Anybody use swimbaits?

Hey
Was wondering if anybody uses swimbaits, and what kind and color. The reason I ask, I have to go to Fl often for work and stay for a couple a months at a time.
I have been going to a small lake, water was crystal clear, lily pads about 3-4 feet from shore around most of the lake.
I've tried everything from plastics, most colors shapes and sizes, creatures too. Hard bait, jointed, stick, top water, crank baits too.
I've fished different days, mornings, evenings.....even all day. Watched the moon, barometer, just before a storm.
I have been skunked every time, nada, zip, nothing, zero.
Why do I keep going back you ask.... Because I know the bass are there. I have watched a guy catch them ranging from 2-5 lbs. to the tune of 9 in one morning, and to add insult to injury, he has done this 50 feet behind me. ( where I have already fished.)
He uses live bait, shinners. I know I can catch them on artificial bait, just have to find one they will hit on.
So swimbaits are my next brain storm, any input will be much appreciated.
Thanks

I would go in the opposite direction first. Try smaller baits until you figure out where they are and form some sort of pattern. Throwing big swim baits is an art form on its own that will catch bigger fish but fewer in between.

Try a 4 inch stick bait wacky rigged fished slowly near structure. That is what I would do. Good luck and keep us posted.

i have had great luck with a white or white/chartrousse waky worm. i also like using white "flukes". if the water is clear and deep try drop shoting. we have a lake here that holds HUGE uncatchable bass. the few people that will tell how to catch them are using drop shots. the swim baits are fun when you figure them out. but take alot of finese.

So swim baits are tricky, do they make small ones. I know they are not cheap, so I will give the wacky rig a try first.
i totally understand about going smaller...the guy that I watched catch fish right beside me is using 2" shiners, casting right on the edge of the Lilly pads and free lines them. He seems to wait about 2 minutes then recast about 15 feet or so.
I really don't want to use live bait.
I keep everyone up to date.
Thanks

Will try the drop shot rig too
Thanks

Try using a small crappie sized jib or tube under a float (Cigar shaped bobber with a weighted end for casting)

use floro leader and fish this slowly - you will get some!

:twisted: Make long casts when possible. Bass get spooked fairly easy in clear water. I would also down size as mentioned above. A 3-4" Senko wacky rigged with no weight is ideal. 8lb test. Good Luck!!

long casts are definitely in your favor with spooky bass

Thanks everyone for the advice.... Just got called to go back to Flordia for work, will be ther at least 6-8 weeks.
Going to be fishing that lake by next weekend. Already picked up the stuff everyone suggested, smaller lighter colored , and even some flukes.
Never did much drop shoting, there is a lot of tall grass growing on the bottom. Any suggestion on how deep to start off.
I found some storm, wide eyed plastic swim bait in my stuff.... The one that are are ready rigged with a hook coming out the top. I don't even remember buying them. Anybody ever have any luck with those?

Hey everyone
Went fishing and took everyone's advice used smaller, used a wild eyed storm. Caught a small blue gill and a large mouth. Didn't fish very long, going back next weekend if weather lets me.
Thanks every one

This little guy has tremendous action, good luck on your outing :fishing:

Our fish here on the westcoast are pretty spooky, so long casts on lower lb string is key....
I use 10lb mono tied w/20 or 30lb leader if Im snook fishing...
To each their own...

But as for the swimbaits, I use DOAs lil 3" shadtail or whatever its called.... Darker colors contrast the lighter sky color....

Am in Central Florida and that's about all I use is swim baits.
Anything with green shades as the main color and red accents...watermelon red for example.
Cast right into the thick stuff and pull it across it. When you get the strike wait at least one second or more before setting the hook.
Set it HARD

Wow! Great fish! Time to move to Florida to fish full time! :beer:

Them some fine lookin' fish there, Pappy.. Well done.

Two thumbs up!!!! Nice fish Pappy!!! =D>

I fish up north & all we have are clear lakes. Swim baits are the go to bait in cold clear water - but you have to fish them slow and let their natural action do the work. Storms have a good action - just got to match the local bait... Keep it just above the weedline in the temperature transition zone. If you can drop it into holes along the heavy weedlines you can get hits on the fall.

I'm going to give some real prey swimbaits a try this year. Locally owned and made! :beer: I'm going to contact him direct to take me fishing with him so he can school me on the proper techniques of his baits. I hope he says yes.

https://www.realpreyswimbaits.com

Jim said:

I'm going to give some real prey swimbaits a try this year. Locally owned and made! :beer: I'm going to contact him direct to take me fishing with him so he can school me on the proper techniques of his baits. I hope he says yes.

https://www.realpreyswimbaits.com

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Get me two please

I live in Florida and have fished all over the place. One lure that always catches fish for me is a reaction innovation skinny dipper. I rig it on a Trokar 5/0 swimbait hook and reel it slow. The bass will crush it. You can bring it over the lily pads just like a frog also and burn it on top. It has a light kick on top of the water but it's something different the bass aren't used to seeing all the time.