ok ive gotten semi interested in trying to carve either a crankbait or hard wooden swimbait.  my question is what is the difference, technically speaking between the two.  i mean i know when i see a big 12 inch lipped swimbait that it is called a swimbait but dont really know what the difference other than size is between the two.

is there any real difference between the two, other than size?

matt

I always picture a swimbait to have more of a "fishy" shape and a crankbait to have the usual roundish tapered shape thing going on.

Read BrushPileBerry answer.  he is 100%

There is no diference. A swimbait is a soft plastic fish. All the hard baits are something else. They are called swimbaits because they are usualy made by the same guys who make swimbaits and they are usualy big. The term swimbait has become very generic. almost anything that is big is being called a swimbait. I got nothing againt hard baits. I might even release one real soon but the original term referred to a rubber bodied fish with a boot tail. (sassy shad)