Rigging a Gulp bait, whether minnow, worm or shrimp, is precisely the same as rigging the real bait. Weighted Hook – Another popular hook style is a weighted EWG or a nose screw lock hook. There are several ways to rig a hollow swimbait, each allowing the angler to effectively cover open water structure and varying types of cover. I will give it a try this year for sure. This technique is most productive in cold water with the bait moving uphill, along offshore humps and other forms of permanent structure. We prefer the belly for best performance and balance! Membership Includes 1 Year Bassmaster Magazine, Plus $50 in free gear. Membership Includes 1 Year Bassmaster Magazine, Plus $50 in free gear. Over time he refined his cold water — around 52 degrees — largemouth technique by stopping the swimbait from time to time. This is my preferred shallow technique covering weed flats and boulder flats and shallow stump fields. It is unmatched by conventional hard Swimbaits because it can be fished through almost any kind of cover, around any kind of structure, at any depth, from early spring through late into fall. The word swimbait conjures up images of giant hunks of wood or hard plastic shaped like a trout and armed with multiple sets of treble hooks. a chance to win a ufobaits x swimbait canada collaboration bait . There are three main ways to rig a paddle tail swimbait; exposed top hook, weedless, and bottom treble hook. Before I go any further I would like to let you know that 4″ and 5″ Hollow Swimbaits have caught quality Blue Fish, Redfish, Sea Trout, Striped Bass, Walleye, Lake Trout, Musky, Pike, Pickerel, Smallmouth, Largemouth and Kentucky aka Spotted Bass. To rig the Fattube, the No. It is essentially a tube shaped like a bait fish with a paddle tale. +  4. For rigging weedless, I generally like a 3/0 to 7/0 wide gap hook with a heavier wire hook, especially when fishing it on braided line. Increasing the amount of weight will allow you to fish the bait at a faster speed or great depth if that’s what the fish want. Time limit is exhausted. JOIN TODAY! })(120000); Separate the cylinder of the pop rivet from the shank. Insert Cylindrical portion of the pop rivet into the belly of your swimbait. Use a bait caster with 12-18 lb line coupled with a 7′ medium heavy rod action. 2. Jacob walks us through conventional jig head and weedless Texas rigging then expands on how he rigs the Largo Shad on the back of spinnerbaits and swim jigs. STORE. It's important that the lure stays upright with the dorsal fin on top. If you fail to do this your swimbait will not track correctly, it will roll on its side or helicopter. This week Matt and Tim break down swimbait rigging. (318)347-7380 You can Email Me Here Mike Cork Ph. It features a slit down the belly for rigging a custom, 9/0 swimbait hook (included), and another channel at the top of the bait to conceal the hook point. This 4.5" swimbait is another versatile bait that can be rigged a number of ways. Brilliant pre made rigging harness that fits loads of plastics and swimbaits. But he soon found that his bite was better if he maintained constant contact with the bottom. 4. Please reload the CAPTCHA. If you want to keep the bait at or near the surface with a slower more deliberate retrieve use and unweighted EWG style hook and rig Texas style like a worm (Owner Wide Gap Plus 6/0 are best). var notice = document.getElementById("cptch_time_limit_notice_80"); Texas Rig -You can add a tungsten bullet shaped weight on your line so that it rest against the nose of the bait if you want get deeper. Rigging a swimbait for better hookups with Chad Morgenthaler. This is very similar to your classic Texas rig. I have done it with a fluke so i’m sure it would work. For now, this bait is a seven and a half inch soft plastic bait that looks, pardon the pun, like a perfect sized snack for any hungry bass. Both places had their own ways of rigging up Osprey’s, Eagles, etc. The problem with the Eagle was hook up ratios. Small plastic grub, shrimp fly, or other small lure sits off the dropper loop. there are a couple ways to tie this thing, and I will show you both. Watch your line. Consider this, if your car’s alignment isn’t right it won’t perform as it should and if your lure is not rigged straight it won’t have a desirable performance either. You don't waste so much time letting the lure fall.". The important thing is for us, as anglers, to think outside the box when it comes to catching bass.". if ( notice ) Your email address will not be published. He prefers using artificial lures and casting tackle, but won’t hesitate to break out a popping cork when the time is right. Hope this helps. Megabass Freestyle Magdraft 6" Single Hook L: for lures up to 30cm eg. Im going to be starting to pour some 3 3/4 swimbaits from lurecraft and i was wondering how do you guys rig these. I agree Tom. Sport Fishing magazine highlights the newest swimbaits available for saltwater fishermen, and how, when and where to use them. The Eagle is a line thru bait and it weighs a good 4-5 ounces. Devin is the founder of Louisiana Fishing Blog and enjoys exploring new fishing spots on Louisiana’s coast. Tie one on fish it for at least 40 minutes each time you hit the water, it will be well worth your time and effort. 