Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

To All,

I apologize for the beginner questions. I'm just new to this swimbait scenario.

What kind of structure/pattern should I focus on when fishing swimbaits?

Thanks,
Tony

i always visualize where a real bait fish should not be. Where would be too dangerous for a little bluegill baby bass, trout etc. If I know that there is a bunch of gills that are living in some sunken trees then I am going to cast out far past the trees where bass are waiting for a gill to venture out too far. Ambush points. If you know there are trout schooled up in a cove then back off as far from them as you can and cast to the back of the cove. Your trout bait should look like the stupid trout that seperated from the school and is heading out past ambush points. You are trying to make your bait act like a real bait fish that wondered off. This has been a good starting place for me.

Mattlures wrote:i always visualize where a real bait fish should not be. Where would be too dangerous for a little bluegill baby bass, trout etc. If I know that there is a bunch of gills that are living in some sunken trees then I am going to cast out far past the trees where bass are waiting for a gill to venture out too far. Ambush points. If you know there are trout schooled up in a cove then back off as far from them as you can and cast to the back of the cove. Your trout bait should look like the stupid trout that seperated from the school and is heading out past ambush points. You are trying to make your bait act like a real bait fish that wondered off. This has been a good starting place for me.

+1

Hit the nail right on the head! Just make sure you are fishing ambush spots...make that bait seem as natural as possible!

Eric

I love to throw bigger wake baits or swimbaits by underwater trees or brush. I love boat docks too, because you never know when that big one is just waiting for that easy meal. You just need to do trial and error, the bass will tell you what they want. I was throwing a Optimum bait at Casitas and I swam the bait by the brush, I threw it on top of the brush with no takers.Now I knew there was a good bass by there because I had seen it swimming around, so I finally flip it into the brush and got blasted. Never be afraid to try new things and be ready, because that big one is a hook set away. tight lines Chief

45 degree rock slope with some texture change or Timber. First breaks/high spots outside your spawning areas. There is no "bad" structure to fish. But all structure that produces is good! Oh yeah, and where the trout are stocked!

Wherever you choose to throw them be sure to fish them all the way back to the boat. I can't tell you how many times I have had a swimbait crushed at the boat. It's frustrating when you've gone hours without a bite and one slams it at the boat and you're not ready because you're already looking for the next cast instead of finishing the current one.
Tree

ALL THE WAY BACK. That is good advice. Plus there is nothing better than watching a slug eat your swimbait!