I am going throw some 2-8 oz. baits this year.  I bought a couple of each this winter, and a rod to throw them on.  When do you reach for one over the other or does it even matter? 

I tend to throw soft swimbaits the most.  Hard swimbaits just don't seem to work well for me.  And while I love throwing glide baits, I find they tend to hypnotize the fish more than catch them.  I'll often see a big fish following it back to the boat and not realize I'm there before breaking off at the last second.  Though, I do have more luck with glide baits than hard swimbaits.  And if you see a fish being hypnotized by it, a few more casts with the glide bait, or a follow up with something smaller will usually get that fish to bite.  

 

The thing for me is, it's hard to find a lake that I can throw them in.  They tend to be large, and most lakes I frequent just don't have large bass in numbers, or large baitfish for them to mimic.  So they're more of a novelty for me.  

On 2/8/2022 at 10:32 AM, Happybeerbuzz said:

I am going throw some 2-8 oz. baits this year.  I bought a couple of each this winter, and a rod to throw them on.  When do you reach for one over the other or does it even matter? 

Do you mind identifying the lures; Hudd 68 & 8” ROF, Glides?, Hard swimbait? Any wake baits or rats?

Tom

PS, go fishing now!

Good question.
 A wedge tail soft bait works well in the cold or bottom crawling. It swims on ultra slow retrieves. The boot tail soft baits are better for warmer water,  or faster retrieves.    A weedless soft bait is great for pitching to heavy cover. I’ve caught some big fish ripping it through weeds. 
 

A glide bait is great for calling out fish. They will follow it out of curiosity, they may not hit, but at least you know where they are. Also you can fish the glide bait in colder water like a jerkbait!

hard baits are very versatile. You can burn them crawl them, fish em like a jerkbait or a wake bait. You have liplesss and lipped.  That’s a loaded question. 
 

wake baits are my favorite though, I catch a ton of big fish on big topwaters. 

On 2/9/2022 at 11:28 AM, WRB said:

Do you mind identifying the lures; Hudd 68 & 8” ROF, Glides?, Hard swimbait? Any wake baits or rats?

Tom

PS, go fishing now!

I will be trying these in the Mother Lode Lakes in Central California.  

 

Savage Gear Pulse Tail 8".

Jackall Gantarel

Spro Swimbait 6"

S-Waiver 8"

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_8_Pulse_Tail_Trout_RTF_Swimbaits/descpage-SG8T.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Jackall_Gantarel_Swimbaits/descpage-JGAN.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Swimbait_6/descpage-SBBZ16.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=30&searchtext=S+Waiver

The Motherload lakes are clear and being stocked with trout during the cold water period. I would try to locate where the trout are and use trout colors in the lures. 

Water levels are typically lowered for winter run off and on the rise now. Any creeks with running water attracts trout. Major points are obvious but still very good compression zones for big bass targeting trout. 

Bright sun light with a little chop or breeze to break up light rays is good time for all types of swimmers. 

Relieve is trail and error, but slower is almost always better with the deeper running lures.

Don’t get disappointed, it’s hours of casting and moments of excitement. Watch your lures carefully for moving shadows and ghost bass and retrieve all the way back to the boat.

Tom

5 minutes ago, WRB said:

Watch your lures carefully for moving shadows and ghost bass and retrieve all the way back to the boat.

Generally speaking, are these kind of baits something that you don't let sink and work in deeper water?  These man made lakes have lots of deep water, and I am not sure where in the water column to start.  

Spend some using your sonar unit to determine the “life zone” depth, the depth you see baitfish and trout. Without a summer thermocline the fish can be everywhere but usually find a temperature break that is ideal. Wind mixes water and changes preferred depths.

I like to start with my boat positioned nearer to shore to one side of a major point base. This allows you to cast out into deeper water at the end if the point without spooking any bass that may be feeding. Cover every angle and slowly move  out casting up and over the point and along the sides. 

If there is a little wind start on the up wind side.

Slow sink or ROF 5 to 12 for deeper water to 30’ or so, the wakes and glides work the same way. 

Trust your sonar, if you mark big fish remember the location and return about every 2 hours. Suspended bass are usually inactive but will get active during the day.

Tom

9 minutes ago, WRB said:

Spend some using your sonar unit to determine the “life zone” depth, the depth you see baitfish and trout. Without a summer thermocline the fish can be everywhere but usually find a temperature break that is ideal. Wind mixes water and changes preferred depths.

I like to start with my boat positioned nearer to shore to one side of a major point base. This allows you to cast out into deeper water at the end if the point without spooking any bass that may be feeding. Cover every angle and slowly move  out casting up and over the point and along the sides. 

If there is a little wind start on the up wind side.

Slow sink or ROF 5 to 12 for deeper water to 30’ or so, the wakes and glides work the same way. 

Trust your sonar, if you mark big fish remember the location and return about every 2 hours. Suspended bass are usually inactive but will get active during the day.

Tom

Thanks a bunch.  I will start here.  

1 hour ago, Happybeerbuzz said:

Savage Gear Pulse Tail 8".

Jackall Gantarel

Spro Swimbait 6"

S-Waiver 8"

It wouldn't be a bad idea to throw in a few different sizes and ranges of crank down wakes. Sometimes they won't come up and will follow without biting, but will bite once you crank it down to the depth they want it.

For me i think its just which one i'm in the mood for i tend to throw soft swimbaits but really its up to you. 

Two types of glide baits: open water and cover glides.
 

Open water are the bigger 10+ inch glides that have a huge slow s motion in the water. great for open water as the name suggest.

 

cover glides are smaller (s waver) usually 8 inches and smaller that excel around cover. They have a tighter action and a great with rod twitches to draw strikes- this will help with “hypnotizing”.

 

soft baits- either thru line or owner beast hooks usually. Weedless ones excel around grass where glides would be weeded up. Thru line usually excel in clear water and deeper- think rock bottom.

 

this is a general “guide” and there are many exceptions. Let me know if you have any questions about particular baits or styles.

 

that pulse tail is killer crawled on bottom like a hudd.