlies Zipper Dipper has been on sale at Dicks for under $2 a bag and they come in a 5" version that is similar to the rest, Die Dapper is similar, Big Hammer are actually really good and I used to use them for saltwater but I now want to get some since they were soft and actually decent for durability... Havoc Grass Pig pound for pound is tough to beat but is thicker than the Swim Senko, Dinger, or Cane Stick....My issue with the Yum baits are that they all seem to be crooked and the tails are not straight, and that just messes up my confidence..But Swim Senko's are expensive, and after this ramble, I will say...Go Grass Kicker from ZMan for $4 to last forever, or Cain Stick with swimming tail...If you find the slider grubs in larger sizes give them a try, they are close to a swim senko but have a wider wobble which can be good.... Hope that helps...I think it is impossible to replace the Swim Senko...Same as Keitechs, they just do the job and you know they will work anywhere anytime.

Lighter Jigs with alot of practice...I usually throw an Arkie jig since it can handle all terrain for the most part and skips nicely, but I also like the Original Megastrike Evolution Jigs that came in a 2 pack since I have a bunch of them...I find the Little finesse Jigs with the buzz cut are often the easiest to get into tight spots and they catch enough water to slow the fall even if really shallow... But I think any jig skips well if you have practiced with it before...I guess a flat edge is best, but I also skip those Strike King Bitsy Flips and fiineser Jigs on a short casting rod and if I need precision I turn to the spinning rod and hope for the best... I want to check out that Lunker City Pan Head jig since I like the Slider Spider heads for rigging soft baits, and I will add a skirt at times but I like the totally flat head as it looks like it will glide really well and has a light weedguard so it seems it will skip well, settle, and then it can be hopped or swim it out...Plus you won't have to use heavy gear to swing hard since it is a swim jig... I have not heard or seen any reviews on the Booyah Bankroll Jig, but if looking for heavy duty and affordable, Stanley makes a wedge head pivot head jig that skips and is a good all purpose jig you can find cheap at some of the tackle craft sites.. I don't know how some guys can skip a 1/2 jig like they do...I guess if you don't care about noise at all and looking for distance and in deep water 1/2 ounce is good but usually I am skipping under docks, boats, bushes, and I need something quiet, so I either go texas rig 1/8-3/16 and for jigs 1/16-1/4...3/8 is about as heavy as I go but 1/2 is too big for my style...I am pitching any jig that size but I am sure that guy from NY has practiced for years...He does get that big jig way back into spots nobody else can and that is really all that matters alot of the time