I will buy my first swimbait rod med/heavy or heavy

[Catch 'n' Release]

I haven't touched a worm for over a year, and i havent looked back muaha

[swimbait101]

But i use my fairy stick for sunnies and trout ): :(

[Catch 'n' Release]

Whatever floats your boat buddy

[Liteweight]

If you wanna get started, just go for it. I'll be easy on you.

Summers here!

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, IF YOU HAVE THE $$$$ DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. Dont bother getting a cheap setup because you're just going to upgrade later and its a waste of money. This will save you hundreds of dollars OK?

Your getting a big bait set up. A 5-inch swimbait is not a big bait, u might as well
throw a crankbait.

Rod: hands down get the Dobyns MAG HEAVY. This bait will throw everything from 7" stocker trouts to the 10.5" Armageddon. I know, i have all of them.

Reel: Shimano calcutta 400TE TE TE TE. 25 or 30lb mono. If you use 25lb then respool every trip or peel line off then respool every other trip.

Line: Maxima Ultragreen or Pline green

Baits aka the fun part: This depends on the lake right now. Do you have a lot of weeds? my lake does so i'll give you my input.

Weeds or no weeds summer time is time for medium to fast retrieve baits...not gospel sometimes they like it slow like a deadsticked bluegill. Not one technique will work all the time. alright baits

Keep in mind this is for summer:

1. Floating baits>>>

"BBZ-1 floater"

(your choice if you want to use trout or silver, doesnt really matter tho)

I caught a lot of 8lbers last year when it was 104 degrees on rainbow trout floaters in a
lake with no trout. IT DOESNT MATTER K

"Lunker Punker"

This bait is pretty much the ****. I have the 9" baits but i throw the 6" due to the fact i have more control and that nine inch is the only bait i have that wears me out cause i can't work it faster.

last bigger fish was a 17lb striper and 7.5lb largie
(make sure you swap out the hooks to owner hooks as the stock one will get bent bad or break)

I prefer the bbz, but a lot of people like the 3:16 wake jr. for summer. Truth be told i have no confidence the bait so i don't throw it much.

2. Here's some slow sinking baits, these are my year around go to baits.

BBZ-1 slow sink rainbow in flat matte color. This was last years bait as well. all around solid bait just glue the fins and tail and you're good to go.

Recently as of the last 8 months the 10" triple trout has been f-ing phenominal. FORGET ABOUT THE 8" bait its not the same. I've caught 2lb largemouth to 28lb. stripers since last november.

Recently bought a Cl8bait in bass color, but havent spent a lot of time with it. i'll try it for stripers on wednesday and let ya know.

Its always nice to have some huddlestons, but i fish a weedy lake so i dont really use em in
summer. wait till the weeds die and its on, the huddy is a year round bait

Theres so many baits that are Whack and a wast of money that I'm going to give you the rundown so you save a crapload of time and money.

The baits:

BBZ-1's
10" Triple Trout
Lunker Punker
7" Tru-Tungsten bluegill (bass love bluegill buddy, make sure you bend/glue all the body pins
Mattlures Male or Female floating bluegill (deadsticking)

(right now i'm throwing the Triple Trout and bluegill baits, but its on with the Lunker punker wednesday)

Basic fishing tips:

1. You absolutely MUST fish in nasty windblown lakes. Wind is your friend with the slow sinking fast moving swimbaits. As soon as the wind picks up, grab that triple trout or bbz slow sink and find those points or islands and dont overlook ANY point on any lake, I don't
care if it has weeds or not, one clean cast and your most likely gonna get one.

2. Dont even think about bringing a fairy wand on your boat when you are going to throw the swimbaits because you ARE going to pick that POS up. LEAVE IT AT HOME!!!

3. Do NOT ever forget your camera or misplace it. put it in the same place everytime.
I can't tell you how many big fish i caught and i thought i left my camera at home... soon as you release em, you find the DAMN CAMERA!!! BAH!!

4. Make SURE you carry a pair of small Dykes, getting a hook in the finger or any part of the body is not fun if you cant cut the shank off with the fish flopping on the other
hook. This is for safety buddy, learn it, love it :D i don't like barbs :(

5. Pay attention on every cast cause you are going to get bit lookin the other way

6. Don't be afraid to mix up the cadence, sometimes you can surprise yourself

Well i'm at work and dont wanna get fired. keep in mind these are just "my" summer baits. No one elses. thats what i use, and its gonna be different from each person.

Winter baits I'll be throwing different swimbaits....see ya in the winter

dont hesitate to pm me if you need some information.....

plan on spending a 1,000.00 to start for the right stuff (probably be a little less than that tho)

I got like over 5,000 in swimbait ****, so ya its addictive and expensive

Some of the most thorough information I've seen on swimmies'.
I agree on most points of this post but some of my own preferences would also include 65# Power Pro Braided line on a Daiwa 253 matched with a Quantum Tour Edition 7117XF. I prefer the Daiwa due to the TiNi coated and disengaging levelwind which I prefer when throwing braid. Ideally I would prefer a Loomis 967XH(?) for throwing the bigger 10" Triple Trout and Hudds and a 965H(?) for the smaller baits, but I'm still in the process of saving for them so I just have to deal with my Tour Edition 767XF and 7117XF for now.
I also like to throw in the Optimum Inline Heavy 7" and 9" swimmie's.
Thanks for the valuable info C 'N' R.
Robert.

[bassin g]

Thanks for all the info on setup and techinque and lures