Swimbait

Swimbaits or swimmers are a loosely defined class of fishing lures that are designed to primarily imitate the underwater swimming motions of baitfishes.

A swimbait designed to imitate a rainbow trout

History

Swimbaits originated in the late 1980s as lures designed to imitate rainbow trout in Southern California reservoirs that largemouth bass and striped bass fed on.^[1] They were larger and more lifelike imitations than most available mass-produced lures at the time.^[2]

Types

Swimbaits are mainly broken down into 2 categories: hard body and soft body swimbaits.

Hard-body

Hard-body swimbaits are often made of either wood or plastic.^[3] These baits are designed to mimic baitfish that predatory fish—such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, pike, and trout—would eat.

Hard-body swimbaits are built to produce a swimming action that provokes a predatory instinct, causing fish to strike. The lure's movement depends on the number of joints in its design.

Glide Baits (Single-Joint Swimbaits)

A single-jointed hard-body swimbait, commonly known as a glide bait, moves with a serpentine or "gliding" action in the water.^[3] This bait can be retrieved at different speeds and with various techniques to create erratic movements that mimic injured fish.

Multi-Jointed Swimbaits

Due to their segmented body design, multi-jointed hard-body swimbaits offer a more natural swimming motion. These baits can also create unique movements based on retrieve styles and speeds.^[4]

The versatility of hard-body swimbaits makes them effective in various fishing conditions, from clear open water to heavy cover, depending on how they are retrieved.

Soft-body

Soft-body swimbaits are almost exclusively made out of rubber or soft plastic, similar to artificial worms. Some soft-body swimbaits are designed to trigger strikes based on movement, while highly detailed baits (usually top-hook) rely more on realism than action.

Soft-body swimbaits have several subcategories, including paddle tails, line-through swimbaits, and top-hook swimbaits.

Paddle Tail Swimbait

Paddle tail swimbaits are the most common type used by many anglers. These baits come in various sizes:

• Smaller paddle tails are often used as trailers for a spinnerbait, chatterbait, or underspin.
• Larger paddle tails are commonly fished on a swimbait jig head or a weighted extra-wide gap (EWG) hook.^[5]

Paddle tail swimbaits come in two styles: - Solid-body paddle tails provide durability and are often paired with jig heads. - Hollow-body paddle tails allow different rigging options and internal weight systems.

Line-Through Swimbaits

Line-through swimbaits are large swimbaits that allow the fishing line to run through the body. This design helps prevent fish from using the bait as leverage to throw the hook.^[6]

Top-Hook Swimbaits

Top-hook swimbaits have a large, strong, jig-style hook that protrudes from the top of the swimbait. These swimbaits are often used in deep water or rocky environments where bottom-dwelling fish are present.

The top-hook swimbait typically has a wedge-style tail, which is designed for colder water conditions, providing a more subtle swimming action.^[7]

Gallery

• 
  A swimbait designed to imitate a rainbow trout.
• 
  Various swimbaits from Kanan Fishing Lures.
• 
  A Lingcod caught with a swimbait.