Versatile Soft-Plastic Swimbaits for Bass

Soft-plastic swimbaits have been around for years, and it’s no secret that they are arguably the most productive lure for an array of fish species in the Northeast. Whether you add a few Mister Twister Sassy Shads to an A-rig for bass, or cast Charlie Brewer’s Slider Grubs for an array of panfish, boot tail or paddle tail swimbaits have been an integral addition to tackle boxes since the early 80s. They are tried-and-true fish catchers.

Over the years, fishing soft-plastic swimbaits has been my go-to technique for not only putting numbers of largemouth and smallmouth in my boat, but for putting some of the biggest fish of the year in my livewell. If I had to take one bait bass fishing for the rest of my life, it would be a soft swimbait on a jighead. It’s my biggest confidence bait. But what exactly defines a swimbait? What does a swimbait imitate? And how do you use it to catch bigger bass?

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What is a Swimbait and What Does it Imitate?

A swimbait is a soft-bodied lure which, for the most part, has a “boot” style tail that kicks and pushes water when retrieved. It can have either a smooth or ribbed body to generate more water resistance as it swims. Swimbaits tend to be made from a tougher plastic material for durability, but there are some plastics on the softer end of the spectrum that enhance swimming action and, in turn, look more realistic.

Initially, swimbaits were intended to imitate wide-bodied baitfish. When the Sassy Shad was first created, it was meant to mimic alewife, menhaden or gizzard shad, which have relatively deep-bodied profiles. As advancements were made in the soft-plastic game, swimbaits are now produced in all shapes and sizes to resemble virtually any species of baitfish. Whether it’s a bluegill, smelt, or goby, there is a swimbait on the market to match the hatch to wherever you are fishing.

bass fishing with soft-plastic swimbaits — In northern waters, like the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes, small soft swimbaits are great goby imitations—and smallies love gobies. *(Photo by Nick Petrou)*

How Do You Rig a Soft-Plastic Swimbait?

When it comes to rigging, there are endless combinations of hooks, weights, and jigheads that help make a soft swimbait look like a real baitfish. Here are my favorite rigging options to use throughout the year to put more bass in the boat for my clients, friends, and myself.

A Standard Jighead

Swimbaits were truly designed to fish on some sort of weighted jighead, whether it’s a round ball head, football head, underspin head, or a minnow-shaped head. Cast it out, let it sink to the desired depth, and begin a straight retrieve. You can swim it just about anywhere in the water column, or even drag or hop it along the bottom. Simple and effective, a swimbait and jighead go together like peanut butter and jelly on some good white bread. They are just meant to be fished together.

As a Jig Trailer

A common technique is to pair a swimbait with a skirted jig because it makes an excellent trailer—especially on a swim jig. Whether it’s a large profile swimbait, like a Keitech Fat Swing Impact, or a finesse presentation like a Z-Man Slim SwimZ, a trailer will bulk up the bait’s appearance. Most swim jigs come with a weed guard, so your beefed-up bait will swim through vegetation and bump hard structure like wood with ease. But swim jigs are not the only way to effectively present swimbaits. People often overlook adding a swimbait to either a casting jig or a football jig to drag on the bottom. Even if it’s a smaller bait, this is the perfect imitation for gobies here in our northern lakes, like Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

A Dropshot

A drop-shot rig is perhaps the sneakiest way to fish a swimbait—a lot of northern anglers are going to be upset that I gave up this little “secret”. It has been one of the best tricks to convince big, pressured fish into biting. Whether you drag it or shake it—both of which will elicit action—being able to keep the bait the same distance above the bottom looks so realistic, it drives big bass crazy! When I lived in Connecticut and called Candlewood Lake my home, this was one of my go-to approaches for fishing a swimbait. Alewives, the bass’ main food source in Candlewood, always hovered just off the bottom as opposed to right on the rocks. Putting a swimbait on a drop-shot rig allowed me to present an appropriately-sized bait at the same depth as the alewives to generate more strikes.

