# Suggestions on plastic swimbaits



## bflick (Mar 20, 2010)

I have been fishing with strikekings 3.5. I really like these but can't find them in that size. I'm not a big fan of the 4.5 was wondering if anybody had any good suggestions on what to try in the 3.5 size

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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I use the strikekings 3.5's as well, love them. I always seem to be able to find them at Gander Mountain... do you live by one?

Adicks has them too. I'm sure the new Cabela's will have them in Columbus as well. Just a thought....

Mr. A

(2013)
SMB: 0 LMB: 0 
Catfish: 0 Bluegill: 0 
Other: 0


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

bflick said:


> anybody had any good suggestions on what to try in the 3.5 size
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Take a look at these. These are made in Ohio. And a member of the Ohio Game Fishing community.

http://www.bigjoshyswimbaits.com/swaggin-minnows.html

Oh, and I almost forgot... They are the best swimbaits I've ever used!


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

bflick said:


> I have been fishing with strikekings 3.5. I really like these but can't find them in that size. I'm not a big fan of the 4.5 was wondering if anybody had any good suggestions on what to try in the 3.5 size
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Please try a few and decide for yourself...I ONLY use swimbaits for Crappie, Walleye, and BASS and HAVE TRIED THEM ALL! I continue to try different ones to see if anything has caught Keitech....not yet!

LandBigFish is a sponsor of OGF also!

www.landbigfish.com/Keitech/Keitech-Swing-Impact.cfm
www.landbigfish.com/Keitech/Keitech-Swing-Impact-Fat.cfm
www.landbigfish.com/Keitech/Keitech-Easy-Shiner.cfm

The Swing Impacts are the minnow swimmer, minnow profile, and minnow vibration!
The Swing Impact Fats are the larger bait profile, larger disturbance, size and vibration, huge paddle!
The Easy Shiner is the shad profile with a rocking gentle vibration, smallest paddle!

Keitech uses 2 different types of squid scented and salted plastics/silicons to get the desired movement and action, the remain upright and do not roll over when "burning" and they still have FANTASTIC action when retrieved slow, they even move UNDER A BOBBER!

You can also get them at www.tacklewarehouse.com


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## bflick (Mar 20, 2010)

Ya I live pretty close to a dicks and gander stoped by cabellas in westvirgina on way to work and only sell 4.5 not a big fan of those just to big for the fishing I do but I'm going to try some of ur guys suggestions much appreciated

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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

Big Joshy Swimbaits... Maybe it is just me?? but I have caught a lot of fish and a lot of different species of fish using them..


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I like the Strike King swim baits as well. I usually use the 4.5's because I'm looking for a little more quality fish. The 5.5 is good if you're looking for big kicker fish on tournament day, but for numbers it's tough to beat the 3.5 Shadalicious.

If I could offer a little tip that seems to help on the 3.5's They have a pretty good action when you're reeling them at a moderate to fast pace, but not so much when you're trying to reel it slow. One thing I do with all of the 3.5's is, I'll boil the tails. 

I get a pot of water to a nice rolling boil and (tail first) dip a little less than half of the bait in the water and keep it there 10 to 15 seconds. After I pull it out I have another pot of cold water and toss the bait in it to let it cool. To make sure I have the tails nice and soft I hold the bait horizontal while on its' side and make sure it has a nice droop. Boiling them like that makes the plastic softer and it will have a real nice action even at slow speeds. It also helps when you want to reel it moderate to fast. When reeling it fast it has so much vibration that it actually feels like you're fishing a chatter bait.


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## bflick (Mar 20, 2010)

What size hooks do u use for the 4.5. I usually use weighted hook weedless size 3


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

bflick said:


> What size hooks do u use for the 4.5. I usually use weighted hook weedless size 3
> 
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


I use a 5/0 belly weighted Mustad that has the screw lock keeper, but I take off the screw lock that comes on it and replace it with the Owner CPS screw lock. I use the medium size on the 4.5" Strike Kings. I change out the screw keeper because of the longer wire shank that comes on the hook from the factory. On the hollow body baits the wire shank between the screw part and the hook eye is too long and the screw part doesn't hold. When you look at the Owner CPS screw lock I mentioned, you'll notice the screw is full length and holds the bait on really well. I use the Owner screw locks on all of the hollow body swim baits that I throw. As far as weights I usually throw the 4.5 with a 1/4 oz weighted hook.


