New system promises the biggest bass in the area, wherever you live.

In their Graphite-USA Series, Hastings Rods of San Diego builds several rods favored by California swimbait experts Mike Long and Mike Gash, including the 7-foot 11-inch extra-heavy and the 81⁄2-foot Mega Mag model with a moderately fast tip. Working with swimbait expert Byron Velvick, Rogue Rods of Oregon has produced three models for swimbait fishing—a 7-foot 9-inch light-power model, and medium- and heavy-power 8-footers. These actions are built on modifications of salmon rods, with tip actions to cast more accurately and to feel the subtle swimming action of the baits better.

For trolling, Jerry Rago selects 71⁄2- to 8-foot fiberglass rods to provide some give when fishing stiff singlestrand wire. His are medium-power models by Fenwick, rated for lines to 40-pound-test.

High-capacity reels match the big rods best and hold sufficient line for long casts. Western experts favor Shimano’s Calcutta CTE 400 for its smooth drag and oversized main-drive gear that increases torque, allowing an angler to cast and reel big baits all day with less fatigue. Abu-Garcia’s 6500C3 or 7000C3 also are great options.

Lure Care

Storm has made big inroads into the swimbait market with their lures that cost less than crankbaits. No problem if a pike tears the tail off. Original Castaic Trout lures sell on eBay for over $200 apiece, and Jerry Rago’s Generic Trout aren’t cheap. Ken Huddleston’s Deluxebow sells for $64.99.

To keep soft swimbaits running right, it’s important to prevent kinks in the tail, so hanging them vertically from the forward line tie is recommended. Keep lures separated so they won’t bleed colors. When tears occur in soft baits, superglue closes wounds cleanly. In a pinch, a lighter will mend a bait, but that damages color and the spot remains weak.

Because bass have such a powerful bite, they often seize swimbaits and fight powerfully, only to open their jaws and spit the bait. This is particularly common with big, soft plastic lures that can be squeezed. Unless the lure slips, hooks can’t penetrate. To increase slippage, apply viscous flavor formulas like Hot Sauce, Nitro Grease, or Lure Doctor to lures. They adhere to lures for many casts.

In Mexico, we found that dyeing the tail chartreuse triggered lots more strikes. In other situations, adding red accents along the gills or painting large “shad spots” on the sides enhances lures.

Some swimbaits come with a single large upturned hook behind the head. While lures often are engulfed, sometimes a stinger helps stick a nipping fish. Moreover, the weight of a swimbait makes it easy for a leaping bass to sling it. An extra hook helps pin it securely.

To a single hook, a treble can be slipped over the point and pinned in the back of the bait, then secured with a piece of tubing. Mike Gash ties a stinger treble to the forward hook, securing it with wire or braided line. If a bait comes with a belly hook, he adds the stinger on the back, and if it’s made with a back hook, he adds one to the ventral side.

Swimbaits represent a whole new way of catching bass—a lure with its own niche, not a knock-off style or an extension of an existing technique. Along with the still-developing drop-shot story, and the magic of the weightless stickbait, I’d say bass anglers everywhere have a decidedly new and potent technique to add to their repertoire.