Swimbaits
November 4, 2009
Swimbaits have been around for some time and although they started out as a freshwater bait, the saltwater crowd took them under their wing and created one of the most popular baits around. They then became a weapon in freshwater again over the years as more freshwater fishermen turned to them for different applications. Tournaments being won on them didn't hurt either.
But if you’re new to swimbaits, no doubt you’ve been faced with an overwhelming selection of pretty cool looking bait. How to go about narrowing down the selection? We’ll get into these specifics in part two of this article, but for now let’s look at some factual evidence on the success of the swimbait.
Rockfish live in just about every area of the western coastline, and swimbaits can
catch them all, from reds to lingcod to grouper. In fact it is the most popular way to chase them and catch them. Move outside the bays and calico bass will hit many swimbait colors without hesitation. Don't discount larger game; swimbaits are a popular drop back bait for tuna of all species. Even Yellowtail, Dorado, and Marlin have been caught on them. Next time you are off the California coast, throw them on that kelp paddy the captain has 
stopped on to fish.
The swimbait has really grown in popularity over the last several years. Since pro anglers are weighing in record bags of fish on them and big bass hunters are breaking lake record after lake record, they have soared in popularity. Many lakes around the country plant trout for the winter months. The largemouth have gotten used to filling their bellies on them. The swimbait is a perfect imitator!
Swimbaits for freshwater have gotten so refined they almost look like taxidermists have had a hand in their construction and design. The trout look so realistic! Some manufacturers even create their mold from real fish, hand pouring the plastic into the molds. A little fancy airbrushing and they look like the real thing.
There is a wide selection of product to choose from: Yum, Western Plastics, Fish Trap, Big Hammer, Optimum, Matt Lures, Huddleston, Yamamoto, the list goes on forever. Don’t worry, in part two of this series, we’ll go into more detail covering swimbait selection and how different styles work for different presentations. They come in all types of textures and colors, and with hand poured baits, you can really go overboard.
Color isn't the only thing to take into consideration if the fish want a particular action. The wide selection of products provide different vibrations and actions as they go through the water. We’ll be looking at these different options.
Many swimbaits come with the lead head or jig head already molded into them. Some require changing the weight of the jig head to suit the depth of the water you are fishing. There is a lead head with a hook to suit any plastic bait nowadays. Some are painted to imitate various bait fish, and some even have eyes and gills.
Your tackle should match the fish and the size swimbait you are throwing and we’ll go into more detail in this area in part two. You can throw swimbaits for everything from bluegill to blue marlin, so it’s important to match your tackle to the game fish you are after.
Here are a few things to think about while you wait for part two:
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What type of bait fish does the fish you’re after eat regularly?
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How big are those baitfish?
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How deep does your swimbait need to be weighted for?
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Match the color of your swimbait to that of the prey
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Adjust your tackle and line to suit what you will be catching on swimbaits from now on
Stay tuned for part two . . .