Some guys on YouTube are fishing big swimbaits almost exclusively. I know a lot of our PWF lakes have some hawgs in them. I’ve fished a 10” swimming crank bait with some luck but nothing really big. I’m taking a separate box of big lures where I think there may be some bigguns. My photo shows my biggest, a Fred Arbogast AC Plug, bought for $20 about 30 years ago. Caught 3 bass over the slot at Fork with it one day. Not much on the others. The small ruler at bottom is 6”.

Anybody else using big lures? What works and what doesn’t work for you and where are you fishing them? Thanks!

Larry, in response to your inquiry about fishing big swimbaits, it’s been a year or two, but I caught a 6+ at Weston on a big swimbait similar to the one in your pic with a single treble hook. Lost it promptly in one of the brishpiles!  Caught a 7 lb. bass at Fork several years ago on an AC plug like the one you pictured in your post. I don’t throw them often, but they do seem to catch bigger fish.

Thanks, Larry. I caught my first “big bass” at Weston too, a 7.5 pounder. Caught numerous 6s at Fork but nothing bigger. I caught that one on a Baby 1-, a shallow crank bait. I'll keep taking my “”big bait box” of lures and hope for the best. 

I used a 6 inch megadawg (walking bait) and a 8+inch arashi glide at Pecan Gap and caught several big fish on them (and then had no luck on them the following week when I returned).  My rule is that if the forage base includes gizzard shad (like Pecan Gap) and/or if there is big bass in the lake that key on big bluegill (and very little shad) then it is worth throwing.  Cloud cover/stained water helps. 

I just got my first magdraft 6in soft swimbait and look forward to chunking it.  I almost exclusively use Kaitech but only throw 3.8/4.3” when using them. 

My only issue with large swimbaits/glidbaits is that they are like large cranks – it is alot to throw continuously throughout the day and can be alot of work. 

Good info. Thanks for the tips, Joshua. I look forward to using them more where appropriate. 

I make swimbaits in the 6” and 4”. I hardly ever use a 6” myself. Even the lunkers like the smaller ones.

That’s interesting, Dale. I’ve caught big fish on smaller lures too, but “big bait, big fish” makes sense to me. If nothing else, the little fish may be put off by big baits. Of course that’s not a hard rule either.

Went to my first PWF property earlier this month and threw a few swimbaits and glidebaits around in the 6-9 in range; sadly didn’t catch anything on big baits, just a 7.4 on a frog at first light. Mostly threw bluegill and crappie patterns since it’s never had a shad population or been stocked w/ trout, but I honestly don’t think it mattters paint/color wise. I’ve always just tried to fit the general profile and had success given enough time and suitable weather.

That plug on top is way before my time, but reminds me of an MS Slammer, almost. The storm arashi glide, R2S S-waver (168), Savage gear shine glide, deps 175, have all worked for me in several small ponds in NE Texas around Fork. Custom/hand-made glides are about as expensive as their weight in gold sometimes, but I like the 3:16 workhorse a lot, had a couple and lost one to a brush pile after backlashing. Mike Bucca has several very good hard baits. 3:16 makes excellent soft swim baits too. I’ve learned that magnum crappie that are starving will try and eat 6 inch swimbaits regularly. Rats are fun in the spawn. City parks in the small towns around Fork will surprise you (last pic was in Sulphur Springs, caught on a S-waver fished over a shallow grass flat in April. 9.0 lbs on the dot)

Throw it in the most targeted/obvious cover and structure where they probably don’t see a big bait. The ones you’re looking for will make a move on it if given the opportunity.

Great info and welcome to PWF, Blake. i appreciate your input and love the photos, especially the 9 pounder! Great catch!

I fish the 5” Reaction Innnovation all the time anytime I get grass. I haven’t fished the 8” but I may have to give them a try. I fish them t-rigged with 1/8 or ¼ or even weightless, or with the Owner Flashy 5/0. 

Thanks, Greg. I'm not familiar with that bait. I'll have to check it out. 

Something go think about. Small fish love big baits too. When baitfish are around, the bass have a lot to choosefrom, so big baits stand out and attract themselves from smaller baitfish. When bait is available, you want your bait to stand out more than the others, so different size or action is great. Needs to look injured or something togetattention when there is other bait tochoose from. 

I love the big baits. The Deps 250 and Phoney Shad have been my best baits in the summer heat just because their size draws fish out even in the heat. 

Blake, is that a Spark Shad you caught the crappie on? I notice color matters less than you would think. With the glides it is easier to catch them if you can see your bait. My trout pattern Deps gets bit where there are no trout and Oliver Nguyen from Big Bass dreams kills it with trout style baits around Austin.

Good info, Ford. I can’t afford the Deps 250 and Phoney Shad you mentioned, but maybe can find something similar for less. Thanks again!