I am looking for a paddle tail swimbait, 5" or bigger.  I like the looks of the Kamakazee Treats Swimbaits, Basstrix Paddle Tail Swimbait, Strike King Shad-A-Licious Swimbait and  Berkley Powerbait Hollow Belly Swimbait. 

How do you rank these, or others?

I'd rate the RI Skinny Dipper and the Gambler Big Ez at the top of the class. I have not tried the Kamakazee bait you mentioned, but I would put the dipper/Big EZ before any of the other three. That Keitech swimbait looks promising, but I haven't tried it yet.

I prefer the one made by Pro Swimbaits it's very soft, swims well at slow speeds, has a hook slot and looks terrific. Basstrix is a true tube bait which I like to fish behind a jighead. The RI. Skinny Dipper is another terrific choice.

for paddle tails Basstrix are the best. They have the best finishes and the best action.

http://www.***.com/Hippo_Tackle_Hollow_Core_Tube_Swimbaits_5_4pk/descpage-HTHCSB.html#multiview

This is my personal fav. Fantastic tail action & it costs less then the others you listed. Can't go wrong with this one.

Use this hook with it as well.

http://www.***.com/Owner_Weighted_Beast_Hook_w_Twistlock/descpage-OWBWT.html

Send Fourbizz a PM, he is the paddletail master.

Send Fourbizz a PM, he is the paddletail master.

;D ;D

Send Fourbizz a PM, he is the paddletail master.

LoL, awesome

for paddle tails Basstrix are the best. They have the best finishes and the best action.

x2

I love basstrix paddletails and even their flashtrix for dropshotting

Berkley Hollow Belly. These are the best that I have tried.

Skinny Dipper...Hands down!

Mike

for paddle tails Basstrix are the best. They have the best finishes and the best action.

Nuff said!!! 8-)

Berkley hollow belly swimbaits, and like everyone else said basstrix

Send Fourbizz a PM, he is the paddletail master.

He'll give you some good advice on reaction strike and 4" hardbaits as well.   

I would have to put my vote in for the 3:16 Mighty Minnows, they swim amazing at slow speeds and work the upper end of the water column.  They also look realistic and cast very well weightless.

http://316lurecompany.com/images/lures/minnow/mmhitch.jpg

I like the swimmin senko, blasphemy, I know.

I can never seem to get the Basstrix to swim right, so I prefer the Shadalicious.

I like the swimmin senko, blasphemy, I know.

i never seen anyone talk about swim senko

i do use them but not that often to see good results

I like the swimmin senko, blasphemy, I know.

i never seen anyone talk about swim senko

i do use them but not that often to see good results

TOP SECRET

Rig on a 1/4 oz jig head, paddle down. Cut the

Swim Senko so the hook comes out just in front

of the smooth plastic on top. Make sure the bait

is straight and "smooth", not bunched up.

Don't "work" the Swim Senko. What is required is

to let the bait sink to your desired depth and then

a steady retrieve. Fish the bait in, on and around

cover or structure.

8-)

p.s. Try a dab of JJ's chartreuse on the paddle,

sometimes that helps! 

Swimming Senkos are the strangest bait from our experience.  They are either hotter than hot or absolutely worthless...never anything in between.  We always try them though, just in case it's one of those hotter than hot days.

Over the last few years I fished nearly every weedless swimbait available.

The action of the Basstrix Paddletail is the tightest and most stable I've seen.

The Basstrix has the most natural swimming action. at least thru the eye of the angler.

In any case, our most productive weedless swimbait over the past few seasons

has been the Berkley Hollow-Belly Swimbait (tennessee shad).

This spring however I intend to put in lots of time with the Berkley Split-Belly Swimbait

The Berkley Split-Belly is a little more stable (less "tail wagging the dog"),

and the slotted belly should provide a better hook-up ratio...we'll see.

Roger

Over the last few years I fished nearly every weedless swimbait available.

The action of the Basstrix Paddletail is the tightest and most stable I've seen.

The Basstrix has the most natural swimming action. at least thru the eye of the angler.

In any case, our most productive weedless swimbait over the past few seasons

has been the Berkley Hollow-Belly Swimbait (tennessee shad).

This spring however I intend to put in lots of time with the Berkley Split-Belly Swimbait

The Berkley Split-Belly is a little more stable (less "tail wagging the dog"),

and the slotted belly should provide a better hook-up ratio...we'll see.

Roger

Roger, will you be throwing the split tail bait on the Owner SLED HEAD with Screw-Lock Shank, or do you have another rig in mind ?

A-Jay

Over the last few years I fished nearly every weedless swimbait available.

The action of the Basstrix Paddletail is the tightest and most stable I've seen.

The Basstrix has the most natural swimming action. at least thru the eye of the angler.

In any case, our most productive weedless swimbait over the past few seasons

has been the Berkley Hollow-Belly Swimbait (tennessee shad).

This spring however I intend to put in lots of time with the Berkley Split-Belly Swimbait

The Berkley Split-Belly is a little more stable (less "tail wagging the dog"),

and the slotted belly should provide a better hook-up ratio...we'll see.

Roger

Roger, will you be throwing the split tail bait on the Owner SLED HEAD with Screw-Lock Shank, or do you have another rig in mind ?

A-Jay

Yes A-Jay, but we'll also be using the Owner Type-Z Bullet Head.

The Z-bend shank works remarkably well in most cover,

but in the real heavy stuff I prefer the screw-coil on the Sled Head.

Also, the Sled Head is available in 4/0, but the Owner Type-Z Bullet Head

is only available in 3/0.

Roger

Right on. I switched to the sled head like mid season last year and was instantly impressed with the results. I'll be picking up a few packs of the split tail baits to try myself.

Thanks

A-Jay

I like the swimmin senko, blasphemy, I know.

i never seen anyone talk about swim senko

i do use them but not that often to see good results

TOP SECRET

Rig on a 1/4 oz jig head, paddle down. Cut the

Swim Senko so the hook comes out just in front

of the smooth plastic on top. Make sure the bait

is straight and "smooth", not bunched up.

Don't "work" the Swim Senko. What is required is

to let the bait sink to your desired depth and then

a steady retrieve. Fish the bait in, on and around

cover or structure.

8-)

p.s. Try a dab of JJ's chartreuse on the paddle,

sometimes that helps!

so what kind jighead style?