THE BASS COLLEGE

ZACK HELLENBRAND

Zack has been chasing trophy bass now for about 2 years and his accomplishments and knowlege of baits, forage, and tackle have really risen to a high level, making him the perfect person here to answer your questions on big swimbaits, tackle and general tactics to take trophy class bass on swimbaits

Hey Zack! I'm looking at getting a new swimbait rod/ reel set-up.  I'm looking for an all around rig and some swimbaits that I should start out with.  I know Hudds are awesome, so I'm going to pick some of those up soon, but I just wanted to see what your thoughts were on an all around rod and reel set-up. Thanks!

It really depends on what size baits you want to throw,say your looking to throw 1 oz swimbaits or under.Then you can use any reel and med heavy to heavy rod you like.Now if your looking to throw big baits and target big fish,than a true swimbait rod,Here are some true swimbait rods that are vary good:Okuma Guide Series Big Bait Casting Rods,Powell Max Swimbait Casting Rods ,G. Loomis Swimbait Rods,Dobyns Mike Long Signature Swimbait Rods

Reels:Shimano Calcutta 400 B Series ,Shimano Curado 300 E and Shimano Calais Series A

These are the tools i would look at,there all good.But you could also use any round (beercan) baitcaster.I use the Shimano Calais Series A its a dream to use and you can pull it off and use it on a diffrent rod if you want,I also have been trying a Pinnacle Perfecta DHC5 Casting Rod the 7'9" is a swimbait?flipping stick but loads vary well i like this rod alot,but it only goes up to 3oz

Soft Swimbaits; The Huddleston Deluxe 6" Trout ,Huddleston Deluxe 8" Trout ,Decoy 5" Hydra Tail Swimbait ,Jerry Rago Top Hook Mini BV3D Swimbaits ,Mattlures Tournament Series Swimbaits ,Osprey Tournament Talon Top Hook

HardSwimbaits;Black Dog Small Shell Cracker G2 ,JSJ Snack Size Swimbait,Spro BBZ-1 Swimbait 6" ,Spro BBZ-1 Swimbait 8" ,Triton Mike Bucca Bull Shad Swimbait,22nd Century Triple Trout Swimbaits

I'm a big powell fan and I've got a bunch of MH/H rods, so the normal hollow belly paddle tails aren't a problem.  Should I go with the big boy then? the 8 foot heavy rod (I think it's supposed to be for baits between 3-10 ounces or something like that). Or is the 7'9" MH a better rod to start with.  For now I don't think I"m going to go over the six inch bait size, I might get an eight inch lunker punker, but a trophy fish in my area is between 7 and 8 pounds.  

Thanks for your help!

6 inch baits are great i use them alot but they catch alot of 3 to 6lb fish and bigger but with the 8 inch baits u will be targeting more for 7lb and up,and even sometimes the smaller bass will eat them too like 3lb or 4lbers,the powell is 5 to 8oz baits most 6inch will go 1.5oz to 3 most of the time.Okuma big bait rods are really nice and there a good price i have 2 of them they are 1 to 5oz is the model i have,and the 7'11''s have alot of diffrent sizes

I have 3 swimbait rods i think two is a good number when you really get into it,but for starting i would find one that can go up to atleast 4oz and you will be able to trow any 6inch bait pluse some of the 8inch baits out there

awesome thanks! I'll definitely check those out!

OKUMA BIG BAIT RODS ON SALE HERE<

Hey Zack and Ryan, I am trying to get into swimbaits. I currently own some huddleston deluxe 6in  and Castaic Baits Hard Head big sunfish. I have a abu garcia ambassader c3 5500 with a  7'3 heavy diawa VIP SM (1/2-1 1/2oz) to start fishign swimbaits. I do not plan on going any bigger than 6in or heavier than 1 1/2oz swimbaits, do you think I will be ok with that rod/reel setup?

Which line and lb would you recommand?

