Big Swimbait

Rage Menace rigged vertically or the Hog Farmer Spunk Shad Pintail.

My Great Aunt and Uncle taught me to bass fish when I was about 10 years old on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs. I remember the first bass I ever caught was on a fluorescent orange worm they had bought from the back of a Field and Stream magazine. That worm was money in the super clear water. When I moved to Texas in 1969 they gave me all they had left - about 50 as the ad was no longer in the magazine. They didn't last very long in Texas either. I don't know what was so special about that worm other than they were very soft and bagged in anise oil. The Zoom Merthiolate was just not the right shade but it is still in my rotation, especially early Spring.

Magnum

Menace for me by a long way. Vertical on a bladed jig or a swim jig, flat on a regular jig or a swing-head jig.

I have had a lot of success this year with a solid blue Sapphire trailer on a solid black jig and the same on a GP jig. Not sure why other than it works. The Sapphire blue color has also been killer on bladed jigs - skirt and trailer. Thank you Bluebasser86.

I ordered the Crank Bank from TW. It was packed well with zero issues. I really like this concept.

Strike King S11

I put a bobber stop.

The M action seems right on. The 2 MH's feel a bit more powerful than I am used to for the action. Very misleading since they are so light.

Extremely happy. I have bought 2 more since. Very light and very sensitive. They were very slow, 6-8 weeks. They say in their new ad that they have got that fixed and have inventory for same day shipping. I have not heard good or bad on that yet,

Trashmaster Jig - you rig any trailer Texas style. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?from=BASRES&sort=no&start=0&count=30&searchtext=Trashmaster

Thank you!

I have had this one from Amazon for almost 3 years with zero issues - $33.00 https://www.amazon.com/CVLIFE-Military-Tactical-Backpacks-Rucksacks/dp/B07KY7B9W9/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=camo+backpack&qid=1604547158&sr=8-11

Great company, great baits!

Great question and many excellent responses. I love throwing swimbaits and am lucky enough to have many lakes close to me that have the potential for a PB on your next cast. That being said, once I started having luck on the big baits, the bait monkey got me and every time the new "hot" bait was talked about, I had to have it. Now I have a couple of totes with unused, unopened swimbaits because I realized that I have about 10 baits - 5 hard and 5 soft that I can handle just about any depth or water color I encounter. I really learned how and when to use these baits and now they are all I need. Out of those 10, the Bull Shad is the most used at less than $60.00. The most expensive is the Evergreen ND 180 at $90.00 that absolutely gets chewed when a wake bait is called for. All of the rest are $40 or less - some much less. But as Tom says above, make sure you have the right gear to throw a big bait or you will be very disappointed.

Thanks Tom!

So every rod I've built so far has been a kit. I am ready to tackle a swimbait rod (3-8 oz). Looking for recommendations on the correct guides for the heavy application. Thanks!

Used threaded rod secured with cap nuts thru the plastic. The threads keep the baits from sliding. I use big snap swivels to hang them.

My experience is the Ocho works much better for me in dirty or heavily stained water. I can not tell you why other than maybe the 8 sides give off a little more vibration.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-DIRTYJIGS.html?from=basres

This jig head with 3/4 of a Maxscent General (about 4") has been my numbers bait this year. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Nichols_JT_Magnum_Weedless_Ned_Rig_Jig_Head_3pk/descpage-NJTMW.html?from=basres

Thank you!

Thank you!

Going for work so I won't have time to fish, but I love visiting other tackle stores. If you have any recommendations for good freshwater tackle stores in the area, please let me know. Stores that have swimbaits would be a plus! Thanks in advance!

I like the Kalin's grubs. If I'm around big fish chasing gizzard shad, I throw a big white bucktail jig with the 6" Kalin's Mogambo grub - 2 of my 3 DD's have come on this combo.