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## mo65 (Aug 5, 2011)

I have a question about the screw lock hooks. I have never used them...and was just wondering...does the bait tend to stay on pretty well during a fight...or does it go flying when a fish shakes?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Mo, to answer your question. The bait stays on probably 80% to 90% of the time. That's if you're using the Owner CPS screw locks that I described previously. IMO if the screw portion of the keeper isn't the full length of the keeper, then the keeper is junk as far as using them for hollow bodied baits. Some of the hollow bodied baits are a little thicker in the nose than the ones I use, (I primarily use the Strike King's) so they may work better on those. But you really can't beat the Owner CPS for that kind of keeper. The centering pin really makes rigging a breeze. 

I'm assuming you rig your swim baits Texposed. One other thing that I do when I'm throwing the 4.5" hollow bodies and especially if I am throwing a 5.5" bait is, I slit the belly open so the hook shank is only passing through one section of plastic. 

To determine where to start the slit, I rig the bait on the screw lock and then lay the hook along side of it so it's positioned as if it were fully rigged. I start the slit just behind where the throat of the hook touches the belly of the bait, and then slit towards the nose to the point just past the length of the weight on the hook shank. When a fish hits it, the bait slides down the hook shank super easy and the slit allows the weight to go into the body of the bait. It's really helped my hook up percentage when the fish aren't really chomping it. Cutting a slit also makes rigging the bait a lot easier. Especially if you are using a bait that isn't somewhat translucent. There are a couple of situations when I don't slit the belly. Those are if the fish are really crushing the bait, or if I'm fishing it through fairly heavy weeds. Then I don't slit the belly.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Crazy4Smallmouth 
Senior Member

Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Piqua, Ohio
Posts: 381 
iTrader: 3 / 100% How we fish Keitechs and why 

I just ran across this video that shows how we fish Keitechs. It also is an indication of why we fish Keitechs! This one is for you Brent, enjoy! 

Big Winter Smallmouth - Full Length - YouTube 
Big Winter Smallmouth - Full Length - YouTube 




IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE VIDs...
Please go to the SW forum, CJ Water temps thread, post #4702...I couldn't get it to copy!


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## mo65 (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks for the info Bassbme.


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

Heres some nice ones, i gave them a swim when it was 64 yesterday, some great tail action at slow speeds, and a tall shad body. AA's(advanced angling), i think a branch of Optimum lures. Good price too. They havent proved anything to me yet(like Keitech's), but i believe they will get the job done. Shad and ghost smelt are some good looking baits.



http://landbigfish.com/AAs-Lures/AAs-Lures-Shad-Series-Swimbait.cfm


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## Blue Collar Bob (Nov 13, 2011)

Bassbme said:


> To determine where to start the slit, I rig the bait on the screw lock and then lay the hook along side of it so it's positioned as if it were fully rigged. I start the slit just behind where the throat of the hook touches the belly of the bait, and then slit towards the nose to the point just past the length of the weight on the hook shank. When a fish hits it, the bait slides down the hook shank super easy and the slit allows the weight to go into the body of the bait. It's really helped my hook up percentage when the fish aren't really chomping it. Cutting a slit also makes rigging the bait a lot easier. Especially if you are using a bait that isn't somewhat translucent. There are a couple of situations when I don't slit the belly. Those are if the fish are really crushing the bait, or if I'm fishing it through fairly heavy weeds. Then I don't slit the belly.


A picture is worth a thousand words.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Blue Collar Bob said:


> A picture is worth a thousand words.


Ask and yea shall receive. lol A thousand words with pictures LOL 

The bait and hook in the first picture is a Strike King 4.5" Shadalicious hollow bodied swim bait in the Blue Gizzard Shad color, and a 5/0 Mustad Power Lock Plus weighted screw lock hook. It's a 1/4 oz. weight. I also use the same size hook with an 1/8 oz. weight if I want to run the bait slower or higher in the water column. The screw lock is an Owner CPS screw lock. If you compare it to some of the screw locks that come on quite a few of the screw lock hooks you'll notice the difference I was talking about in an earlier post. The spiral on the Owner goes completely to the eye attachment, while most of the others have a shank at the eye attachment, then the spiral starts. On hollow bodied baits the shank allows the spiral section of the screw lock to thread completely through the wall of the bait. The Owner is much better. The baits nose stays tight to the eye of the hook.

