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Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:49 pm
by OG_ZILLION
I want to get into throwing plastic swimbaits. Mainly paddletails, basstrix, keitech swing impact and the likes. Basically...3-6" paddletail swim baits that are weightless and have a full body fish profile.

Right now...there are only 3 rigs I know of for throwing 3-6" plastic swimbaits and that is:
1. A weighted EWG top hook.
2. A scrounger or plastic lipped jighead.
3. A weighted jighead.

- Which rig is seen as more "finesse"? The scrounger right?
- Which one is the most efficient at making the paddletail swim correctly and naturally?

I will most likely pick out 1 brand or family of paddletails and start from there. I was thinking of going with the Keitech Swing Impacts.

- Are they versatile enough to be used with all 3 rigs?
- Which rig is best for the Keitech swing impact?
- Which plastic swimbait is best for the scrounger? I have seen guys mostly using a fluke with the scrounger and not a paddletail swimbait.

Thanks for the help.

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 2:44 pm
by spoon2610
I use all 4 sizes of the Keitech baits. I use the big 5.8 with a 1oz lead head and that has a HUGE wobble and tail action. Secondly i use the 4.8 with an Aaron Martens scrounger or a Revenge 1/2 oz lead head with a pegged Nose job by Pay check baits, this has some serious action to it. The 3.8 i use for my Jigs and sometimes a darter head. Lastly the 2.8 i use it for my drop shot and Carolina rig <--- extremely deadly(for me), The drop shot is the only time i go finesse with these baits. I mostly just burn them or slow roll them and kill it for about 5 seconds then roll it again. Im using braid to flouro and a Palomar knot to the lead heads. Im guessing there are LOTS more ways to work these baits. Scrounger + Fluke + Nose job = nice fatties!!!!
Just my 2 cents


:big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin: :big grin:

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 2:49 pm
by spoon2610
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Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 12:08 pm
by Silas
I've just this week been experimenting with the Keitech Swing Impact Fats in 3.8 inch.

I wanted to just put an unweighted hook in it to swim over grass. I tried several.....some with the screw in spring, some with the push in plastic spear, some Gama Skipjacks.

NONE of those worked well. The bait would roll and twist. I put a tiny swivel ahead of it with a 2 foot leader but didn't like that either.....don't want it spinning. And I'm not reeling it in FAST either.....slow and jerk it sometimes and kill it and let it fall.

The BEST combo so far is a 1/16 keel weighted hook with the spring on front. Best action.

The Japanese use another method with 2 tiny tungsten weights imbedded underneath the Swing Impact.....there are indents already molded there. This keeps the bait from spinning or rolling on an unweighted hook. I may try this method next.

The 3.8 and the 4plus work really well on the Keitech Tungsten Jig head with the rubber trailer.....made for that bait.
I like the 1/8oz size. Kind of expensive.....around $7 each but well worth it

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 10:32 pm
by WIR3D 2 FISH
I too believe the Keitech is the best paddle tail in terms of action even at the slowest reeling speeds. Lead heads work extremely well when its not necessary to be weedless. If you need to be weedless I have had the best success with the Owner Beast weighted swimbait hooks. The only drawback to the Beast is that there is not a weight offering that makes the weedless set up practical for deep water fishing. A 6/0 hook comes with only a 1/4oz weight. Trial and error with many of the listed suggestions should lend a solution. Good Luck!

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 5:53 am
by John Puckett
The two ways I use the Swing Impact Fats are as swim jig trailers and by themselves on Owner Beast hooks. The way I get around the problem WIR3D 2 FISH brings up is simple and effective. I purchase Beast hooks that are un-weighted and then just use the crimp on weights from Bass Pro. They make them all the way up to 1/2oz I think and they are easy to find. I'll include a pic just so it's easier to understand what I'm talking about. I can't remember if the hook in this pic is a 6/0 or 8/0 but I do know the weight is a 3/8oz.
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Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 6:55 am
by cst
I'm a really big fan of the Big Hammer baits. My TW order from today included 10 packs of them! :D

You can fish them on the Hammer Head jig heads if you're in open water. These heads are cheap (there are cheaper options but I don't really like them) and have an exposed hook for easier hook setting.

And if you're more of a heavy cover, strong line, big rods kind of guy, fish them with the Warbaits jig heads. They have big hooks, a snag resistant head shape and a thick weedguard.

There are times when they work better as a swimjig trailer instead of a bare jig head. Again, go with the Warbaits brand if you're fishing heavy cover or pick your favorite swimjig for lighter cover. For the lighter cover stuff, I've been fishing the regular Dirty Jigs (not the California Swim Jig) swim jigs.

You can't really rig the big hammers on weedless hooks.

I don't understand people's fascination with the scrounger head. I can't catch fish on them. I did buy two today to try them out again though. I'm not sure if a swimbait is the right trailer for a scrounger though.