Thank You

That will work,however a real swimbait rod is much better even if you dont plan on going over 1 1/2oz. But that will work as far as line. I use 15 to 20lb McCoy mono, I like it better than floro, but floro works good as well. I use 17lb on smaller baits and 20 on the baits 2oz

Quick question, I was told to practice throwing some swimbaits before I even look into getting a rig. I know a real rig is expensive, and some swimbaits themselves are a minimum of 20$ a pop. I was told to look at the huddlestons. All of my rods are medium action. My only potential rod to throw anything decently sized would be my St. Croix Rage 7'1 medium fast. It's limit is 5/8oz. What can I start off with? Or can I not even throw any lures like that? I always throw the storm swim shads but I know they aren't considered a true-blue swimbait. I have no problem coughing up the dough to Tackle Warehouse for swimbaits, but I need to find something that will fit. I want to hunt trophy bass and I've caught 5 pound bass just on swim shads so I know I will start getting the even bigger fish when I can move up to the next level. I'm not even going to bother asking about a swimbait rig. I ain't there yet. I don't have the change, and I need to learn tactics. Thanks.

Zack(Swimbait King) at January 5, 2012 at 7:09 PM

That will work,however a real swimbait rod is much better even if you dont plan on going over 1 1/2oz. But that will work as far as line. I use 15 to 20lb McCoy mono, I like it better than floro, but floro works good as well. I use 17lb on smaller baits and 20 on the baits 2oz

 

Thank you very much Zack, I will look into changing up my line then because I currently have 12lb p line c21.

I'm seeing a decent amount of 3/4 to 1.5oz.. let me know what you's think.

well,your rods you have will not work for any of the baits made for trophy hunting,most true swimbaits go 1oz and up,As fare as going after fish bigger than 5lbs a 6inch to 8inch baits will be best,remember big bass will eat small baits but when you use a big bait you dont catch all the small bass.A real throphy class fish will not hit smaller baits most of the time.heres one i fish a lake alot i can go up one side with a jig or say a smaller swimbait and catch numbers like crazy but come back through with a big bait and i might get one fish but it will make the others look like bluegills

Tim W at January 5, 2012 at 7:32 PM

I'm seeing a decent amount of 3/4 to 1.5oz.. let me know what you's think.

At best you could throw some of the 6inch hollow belly swimbaits,but nothing big with what you have

Thanks, I now realize that I just have to go big overall, maybe someday I'll get into it when I have the money to do it right.

Really if you want to catch true trophy class fish it takes a big bait and you want the right rods and reels,because if you do hook one,you dont want ur stuff to fail and lose the fish of a lifetime

Zack(Swimbait King) at January 5, 2012 at 7:58 PM

Really if you want to catch true trophy class fish it takes a big bait and you want the right rods and reels,because if you do hook one,you dont want ur stuff to fail and lose the fish of a lifetime

 

What would be your go to swimbait if the conditions where right for it Zack / Ryan ?

what is the weights of a huddleston ROF 12? and ROF 5? would a MH work?

bassboy2 at January 6, 2012 at 12:43 PM

what is the weights of a huddleston ROF 12? and ROF 5? would a MH work?

 

Huddleston Deluxe 6" Trout ROF5 is 2oz and ROF12 is 2.4oz

Huddleston Deluxe 6" Weedless Trout ROF5 is 1oz and ROF12 1.75oz

If its a ned heavy swmbait rod mabey but just med heavy bass rod will not work,you can use a heavy action rod,that would work if it goes up to 2 oz,but a real swimbait rod would be the way to go

"SPANKY" Scottie Barbosa at January 6, 2012 at 11:50 AM

Zack(Swimbait King) at January 5, 2012 at 7:58 PM

Really if you want to catch true trophy class fish it takes a big bait and you want the right rods and reels,because if you do hook one,you dont want ur stuff to fail and lose the fish of a lifetime

 

What would be your go to swimbait if the conditions where right for it Zack / Ryan ?

Thats a tough one lol,i use so many and they all work but some better than others but if i had to pick one it would be hudd 68 for a soft bait,and a bbz 6inch for a hard bait.thats what has caught my best fish last year however this year i will be useing some new hard baits and only using the 68s and decoy swimbaits for the soft ones,this coming season