Swimbait Sensation: Everything To Know About Using Swimbaits For Bass

Swimbaits are one of the most popular categories in bass fishing tackle, and for good reason. They come in all different shapes and sizes, ranging from 2.5-inch soft plastics to 10-inch jointed hardbaits. They’re an indispensable tool in the arsenal of bass anglers worldwide. They’re designed to mimic the appearance and action of various baitfish, making them irresistible to predatory bass. Various styles of swimbaits exist, whether you’re trying to imitate small minnows, threadfin shad, gizzard shad, yellow perch, bluegill, or trout. Bass will prey upon any fish that’s smaller than them and looks like a tasty meal.

Understanding swimbaits and how to effectively fish them can significantly enhance your success on the water, not only for catching numbers, but also for catching size. Swimbaits are known as big fish baits, so they give you a great chance at hooking into your next personal best. Different types of cover and conditions are going to inform your decision-making when determining the optimal swimbait to use for a particular application. This is not only true for whether you should go with a hard body or a soft plastic, but also what size, weight, and color to choose. 

The following information aims to provide you with all you need to know about swimbaits to be the most effective angler and catch more and bigger bass every time you hit the water.

Hard body swimbaits are some of the best looking lures on the market. They are made to look almost identical to the baitfish that hungry bass are going to feed on. Here are the two main types of hard body swimbaits that you’ll want to have in your tackle box: 

Multi-Joint swimbaits can be considered the most realistic type of swimbait due to their natural swimming motion. Baits in this category typically have 2 to 3 joints that allow the body segments to swim side to side during retrieve. Because of this, the best way to fish them is to cast them out and return with a slow and steady retrieve, letting the design of the lure do all the work for you. These baits are generally equipped with 2 treble hooks on the bottom side of the bait and can resemble any type of baitfish. They’re a great choice for targeting larger bass looking to feed up on a big meal.

Single-Joint glide baits are very similar in design to multi-joint swimbaits with the exception of the number of joints, as the name implies. Glide baits will only have one joint, and it’s typically in the center of the bait. These baits are also equipped with treble hooks, but due to the single joint, the action of the bait and how you apply the action is much different.

Instead of a constant reel, you’re going to give a glide bait action by either twitching your rod tip down or using your reel with short turns. Glide baits are intended to make larger swings from side to side in an S-motion, and they generally have a slower rate of fall to keep the bait keeled down. In terms of giving the bait action, pick what is most comfortable for you and focus on making minor adjustments based on what the fish are telling you.

Both styles of hard body swimbaits are best when used in shallow to mid-range depths (10ft or less) around shallow cover. Remember that these baits have treble hooks, so they’re not snagless. They need to be fished next to cover, not through it. Each bait will also vary in how fast they sink. Before taking your first cast, let your bait fall on a slack line next to you and count down how fast the bait is sinking. This will allow you to confidently present your lure at the depth you determine is best for your given scenario. For example, if you’re fishing in 5 feet of water, count how many seconds it takes for your bait to hit the bottom. If it takes 3 seconds, start by letting your bait fall for 2 to 2.5 seconds before beginning to reel. That should put your bait in the strike zone without getting caught on the bottom.

Hard body swimbaits can work all year round, depending on where you live, but they’re best in the spring when fish are up shallow to spawn and in the fall when fish are feeding on baitfish before the winter cold rolls in. As for water temps, try using them when the water is between 50°F and 70°F.

Soft body swimbaits are ideal because of their versatility. While they aren’t painted to look exactly like a baitfish like many hard body swimbaits are, they’re still great at convincing bass to chow down. Here are some of the most common styles you’ll want to bring with you on your next fishing adventure:

A hollow body swimbait is exactly what it sounds like. The body of the swimbait is hollow on the inside, and you should be able to recognize this design easily when handling the bait. These types of swimbaits generally have an aggressive kicking action coming from the paddletail of the bait that causes the bait’s tail to kick, as well as the head to rock back and forth. Swimbait fanatics love a swimbait that provides head wobble. Due to the more aggressive action, these are best suited for warmer water (+60°F)

There are two different ways you can rig a hollow body swimbait.

The first is a swimbait jig head with your hook exposed out of the top of the bait, typically slightly behind where the dorsal fin would be. You can use weights as light as 1/8oz to 1/4oz to fish this shallow, or weights up to 1/2oz to 1oz to target fish in depths up to 25 feet. It’s best to fish this style over open water or sparse cover.

