Line Thru Rig Your Paddlletails and Catch More Bass

Ever since their introduction decades ago, paddletail swimbaits have been a bass catching staple in most anglers tackle box.

The bass catching appeal of a paddletail lies in its captivating movement. That wide, flat tail thumps with an irresistible rhythm, mimicking the frantic escape of a fleeing baitfish. 

Unlike many lures, paddletails excel at a variety of retrieval speeds. Crank them fast for a high-speed chase, slow roll them for a seductive glide, or even let them sink and flutter enticingly near cover. This versatility makes them adaptable to ever-changing conditions helping trigger more strikes from even extremely finicky fish.

In most situations, paddletails are simple to rig. Add it to a swimbait jig head or a weighted swimbait hook, and you're ready to go. Ease of rigging makes them perfect for beginners and seasoned anglers alike.

There is one other rigging method however that can actually help improve the strike to catch ratio when fishing solid body paddletails; a simple line thru rigging alternative. It's definity a favorite of many bass pros, even the G.O.A.T. himself, Kevin VanDam!

Take a few minutes and watch as KVD tells when he prefers this rigging method over others and them explains exactly how he puts the rig together...

Definitely a rig to remember the time the fish are hitting but short striking your favorite paddletail swimbait!

Fishing Paddletail Swimbaits for Deep Summer Bass

As summer progresses, bass tend to move deeper in search of cooler water and active forage. This can make them difficult to target, but paddletail swimbaits can be a great way to get their attention.

Paddletail swimbaits are soft plastic baits that feature a large, paddle-shaped tail. This tail creates a lot of water disturbance, which can be very attractive to bass. The baits also have a lifelike swimming action that can fool even the most finicky bass.

When fishing paddletail swimbaits for deep summer bass, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you'll need to use a heavy enough rod and reel to cast the bait effectively. You'll also need to use a line that is strong enough to handle the occasional big fish.

Second, you'll need to fish the bait in the right spots. Look for areas where there is deep water with some structure and cover, such as ledges, humps, or brush piles. Bass will often hold on or near these areas during the summer months.

Third, you'll need to use the right retrieve. A slow, steady retrieve is often the best way to fish paddletail swimbaits for deep summer bass. As always if a one retrieve is not producing, vary your retrieve to see what it takes to trigger the bass into striking.

Want a little more insight from a Bassmaster Elite pro?

Take a few minutes and watch as bass pro Buddy Gross describes his approach for using swimbaits to trigger deep, structure-oriented bass into biting!

Fishing Boot Tail Swimbaits for Post Spawn Bass

The post-spawn period is a great time to target bass with boot tail swimbaits. Bass are typically in a recovery mode after the rigors of spawning, and they are looking for easy meals. 

Boot tails are also a great option because they offer a realistic presentation that bass can't resist.

Here are a few tips on how to fish boot tail swimbaits for post spawn bass:

• Use a medium-heavy or heavy action rod and matching reel. This will give you the power you need to set the hook on big bass. In addition, use 10-15 pound fluorocarbon line which will help you to keep your bait in the strike zone. Also, use a 3/0 or 4/0 swimbait hook providing the hook strength you need to land big bass.

• Focus on transition areas. Bass will often move to transition areas during the post-spawn period. These are areas where different types of cover meet, such as points, drop-offs, and weedlines. Boot tail swimbaits can be fished effectively in these areas by working them along the edges of the cover.

• Use a slow, steady retrieve. Bass are typically lethargic during the post-spawn period, so they won't be chasing baits. A slow, steady retrieve will help you keep your bait in the strike zone longer.

• Vary your retrieve speed. Bass can be finicky at times, so it's important to vary your retrieve speed and cadence. Try working your bait at different speeds to see what the bass are biting on.

• Use a variety of colors. Bass can be attracted to a variety of colors, so it's a good idea to have a few different colors in your arsenal. Try using natural colors, such as shad and baitfish patterns in clear water, as well as brighter colors, such as chartreuse and reds when fishing off-colored water.

Elite bass pro Jason Christie has a unique approach to rigging and fishing boot tail swimbaits around grass in the late spring. Take a few minutes and watch as Jason details his system to fishing boot tail swimbait for post spawn bass…

With a little practice, you'll be catching big post spawn bass with boot tail swimbaits in no time.

Using Large Soft Swimbaits for Big Spring Bass

When fishing for big bass in the spring, it's important to understand their behavior as they prepare to spawn. Bass are typically found moving into shallow water during early spring, as they feed more aggressively  and prepare to spawn. One effective way to target these fish is to use a large, pre-rigged, soft swimbait that resembles forage in your local waters.

Large soft swimbaits are lures designed to imitate the natural movement of common baitfish. They typically range in size from 4 to 12 inches; have a soft, realistic body; and are molded to look like a real fish. 

Most brands offer a variety of color patterns to match local forage. In addition to color, the size of the bait should match the size of the fish you are targeting. For big bass, a 5-8 inch soft swimbait is usually a good starting point and some of the most popular brands/models include: Megabass Magdraft, Storm Wildeye Shad, Bull Shad Bacca Burrito, Optimum Baits Rigged Boom-Boom, and Huddleston Deluxe swimbaits.

One of the key advantages of using a soft swimbait is its realistic swimming action. Unlike traditional hard-bodied baits, soft swimbaits are made of flexible materials that allow them to move and shimmy in the water like a real forage fish. This lifelike action can draw bass from their hiding spots and often entice even finicky lunkers into striking.

Tips for Skipping Large Soft Swimbaits Under Docks

Skipping large soft swimbaits under docks can be a highly effective technique for catching bass. It definitely requires skill earned through practice, patience, and the right equipment to successfully place the swimbait under the dock and entice bass into striking.

