Fishing swimbaits on lakes stocked with rainbows....

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Floyd on April 4, 2012 at 3:32pm

I love to throw the Hudds. You can fish them anywhere.....points, flats, docks. I've been fishing the docks with a jig then throwing the Hudd across the front and working it back. Both the 6" and the 8" work well, but I throw the 6" most of the time. I do not like hooks on the bottom unless I'm targeting Muskies. For Largemouth I think the hook on top is enough. A treble on the bottom will snag everything it can find. Sometimes the top hook will be pointed towards the body of the bait, I'll take a pair of needle nose pliers and bend it slightly upwards away from the body, it will hook up better. Careful not to pull the harness out of the bait!

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on April 4, 2012 at 7:25pm

I would highly recomend the baitsmith swimbaits if you are going to go with the 6" version, they don't tilt as much as the hudd 6". The Baitsmith Magnum is another bait that is overlooked.  I really think the swimbaits work better before the lakes get planted, this could be difficult if the lake closes annually. If you are going to get a hard swimbait, that is subsurface I would go with a triple trout not only do the largies like them but it is like smallie crack at times.

Permalink Reply by Chris Blandi on April 5, 2012 at 2:40pm

I agree with the above posts.  But I rarely throw the 6" sizes.  The 8" hudd will catch the smaller fish, and really gets the attention of the big ones.  Love the bigger Baitsmith too, thanks for recommendation Ron.  As for when to throw them, if you haven't been using them yet, you are wasting time.  The fish you catch before the trout plant will be a little skinny, but they are hungry and very volnerable right now.

 

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on April 5, 2012 at 3:22pm

Thanks for the input guys.  I'm just waiting for mine to arrive in the mail.  As for retrieve is a very slow constant retrieve best, or is it just like anything else where you play around with it till it gets eaten?  When looking at videos of the Hudds and other swimbaits I was surprised at how little action they really had, but they look just like a dumb trout swimming around.

Permalink Reply by Chris Blandi on April 5, 2012 at 3:41pm

A very slow constant retrieve is the best approach.  You can watch videos of guys there whole retrieve will take 3 minutes or longer.  I can't fish that slow, but they make it look as natural as possible.  Thats why the Hudd and soft boot tails in general is the #1 swimbait out there.  Stocker trout don't swim around spastic like a triple trout, but those baits have its place too, mostly when the water gets warmer.  You'll have fun throwing these baits around.  When you see a 3 lb or smaller fish make it disappear ( the 8" ) you'll be wondering what took you so long to pick one up.