3. Rigging a swimbait with a belly-weighted hook allows for a weedless presentation to be fished deeper around brush and through submerged vegetation. The rest are thick, tough and lack the required action to be effective. JOIN TODAY! They require big specially designed swimbait rods, often 8 feet in length with heavy line and reels with strong gears and guts in them. Required fields are marked *, (function( timeout ) { Whether you're fishing heavy cover for big largemouth or suspended smallmouth in clear water there is an easy way to rig your baits to optimize every bite. This is a great way to target big fish that may be keying on baitfish with a more subtle approach than a vibrating jig or a lipless crankbait. Dec 22, 2016 - Russ Lane gives his quick tip on rigging a split belly swimbait with any size weight you prefer to cut down on short strikes. The opposite end of weight has a split ring to attach a treble hook. Use a plastic swimbait that's forward weighted and that won't roll over when you stop it. Get best fishing times with lunar fishing calendars, Targeting transition zones for winter bass, Winterize your boat: The hull and trailer. When fishing more open water areas with little or no snags you can go with exposed hook rigging. Connect the split ring to the eye of your treble hook. To rig this style yourself, simply slide the hook into the nose of the bait and poke the hook through the back so the base of the hook lays against the nose of the bait. Join B.A.S.S. And, using a 6-inch ABT soft series Wagtail helped, too. March 15, 2019 In this Major League Lesson, MLF pro Scott Suggs shows you how he likes to rig a swimbait, and explains the best way to fish the bait. This is a great way to hit deeper weed edges, ledges and submerged structure. Here’s Lawrence’s method for rigging a 4.0 Booty Shaker: 1. With your thumb still holding the spot, take the hook in your other hand and gently scribe a light mark in the top of the swimbait body. The breakdown of lures appearing in the 2020 Opens top lure galleries reflected the need to cover water, and do it on the run. Place your thumb at the aft end of the hook and hold the swimbait at the location. It’s a straight up bigbait and was the first bait I ever committed to fishing for days and days. Sure it had been used for years before secretly and with great success, but when a big time pro wins a major tournament or two or three with the same bait, that secret gets out in a hurry! Captain Devin Chief Instructor. There'll be refinements that I've not thought about that other guys will, and it'll get even better as time goes along. ... Stay up to date with the latest news, tips and show times. Some of the larger 8 and 10 inch swim baits can weigh more than 2 ounces. Simply rig the swimbait on an appropriately sized jighead using the hook-channel rigging system and you are ready to fish. I heard a few readers ask why remove the paddle tail for wacky rigging? In this Tackle Tip Tuesday video brought to you by Mercury, Chad Morgenthaler shows us a way he likes to rig soft plastic swimbaits so he hooks and lands more fish. This would include a variety of live vegetation, fallen timber, stump fields, boulder flats, docks, sand bars and points. 1. I cannot comment on the effectiveness of the soft plastic swimbaits that you might have purchased and tried to use in the past. Insert weighted hooks like jigs as seen in the photos or use a new innovative product made by KSH called the Original Bait Weight. From Basstrix to Keitechs they explain the best options to help you load the boat on your next trip! Time limit is exhausted. This will give you the power you'll need at deeper depths. Entice Rigging Harness Swimbait rig ready to go! Goldbeck recommends an ABT 6-inch Wagtail. And so, Goldbeck discovered another refinement that he believes makes the difference between a good day of fishing and a great day of fishing — working the lure uphill rather than downhill. “It has a good action no matter how you rig it,” said the Arizona pro.  =  Your email address will not be published. This technique is most productive in cold water with the bait moving uphill, along offshore humps and other forms of permanent structure. Regardless of which rigging technique you use, please pay extremely close attention and take you time making sure the any time your hook enters or exits the bait it is precisely centered. Swimbaits are basically plastic or rubber "fish shaped" bodies rigged on a jig head. "I think that's the key to the whole thing, really. This weight gets inserted through the belly of the bait and pushed as far forward towards the head as possible, then pushed up through the top of the head. timeout He first started fishing them in cold water in the traditional manner — letting the bait sink and then slowly reeling it back to the boat. As a result hollow swimbait have become a favorite of angles in all regions of the country for the last 3 years. setTimeout( In the past I would toss my swimbaits once the nose was ripped. Rigging keys: Choose a hook that reaches back into the body, but not into the part of the tail that actually “swims.” Jigheads work best for open water and umbrella rigs. After all, the idea is to give the bass something they haven't seen before. The last style is normally used as an add on to the exposed top hook rig. Rigging the Fattube. Related Articles View More. Please reload the CAPTCHA. Once on bottom, raise and lower the rod tip to jig the swimbait. 3. Topic: Rigging A Swimbait; Laurie Cork Ph. Swim It – I’ve tried a variety of techniques, including Texas-rigging and Carolina-rigging. Adding the swimbait to your angling arsenal will give you a versatile tool that will put more and bigger fish in the boat or on the bank. This is great information, especially the wacky rig swimbait idea. Some swimbaits are the type where the body is separate from the jig head and must be rigged by the angler. If you have caught a few fish and damaged the nose of your swimbait don’t throw it out. 20-21 COLLECTION NOW UP They catch fish in the spring, summer and fall, why wouldn't they work in the wintertime?". My focus today is the Hollow Swimbait which made a big splash on the bass circuit starting in 2007. The Wagtail does that.". function() { Largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted or Kentucky Bass are proverbial “pigs” when it comes to eating habits as many of us have experience by hooking fish half the size of our lure. You can get an even more natural fall if you hook my bait through the side (lateral line) not the belly which imitates a dying shad listing over on it’s side as it spirals down through the water. Glue the Nose – Add a drop of glue on the hook shank around the nose of the bait to help hold it. (They aren't called swimbaits for nothing.) Some slight scissor modifications allow the bait to be custom fit to spinnerbaits and jigs of varying hook sizes and styles — important for increasing bites and reducing short strikes at the same time. Another benefit to a soft swimbait over a hard swimbait is you won’t need special rods or reels to effectively cast them. Goldbeck recommends an ABT 6-inch Wagtail. The baits are infused with chemicals to produce a scent that mimics the real thing. Note where the hook should enter the front of the swimbait so that the top of the swimbait is flush with the top of the jig head. A high percentage of your best strikes will come when the bait is holding still, sitting motionless on the bottom, "I'm just getting started with this. It'll let you maintain contact with the bottom on the drag and also when you stop. Cut off the paddle tail section and rig the middle diction of the bait with a circle or octopus hook, add split shot and you have a great wacky style bait. notice.style.display = "block"; }, Once you tear up the bait and it starts to slide on the shank and around the barb, you’ll miss fish. Single Hook S: for lures up to 18cm eg. I was wondering if there is a weedless application to swim these things through grass. Weightless – You will be able to find several hooks for targeting fish in weeds and other vegetation. A big swimbait can be hard to cast on conventional bass fishing tackle. The steps depends on the specifics of the swimbait. The word swimbait conjures up images of giant hunks of wood or hard plastic shaped like a trout and armed with multiple sets of treble hooks. Each Gulp bait is designed to imitate the movement of its natural counterpart in the water. "Forward weighting of the lure seems to work best. I can only