Weightless and Weedless

Many anglers would never think to fish a weedless swimbait on top of vegetation—especially baits with a larger paddle tail that can throw more water. We were all taught to pull them through submerged weeds and grasses. But in lakes that have more baitfish present in the grass, opting for a slender paddletail as opposed to a frog-style bait will generate more strikes. Making a long cast and swimming it straight over the top of the grass, like a buzzbait, will crush big largemouth in lakes and ponds, and even smallmouth in rivers with lots of vegetation.

The Author’s Choice: Top 3 Soft-Plastic Swimbaits

Because swimbaits are my favorite soft bait to throw (and because I keep one tied on all year long), I have a lot of favorites. However, some of my favorites stand out more than others.

1. Keitech Fat Swing Impact

At the top of the list is the Keitech Fat Swing Impact. Ranging from 2.8 to 7.8 inches, it’s a lure that covers every aspect of the swimbaiting spectrum. I’m a huge fan of the 2.8- and 3.3-inch sizes for smallmouth, and the 4.3- and 4.8-inch sizes for largemouth. You’ll find them in my boat at all times, rigged weedless, on a jighead, or as a jig trailer. Their soft, ribbed bodies and special squid scent drive fish crazy and produce a ton of bites! The only downside is they are not as durable as other baits.

Pros:

Wide variety of sizes and patterns
Pronounced kicking action
Squid-scented

Cons:

Tear easily

2. Strike King Rage Swimmer

A close runner-up is the Strike King Rage Swimmer. It comes in many of the same sizes and colors, and produces a similar swimming action to the Keitech. The major advantage is that they are far more durable, so I can put a lot of fish in the boat without running through baits. I favor the Rage Swimmer when there is a hot smallmouth bite and the fish just keep tearing other plastics off the hook. Because of their durability, Rage Swimmers also work in areas where toothy critters like pike and pickerel can be a problem. They’re also infused with coffee scent, which makes fish hold on just a little bit longer.

Pros:

Variety of patterns
Infused with coffee scent
Enhanced durability

Cons:

Available in only 2.75- to 5.75-inch sizes

3. 6th Sense Party Minnow

My favorite swimbait to fish on a drop-shot or even a small jighead is a 6th Sense Party Minnow. I was first introduced to this bait a few years ago by a buddy of mine while we were perch fishing on Cayuga Lake, and I never looked back. These swimbaits were designed by Bassmaster Elite Series Pro, Cory Johnston, specifically for throwing on a drop-shot for big smallmouth on the eastern basin of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. I’ve had great success in the north country on it, as well as here in the Finger Lakes and the eastern basin of Lake Erie.

Pros:

Variety of patterns
Lifelike eyes
Thin tail produces subtle action, ideal for a drop-shot rig

Cons:

Available in only 3- and 4-inch sizes

Go-To Swimbait Setups

I generally have two rods on deck at all times with a swimbait tied on. One being a spinning rod for those 2.8-inch style baits either on a drop-shot rig or a football head. My baitcasting setup is reserved for bigger soft-plastic swimbaits.

For a spinning setup, I run a custom-built 7’3” medium-light, extra fast tip paired with a Shimano Miravel 2500HG spooled with 5-pound-test Cortland Masterbraid. I’ve been custom building my own rods for a while now, and I specifically designed this RodGeeks blank for dragging and drop-shotting these little soft-plastic swimbaits. That light Cortland braid allows me to cast wicked far and get the extra distance I need to cover more water with a light presentation.

With baitcasting gear, I’m a huge fan of the Dobyns Fury 733 casting rod paired with a Shimano Curado DC 200HG with 15-pound Sunline FC Sniper fluorocarbon. This is the perfect setup for either a swim jig with a swimbait trailer, or for dragging a swimbait on a jig along the bottom. The reason for the straight fluorocarbon as opposed to straight braid is that I tend to retrieve swimbaits a bit faster on a casting reel, and fluorocarbon is less buoyant than braided line, which allows my bait to remain closer to the bottom and in the strike zone.

Hopefully this helps you better understand the versaitility of soft swimbaits, and how to pick the right one in a given scenario to put more fish in the boat. Swinging on a bass when it “ticks” that bait and engulfs it whole is one of the most exciting bites in the sport—it’s truly addicting.

Versatile Soft-Plastic Swimbaits for Bass

What is a Swimbait and What Does it Imitate?