The second option for rigging is to use a weighted EWG hook with a screw lock and the hook point texposed. This will make it weedless to fish around shallow cover, but where this bait really shines is when it is fished around submergent vegetation.

• Pros: Either way it’s rigged, hollow body swimbaits have great action. They’re the most valuable when targeting bass around shallow vegetation because you can rig them to be weedless with a weighted EWG hook.

• Cons: They’re not very durable when rigged on a swimbait jig head. Because they’re hollow on the inside, there isn’t as much plastic gripping onto your jig head. When you catch a fish, the plastic is more likely to tear than other soft plastic swimbaits. To help improve the durability, you can use super glue to connect the front of the swimbait to the jig head, or just have a bottle of soft plastic repair glue. Each of these will help you catch more fish on a single bait before needing to replace it. This is a great money-saving tip as well. 

Similar to a hollow body, split belly swimbaits are exactly what they sound like. The bottom side of the swimbait is split open so that it can be rigged with a weighted EWG hook. These are also ideal around shallow cover and submergent vegetation because the hook point can be texposed into the swimbait.

• Pros: These swimbaits typically have more plastic material, which improves their durability over a hollow body swimbait. 

• Cons: These baits are just a little less versatile than some other swimbaits since they’re designed to only be rigged one way

Solid body swimbaits vary greatly in design, but most of them range from 3 to 5 inches. Some have smooth finishes, others are ribbed, some have eyes, and others don’t. That said, most have some type of paddle tail on the end for kicking and swimming action. These are the most versatile style of swimbaits because they can be rigged in several different ways and be fished in various depths and cover.

The first way to rig a solid body is with a swimbait Jig Head/Ball Head Jig.

The jig head can be as light as 1/16oz up to 1oz, depending on the depth you’re fishing.

Pro Tip: Use a swimbait jig head with a screw lock to improve the durability of your swimbait.

You can also rig a solid body with a weighted EWG hook with a screw lock. It’s best to use this on 4 - 6 inch baits to make them weedless for fishing shallow cover. 

The next way to rig a solid body is as a trailer on a spinnerbait, bladed jig, or swim jig. If you do this, try to use baits in the 2.75 - 3.5 inch length range, as these sizes are typically suitable for the majority of the aforementioned lures. 

• Pros: They’re one of the most versatile baits you can keep in your tackle arsenal. You could use a 3.25-inch swimbait on a ball head jig in 5 feet or 20 feet, and use that same swimbait as a trailer on a spinnerbait. You should always have multiple sizes, no matter where you’re fishing.

• Cons: These baits vary in durability based on material and salt content. Softer baits with higher salt content usually have more action and sink faster, but they tend to rip easier. Use a variety of baits until you find a couple of brands that suit your fishing needs the best.

Due to the versatility of solid body swimbaits, they can be used throughout the entire year, no matter the water temperature.

Line-through swimbaits are great shallow water options when you want a slow retrieval speed and are targeting larger than average fish because most of these baits come in the 4 - 7 inch range. They typically have a weight molded into the head and body of the swimbait and are intended to have a treble hook on the belly of the bait. One thing to be aware of is that often times they don’t come with a treble hook, and in many cases need to purchase those separately or steal one from an old crankbait. 

There are a few things you’ll need to do to rig a line-through swimbait properly.

Most line-through swimbaits should come pre-weighted. You should only have to thread your line from the channel through the nose and out through the belly of the bait. Next, tie on an appropriately sized treble hook, which will vary depending on the size of the swimbait. Once you’ve tied on the treble hook, take one of the hook points and tuck it back into the belly of the swimbait so that the remaining two hook points are exposed out the bottom.

• Pros: Once a fish bites and you set the hook, the swimbait will slide away from the fish, which reduces their chances of shaking the bait loose. They also excel at slow retrieval speeds.

• Cons: Because they have a treble hook on the belly, they can’t be fished in heavy cover without risk of getting snagged. 

Since line-through swimbaits excel at slow retrieval speeds, it makes them a great option for use when the water is colder in the Spring and Fall (45 - 65°F)

Pre-Rigged swimbaits are great because all you need to do is tie them on, cast, reel, and catch. No need to tinker with different hook sizes or weights. They can come with two different hook locations. Some include a treble hook on the belly, others include a single hook on top of the back. 