Skipping is a technique where you cast the bait low and parallel to the water's surface so that it skips across and travels under the dock past the high percentage spots where the biggest bass tend to reside. This technique mimics disturbed baitfish drawing the attention of bass hiding in the darkest shadows beneath the dock to either bite or follow the bait out and expose their location.

Many angler's consider Megabass' 6" Magdraft soft swimbait as one of the best dock-skipping swimbaits because of its flat sides and magnetic weight that holds the treble hook in place as the bait skips across the surface.

Bass pro Chris Zaldain is considered one of the best soft swimbait anglers on tour and has created the following video describing his system for skipping the Magdraft under docks.

Take a few moments and watch as he provides some great insight and certain nuances to consider when trying this technique.

Enjoy!

There is some really great information in the video, especially his approach of skipping from the shallow to the deep end of the dock.

I think that may work pretty well with a few other baits as well!

Cold Water Paddletail Swimbait Tips

During the cold water period, remembering a few basic tips such as 

• Find cover and structure on moderate to steeply dipping banks with ready access to deep water;
• Hard cover such as wood and rocks not only provide ambush points but also absorb heat often making water a little warmer;
• Work your bait slowly and keep it close to cover...

will not only help find bass but put them in the boat.

Since cold water bass are often feeding on baitfish at this time of year, a small paddletail swimbait can be the perfect lure to trigger cold water bass into striking.

Take a moment and watch as MLF bass pro Jacob Wall gives his thoughts on rigging and fishing paddletail swimbaits for cold water bass...

Paddletail Swimbaits for Late Fall/Early Winter Bass

Despite the season, if you take a simple jig head, add a 4" paddletail swimbait, you create one of the most productive, easiest to fish bass lures around: the paddletail swimbit. 

Even in the late fall and early winter, paddletail swimbaits mimic many different types of bait fish; a favorite forage of the smallmouth bass as they feed up before settling into their winter haunts.

Rigging and presentation of paddletails is very straight forward as pro fishing guide Tony Roach details in this video produced by the folks at W2F. Enjoy!

My choice regarding gear used for fishing paddletail swimbaits (live links):

Rod: Daiwa Tatula XT Spinning Rod (7' M)

Reel: Daiwa Revros LT 3000 Spin Reel

Line: 10 lb P-Line Floroclear

Paddletail Swimbait: Storm Lago Shad (4")

Jig Head: VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jig Head (5/16 oz)

Swimbaits for Prespawn Smallmouths

What happens after the ice leaves our northern waters, a spring warming trend hits and the buds start popping on the trees?

Smallmouth bass head up from the depths and cruise the rocky flats searching for a meal to prepare for their time on the spawning beds...

As these hungry smallies roam the flats in search of their next meal in these ultra clear water environs, using a subtle moving presentation like a small paddletail swimbait rigged on a jighead can often reap big rewards.

Take a moment as the folks from W2F give a short on the water tutorial on how to locate and catch prespawn smallmouth bass with paddletail swimbaits...

Paddletail Swimbaits for Prespawn Bass

After bass move up from the deeper water wintering homes and start to move from points and flats into their preferred spawning pockets, presenting a lifelike moving bait can increase success with catching these transitional fish.

A paddletail swimbait can be a highly effective tool since it closely mimics many common baitfish in shape, coloration and movement.

Knowing how to fish subtle paddletail baits as a search tool can be key to catching prespawners as SK bass pro KVD explains in this short video!

Although KVD discusses Strike King's bait in this video, any similar paddletail will work!

Rigging Paddletail Swimbaits

When I was first introduced to paddletail swimbaits (Mister Twister Sassy Shad I think) decades ago, I rigged it just like any stubby soft plastic bait ... on a roundball jighead.

Over the years I've learned the paddletail has many more rigging options such as

• on a weighted (and sometimes unweighted) EWG worm hooks
• on an Alabama rig
• as a trailer on chatterbaits, swim jigs and spinnerbaits
• even as a skirt replacement on those baits

It's actually a pretty versatile bait/trailer for many bass presentations as bass pro Jacob Wheeler describes in the following video:

Tokyo Rig Swimbait Fishing Tips

It didn't take long for bass anglers to adapt the Tokyo rig to a variety of presentations including flipping/punching, Texas rigging, swing jigging and more. 

One of the more interesting adaptations; rigging paddletail swimbaits for probing shallow to deep cover/structure elements.

Take a moment and listen to the folks at Rapala/VMC explain swimbait fishing using Tokyo rigs...

Using Swimbaits to Catch Springtime Smallmouth Bass

In many northern lakes, smallmouth bass leave the deep water wintering holes and head up onto the rocky flats in search of food and spawning areas each spring. 

Before they start the annual spawning ritual, smallies with roam the flats searching for minnows and crawfish to chomp on in preparation for the spawn...

Using a subtle paddletail swimbait as a finesse type presentation that allows us to cover water efficiently can be one of the more productive methods for catching springtime smallmouths as bass pro Bill McDonald demos in the following video...

Tips On Fishing Subtle Swimbaits

When swimbaits are mentioned to most bass anglers, visions of huge, expensive artificials often spring to mind…

But there is a “subtle” side of fishing swimbaits as Elite Pro Kevin VanDam discusses in this video…

Take a moment to watch and see what I mean

Even though I had fished subtle swimbaits like Mister Twister's Sassy Grubs in the past, I recently started fishing them last season with great success...

As a matter of fact, not only do subtle swimbaits catch bass plus many other species, even the small sizes catch big gals too!

See what I mean...

Not bad huh :D