They sure look realistic, with a great natural finish. I'm not sure how that magnetic dot's gonna work with a stinger hook. Spoke with the SwimbaitNation dude at the ISE show in San Mateo, & he suggested trading out the hook with a double-tined (frog) hook in place of the treble -- sounds intriguing! I bought one of the slow-sinking baits, & can't wait to try it out (Coyote, here I come?).


Anybody had any luck with them to-date? (Sorry if I've missed any relevant past posts; I've been away awhile).

I'm hearing mixed results about the baits including baits snapping in the air.Better pack a huddleston or two just in case that happens to you.
tight lines, Brian

Mine broke in half x(

I've had no problems with mine and have had one bite. I know of two board members here that have landed fish on them.

Matt

I got a platinum fish on about my 5th cast with the slow sinking 10" It was a 6lber. No problems thus far with the baits. If I can make a recommendation for you guys who are just picking up the bait to use it, use a much smaller hook than you would normally use. Like #2 or #1 is just fine. The baits are so loose they fish are going to inhale them and if you use 2/0 hooks, you're going to gill hook a lot of bass. I gill hooked this fish but it was on a #2 hook so the fish survived.

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/d/7532-2/aas.jpg

it comes with a hook right? and are you suggesting replacing it for a smaller hoo?

cst,
Yes I am suggesting taking off the stock hook and putting a smaller hook on. The bait is so narrow that you don't really need a hook with a large gap between the hook point and the shank.

I estimate that I have made almost 100 cast with my 8 inch slow sinker and the bait is still in great shape (not fish yet but hey I'm trying). Both magnets did fall out in the first five casts so you may want to check to see if they are loose and glue them in. I think I will change out the hook as rob suggests.

Rob,

As you suggested I switched out the hook (a #1 Gamie) on my 8" SS Platinum and fished with it at Folsom on Saturday. My bait now runs on its side, whereas with the stock hook it ran true. Have you had any problems with smaller hooks effecting the action on your baits? Any suggestions to get the bait running true again besides putting the stock hook back on?

No bites on Saturday on Swimbaits, but I know I will eventually.

I haven't tried the 8" yet. Were you using one hook or two? Maybe my baits still swam fine because I was replacing the one big hook with two small hooks so the weighting was approx. the same.

If it's not working, maybe put a small mojo weight behind the first magnet. I really believe that unless guys switch out for smaller hooks on this lure, we are going to see a lot of gill hooked fish and bleeders.

im going to have to agree with that, my one fish was gill hooked too and it was only a dink. also, i think the trailer hooks should be rigged with spectra instead of the wire. it just seems that the wire will restrict the movement of the baits when the trailer hook is on the magnet. i'd try to use spectra and make it a little bit longer then it should be so the slack will allow the hook to move left and right during the retrieve.

I only put one hook on the bait, so that’s probably why it is not running true. Ever since I killed my first swimbait fish (because it swallowed the bait) I rarely put a second hook on my baits in fear of killing another big fish. I will try a mojo weight to see if I can balance the bait out.

I caught a 9.4 and had an even bigger one come unbuttoned the first day I used it. It held up nicely and still runs perfect. Check the pics in my album....

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/d/7095-2/abe.jpg
http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/d/7055-2/aat.jpg

Nice fish Jared. By looking in your album it would seem we fish at a few of the same places :) Go figure.

i missed 3 fish and caught a dinky 1 lber on the 6" floating platinum today. my first swimbait fish ever...