Spring Swimbait Fishing For Bass: Everything You Need To Know!

Early Spring is prime time to throw the big baits! As we begin the transition into the prespawn, a swimbait is a key player in every serious bass fisherman's arsenal. Whether you're trying to catch better quality fish or you're hunting for the biggest bass of your life, swimbaits need to be part of your plan. Come along as we take an in-depth look at swimbait fishing for Spring bass!

"Swimbaits" is a giant category of lures and can be incredibly overwhelming. In order to simplify the conversation we've separated the baits into soft baits and hard baits. In the soft bait category we further divide the baits into Wedge-tail baits and boot-tail baits. For hard baits we separate them into multi-joint baits, open water glide baits, and cover glide baits. By doing this we can focus in on the handful of baits in each category that produce consistent results through the country. 

Below you'll find links to all the baits in today's video. We've also included a favorite color or two with each. Additionally, we included our favorite swimbait combo as well as some great budget options. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Soft Wedge tail Swimbaits...

-Huddleston Deluxe 8" ROF 12 - (Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/2azFTon

-Savage Gear Pulse Tail Trout **PRE-ORDER** (Trout, Hitch): https://bit.ly/33GROg1

-MattLures Hammer tail Shad - (Purple Gizzard, Threadfin): http://bit.ly/2vM8cKF


Soft Boot Tail Swimbaits... 

-Osprey Tournament Talon 6” - (Chartreuse Shad): http://bit.ly/2bqsLS0

-Megabass Magdraft - (MB Shad, Biwako Shad): http://bit.ly/2mc8bfK

-Little Creeper Trash Fish Fat 6”  - (LC Hitch, Shiner): http://bit.ly/2ixaEw2

-Little Creeper 8” Trashfish  - (LC Hitch): http://bit.ly/2hmXtg1

-Scottsboro Tackle 6”  - (Natural Light, Mullins Madness): http://bit.ly/2Oy7CKH


Multi-Jointed Hard Swimbaits...

-Bull Shad Slow Sinking 7” - (Gizzard Shad, Dirty Bone): http://bit.ly/2eJ8gWM

-Spro BBZ Slow sink 8” - (Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/3rDbKcT

-Sebile Magic Swimmer 145FSK, 165FSK - (Natural Shiner): http://bit.ly/3a6wofE

-Jackall Gantarel - (RT Spawn Gill): http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

-Jackall Gantarel Jr - (RT Spawn Gill): http://bit.ly/3pcIzvW


Open Water Glides...

-Gan Craft 230 - (Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/2fLjSnm

-Baitsanity Explorer - (Shad, Carp): http://bit.ly/33bQyxY

-R2S S-Waver 200 - (Warden, Lite Trout): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh


Cover Glides...

-R2S S-Waver 168 - (Warden, Lite Trout): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

-Baitsanity Antidote - (Trout, Summer Shad): http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

-Storm Arashi Glide - (Rainbow Trout, Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2nHdrL1

-G Ratt Sneaky Pete - (Hitch, Gizzard Shad): http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

-Ima Glide Fluke - (Bluegill, Natural): http://bit.ly/2xrMwo4


Line...

-Power Pro Maxcuatro 65-80lb braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

-Maxima Ultragreen Monofilament: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

-Sunline FC100 System Leader Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Our Favorite Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 966: https://bit.ly/3ktZFnF

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 (HG): http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (80 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (35 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Mid-Priced Combo... 

Rod- Savage Gear Squad 8' Heavy Swimbait: http://bit.ly/3tT8bS2

Reel- Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (65 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (30 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Budget Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806 Heavy: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Cardiff 300A: http://bit.ly/2cvhtMO

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (65 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Maxima Ultragreen (30 lb Mono): http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

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How To Catch Big Bass In Winter: Swimbait Tips For Cold Water Bass Fishing

Swimbaits are easy! They're not complicated, there is no mystery, and you can start catching bass on swimbaits any time you want. Its all about knowing which swimbaits work at different times and how to put them to work for you. Today Matt breaks down the 3 styles of swimbaits that work in cold water and explains what each style is for. 