No matter the hook, they all have an internal weight that impacts the depth at which they should be fished, which keeps the bait balanced so that they don’t spin or roll over. Both styles have their place in the market and should be used in different applications. The aggressive or subtle kicking action of the bait can vary, which should dictate when the bait is used. If it’s slow and subtle, opt for colder water applications. If it has an aggressive kicking tail, opt for warmer water when the fish are more aggressive.

• Pros: There’s no rigging necessary. Just tie them on and start casting. The style that has a treble hook will have a high hook up ratio. The style that has the top hook can be fished closer to the bottom without getting snagged.

• Cons: These baits can vary in price point and durability. Once a bait has been ripped up, you have to buy another. It’s not as simple as threading another body onto a hook. Treble hook versions will have similar issues as a Line-Through Swimbait. The bottom treble hook prevents this from being fished close to cover or the bottom. The bait needs to stay higher in the water column to prevent snags. The main issue with the top hook style is that if a fish swipes at the bait, they may not get the hook.

Try not to overcomplicate the color selection when it comes to swimbaits. If you’re using a solid body swimbait as a trailer on a spinnerbait, bladed jig, or swim jig, you’ll want the colors to match. For the other baits, always consider the forage in which the bass are feeding on in the body of water you’re fishing. If shad are the primary forage, select a bait with a silvery/white finish. If it’s bluegill, pick the bluegill pattern. As a general rule, always try to match the hatch. 

Position yourself so that you can cast the bait parallel to the dock pilings. If the dock is high enough that you can get the bait under the dock, even better. 

Big bass love to isolate themselves on a solid piece of cover like stumps and laydowns. It’s a great hiding place for them to rest or ambush baitfish like shad and bluegill. It’s important to understand that bass can position themselves differently on the cover, so don’t just take one cast and assume there isn’t a bass if you don’t get bit. If it’s a sunny day, bass could position themselves in the shade provided by the cover, or if there is current, they could position themselves behind the cover and dart out to attack prey as they move past. Take several casts at cover from different angles because that could be the difference in what triggers a strike.

Rip Rap refers to man-made rock walls that are often built as road embankments or dam supports. Due to their typical location adjacent to deeper water, they are an excellent location for large bass to relate to, as they can take advantage of schools of baitfish and heavily oxygenated water. To fish rip rap effectively, you want to cast your bait parallel to the bank, as this will keep your bait in the strike zone the longest.

During the warmer months, bass will generally push offshore and find deep structure such as rock piles, ledges, and channel swings. Swimbaits can be a great option in these areas as they are excellent at mimicking the baitfish that use these same areas to group up. Just make sure to use a weight that is heavy enough to keep the bait in the strike zone while being retrieved. 

Retrieve the bait over the top of vegetation like coontail, pondweed, eelgrass, hydrilla, and milfoil. Remember to count down your bait to keep it right above or tickling the top of the vegetation. 

Everyone loves to throw topwater frogs around emergent vegetation, and for good reason. Bass love them, and the topwater explosions are electrifying. But don’t only use a frog around this cover. Swimbaits with a texposed hook point are a great way to cover weed flats because baitfish also enjoy the shade and protection that thick vegetation provides, as well as the abundance of zooplankton and other microorganisms that they feed on.

As technology has evolved, we’ve learned that bass don’t always relate to cover. Bass will spend time suspended in the water column, but when they’re doing this, they’re generally close to a food source, which in this case is often times shad or other schooling baitfish. In order to effectively target these fish, you need to know how deep they’re suspended. You’ll need to use some sort of electronics to do this, whether it’s traditional 2D sonar or Forward Facing Sonar (FFS). After you’ve identified the depth, you’ll need to count down your bait to calculate the sink rate and match the depth of the fish. Once you’ve done that, make sure you’ve backed off the fish a little and cast into where they’re suspended.

Now that you understand the basics of how to best take advantage of the various types of swimbaits available to anglers, it is up to you to put your time in on the water and discover your preferred methods for putting more fish in the boat. Do not be afraid to try new things and follow your instincts. Who knows? You may be the first to try a new swimbait technique that will be the most popular way of fishing years from now. Socrates is credited as saying that “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing”, so get out there and discover new ways to be the best angler you can be!