Has the novelty worn off

[rxfish]

While visiting my favorite tackle shop the other day, couldn't help but noticing a table with box upon box of Basstrix baits in any size and color, at least 6 large boxes of the same baits on the floor and 2 separate racks again with any size and color you would want. And it was just within the last year or so the demand for these baits was thru the roof. Granted many guys and maybe gals are now making their own and some of the big companies have joined in which gives Basstrix some competition. Its just amazing how quick things change in our sport. The price hasn't dropped near as I could tell. Oh well, I bought 6 boxes and some other stuff and was on my way. Another hundred bucks spent.

[Mattlures]

The Basstrix baits are still good little baits. The problem is the knock-offs killed them. They realy flooded the market to the point that stores have most of the knock brands on clearance. They are now soo cheap that most people arent buying the originals. The other thing that has happend if fisherman bought these baits thinking they would catch big fish because they are "swimbaits" They may be swimbaits but they are small fish baits and do NOT consistantly produce big fish. So for the guys with big fish expectations, they were let down. But the biggest reason for the real Basstrix not selling is how fast and how masive the attack from the copy cat companys were.

[Tubeman]

Matt, I have to agree on the notion that swimbaits are the magical answer. Many have taken advantage of the big tournament wins supposedly singlehandedly won with a 5 or 6" swimbait. After giving swimbaits a good try all year I've found that they with catch fish of all sizes, my biggest this year did come off a swimbait though.

You have to really know about the way baits are manufactuered to understand why some are more expensive and others are cheaper. A true hollow body swimbait will swim with much more action than one that is 3/4 hollow from the head to near the tail. Plastic softness is also a factor, the softer it is the slower you can retrieve it.

Edited November 1, 2008 by Tubeman

[Mattlures]

Mike that is a nice fish. I would geuss that most fish caught on those baits are between 1-3 lbs , your looks a little better about 4-5lbs.(A great tournament fish!) Every bait ocasionaly gets a good fish even drop shotters get good fish ocasionaly. I do agree with your statement on the differences between all the hollow belly swimbaits. This is also another reason the originals have suffered. With soo many companies rushing to get a basstrix bait on the market, many of them were just poor products. But since they all look similar, a fisheman who bought copy brand x for $5 and had very little success is not going to rush out and buy the real thing for $9. He has already made up his mind on paddle tail tubes. One more thing is that these types of baits were new to many of the anglers and they werent sure how to use them. It only makes it worse when they go online and asks how do you fish swimbaits. Since every company out there wants a peice of the swimbait pie practicaly every type of bait is now referred to as a swim bait. Soo this just adds to the confusion and frustration.

If used properly the Basstrix and even a couple copy brands can be very effective for tournament keeper sized fish. I have said it a hundred times. The biggest strength of these types of baits is their weedlessness. You can rig them weedless and present a swiming somewhat realistic fish and throw them through the nastiest stuff and not get hung up. You dont have to use them like this but this is where they separate them selfs from other baits.

Edited November 1, 2008 by Mattlures

[MuskyGary]

Also, this is the off season for most fishermen. They have quit buying for this year. A lot og guys are now hunting. If you check e-bay you will find lots of baits for sale by tackle stores trying to get rid of their stock. Cash is better to have than lures on the shelfs.

[rxfish]

I agree Musky, except here in the West most of our circuits, central and northern California, are just starting. Your right Matt, we've never caught any real good fish on this bait, but having said that, my lake doesn't have an abundance of big fish in it. Nice fish Mike, sorta looks like Clearlake. We will probably keep a Basstrix tied on just to keep them honest, along with one of the better swimbaits out there.

[Delw]

what hurt basstrix is basstrix themselves with the way there sellers were making you buy them. guys in AZ said screw basstrix cause they way there sellers treated you and bought other similair baits.

tackleshops here sell basstrix style baits 10-1 compared to basstrix brand. not due to being cheaper as they arent that much cheaper.

The basstrix style baits is heavily used in tourny's here in AZ, everyone has one tied on, most tournies are won using them in AZ.

like most baits you will catch all sizes of fish, the basstrix style will get you bigger fish but not as many. Remember in a a tourny you only need 5 fish =5 bites, your not fishing for the most fish. Reaction fish will generally get you bigger fish. ( with the exception of carolina rigging)

swimbaits at least in AZ are the number one bait for big fish and tourny wins, it use to be jerkbaits but for some reason the swimbaits have taken tat over bigtime.

[Tubeman]

Sorry, my last post stated swimbaits were the magical bait...I ment that they were not the magical bait...posted that one at 5 am

Edited November 2, 2008 by Tubeman

[Mattlures]

There is no such thing as a silver bullet or a majic bait. If your looking for a bait to target big bass then a real swimbait is the udisputed choice. Jigs arent even close. They are a very distant 2nd place. But like I said every type of bait is being called a swimbait now. I am talking about real swimbaits made on the west coast and used by guys targeting trophy bass. Paddle tail tubes do not fit this description!!!. There are only a handfull of swimbaits/big baits that are proven to consistantly produce huge bass. Again since the term "swimbait" is practicaly being used to lable anything from crappie jigs to Big musky type plugs the term swimbait means different thing to different anglers.

Dewl did bring up a good point. I dont think Basstrix did it on purpose, but they made it difficult for the stores to meet demand so they bought knock offs.

[gunnie3035]

I think they were real selective about who and how many baits were supplied to individual dealers/sellers. How else does the same guy make thousands on Ebay and seemed to have an endless supply of Basstrix. I personally don't blame them a bit.

I don't think the bait is a novelty nor do I think Basstrix is the best one out there. There are some guys on this board who make paddle tail tubes better than any big boy company. Every time some elite tourney is won on a swimbait, sales go through the roof for a month. They will get hot again.

What truly saddens me is not the knock-offs, but the quality of the knock-offs. Some unsuspecting angler is going to buy a pack of cheap Reaction Strike or Kamakazie's and realize they are just another paint smelly China made bait. He will make the assumption that all paddle tail tubes are made with the same TLC.

I also agree with Sir Matt, to a swimbait purist these are not "swimbaits" in a true sense of the word.

[GB GONE]

Not only has the "novelty" not worn off, these baits are just getting to be favorites of the east coast anglers now.

They are seeing the versatility and fish catching ability.

While I agree 100% these baits are not BIG fish baits, I have had 3 guys catch an 11.02, a 7.18 and a boat load of fish over 6 in the past month alone. Not big by some guys measure but in a tournament, these are pigs.

I see these baits lasting as long as anglers have confidence in them, just like any other soft plastic bait.

Jim

PS Try flipping these once!!! The totally hollow ones don't work to great but I can pour the head with saltwater plastic and the rest of the body softer and you get one heck of a bait to flip!!! Hold the hook great and the fish just crush the bait when it goes by!