Rigging a swimbait?

[bobothewizard]

Im going to be starting to pour some 3 3/4 " swimbaits from lurecraft and i was wondering how do you guys rig these. I was wondering if there is a weedless application to "swim" these things through grass.

Pictures would be worth one thousand words

[MONKEYqpHUNTER]

i agree with bob some pics of how you guys use the antena and fuel line tubeing as inserts would be very helpful. maybe tell us you guys hold the hook inplace on the mold when you add a hook or jig head before you pour.

[earthworm77]

This is a 3.75" Swimbait I'm pouring. There is absolutely no need to rig this bait with an insert. You run the risk on damaging it if you don't do it right. The bait is under 4", you can rig it on a ball head and it will be likely more effective.

Monkeyhunter- On the larger baits, you'll notice there is usually a notch just below the gill area ahead of the belly. Imagine a cylindrical insert being laid at a 45 degree angle at that notch and cocked towards the forehead of the bait. The molds I have made hold the insert in position and you simply pour the plastic around it. most times you don't even have to clear excess plastic from the holes that the line goes through.

[loco]

This is a 3.75" Swimbait I'm pouring. There is absolutely no need to rig this bait with an insert. You run the risk on damaging it if you don't do it right. The bait is under 4", you can rig it on a ball head and it will be likely more effective.

Monkeyhunter- On the larger baits, you'll notice there is usually a notch just below the gill area ahead of the belly. Imagine a cylindrical insert being laid at a 45 degree angle at that notch and cocked towards the forehead of the bait. The molds I have made hold the insert in position and you simply pour the plastic around it. most times you don't even have to clear excess plastic from the holes that the line goes through.

thats a very good looking swimbait. is that a custom mold, or did that come from lurecraft ?

[bdomina]

Jason quinn showed an interesting way of doing it on a swim tube like a basstrix , on bass pros the other day.

BEFORE YOU TIE ON.

take one of those ewg weighted hooks and poke a hole through the nose and belly like you are texas rigging it . just enough to make a hole all the way through. don't pull the weight through.

remove the hook and from the belly push the eye up through the hole you just made untill it comes out the nose.

then push the barb up and through the back like you were again texas rigging it

this prevents you from having to pull the whole weight through the nose tearing up the bait.

tie on bait.

[stratmanv]

I use weighted hooks with hitch-hikers.Quick, easy, and similar to texas rigging without having to push thru the whole bait. Pic is an example using a 6" fluke but same concept.

[loco]

agreed stratmanv. this is the best option. i have also pushed a nail in the belly and used a worm hook thru the nose and out of the back. the weight from the nail keeps them swimming belly down.

hands down best option is the weighted hook with hitchhiker.

[Macsmallie]

i use a sure set treble hook, i sqeeze on a rubber core on the

shank then attach a hitch hiker to the line tie, when you rig

use the large barb up thru the bait, this runs true and leaves

the entire bait to swim free..

[earthworm77]

hands down best option is the weighted hook with hitchhiker

This depends on how you fish the bait. When I fish around or in cover, absolutely the best option but if I'm in open water, I have a much higher hook up rate with a ball head. The exposed hook is just better and it doesn't tear the baits up as much in my opinion.

[longhorn]

Someone asked for an example of how a hook is held in place while pouring. Here's my hi-tech approach. Notice that I notched my mold with a dremel tool in two places so the hook will center, then use the straw to keep it vertical by scotch taping the end of the straw to the mold. The hook shown is a 7/0 Gam worm hook...the bait is not balanced with it unless weight is added near the bottom. Second photo is how I rig another type of swimmer I make. It has a hook slot and with this rigging the bait can last 4 or 5 fish and usually the nose wears out...if you want to get real cheap you can rig it again on one of those stick-in hooks like the Mustad and use it for a few more fish.

[loco]

very very good idea !!