Porter couldn’t pour enough Fat Minnows to meet demand, and Kamakazee Baits introduced a hand-poured Treats Swimbait. Fred Ward released the Money Minnow, sold within months to PRADCO, and Luck “E” Strike came out with Bass Magic in 3 sizes. Recent additions to the hollow-body arsenal include Strike King’s Shadalicious, the SwimmerZ from ZMan, Mann’s Hardnose SwimShad, EC Bass Magnet, and more.
In addition, injected, solid-body baits shaped like hollow-bodies are available, too. Rigged alike, they differ only in color and action. One of the more spectacular has been Lake Fork Tackle’s LIVE Magic Shad, a jointed softbait available in sizes up to 8 inches. Also unique is the Double Diamond Swimmer from Optimum. It has zig-zag swimming action, in addition to a roll and tail-kick.
Swimbait Rods
Swimbaits range from 1/4 ounce up over half a pound, calling for tackle to match. Rods labeled “swimbait action” typically are long and extra-heavy to cast and retrieve big baits. Smaller lures fish fine on medium-heavy and heavy-action crankbait, spinnerbait, or rigging rods. Those designed for big baits (8 inches or more) feature an extra-long handle. While this may look cumbersome and adds weight, it allows for easy, two-handed casting.
Big bait expert Bill Siemantel recommends cradling the long handle inside the elbow and paying attention to body position during the retrieve. Supporting the rod with your body eases strain on back, elbows, and shoulder, and correct posture helps drive the hook home. Reeling before and during the hook-set removes slack to drive hooks home at a distance.
Daiwa: The new Team Daiwa Zillion series includes 2 swimbait models, a 7-foot 4-inch extra-heavy (TDZL741XHFB) and a heavy 8-footer (TDZL801HFB). The Zillion features HVF graphite, bias construction, and Daiwa’s proprietary super carbon “Zaion,” to minimize weight with no loss of power.
Dobyns Rods: Designed with input from western bass legend Gary Dobyns, this company made quick converts with their variety and quality construction. The Champion Series includes 5 swimbait models, 2 designed by Mike Long— 795ML SB, 7-foot 9-inch and rated for 1- to 4-ounce baits, and 806 ML SC, an 8-footer for up to 5 ounces. The biggest stick, reported to deliver 10-ouncers with aplomb, is the 807 MAG HSB.
Fenwick: In their Elite Tech Series, Fenwick adds a Swimbait “Extreme Speed Control” casting rod (ECSWB79H-F), 7-foot 9-inch and rated for 15- to 25-pound test. With a soft but sensitive tip, it’s built for casting accuracy with medium to large swimbaits (1 to 3 ounces) and has plenty of backbone for hook-sets. It’s ideal for baits like Berkley Hollow Belly SwimBaits, but fishes heftier swimmers as well.
G. Loomis: The brand new SWBR953, a 7-foot 11-inch 3-power rod is designed for the hot new hollow-body baits, fished on 10- to 20-pound line, but it handles baits up to 2 ounces. This brings Loomis’ Swimbait selection to 5, ranging up to a 7-power rated for baits to 10 ounces. The SWBR955, a slightly heavier edition (5-power), has been a favorite for fishing mid-water swimbaits like SPRO’s BBZ-1, River2Sea Kong, and 20th Century Triple Trout. If you’re traveling to Amistad, Clear Lake, or Baccarac in Mexico, you can pack the new 3-piece Escape Travel Rods. The ETR81-3 MH17 and ETR81-3 HC20, both 6 foot 9 inches, are suited to midsized and large swimbaits.
Kistler: Last year, Kistler released the 8-foot KBSBS80 in their Graphite Plus line of Technique-Specific rods. Rated for 1- to 5-ounce lures, they’re versatile rods for big baits. The Smart Touch reel seat puts you in direct contact with the sensitive blank to feel the sometimes subtle wiggle of a big, soft-plastic sinker.
Lamiglas: Bill Siemental has been preaching the benefits of the Big Bait Special (model XC807) for years, catching hordes of giant bass in the process. It’s a hefty, long-handled stick with moderate taper and can handle the biggest baits. Its little brother XC806 also measures 8 feet, but has a telescoping handle for easy storage and takes baits to 3 ounces.
