Some say these baits were originally designed to catch big California strippers, while others disagree. They say they were made to order for 20+ lb. Texas-sized bucketmouths ( everything's big in Texas). I guess it all depends on were you come from.
The Texas bunch say they were being used at lake Texoma in the late 80's. Then spread throughout the state.
The California crowd states that a guy named Allen Cole invented them at about the same time. His was a hand-carved, 9" long, wooden lure that was connected with eye hooks in the middle. It also had fins and a flickering rubber tail. Although it didn't really look like a real fish, it had plenty of action. It became known as the AC Plug.
The weren't cheap, costing $20-40 a pop. But, they caught big strippers and also big large and smallmouths, pike, walleye, you get the picture. Smaller ones catch big crappies, perch, etc.
Before you knew it they were in full production. All shapes, colors, and sizes. Wood-bodied, hard-bodied, soft-bodied, hollow-bodied and combos. With and without diving lips. Weighted and unweighted.
We'll be talking mostly about the larger size baits in this article. 8+ inches and more.
Equipment
Rods; It depends on the size bait you intend to throw. Smaller 4-6 inch baits can probably be handled by your favorite six and a half foot flipping stick. But with larger, heavier, 7-12 inch, 2+ ounce baits will need more beef. These rods are usually 7 - 8 1/2 feet long, with good tip action, and plenty of backbone to haul in the large fish you're presumably after. There is a selection of good swimbait poles on the market, although it pays to go somewhere, like Bass Pro, and have someone show you different models and explain their action. Not all poles are the same. Fishing a heavy bait all day can be extremely frustrating with the wrong pole.
Reels; Low-profile baitcasters won't cut it with a heavy bait. You can easily cast almost all of your line off because of low capacity. You'll need a higher capacity reel. Bass Pro has several models in the $100 range.
Some prefer a higher gear ratio, like 5-1. It'll make them slow down their fishing and they'll be less tired, but can still retrieve fast for another cast and be able to muscle-out a big boy when they have to.
Line; 20# test should be adequate. Depends on conditions. Mono, fluorocarbon, braided, it's your choice. Some complain that there's to much stretch in mono, but at 20 or more test there isn't much stretch unless you hook into a 20+ pounder. In that case, you just might want some. Also some braided line can be seen in very clear water. In that case, tie a 24-36 inch fluorocarbon leader on. Fluorocarbon is nearly invisible in the water. With this set-up, if you get snagged on something, you can usually break off the floro line and not have to cut the braided line at the waterline. Fluorocarbon can become difficult to cast.
Baits; Originally they were made to resemble 8" rainbow trout. But like I said, now they come in all shapes and sizes and colors. They are primarily a sight bait, so many are extremely life-like with all the right flash and plenty of paddle-tail vibration. They can also be pricey. There are many kinds and we'll sort through them all in another article.
What To Do
Large Swimbaits; When you're using such big baits(8+ inches, 3+ ozs.), you're looking for big fish. There might only be a few bites a day, so you'll want to make the most of them. Since the bait is primarily a sight bait, you need to match the hatch, as they say, and water clarity should be atleast 3 feet or more. Heavy baits sink rapidly, so they aren't for casting in the shallows. A fast retrieve will cause the lure to run 3-5 feet deep. A medium retrieve will make the lure run 5-20 feet deep, depending on the retrieve. A slow retrieve will allow you to slow-roll or jig the swimbait back to the boat.
Most big fish suspend by structure over deep water. So some of the best spots are deep points, humps, rock piles, and reefs. Approach these spots from the windless side with your electric trolling motor. If the wind is blowing directly onto your spot, it doesn't make any difference which side you approach. Sit in about 10-15 feet of water.
Cast the swimbait out past your target area and slowly retrieve the bait to slow-roll or jig the bait back to the boat from deeper water to shallow water. Fan cast the area. Use it like a crankbait to probe fallen timber or other structure. Probing areas like this can bring misery. 90% of the time you can pull a snag free by releasing pressure and snapping the line, sometimes even triggering a huge strike. If that doesn't work, you'll have to go 180 degrees to the other side and try. Be sure to change up the action and direction and speed of the bait. The easiest way is to stop reeling and let the swimbait sink to the bottom, which it usually does head first. Just like a real fish, tail thumping all the way. Do whatever to trigger a strike. 10 casts is probably enough for one area, so be sure to have other spots to try.
Small Swimbaits; Pretty much fished the same way. Their flatter sides will allow for pretty good skipping when fishing along side piers and the like. Weighted ones can be snapped or hooked to a spinning rig and fished, with paddle-tails and split-tails producing the most action and some deadly results.
