What is your retrieve(s) for say a Keitech 3.8" ~ 4.8" paddle tail swimbait ? ... Straight steady retrieve top or bottom of water column ? ... Lift and drrop ? ... Another retrieve technique ? ...Thanks in advance !

Depends on the time of the year and the water temp. Early spring I'll cast it out and slow roll it along the bottom. During the warmer water periods I'll use higher retrieve in the water column along with erratic action from time to time. You just need to try various retrieves and see what works for you and the fish.

I Agree with Crestliner- it all depends. On the bottom, on top of the grass, along the weedline- a slow steady retrieve to start, modify if you aren't getting bit.

Right now (90's here) I rig them weightless and work them back on a slow retrieve just a foot or two below the surface. Will give it a few pops here and there. Occasionally will pause and just let it fall a bit before resuming the retrieve. 

What Crestliner said is definitely true, but a basic slow retrieve (just enough to get the tail moving) will generally work no matter what time of year. Keitechs on swim jigs are great. 

 

I usually opt for a slow, steady retrieve, but stop and go works well too.

Regardless if you're swimming it slow or fast, kill it and let that sucker drop! 

 

At first I let it fall almost to the bottom cause Im in 20fow a lot and quite often get hit on the fall. If that tactic isnt producing a slow speed is what I like and I bought a lower gear ratio(5.8:1, 23.6ipt ) reel specifically fot that use.

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I usually opt for a slow, steady retrieve, but stop and go works well too.

So fish them like a curlytail grub?

1 hour ago, Outdoor Zack said:

So fish them like a curlytail grub?

Pretty much, that's how I fish them too. 

9 hours ago, Outdoor Zack said:

So fish them like a curlytail grub?

If that's how you fish a grub, then yes.

Slow and steady through grass is definitely an effective technique. Another good use for them is a topwater bait through lily pads. Cast them out into the pads, keep your rod tip high, and keep the bait moving on top. Whenever you get to a hole in the pads let the bait drop for a couple of seconds. A lot of times this will out produce a frog/toad for me.

I've had success using it many different ways. 

Steady retrieve - I usually add in an occasional twitch or I'll pause the retrieve randomly 

Let sink - cast, let sink, slow retrieve back, vary it as above

Burn - works well around thick/matted grass. Burn it past the edge, fish will come out and crush it. 

Yo-Yo - put it on a fish head spin and yo-yo it. Shallow or deep, open water or around structure. It works.