The second picture is the hook positioned as if it were rigged. I start the slit where the throat of the hook touches the belly of the bait. The third picture is of the slit belly. You can see how long it is. I stop the slit just past the length of the weight. The fourth picture is of the bait rigged and ready to fish. Now the wire of the hook is only passing through the plastic on the back of the bait. It slides down super easy when a light biting fish hits it. The last picture is showing how the slit allows the weight and shank of the hook to become hidden inside the body of the bait, leaving the full gap of the hook exposed. I know that the bait won't always collapse perfectly but with the belly slit, the body of the bait collapses much easier than a bait without the slit. 

As I said earlier. I don't slit the belly if I am fishing the bait through weeds or lay downs because the bait stays more weedless without the slit belly. I also don't slit the belly if the fish are really hammering the bait.

I may as well give another little tip ........ the tails of the Shadalicious as well as some the other hollow bodied swim baits I throw, have a hole on the end. I will some times take a round plastic tube bait rattle and stuff one or two inside the tail of the bait. They stay in pretty well on their own but a little dab of Mend It helps hold them in if need be. Now you have a swim bait with a rattle. It doesn't affect the action of the bait and the hollowness of the body also amplifies the sound of the rattle a little bit. This is really kind of a secret I came up with so if anyone using this tip beats me out of some money in a tournament I expect a little compensation ..... or at least a thank you LOL


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## Blue Collar Bob (Nov 13, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. It really helps.


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## SoCal_Buckeye (May 28, 2012)

Just bought an assortment of the Big Joshys. Hoping they have the magic this season. 


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## CATMAN447 (Jun 12, 2011)

Do yourself a huge favor and look up Paul Krew on Facebook. He is a custom bait maker and runs his business from his Facebook page. The man is an absolute artist! He has a huge selection of soft plastics and can make them in ANY color or pattern you request. I just received the craws, senkos and swimbaits I ordered from him and they turned out awesome. I'll definitely order more.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Intiminator

Are you entered in the OGF crappie tourneys?


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Lundy said:


> Intiminator
> 
> Are you entered in the OGF crappie tourneys?


Nope!
I quit fishing for 10 years after my failed attempt at making the Bass Series in the late 80's and early 90's.
I can't enjoy fishing unless it's just for fun, my competitive nature does not allow both, and I never want to HATE fishing again!

Now I Fish for FUN with friends, my 11 y/o son, and help with Cover Projects, and enjoy every minute of it!LOL


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## KWaller (Oct 3, 2010)

i like lethal weapons new swimbait. They have to hooks out the bottom. 
http://customlures.net/

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

KWaller said:


> i like lethal weapons new swimbait. They have to hooks out the bottom.
> http://customlures.net/
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine




K

I used to crank alot, I got tired of trebles or underbelly hooks getting in the gills, tongue, and throat of the Bass that I was catching and debated the injuries they caused....I started looking for a better way to C&R the Bass from our local lake!

I started using Crappie jigs with sickle hooks from a friend and noticed that every Crappie I caught was hooked in the lip or top of the mouth...I started experimenting with larger jigs and sickle hooks for Bass and found the same thing to be true!
Then I started swimbait fishing...tried them all...and still trying them all!
One of reasons I switched to swimbaits was that I had control over everything, I could use the weight that was needed to fish them slow or fast, bounce them off the bottom, make them look injured or dying, burn them or slow twitch, or fish them under a bobber!
With the Keitechs you can even use them with any STATE RIG or drop shot also!

Now, I use the 4.8" Keitechs ($7.49 for 5) with a .25-.30 cent 1/16th, 1/8th, or 1/4oz jig head with a 2/0 or 3/0 sickle hook. And in the last 5 years while using this combo, I can't ever remember hooking a BASS anywhere except the lip or roof of the mouth!


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

bflick said:


> I have been fishing with strikekings 3.5. I really like these but can't find them in that size. I'm not a big fan of the 4.5 was wondering if anybody had any good suggestions on what to try in the 3.5 size
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


try hard swim baits .use 6 in and bigger swimbaits  thast's where it at .


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

firstflight111 said:


> try hard swim baits .use 6 in and bigger swimbaits  thast's where it at .


I actually bought some 5.8" Keitechs for the upcoming Bass season!
The BIG BAIT theory has worked so far for Crappie, now I'm rolling it out for Mr Big Mouth and Mr Gator!


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