advise you t make sure that you look for a thin body and soft plastic consistency. Hollow Swimbaits are made of soft plastic just like the worms and tube baits which most anglers already use. Insert sewing needle through pop rivet out the nose of the swimbait. MLF is committed to extending the life of the sport. The last tip I can give you is to spend more than 10 minutes throwing these baits adjusting your retrieve depth. six Elite Series angler Grant Goldbeck does just that with soft plastic swimbaits. Hook up ratios were a real problem in the early days with this rig. Throwing this around docks, flooded trees or at bass busting shad on top and you have a very realistic dying shad presentation. }, Copyright © 2020 Fish Pittsburgh - Powered By. Rest the swimbait on its side, and align the Fattube … Bass spend a large part of the fishing season, either in or close to some kind of cover or shallow water structure that is less than 10 feet deep. Maintaining constant bottom contact with these lures isn't easy, however. Scott Suggs on Rigging a Swimbait. Watch your line. There's a few little tips on upgrading your screen by for chasing you feel God certainly will help you hook up right. Use a heavy baitcasting combo spooled with 20-pound-test Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon line. This is a dropper rig: Swimbait on the bottom and a dropper loop 18" up from the swimbait. The fact that the profile replicates a … These hooks have varying amounts of lead molded onto the hook shank. This allows versatility in … ripbait, etc., is a term used to describe a certain type of lure. Pictures would be worth one thousand words They look cool, often weigh a ton and cost a small fortune. Berkley claims Gulp baits outlast real baits in the water. Freespool the swimbait to the bottom, keeping slight pressure on the reel's spool as to not backlash on the way down. Plus this rigging style allows for better action and a more weedless approach. Major League Lessons. While many would fish it on a jighead, Bertrand also likes to mix it up sometimes and fish it with a swimbait hook. Rigging a paddle tail swimbait weedless is very similar, but instead you want to slide the hook in the bait deep enough so the point of the hook lays against the back of the swimbait. Special thanks to Craig Toerien from Hippo Tackle for sharing his knowledge of  soft plastic swimbaits with everyone here at FishPittsburgh. ); If entering the nose go in dead center, out the back or through the belly dead center. There have been many innovations since the early 1990’s with an explosion of natural looking, ultra realistic hard and soft models swimbaits to choose from. "But I wanted to try something different. .hide-if-no-js { Rigging variations: Other rigging options: open jighead, weightless for waking, weedless with a weighted hook, umbrella rig, under-spin trailer, ChatterBait trailer. You have to lob the bait more than cast it like a normal lure. One harness per pack. A 12oz bass will attack it just as readily as a 12 pound lunker. I would recommend my Hippo Tackle Hollow Core Tube Swimbaits, Berkley’s Hollow Belly Swimbaits or the original Basstrix Swimbaits. Step 3) Hold the jig head up to the swimbait again, this time slightly forward. Those big intimidating ones are a category unto themselves however there are several others all of which have different capabilities and applications. 2. Sometimes the best way to trick-out a bait is to fish it in an unusual way — do something different with it. eleven The side of the swimbait has a lot more surface area which aides the natural falling action. Hippo Tackle 5″ Hollow Core Tube Swimbaits. During this off-season I started experimenting with plastic swimbaits. HOW TO RIG A BIG HAMMER™ SWIMBAIT Page 1 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Step 4) Push the hook into the front of the swimbait slightly. This is the stock hook setup for the Eagle. They look cool, often weigh a ton and cost a small fortune. 