Wondering what everyone’s favorite paddletail swimbaits are...it took me several years to work through worms, jigs and spinnerbaits to find favorites and now I am going through the same deal with swimbaits.  It can be a money pit!  Currently I am mostly throwing Keitechs because I like the rings...wondering what might be best when I go fishing for cold water hawgs in December.

I fish Rage Swimmers

 

 

 

If I'm picking one, it's the Keitech Swing Impact FAT, easily. 

I second Keitech Swing Impact Fat, nothing out there is better IMO.

29 minutes ago, Tizi said:

I second Keitech Swing Impact Fat, nothing out there is better IMO.

Good to see!  What size are you using when your after bass over 4 pounds...do you use a bigger version?  I was just in a tackle shop and saw some that were quite bit bigger than what I normally use.

The largest I use are the 4.8, but they make em up to 7.8.

21 minutes ago, mheichelbech said:

Good to see!  What size are you using when your after bass over 4 pounds...do you use a bigger version?  I was just in a tackle shop and saw some that were quite bit bigger than what I normally use.

I’ve thrown the 5.8 size a few times. I’m not expert but it seems like a great size for going after bigger fish but also still catching decent numbers of fish. The 6.8 and 7.8 are pretty huge.

For me it is the Missile Baits Shockwave, I don't know what it is I just catch most of my boot tail swimbait fish on them!  I fish the Rage Swimmers also, but haven't caught as many on them!

3 hours ago, mheichelbech said:

Currently I am mostly throwing Keitechs because I like the rings...wondering what might be best when I go fishing for cold water hawgs in December.

I catch fish on Easy Shiners when the water is in the mid 30*s.  They have a more subtle action then the swing fats and swing impacts.  I tight line then as slow as I can without hitting the bottom.  I like the 3" on an Owner 1/16 #1  darter head or ball head.

Keithechs swim amazingly well. They are very soft and tear easily though; but I know that's part of their fish catching ability.

I couldn't get Rage to swim very well for me.

 

Recently, I've been liking the Reins Fat Rockvibe 4".  They swim well and are very durable fish after fish.

Fat Impacts and Rage Swimmers are nice. YUM Pulse swimbaits and Strike King Swim N Shiners are 2 I use a lot of too.

Another vote for Swing Impact Fat.......

I use the bps speed shad.

The keitech swing impact fats are a sure thing. Team them up with the owner flashy swimmer's and your golden.

3 hours ago, Smokinal said:

Keithechs swim amazingly well. They are very soft and tear easily though; but I know that's part of their fish catching ability.

I couldn't get Rage to swim very well for me.

 

Recently, I've been liking the Reins Fat Rockvibe 4".  They swim well and are very durable fish after fish.

My experience exactly on all points....though I use 5" Rockvibe more than the 4".

I wanted the Rage to work,  but for me, Keithechs are so much better.

RI Little Dipper on an owner flashy swimmer has caught me a lot of largies.  Very durable too.  

I don't know what the buzz about Keitech is all about. The regular swing impacts seem so small and skinny and the Fat are the regular size of other ribbed boot tails.

With that said I really like the Berkley Power Swimmers. Same body as a Keitech or Rage Swimmer but feels more solid and caught 8 largies without a tear. Tare? Tair? Anyways. Plus the Powerbait smell I think helps when they bite to hold on a bit longer. 

10 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

If I'm picking one, it's the Keitech Swing Impact FAT, easily. 

The best in my experience of all of them........but yum pulse swimbaits have a rocking motion as they swim that at times can really be deadly on bass. Just sayin'.........

7 hours ago, Smokinal said:

Keithechs swim amazingly well. They are very soft and tear easily though; but I know that's part of their fish catching ability.

I couldn't get Rage to swim very well for me.

 

Recently, I've been liking the Reins Fat Rockvibe 4".  They swim well and are very durable fish after fish.

See this complaint a lot about soft plastics.... if you caught a fish, does it really matter if the bait got tore up?  Sounds like I’m in the minority.... 

I’ll give a couple good options besides the swing impact fat

keitech easy shiner- awesome subtle bait that outfishes the swing impact for me in cold water

river2sea d Walker- awesome on a swim jig

true bass swimbaits- hardest kicking and rocking swimbait I have ever seen after fishing 20-30 kinds, this is a hollow body so different than a swing impact

Megabass mag draft- great bigger swimbait for the money

regular keitech swing impact- great on a dropshot or on a very light jighead.

 

theres more I use but these are the main ones.

If you're specifically targeting lunkers, check out the Jenko Booty Shaker 7" baits--it's a THICK hunk of meat but it'll weed out the smaller fish you're not looking for.

3in Megabass spark shad on a Okashira screw head jig head has been doing very well for me all year.

15 minutes ago, Jig Rookie said:

If you're specifically targeting lunkers, check out the Jenko Booty Shaker 7" baits--it's a THICK hunk of meat but it'll weed out the smaller fish you're not looking for.

 

1 hour ago, Jig Rookie said:

 

Thanks.  I've got some Magic Shad 6 inch baits that I've had good luck with.  Yours looks like it'd be great for off-colored water which it often is where I fish.  In the past we have caught them on Rattle Traps but I am really looking forward to trying a big swimbait for them.  

MegaBass Hazedongs and Jackal Rhythm Waves are great as a changeup or in cold water.  In really cold water theres 2 options really small baits or really big baits.