Do you have a box full of swimbaits but few, if any catches to show for them? Have you lost confidence in the swimbait all together? You're not alone! A lot of bass fishermen have been caught up in the hype without ever being taught the details of how to consistently catch swimbait fish. Today we're focusing on why different styles work and when they should be fished. If you go out with confidence and throw the right baits in the right situations, its a matter of time before you start catching swimbait fish. 

Winter is a tough time of year to get bit on any bait. If you're going to work hard to get bit on anything, you might as well put in the time to get the right bites on big baits. Below are links to our favorite baits, favorite colors, and the gear we use to throw them. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Glide Baits... 

-Baitsanity Explorer Glide: http://bit.ly/33bQyxY

Colors: Trout, Kokanee, Shad, Raw


-River2Sea S Waver 200: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Colors: Light Trout, Rainbow Trout, Warden Hitch


Boot Tail Baits... 

-Scottsboro Tackle 6" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2Oy7CKH

Colors: Natural Light, Ol Smokey, Mullins Madness


-Little Creeper 8" Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2hmXtg1

Colors: LC Hitch, Rainbow Trout, Ghosted Chartreuse Shad


-Little Creeper Fatty 6" Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2ixaEw2

Colors: LC Hitch, Just Shad, Light Hitch


-Owner Beast Hook: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Sizes: Scottsboro 8/0, 8" trash fish 10/0, 6" trash fish 6/0


WedgeTail Baits... 

-8" Huddleston Deluxe ROF 5 Jig Hook Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

Colors: Holdover Trout, Hitch, Trout


-Savage Gear Pulse Tail Shiner: https://bit.ly/2SDD0Zl

Colors: GreenBack, White, Shad


Favorite Swimbait Combo For Bigger Baits (Currently Backordered)... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 966: https://bit.ly/3ktZFnF

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 (HG): http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (80 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (35 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


All-Around Swimbait Combo For Large and Medium Baits... 

Rod- Dobyns Champion XP 806 Heavy: http://bit.ly/2aivwYX

Reel- Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (65 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (30 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Budget Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806 Heavy: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Cardiff 300A: http://bit.ly/2cvhtMO

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (65 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (30 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

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Buyer's Guide: Swimbaits and Glide Baits!

Today’s Buyer’s Guide is all about big swimbaits! There are so many options between Glide Baits, Multi-Joints, Boot Tails, Wedge Tails, Wakes, Crankdowns, and so many more… How do you know where to start?! Swimbaits aren’t cheap so making the right choices the first time is very important. Come along as we take a look at some of our favorites! 

We break our swimbaits into 3 primary categories: Trout/Kokanee,  Baitfish, and Bluegill Imitators. Trout baits are typically open water baits while baitfish and bluegill imitators are cover oriented, shallow water baits. Knowing how to use each style of bait effectively is an entirely different video. Luckily, we shot an in-depth video on this subject last month and have linked it below. 

In this video we’ve broken 9 baits down into these 3 categories and added 2 bonus baits. You’ll find all of the baits we discussed linked below. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. We’ve also included our favorite colors with each bait, hook recommendations for rigging where applicable, as well as links to some of our favorite swimbait rods and reels. 


In-depth Swimbait Video: https://youtu.be/oIck1onpMNs


Previous Buyer’s Guides… 

-High End Combos: https://bit.ly/35PNOeu

-$500 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lW1o5I

-$400 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lSfwwz

-$200 Combos: https://bit.ly/2USSCJv

-$100 Combos: https://bit.ly/37aupED


Trout/Kokanee/Open Water Baits…  

-Baitsanity Explorer Glide: http://bit.ly/33bQyxY

Favorite Colors: Raw, Rainbow, Kokanee

-Huddleston 8” ROF 5: http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

Favorite Colors: Trout, Hitch

-Huddleston 8” ROF 12: http://bit.ly/2azFTon

Favorite Colors: Trout, Hitch


Baitfish/Cover Baits… 

-G Ratt Sneaky Pete: http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

Favorite Colors: Hitch, Gizzard Shad, Bone

-R2S S Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Favorite Colors: Bluegill, TW Phantom, Light Trout

