Why You Should Start Throwing Swimbaits To Target Shallow Bass

The wiggling action of a swimbait makes it a natural for fishing in shallow waters.

Whether you are fishing a hard or soft swimbait, the lure’s waggling tail section provides the same lift as the blades of a spinnerbait, so the swimbait can effectively run in water less than a foot deep if necessary. The magnum-sized swimbaits pros referred to as “throwing a sock” whenever they fished for big bass in California have been downsized and mass produced for anglers to fish bass waters throughout the country.

Hollow-belly soft plastic swimbaits rigged weedless with a weighted hook is a popular way to fish around shallow cover in clear water. I like to throw this weedless version to reach big bass hiding behind dock cables and in shallow brush piles without snagging the lure.

When fishing rip rap along open rocky banks, I use either a full-bodied swimbait rigged on a jighead or a hollow-belly model with a bullet weight and treble hook inserted into the belly. I rig the hollow-belly version by inserting a small plastic tube in the nose of the swimbait and thread the line through the tube.

With the line protruding through the belly, I slide the weight on the line and then tie on the hook. I have noticed over the years that my success rate at landing bass is a lot higher with the treble setup than with the swimbaits rigged weedless on a weighted hook or on a jighead with a single exposed hook.

Mike Bucca Baby Bull Shad

Jointed hard plastic swimbaits are most effective for me when I am working the shallows of open banks since the lure’s set of treble hooks tend to hang up in cover. These lures can be waked along the surface to trigger vicious strikes from shallow bass.

The prime time to throw a swimbait in the shallows is after a shad spawn. Spinnerbaits are typically great lures for throwing during this time, but swimbaits will outperform blade baits in clear-water situations or on waters experiencing heavy fishing pressure.

Spinnerbaits are the most popular shallow-running lure in murky to muddy water, but the swimbait with its subtle look and action is a good finesse fishing option for skittish bass in the shallows of clear water. Retrieving the swimbait in the shallows with the same steady, slow to medium pace I employ for my spinnerbaits trigger the most strikes for me.

More Swimbait Tips From Lake Fork Guy!