well you've done it russ....

you've convinced me to hop on the wagon. heard about a sweet deal on a 7'6" okuma paired with a shimano cardiff 300 that was for sale on another site, contacted the guy and we're meeting up this weekend to exchange goods. so after this weekend, expect one more "ANOTHER!!!! swimbait-er is born!" thread to pop up!

the bait monkey thanks you, russell. my wallet, however, does not.

Those Mattlures look amazing. I bought some cheap 5" Storm swim baits to use as minimal pike lures to put on my bass rods. My friends and I will troll for pike when moving btwn bass spots. One day I decided to cast it and the water exploded as soon as it hit. Things haven't slowed down much. I've been surprised at how slowly they sink for how heavy they are. A super slow retrieve very similar to how you work a weigtless/light weight worm seems to work best: do what you can to allow the bait to swim. The name "swim bait" pretty much says it all.

I must have said this a 100 times. Its not 1 bite a day. Its usaly a window of bites durring the day. If you hit the window and your in a good spot you can have the best trip of your like. If you miss the window you could easily get skunked. I have more no bite days then 1 bite days. But I also have MANY more multiple bite days then one ore no bite days put together. The difference is experiance. The more in tune you are with your water and the swimbaits the quicker you will realize when you are waisting your time. You will also learn to feel your seventh swimbait sense where you just know your going to get bit and DO. Cant explain it but you will know it when you get there. There reason everybody says fish all day for 1 bite is because thats how everybody starts. Its tough to relearn how to fish but once you do it for a while things get better, MUCH better. LBH has made a good choice in baits. the Slammer is proven. there are only a few baits that are truly proven. Many guys try and go the cheap rout and that only slows the learning curve. Trust me I kniw. It took me 2 seasons of half a$$ed swimbaiting before I even got bit. I bought the cheapest baits thinking they were as good as the super expensive $100 Castiacs a hundred years ago Lol.. My cheapness is what prompted me to start making my own baits so it was a blessing in disguise.

Any way Congrats to LBH and the rest of you take note. Just because you dont have 15lb bass doesnt mean you dont have a bunch of 8-10lbers Its just that guys havent learned how to catch them yet!!!!

I just started throwing the King Shad without success......yet......but that thing is a workout to fish very long.

I must have said this a 100 times. Its not 1 bite a day. Its usaly a window of bites durring the day. If you hit the window and your in a good spot you can have the best trip of your like. If you miss the window you could easily get skunked. I have more no bite days then 1 bite days. But I also have MANY more multiple bite days then one ore no bite days put together. The difference is experiance. The more in tune you are with your water and the swimbaits the quicker you will realize when you are waisting your time. You will also learn to feel your seventh swimbait sense where you just know your going to get bit and DO. Cant explain it but you will know it when you get there. There reason everybody says fish all day for 1 bite is because thats how everybody starts. Its tough to relearn how to fish but once you do it for a while things get better, MUCH better. LBH has made a good choice in baits. the Slammer is proven. there are only a few baits that are truly proven. Many guys try and go the cheap rout and that only slows the learning curve. Trust me I kniw. It took me 2 seasons of half a$$ed swimbaiting before I even got bit. I bought the cheapest baits thinking they were as good as the super expensive $100 Castiacs a hundred years ago Lol.. My cheapness is what prompted me to start making my own baits so it was a blessing in disguise.

Any way Congrats to LBH and the rest of you take note. Just because you dont have 15lb bass doesnt mean you dont have a bunch of 8-10lbers Its just that guys havent learned how to catch them yet!!!!

Every word of this reply is GOSPEL!!

can I get an AMEN?

Matt just described the learning aspect of these things and I think this is what is very attractive.  I already recognize the water and window theory SO MUCH but didn't realize it till Matt just spoke it.  THIS IS PART OF WHY THIS IS SO EXCITING!!

Every trip fills in a number in the equation,...making the math easier vthe next time around.  Maybe not easier, but the confidence is boosted.  Even on a skunk day,...you learn what doesn't work,...another number,......

I actually have a good assortment of Matt's baits here now.  I plan to use them when I get to that level.  I am not ready for them just yet.  Knowing this is kinda cool.  It gives me goals now.

This is just the cats meow.