-Megabass Magdraft 8”: http://bit.ly/2mc8bfK

Favorite Colors: MB Shad, MB Gizzard, White Back Shad

-Scottsboro 6” Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2Oy7CKH

-Owner 8/0 Beast Hook 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Favorite Colors: Mullins Madness, Natural Light, Ol Smakey

-Savage Gear Shiner Pulse Tail 7”: https://bit.ly/2SDD0Zl

Favorite Colors: Green Back, White, Shad


Bluegill Baits… 

-Savage Gear Pulse Tail RTF Bluegill: https://bit.ly/2xx1zjH

Favorite Colors: Bluegill, Ghost Bluegill

-Jackall Gantarel: http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

Favorite Colors: Ghost Gill, Spawn Gill

Bonus Baits… 

-Madness Balam 245: https://bit.ly/36T1epg

Favorite Colors: Laser Hasu, Clear Hasu

-Fish Arrow Riser Jack: https://bit.ly/30FMOqw

Favorite Colors: Biwasagi, Lemonade, Pro Blue


Rods… 

-G Loomis IMX Pro 966: https://bit.ly/3ktZFnF

-Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

-Megabass Orochi XX Leviathan: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH


Reels…

-Shimano Tranx 300 HG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

-Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4


NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

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How To Catch Your PB Bass Right Now!

Want to catch bigger bass? This is prime time to do it! Catching a new PB is achievable and we want to help you do it! There are a handful of proven baits that produce consistent success once you understand HOW and WHEN to fish them. Come along as we dive into the mindset behind targeting trophy bass in the Fall and Winter. 

Trophy bass are caught consistently using a two-part method. You'll need to dial in two different patterns to work at different times. You'll want a bait that imitates the bass' favorite forage during "prime time" to fool them into biting, but you'll also need to identify a bait that can trigger a feed response during lower percentage times of day. 

Understanding which baits to throw at what time of day makes all the difference. In previous videos we've discussed exactly where these big bass are located this time of year but the missing piece of the puzzle until today was understanding WHEN to target those fish. 

Below you'll find links to our favorite baits to "fool" the bass along with our favorite baits to trigger a "feed response". The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you'll see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Trout/Kokanee Eaters... 

Soft Swimbait- Huddleston 8" Trout: http://bit.ly/2azFTon

Glide Bait- S Waver 200 (Light Trout/Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Crankbait- Tactical DD 75 (Mirrored Minnow): http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Jig- Dirty Jigs Football Jig 1/2 oz (Go to): http://bit.ly/2d0iJbd

Jig Trailer- Yamamoto 5" Grub (Green Pump purp/cop): http://bit.ly/2db9w1p


Shallow Shad/Panfish Eaters... 

Crank- Spro Baby Fat John 50 (Matte Shad): http://bit.ly/2V03giW

Jerkbait- Megabass Vision 110 (M Shad): http://bit.ly/2j31TKb

Lipless- Lucky Craft LV-500 (Ghost Minnow): http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

Topwater- Evergreen Shower Blows 125 (American Shad): http://bit.ly/2zIkqUH

Glide Bait- S Waver 168 (Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Soft Swimbait- Savage Gear Pulse Tail Bluegill: https://bit.ly/2Kd6qct


Deep Shad/Baitfish Eaters... 

Deep Crank- Tactical DD 75 (Ghost Minnow): http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Spoon- Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

Deep Jerkbait- Megabass 110+2 (Ito Tennessee Shad): http://bit.ly/2BLQIBA

Blade Bait- Damiki Vault 1/2 oz (Spot Black): http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Alabama Rig- Hog Farmer Flex BFL: https://bit.ly/2WtLCVK

A-Rig Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait Head (1/8 oz): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

A-Rig Baits- Keitech 4.8" Fat (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v


Budget Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Cardiff 300A: http://bit.ly/2cvhtMO

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 80 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC100 35 lb Shock Leader: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


High-End Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- Megabass Destroyer Onager: http://bit.ly/2wVOSbY

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 A HG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 80 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC100 35 lb Shock Leader: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

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