Tiny Swimbaits for Stubborn Bass

We talk a lot about swimbaits with the goal of catching giant bass but today we hit the water in some very difficult conditions and use small paddle tail swimbaits to find anything that will bite. 

When post frontal or other undesirable weather conditions set in don't be afraid to set ego aside and just have fun! Downsizing your baits to produce bites is a great move when you've been dealt a tough hand.

We used a mixed bag of small paddetails, pre-rigged swimbaits, and underspins to get bit in the hours after a storm blew out of the area. The bass had been targeting shad but with the return of the sun had stopped chasing them and had begun staying close to cover. By downsizing to the smallest swimbaits we could find we were able to find success despite the conditions. 

Baits used in this video...

-Keitech 3.3 Fat Swing Impact

-Keitech 4" Easy Shiner

Swimbait Rigging: The Truth

This video is going to completely change how you approach stinger hooks! Have you ever heard of a haywire twist? If not you're completely missing the boat and its time to listen to this "tell all" on swimbaits! Swimbait rigging doesn't have to be difficult so forget everything you think you know and come along for the ride. 

In the interest of being fair, Matt explains the advantages and disadvantages of Crimps, 7 strand, braid, mono, etc before blowing them all away with the use of single strand wire. Neither Matt nor Tim has been able to figure out why the industry is virtually silent about single strand wire and the haywire twist. 

Unless you're a saltwater angler we'd be willing to bet "haywire twist" is a new phrase to you. Ironically we shot a video on this very subject more than 5 years ago and despite getting 25,000+ views, its still a virtual secret. Today is the day we set the record straight and explain what we believe to be the hands down, best method for rigging stinger hooks on swimbaits. 

Products Shown In This Video:

Stinger Materials:
7 Strand Wire
Crimps
Heavy Monofilament: Amazon
80-100 lb Braid
Single Strand Wire: Amazon 

Matt's Preferred Big Baits Equipment:
Rod- G Loomis 957
Rod- Dobyns 807
Reel- Calcutta 400B
Line- 80 lb Braided

Chatterbait Trailer Tips to Save $$$

Matt gives two quick tips that will help you improve your chatterbait fishing. Bladed swim jig trailer options are endless but these two stand out from the crowd! 

Using paddletail swimbaits as a trailer on a bladed swim jig is no secret. However, running your swimbait upside down or running it with a modified tail will set you aside from all the other anglers. 

Matt explains how to use each of these methods to maximize the effectiveness of your chatterbait the next time you're on the water. Forget the traditional trailers and put one of these tricks to work for you!  

Baits Shown In this video...

-Chatterbait
-Revenge Bladed Jig
-Keitech 4.8" Fat Swimbait
-Rage Swimmer

How To Pick The Best Spots To Catch Bass

Today Tim is hitting the water for a quick session and is taking us along for the ride. He's on a new lake where he has little experience and his first priority is to locate fish. He works quickly to find active fish and continues to break down the bite from there. 

Many anglers struggle to break water down quickly. Tim brought an arsenal of baits along for the day that helped speed up the process. He was prepared to cover the water column quickly and effectively while exploring likely structures and features. 

Here are the baits and the gear Tim was using for the day:

-Lucky Craft RTO 1.5 Squarebill (Pearl Threadfin)

-S-Waver 168 Swimbait in "Party Crasher"

-Whopper Plopper 130 in "Munky Butt"

-Salter Brecknell Scale

Camera Used: GoPro Hero 4

Matt's Favorite Squarebill Rod (845)
Tim's Favorite Squarebill Rod (704)