Ok, I have tried for on and on to catch something on a paddle tail. I need tips and help. I have been fishing a pond and a lake. The pond has sooooo much grass and a grassy bottom. Some rocks. The lake is filled with bait fish and have caught a bass on a crank bait, so I know that they are feeding on bait fish. I am fishing a small paddle tail with a weighted hook. I have used and under spin and nothing. Weighted without the under spin and nothing. Not even a nibble. What could I be doing wrong? This is the only bait right now that is giving me trouble and have caught nothing on. I want to learn how to use it the right way. 

Rage Tail Swimmer 

 

 

For numbers, try a 2.8" Keitech Fat Impact on a small  jig head, if you don't catch fish on that, I would question if there were fish in that body of water.

 

I dont know about others but I have great success retrieving them slow. I use 24"-26" per turn reels mostly and even turn them rather slowly. This slow retrieve is where the keitechs shine above the knock-offs.

I am rather new at swimbaits myself this year. I’ve had a good bit ofsuccess fishing it like a worm. I rig on a lightly weighted swimbait hook. Cast and wait it to fall to the bottom. Slowly bring the rod tip up to about 11 o’clock, let it fall to the bottom, repeat. The bite is also much like a worm; you feel one or two gentle bumps. And I am also fishing very heavy grass. Also try downsizing and using as little weight as possible. 

I love swimbaits. From the small keitechs to 6-7 inch basstrix style ones. Can't go wrong with either the keitechs or rage swimmers. What kind of paddle tail are you using? What size and weight hook?  All this matters to an extent. 

1 minute ago, ohboyitsrobby said:

I love swimbaits. From the small keitechs to 6-7 inch basstrix style ones. Can't go wrong with either the keitechs or rage swimmers. What kind of paddle tail are you using? What size and weight hook?  All this matters to an extent. 

I use gambler little Ez and they match the hatch perfect. I have keitechs of all sizes by the metric ton. I am using an owner 3/16 oz hook

1 hour ago, ww2farmer said:

For numbers, try a 2.8" Keitech Fat Impact on a small  jig head, if you don't catch fish on that, I would question if there were fish in that body of water.

 

The pond that I fish has bass and so does the lake. Been absolutely destroying them on jigs. I am afraid to put the jig down right now. 

Sometimes they just want the jig.  Today I couldn't buy a jig bite, got three decent bass on a Biospawn paddletail on an underspin hook. 

 

I've caught a ton of fish on paddle tails. Here's how to rig and fish them.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Glenn said:

I've caught a ton of fish on paddle tails. Here's how to rig and fish them.

 

 

Thank you 

I love paddle tails on a jika rig. It's a super versatile presentation for them. 

I think the most important thing to finding fish with a paddle tail is varying your retrieve speed and depth. I’ve had tons of success crawling and bouncing them along the bottom, and yet I’ve caught just as many keeping it in the middle of the water column with a faster retrieve. 

 

Twitching it, killing it and letting it fall, or randomly speeding it up for a second have  produced some violent strikes. You gotta remember, bait fish rarely just swim in a straight, steady line. 

Keitech Swing Impact Fat 3.3 or 3.8" Baby Bass or Bluegill Flash, on a Keitech Super Round Jig Head 1/16 or  1/8oz 1/0 works for me but I fish local ponds from the bank