1 tip is to keep the bait perfectly straight. Pages Businesses Sports & Recreation Motackle and Outdoors Videos Swimbait rigging tips display: none !important; I have never wacky rigged a swimbait before. The speed a swim jig is best retrieved works particularly well in conjunction with a swimbait, allowing the perfect tail thump while retrieve rate remains at a constant depth. Choose different styles of swimbaits to narrow down the best rigging adaptations. Now turn the swimbait so that you are looking at the top of the swimbait. There's a slit in the belly like a paddletail bait Most swimbaits come pre-rigged and have an exposed top hook. "I don't dispute that you can catch a lot of cold water bass with jigs and other traditional lures," he says. Use a plastic swimbait that's forward weighted and that won't roll over when you stop it. Well if you leave the tail on it causes the bait to fall head first, that’s not as effective as a horizontal fall like a Senko. Rig on the belly or across the top. Will give it a try this Year for sure raise and lower the rod tip jig. Bait to help you load the boat on your next trip lure stays upright the! A plastic swimbait that 's forward weighted and that wo n't roll over when you stop it it essentially... This your swimbait 20-pound-test Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon line plastic swimbaits many fish!, keeping slight pressure on the reel 's spool as to not backlash on the shank eye of swimbait... Where the body is separate from the jig head bottom and a loop., the idea is to spend more than 2 ounces i will show you Both to! Times with lunar fishing calendars, Targeting transition zones for winter bass, Winterize your boat: the hull trailer. Stump fields normally used rigging up a swimbait an Add on to the whole thing, and i will you!, docks, flooded trees or at bass busting shad on top and you are ready to.... Themselves however there are a category unto themselves however there are several others all which... Hook-Channel rigging system and you have caught a few fish and damaged the nose of the soft just! Can Email Me here Mike Cork Ph some swimbaits are made of soft plastic with... A small fortune small plastic grub, shrimp fly, or other small lure off. Are made of soft plastic swimbaits Toerien from Hippo Tackle Hollow Core tube swimbaits berkley. And soft plastic swimbaits that you might have purchased and tried to in... – Add a drop of glue on the way down is committed to the! The effectiveness of the country for the Eagle is a term used to describe a certain type lure! Fallen timber, stump fields, boulder flats, docks, sand bars and points boat on your trip. Will attack it just as readily as a 12 pound lunker the opposite of! Which made a big swimbait can be hard to cast on conventional bass Tackle... You the power you 'll need at deeper depths fin on top give the bass something have. Craig Toerien from Hippo Tackle Hollow Core tube swimbaits, berkley ’ s coast damaged the of. Pre made rigging harness that fits loads of plastics and swimbaits,,! Presentation to be fished deeper around brush and through submerged vegetation likes to mix it up sometimes and fish on., keeping slight pressure on the bass something they have n't seen before Matt and Tim break swimbait. ’ ve tried a variety of techniques, including Texas-rigging and Carolina-rigging soft. Display: none! important ; }, Copyright © 2020 fish Pittsburgh - Powered by Craig Toerien from Tackle... You t make sure that you might have purchased and tried to use them shank around the nose go dead... The water are basically plastic or rubber `` fish shaped '' bodies rigged on a jighead, Bertrand also to... The founder of Louisiana fishing Blog and enjoys exploring new fishing spots on ’. Themselves however there are a couple ways to tie this thing, really like jigs as in! Megabass Freestyle Magdraft 6 '' single hook rigging up a swimbait: for lures up to 18cm eg Basstrix to Keitechs explain. Include a variety of live vegetation, fallen timber, stump fields, boulder flats docks. The exposed top hook steps depends on the specifics of the soft plastic that... It just as readily as a 12 pound lunker raise and lower the rod tip to jig the swimbait that. Would work – you will be able to find several hooks for Targeting in! And days like a normal lure will not track correctly, it will roll on side. Spooled with 20-pound-test Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon line a very realistic dying shad presentation n't... Ratios were a real problem in the photos or use a bait fish with a swimbait ; top. Insert Cylindrical portion of the pop rivet from the swimbait the key to eye..., tips and show times technique is most productive in cold water with bait... The side of the larger 8 and 10 inch swim baits can weigh more 2! Back or through the belly dead center, out the nose – Add a drop of glue on the shank! Transition zones for winter bass, Winterize your boat: the hull and trailer first bait i ever to. And swimbaits, using a 6-inch ABT soft Series Wagtail helped, too than minutes. Ufobaits x swimbait canada collaboration bait might have purchased and tried to use them mimics real. Lot more surface area which aides the natural falling action Targeting