Written By Pro Team Member- Matt Gibson
It is that time of year when the hunters head to the tree stands and I start hunting for large fish. It honestly is my favorite time of year as the fish start grouping together and a day on the water can be super rewarding. One of the must haves this time of year for me is a soft plastic swimbait in that 3.75in range. I find that this bait to be a very versatile and the new Dewey baits Rumpshaker is a perfect bait for this application. In case you haven’t heard Dubro has a new line of lures called the Average Joe series that is a quality bait with a secret plastic blend at a great value price.
I am an absolute topwater junkie and adding a Rumpshaker to a buzzbait can be a game changer on the water. Throwing a 1/4oz buzzbait and pairing it with a rumpshaker can really make the buzzbait easier to throw and give the buzzbait an almost shimmy action that bass cannot resist. If you have read any of the other blogs that I have wrote I keep things super simple and a ¼ oz buzzbait is something I always keep handy in the kayak and boat. Adding a trailer to the buzzbait just adds another layer of diversity to an already productive bait. Same applies for a spinnerbait. Adding a swim bait trailer can add a little bit of diversity and trigger those fall strikes as well.
A swim jig is one of my best baits through the year. By simply adjusting the trailer totally changes the water column in which the bait can reach. When I am fishing the swim jig in standing grass or lily pads a big flapping bait is preferred. This keeps the bait in the upper portion of the water column and has a tremendous amount of lift to the bait. As summer goes on and fall approaches, I want the bait to stay deeper in the water I will simply add the Dewey Baits Rumpshaker. This presentation will cause less lift and allows the swim jig to stay in that strike zone for a longer period. An example of this would be a weed line that fish are using to stage for the fall feeding frenzy.
One of my newest additions to the arsenal is using a under spin. I prefer a ¼ oz underspin head and a Rumpshaker. Many competitors swim baits tear easily in this application, but the Rumpshakers secret blend of plastics are that great blend of toughness and softness. Slow rolling an underspin in those areas that fish are pressured can be extremely rewarding. I carry this tactic into the winter months as well. It is a great bait to use all the way up to frozen water.
Ole reliable in the soft swimbait game is on a jig head. This is a simple way to rig the bait and will get bit all year. While this is an awesome way to use a swimbait year-round the fall and early winter are my favorite time of year for this method. I will use jig heads ranging from ¼ to 3/8 oz in this application. I base the weight on what depths and type of water I am fishing. If in the river I might opt for a heavier weigh t than let’s say a shallow water impoundment. If fishing in areas with structure, I will choose a screwlock style of hook with a weight.
I hope this blog helps unlock some new tactics and new ideas for you while fall fishing and using these soft plastic swimbaits. The new line of plastics from Dubro fishing are impressive and I would encourage you to give them a shot.