Thanks for the reply Matt, top notch.  You let me know I'm right on track.  

Mike- I'm on vacation CONSTANTLY starting the week after next.  

I just started throwing the King Shad without success......yet......but that thing is a workout to fish very long.

Try a wake type bait to start with.  MUCH easier on the newly used muscles, etc

I must have said this a 100 times. Its not 1 bite a day. Its usaly a window of bites durring the day. If you hit the window and your in a good spot you can have the best trip of your like. If you miss the window you could easily get skunked. I have more no bite days then 1 bite days. But I also have MANY more multiple bite days then one ore no bite days put together. The difference is experiance. The more in tune you are with your water and the swimbaits the quicker you will realize when you are waisting your time. You will also learn to feel your seventh swimbait sense where you just know your going to get bit and DO. Cant explain it but you will know it when you get there. There reason everybody says fish all day for 1 bite is because thats how everybody starts. Its tough to relearn how to fish but once you do it for a while things get better, MUCH better. LBH has made a good choice in baits. the Slammer is proven. there are only a few baits that are truly proven. Many guys try and go the cheap rout and that only slows the learning curve. Trust me I kniw. It took me 2 seasons of half a$$ed swimbaiting before I even got bit. I bought the cheapest baits thinking they were as good as the super expensive $100 Castiacs a hundred years ago Lol.. My cheapness is what prompted me to start making my own baits so it was a blessing in disguise.

Any way Congrats to LBH and the rest of you take note. Just because you dont have 15lb bass doesnt mean you dont have a bunch of 8-10lbers Its just that guys havent learned how to catch them yet!!!!

Believe me i'm taking notes.Swimbaiting is an expensive thing to start up...money's tight and i'm just slowly building up a swimbait tacklebox.Looks like i'm gonna have to wait till next year for the swimbait rig.But for now i'm OK with learning everything i can.

I am excited to try some swimbaits after reading all of the posts.  I enjoy catching large fish, and I want to catch bigger ones.  Here is my problem.  I read the review of the mattlure blue gill lure that is linked to his site.  I decided to price out the rigs the reviewer was using.  HUMM!!  The rod was $499.95, and the reel was $508.  So once I spend $1000 I can then buy the $30 lures!  As I am a motorhome salesmen, money is tight.  In case you have not noticed, at $5 for diesel, the sales of $100,000 to $250,000 motor homes are a little off right now.

I am low budget - $29.95 M/H Dicks sporting good rod and a real that can only take 10 pound test.  I have lost enough lures to know I would cry when the line breaks with a $30 lure on it.

So for us poor people. Is there a reasonably priced rod and real that you would recommend that is beefy enough for large swim baits and large bass?  

I know everyone says you get what you pay for, but the option is not available to buy a $1000 set up, no matter how nice it is.

shoot 6 blowups is still an action packed day compared to many you may see ;D

GL out there

LBH, what swim baits do you recommend for the beginner swim baiter? Like what brands ect.  

Would my 7'6 H Flippin' stick with Daiwa Megaforce reel and 30lbs braid be sufficient to fish them?

The Mattlures Baby Bass weighs 1.3 oz and can be fished with a MH or H Power baitcasting rig. No special equipment is required.

8-)

I am excited to try some swimbaits after reading all of the posts. I enjoy catching large fish, and I want to catch bigger ones. Here is my problem. I read the review of the mattlure blue gill lure that is linked to his site. I decided to price out the rigs the reviewer was using. HUMM!! The rod was $499.95, and the reel was $508. So once I spend $1000 I can then buy the $30 lures! As I am a motorhome salesmen, money is tight. In case you have not noticed, at $5 for diesel, the sales of $100,000 to $250,000 motor homes are a little off right now.

I am low budget - $29.95 M/H Dicks sporting good rod and a real that can only take 10 pound test. I have lost enough lures to know I would cry when the line breaks with a $30 lure on it.

So for us poor people. Is there a reasonably priced rod and real that you would recommend that is beefy enough for large swim baits and large bass?

I know everyone says you get what you pay for, but the option is not available to buy a $1000 set up, no matter how nice it is.

Here man, give this a shot....

http://www.***.com/descpageRDCOKUMA-OGSBBR.html

http://www.***.com/descpageRLCSHIMANO-SCCRA.html