You know, I been fishin’ for smallmouth bass all my life, and I tell ya, them little critters sure know how to put up a fight. If you’re lookin’ to catch a good mess of ‘em, throwin’ swimbaits is one of the best ways to go about it. I’ve tried all kinds of tricks over the years, but swimbaits work good all year round, no matter the weather or season.
Now, when I first heard about swimbaits, I thought, “What in the world are them fancy things?” But after a while, I learned they sure do work like a charm for smallmouth bass. The thing about swimbaits is, they move just like a little fish in the water. That’s what gets the bass all excited, makes ‘em wanna bite. You can throw ‘em any time of year—summer, fall, winter, or spring. Don’t matter. Those bass will be swimmin’ around lookin’ for somethin’ to munch on, and your swimbait might just be what they’re after.
Picking the Right Swimbait
Now, when it comes to pickin’ a good swimbait for them smallmouths, you wanna make sure you got something they can’t resist. There’s this one swimbait I been usin’ for a while, called the Keitech FAT Swing Impact. That one has this ribbed body that gives off a real nice wiggle when it moves through the water. The bass can’t seem to leave it alone! It comes in all sorts of colors, too, but I find the green pumpkin and white ones do real good in the clearer waters. Just like when you’re fishin’ with worms or minnows, you gotta pick the right color, and you’ll see them fish start bitin’ in no time.
Another good thing about swimbaits is that you can use ‘em in different ways. You can use ‘em just like they are, or you can put ‘em on a swim jig as a trailer. Works great either way. I like to keep it simple, though, and just throw the swimbait by itself, workin’ it slow and steady through the water. Them bass like to chase after it and strike when they think it’s an easy meal.
Best Times to Use Swimbaits
Like I said before, you can use swimbaits all year, but there are some times when they really shine. If you’re fishin’ in the fall, that’s when them smallmouths get extra hungry. They’re feedin’ up for the winter, and they’ll chase after anything that looks like a meal. Swimbaits work great when the water’s gettin’ colder, too. You just gotta be patient and work that bait real slow, ‘cause the bass don’t always move too fast in colder water.
And let me tell you, the bass ain’t always in the same places. Sometimes they like to hang out in the shallow parts near rocks or along the edges of the riverbanks. But other times, they’ll be deeper, where the water’s colder. You gotta move around and find where they’re hidin’. Swimbaits can reach down to them deeper spots too, so that’s when you wanna use a heavier jig head to get it down where they are.
What Else Works Alongside Swimbaits
Now, I ain’t saying that swimbaits is the only thing you need. Sometimes, if you wanna make sure you catch a good haul of smallmouths, you gotta mix things up. There’s this one bait that works mighty fine—crayfish. Smallmouths love ’em. If you can get your hands on some live crayfish, throw one on your hook and watch them bass come runnin’. They like to hang out near rocky areas, and that’s where the crayfish are usually found. If you don’t got no live crayfish, you can always try using crawfish-colored swimbaits, and they seem to work real well, too.
Don’t forget about minnows, either. If you got some live minnows, them smallmouths can’t resist. I always keep some in my tackle box just in case. And when the fish ain’t bitin’ real good, I like to tip my swimbait with a little waxworm or minnow head to make it more irresistible. Sometimes, you just gotta add a little something extra to get ‘em to bite.
Conclusion
So, if you’re lookin’ to catch a bunch of smallmouth bass, don’t be afraid to give them swimbaits a try. They’re easy to use, work all year, and them bass can’t resist. Whether you’re fishin’ in the shallows or deep in the cold water, there’s always a swimbait that can do the trick. Just make sure you got the right color, and don’t forget to add a little extra if you need to. With swimbaits in your tackle box, you’ll be ready to reel in a big catch every time.
Tags：[swimbaits, smallmouth bass, fishing tips, Keitech FAT Swing Impact, swimbait fishing, live bait, crayfish, bass fishing, fishing tackle, fishing gear]
