Thread: Swim baits

Just curious and wanting opinions on big swim baits and colors.

Originally Posted by jerimy7

Just curious and wanting opinions on big swim baits and colors.

You may want to be a little more specific, since "swim baits" describes a wide variety of hard and soft lures. Can you post a picture (or a link to a picture) of the "big swim baits" that you're talking about?

Big Swim baits?

SpoolTek Lures,9" stretch, Silver Digger.
SpoolTek Lures | Concealed Leader Technology

I'm referring to soft plastic swim baits! I've found some at a local store that are $2.50 for 6 in a pack I can't remember the maker of them but they are 6 to 8 inches long and are in 3 different colors.

Originally Posted by jerimy7

I'm referring to soft plastic swim baits! I've found some at a local store that are $2.50 for 6 in a pack I can't remember the maker of them but they are 6 to 8 inches long and are in 3 different colors.

I've seen guys hook tarpon on the larger soft-plastic swim baits. $2.50 for 6 in a pack sounds like a bargain if you can get anything to hit them. I know that Spanish will hit smaller-sized ones (3-4 inches), so I'd think that a king would hit the larger size. For colors, I like olive and pearl-white. My thoughts are that you want your swim bait to mimic the profile of a mullet or cigar minnow.

The only problem I see with them is that the hooks look a little weak but they may hold up! Is there a stronger hook made for soft plastic swim baits? If so who makes them and are they weighted?

Originally Posted by jerimy7

The only problem I see with them is that the hooks look a little weak but they may hold up! Is there a stronger hook made for soft plastic swim baits? If so who makes them and are they weighted?

Hogy Lures makes jig heads for their plastic eels that are good and strong. I'm sure that less expensive, but strong-enough jig heads are available. You may want to make a trip to Academy Sports or Bass Pro Shops so that you can eyeball what you need for size and strength.

Check out the Tsunami Pro Swim Bait 5" 3oz 2-pack. They will cast a country mile even into the wind. I had several kings follow it and a few strikes but no hook ups a few weeks ago. No one else was catching kings at the time on live bait or plugs. Maybe some of the pros can tell you how to fish it to get them to eat it.

Originally Posted by jerimy7

The only problem I see with them is that the hooks look a little weak but they may hold up! Is there a stronger hook made for soft plastic swim baits? If so who makes them and are they weighted?

Lure parts online has some big saltwater jigs on closeout, cheap, with big hooks but the problem is their shipping charge ($10.00, roughly) which makes it expensive to order just a little bit. I got some 3 oz hotlips with a 9/0 hook $7.50 for 5 ea.. They also have 3 oz spearheads with a 7/0. Plenty strong.

Looks like they only have unpainted left, but nail polish is cheap.

Spearhead Jigs

Hot Lips Jigs