I've had my best luck with the 4" Big Hammer. It catches almost as many fish as the 3" but you get a lot nicer grade of fish. The 5" is popular but the water I fish is too shallow for it I think. I don't fish the 5" all too often.

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 4:33 pm
by spoon2610
cst wrote: I don't understand people's fascination with the scrounger head. I can't catch fish on them. I did buy two today to try them out again though. I'm not sure if a swimbait is the right trailer for a scrounger though
Last summer the Scrounger head bite at my local lake was INSANE. The LMB's were killing them on the fall, slow rolling on the bottom all day, and burning them at dusk.

I use a fluke or a soft swimbait for my scrounger heads, the swimbait just adds more action to it.

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Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 11:50 am
by Tokugawa
I'll save you a lot of time:

Keitech Swing Impact Fats 4.8" with a Model III jig. Done. Don't bother with anything else.

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 4:00 am
by sjvd
What is that clear plastic thing in the picture called? In front of the Lure?

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:35 pm
by angry john
Tokugawa wrote:I'll save you a lot of time:

Keitech Swing Impact Fats 4.8" with a Model III jig. Done. Don't bother with anything else.
The setup is sweet but a little pricy. If you are not on a tight budget there is nothing better IMO. I lost the skirt part today after a few hours, and that sucks. The hook is great to.

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:48 pm
by cst
sjvd wrote:What is that clear plastic thing in the picture called? In front of the Lure?
"Bill" or maybe "lip".

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:10 pm
by spoon2610
sjvd wrote:What is that clear plastic thing in the picture called? In front of the Lure?
Its the Aaron Martens Scrounger head.

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 6:07 am
by Native
I've had remarkable success with the Scrounger also. Does so many things well with many trailer types. The bill functions almost the same way as a chatterbait. The jig can be used with and without the skirt. I've done the best with skirts with the Skinny Dipper clones from Bass Pro and Zoom Swimming Super Flukes rigged upside down with the slot facing up (much better action). Without skirts with pearl Yum Money Minnows with the tails painted chartreuse and the white/magic shad Lake Fork Magic Shads (my favorites). I also use Warbait swim jigs rigged the same way but the action, obviously, is nothing like the Scroungers. Big difference in catch ratios for me.

Oh yea, wanted to share another idea that paid off! Instead of using lead pinched on the keel of EWG hooks like the Beast, try putting a small section (not more than 3/8") of a Senko on the keel. Weight is probably close to an 1/8 oz. and works great. If you use a bright color it can actually work for you as an attractant.

CST, how are you rigging your Hammers so they don't tear? I use the 4-5" also but have had a hell of a time with them tearing on the cast as well as the bite right at the bend in the hook? I've been using PRO’s Soft Bait Glue to keep them on the hook but they still tear.

Oh and last thing, you can eliminate the undesired bait roll by putting a very small finish nail in the plastic below the jig hook right in behind the jig head. Adds just enough weight without significantly altering the action or weight of the swimbait jig.

Re: Plastic swim baits...??

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 4:04 am
by cst
Native wrote:I've had remarkable success with the Scrounger also. Does so many things well with many trailer types. The bill functions almost the same way as a chatterbait. The jig can be used with and without the skirt. I've done the best with skirts with the Skinny Dipper clones from Bass Pro and Zoom Swimming Super Flukes rigged upside down with the slot facing up (much better action). Without skirts with pearl Yum Money Minnows with the tails painted chartreuse and the white/magic shad Lake Fork Magic Shads (my favorites). I also use Warbait swim jigs rigged the same way but the action, obviously, is nothing like the Scroungers. Big difference in catch ratios for me.

Oh yea, wanted to share another idea that paid off! Instead of using lead pinched on the keel of EWG hooks like the Beast, try putting a small section (not more than 3/8") of a Senko on the keel. Weight is probably close to an 1/8 oz. and works great. If you use a bright color it can actually work for you as an attractant.

CST, how are you rigging your Hammers so they don't tear? I use the 4-5" also but have had a hell of a time with them tearing on the cast as well as the bite right at the bend in the hook? I've been using PRO’s Soft Bait Glue to keep them on the hook but they still tear.

Oh and last thing, you can eliminate the undesired bait roll by putting a very small finish nail in the plastic below the jig hook right in behind the jig head. Adds just enough weight without significantly altering the action or weight of the swimbait jig.
Warbaits Weedless Jig Head is the best jig head for bait durability I've tried. Your bait stays in place because of the trailer keeper and the skirt keeper.

The hook area is just where they tear. You can super glue the bait to the collar and use something like 3:16 glue to melt the holes around the hook back together. Unlike hudds and stuff, though, I don't bother gluing them too often. They're cheap and more durable than the super soft bass plastics I usually use.