Swimbaits

[CaptainJoe]

OK, Guys and Gals,

For the past nine months and everytime that I am out on the water without clients, I have been experimenting with swimbaits through flooded timber. Scott Suggs from AR in last year's FLW Stren Series Championship reportedly used this presentation to boat nearly all of his fish. Since then, I have been trying to perfect the presentation on Table Rock.

I have used many swimbaits in many styles and shapes during my time on Southern CA waters, but these were mostly trout imitators in open water since the waters out there are stocked with trout to provide forage for the bass.

I have tried the hollow bellies, hard baits, and weighted flukes with no success. I can catch mostly small fish swimming a grub through the trees, but not the bigger fish using a swimbait.

Has anyone (willing to share) perfected the swimbait presentation on Table Rock? Scott Suggs, if your out there, please share the love to your northern neighbors.

Thanks in advance.....

[denjac]

I would like to know also.

[rangerman]

I would also like to know, I tried just about every swimbait out there with minimal luck. Althought the best one I have used was the Castaic--hybrid hard head soft tail--in the threadfin shad model. Had pretty good luck with it. Fished it on a 6'5 medium action spinner with 6 pound fireline with a slow steady retrieve.

[focused fishing]

I'll join the chorus on this one, I have had limited success using a swimbait on Table Rock as well. The few fish I've caught have come from isolated tree tops on a Storm weighted swimbait, a few good fish but for the most part small keepers. Tried the big soft bodies, hollow bodies and even a few hard baits but haven't been able to put togeher a solid pattern as to where and when. I know there are a few guys out there that have done well with the baits, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

EP

[Jason Essary]

By no means am i in the league with u fellows, let me start, but i have caught several fish on the storm 5" pearl swimbait. Single hook. not the one with the assist treble. Largest, 4lb. large around buzzard. dont fish it alot, just when i think they are feeding on larger shad, mainly spring after the stickbite slows.

[Tyler]

Well i will have to say my favorite swimbait thus far has to be the Lake Fork basic pearl white or pearl white with black metallic stripe. These baits swim so realistic when rigged correctly it's unbelievable. I mostly use them for flippin into the bushes when the big ones are up shallow. Although, i have taken the time to jig them slowly in deeper structure conditions and have caught some quality bass.

[Ämp]

let it fall until rod and line make a 90 degree angle from a standard jigging position. use very small twitches from that point til it hits bottom or structure . from this point begin to reel like a slow roll spinner bait with eratic twitches, even lay your rod over so its perpendicular to your body on occasion then bring it back to jig position.. if you feel structure try pulling on the bait but keeping it on the limb for a min... these lures are bland with out you adding twitches , rips, or short erratic runs , so get out the wrist wrap its spook season all over again

[CaptainJoe]

Thanks for all of the help.....I guess it is still a work in progress. But, I know they will work here, it will just take time to figure out just how they want them, when, and where.

[Larry Richards]

Scott had a hand in the development of the Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait.Here is a video of Scott talking about rigging a swimbait http://www.bassedge.com/media/show/Scott+Suggs+-+Swimbait

Here is the FLW report about Scotts TX on the Rock.....

Suggs’ sneaky swimbait pattern … While most of the field was fishing jerkbaits, crankbaits and jigs in relatively shallow water, Scott Suggs discovered a sneaky way to catch a quick limit each morning. Targeting suspended spotted bass in the 30-foot range (water was 100 feet deep), Suggs would throw a 4-inch Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait rigged on a jighead. Each day he had his limit by 9 a.m., and then he would put the swimbait down and search for prespawn kickers in shallow water. “I owe my whole week to Berkley,” he said. “I was doing something a little different than everyone else. I had a deal going where I could catch a bunch of spots swimming that new bait. I probably had 30 bites this morning, but they were just slapping at the bait. I knew it would be good, especially if conditions got tough.”

[CaptainJoe]

Scott had a hand in the development of the Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait.Here is a video of Scott talking about rigging a swimbait http://www.bassedge.com/media/show/Scott+Suggs+-+Swimbait

Here is the FLW report about Scotts TX on the Rock.....

Suggs’ sneaky swimbait pattern … While most of the field was fishing jerkbaits, crankbaits and jigs in relatively shallow water, Scott Suggs discovered a sneaky way to catch a quick limit each morning. Targeting suspended spotted bass in the 30-foot range (water was 100 feet deep), Suggs would throw a 4-inch Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait rigged on a jighead. Each day he had his limit by 9 a.m., and then he would put the swimbait down and search for prespawn kickers in shallow water. “I owe my whole week to Berkley,” he said. “I was doing something a little different than everyone else. I had a deal going where I could catch a bunch of spots swimming that new bait. I probably had 30 bites this morning, but they were just slapping at the bait. I knew it would be good, especially if conditions got tough.”

Beautiful.....thanks, Larry.