Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

When next season starts I want to be working on another technique. I threw a swimbait very few times in the last couple seasons and only have had bass come up and knock the bait. What type of setup do you guys like for these baits?  Is a glass rod or graphite better? What opinions do you guys have for soft swimbaits compared to the hard ones like the strike king sexy swimmer? Thanks in advance for any info

I like a bigger crankbait rod like my Grandt C76M and moderately heavy P-Line HALO up to 20 pounds test for things like swimbaits - hard or soft, and for bigger, shallow running crankbaits that I like to throw like the old Fred Young Big O, Norman Big N and similar fun lures.

The trick with the bigger swimbaits seems to be to make a long cast and don't set the hook until they are swimming with it. Not easy to do except for those rare days when the real bigheads are just inhaling them! I still need lots of practice!

I'm still trying to figure out how to fit swimbaits in my arsenal.  I mostly use the soft-bodied ones but I have had some limited success with several of the hardbaits.  I've had the most success with a slow, steady retrieve.  One thing I've found is that even a 15" fish will eat a 6 or 8" lure.

My rig is a Shimano Calcutta 200 spooled with 20# Vicious Fluoro paired nicely with a Powell 754cb glass-composite. 

For anything from 1/4oz 4" holly bodies to 7" heavier line thru's I like a 7'6 Heavy Duckett. Very light and balanced well so you can throw those baits all day and not get tired. A lot of backbone but they also load up very well allowing the fish to get the bait. 20lb flouro works in most of the situations. Maybe bump down to 15/17 in extreme circumstances. When a largie bites just keep reeling down until you feel them turn or stop, they won't let go, they inhale swimbait 95% of the time and don't plan on giving it up. With smallies it's a different story, just crack them, they usually have it right away.