MegaBass: From the company’s I. T. O. Engineering think tank comes a pair of potent swimbait sticks. The “White Python” (F7-76RDti) has a following among West Coast swimbait enthusiasts. This 71⁄2-footer boasts a versatile rating of 3/8-ounce to 4 ounces, covering the gamut of swimbaits. Designed with a “Slant Bridge” handle to enhance leverage and casting ease, it’s built with a combination of Megabass’ D.N.A Graphite and a “Rare Metal Composite.” The “Super Destruction” (F8-78DG) is 2 inches longer and handles the biggest baits.
Okuma: The Guide Select Swim Bait Rod series includes 6 models, ranging from medium-heavy to extra-heavy and it’s clear the engineers have done their swimbait homework. The 3 lighter ones are 71⁄2 feet long and the heavy sticks measure 7 feet, 11 inches. Fuji New Concept frame guides with Alconite inserts finish the rods. And take your pick for under $110.00.
Quantum: In their Superlite PT Series, Quantum’s QTC7117F receives great reviews from anglers fishing hollow-belly baits and swimmers up to 2 ounces. This 7-foot 11-inch rod is powerful but light in weight, thanks to Fuji ACS reel seat and titanium-coated guides.
St. Croix: When it comes to producing great rods for all sorts of fishing, count on the folks from Park Falls, Wisconsin. Their Legend Tournament Series includes 2 swimbait models: LTBC79HF, rated for 1- to 4-ounce baits and measuring 7 feet 9 inches; and LTBC80XHF, the Mega Swim Bait rod, 8 feet long and rated for 3- to 8-ouncers. And new for ’09 are Mojo Bass Rods, including the MBC79HF, 7 feet 9 inches and with a fast tip, rated for 1 to 4 ounces. Best of all, it costs less than half as much as a Legend Tournament.
Line Choice
For fishing hollow-belly swimbaits, Jay Yelas likes the sensitive and sinking properties of fluorocarbon, Berkley’s 100% Trilene Flurocarbon, in particular. “I use 10-pound test with the 5-inch Berkley Hollow Belly Swimbait in most situations,” he says. “Thinner line allows maximum lure action, where you can get away with it,” adding that he switches to 15-pound test around brush or docks.
Around lily pads and thick grass clumps, however, I’ve found 50-pound braid excels for setting hooks and landing bass in thick cover. The bite is shallow, often just below the surface. To get baits a bit deeper, add interior weights. Particularly on long casts, no-stretch braid also helps set hooks through the substantial bulk of swimbaits. Braid also excels for surface swimbaits, keeping them up and enabling strong hook-sets at great distance.
When casting monster swimbaits, both fluorocarbon and braid have problems. If a tangle occurs with braid, it parts easily, launching costly baits to parts unknown. Siemantel, a firefighter by trade, tested this principle and found that braids actually melt, as friction burns spectra threads. In addition to weaker knot strength, flurocarbon also fails under heavy duress more frequently than mono, apparently due to fracturing of its dense structure. Density and its hard shell cause fluoro to spill off a spool rapidly, potentially causing tangles or weak spots that lose lures and big bass.
For those reasons, Siemantel and other big bait experts continue to rely on tough, low-stretch monofilaments in the 20- to 30-pound range when using hefty middepth swimbaits. But to set hooks, it becomes critical to reel before rearing back on bites far from the boat. Anglers must understand the relationship between line stretch, rod stiffness, and hook-setting motion, to get effective sets without breaking off.
Notes on Reels
The combination of heavy line and long casts calls for large-capacity reels. For the biggest baits, Shimano’s Calcutta 400 and Abu Garcia’s Ambassadeur 6500C have been standards. The new low-profile Abu Garcia Revo Toro is a great option, more easily palmed during the retrieve and amazingly light at 10.3 ounces. Gear ratio of 5.4:1 helps prevent over-reeling a lure, and it comes with an optional power handle. Okuma also has added the Red Isis, power reels with a 5.1:1 gear ratio, lots of line capacity, and a cool red highlight finish. Check the Ri-250T for great all-around swimbait use. For lighter baits, choose top-quality reels with medium gear ratios, powerful drags, and fine-tuned spool tension adjustment, as well as generous line capacity.
It’s going to be an exciting year for swimbait fishing. While bass in a few waters may actually be jaded towards some presentations, fish in far more waters have never set eyes on these remarkable baits. Get ready!
