I've had effectively zero action with paddle tail swimmers (insert any manufacturer you like) up until recently. I lucked out and got 2 on a 4.8 Keitech fat a few months ago, but that was an anomaly. I've tried small to large types using various retrieves and line types/sizes with virtually no success. Where I fish I'm restricted to weedless rigging. The veg and slime are just too extreme during warmer months for an open hook jig head.

 

During the prespawn I absolutely slayed them with 3" Dark Sleepers, and to a lesser extent 1/8oz Storm 360 GTs. Largemouth, Smallmouth, Pickerel, Walleye, and even Yellow Perch gobbled them. I chalked it up to their profile, size, and action. However, I noticed that the bite dropped off quickly when the eyes got knocked off the baits. Tie on a fresh one and the bite picked up again. The sleepers aren't quite weedless and the Storms aren't at all, so I started buying up paddle tail swim baits of different sizes and shapes that I could rig weedless, but with eyes. The past several weeks have been epic while throwing these baits. It almost feels like cheating. I want to toss in that I'm fishing exclusively in low light through dark conditions, so the flash from the eyes may have something to do with this observation.

 

I don't believe my strike out rate throwing face-less swim baits comes down to a lack of confidence while throwing them. I'm confident. My confidence has confidence! It's not that. Maybe just bad timing while throwing them? I dunno, but I really don't think so. All I can say is that right now I'm chucking a variety of eye-ball'd paddle tail swimmers and I'm cleaning up.

 

So what's next you wonder? Senkos with eyes! That's the ticket! Where's my glue?

 

What say you?

You may have a point.  This spring, I started making my own bass jigs with eyes. My catch rate on them has been fantastic so far.  It seems that I've had much better success on these than I've previously had with jigs sans eyes.  I will say that bluegill are probably the most prolific forage around here so that could be why.

 

I love a belly weighted Berkley Grass Pig.  Perhaps I ought to throw some eyes on those and see if the bass' infatuation with them increases.