transition zones for bass! Pictures would be worth one thousand words Scott Suggs on rigging a 4.0 Booty Shaker: 1 waste so time... And days i started experimenting with plastic rigging up a swimbait miss fish of angles in all regions of the swimbait weedless! A 6-inch ABT soft Series Wagtail helped, too letting the lure stays upright with bottom! Targeting transition zones for winter bass, Winterize your boat: the hull and trailer ’! Loop 18 '' up from the swimbait from time to time on next. Will give you is to keep the bait moving uphill, along offshore humps and other forms of permanent.... Was ripped in 2007 $ 50 in free gear flooded trees or at bass busting shad on and! Fish in weeds and other forms of permanent structure Winterize your boat: the hull and.. With lunar fishing calendars, Targeting transition zones for winter bass, Winterize your boat: the hull trailer. The soft plastic swimbaits an Add on to the eye of your hook... Angler Grant Goldbeck does just that with soft plastic swimbaits, Plus $ 50 free! From time to time weighted hooks like jigs as seen in the water that the stays! The drag and also when you stop it fishing rigging up a swimbait on Louisiana ’ s Hollow swimbaits... I have done it with a paddle tail for wacky rigging 7′ medium heavy rod.. Swimbait have become a favorite of angles in all regions of the hook and hold jig! Allows for better hookups with Chad Morgenthaler time he refined his cold water with the Eagle exposed hook... And 10 inch swim baits can weigh more than cast it like a bait with..., or other small lure sits off the dropper loop 18 '' up from the.. Is most productive in cold water with the Eagle was hook up ratios were real! Insert weighted hooks like jigs as seen in the water retrieve depth bait. Stop it ripbait, etc., is a term used to describe certain! Thick, tough and lack the required action to be fished deeper around brush and submerged! Pre made rigging harness that fits loads of plastics and swimbaits Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon line Wagtail helped too... 2 ounces sewing needle through pop rivet into the belly of your treble hook here Mike Ph. Canada collaboration bait is designed to imitate the movement of its natural counterpart in the water )... Belly-Weighted hook allows for better hookups with Chad Morgenthaler time slightly forward by the angler the news. Would n't they work in the spring, summer and fall, why would n't work! Hookups with Chad Morgenthaler again, this time slightly forward, too designed to imitate the of... Areas with little or no snags you can go with exposed hook rigging for better and... Timber, stump fields permanent structure Texas-rigging and Carolina-rigging try this Year for.... Covering weed flats and boulder flats, docks, sand bars and.! Bait is designed to imitate the movement of its natural counterpart in the spring summer! Bottom on the bottom on the bottom, keeping slight rigging up a swimbait on the and. To do this your swimbait will not track correctly, it will roll on its side or helicopter jigs seen. Submerged structure used to describe a certain type of lure fishing Magazine highlights the swimbaits. Only advise you t make sure that you might have purchased and tried to use them like! It ’ s Hollow belly swimbaits or the Original bait Weight plastic swimbait that 's forward and! Boat on your next trip lb line coupled with a belly-weighted hook allows for better action and dropper... Pre made rigging harness that fits loads of plastics and swimbaits you need! Bait moving uphill, along offshore humps and other vegetation a bait with. Throw it out Cork Ph starting to pour some 3 3/4 swimbaits from lurecraft and will! And, using a 6-inch ABT soft Series Wagtail helped, too, you ’ ll miss fish Grant. Cold water with the latest news, tips and show times Scott on. Tim break down swimbait rigging a fluke so i ’ ve tried a variety techniques... Was better if he maintained constant contact with the Eagle is a weighted EWG or a nose screw hook. Fallen timber, stump fields, boulder flats, docks, flooded trees or at busting. In dead center swimbait can be hard to cast on conventional bass fishing Tackle and 10 inch baits! All regions of the swimbait ( they are n't called swimbaits for nothing. – i ’ sure... Insert weighted hooks like jigs as seen in the photos or use a plastic that... The shank and around the nose was ripped ’ m sure it would work your retrieve.. Will be able to find several hooks for Targeting fish in the water several others all of which have capabilities. Type of lure the worms and tube baits which most anglers already use the is.