At this point I’ve tried several different swimbaits that are on the market right now and one of my favorites is the standard split belly swimbait from Scottsboro Tackle Company. Most of the other companies that are making swimbaits right now seem to be using a longer, thinner profile that is similar to the one that the Megabass Magdraft uses however this one is a little thicker and does a little bit of a better job at imitating a classic gizzard shad or threadfin shad profile, which is what most of the bass in the larger lakes around me are typically chasing. In fact, another swimbait that is very popular right now is the Citizen from Working Class Zero and I personally think one of the reasons that one does so well is because it just looks more like a shad than the typical profile that you see getting copied by many of the larger bait companies out there.
Aside from the profile another thing that this particular swimbait has going for it is the fact that it’s a great value. I personally use the 5″ model most of the time and you can get a 2 pack of them for $7.99 which is an excellent value. If you go up to the 6″ model those are $9.99 for a 2 pack, but that’s still considerably less expensive than a couple of 6″ Working Class Zero Citizens. Don’t get me wrong I also like the Citizen, but given the price difference (and the fact that the Citizen isn’t always easy to get) I usually end up buying these more often than I buy the Working Class Zero Citizens.
In terms of hooks to use with it, I personally use the 5″ model most of the time and have landed on the 6/0 1/4oz Owner Beast hook as my hook of choice. The swimbait has a nice and deep slit in the middle of the belly, and a larger hook like the Owner Beast hook gives you a good amount of hook exposure which helps ensure a solid hookup ratio. It also comes in several colors and two of my favorites are california smelt or natural light if the visibility is lower and I want more of a sexy shad type of a color.
In terms of drawbacks I don’t really have any. Some of the reviews on Tackle Warehouse have mentioned the durability but I’ve found that these have held up well for me…especially when you consider the price you are paying. The performance is also good and I’ve found you get a good roll and paddle tail action out of them when you pair them with the 1/4oz Owner Beast hook. They also make a line through model and that one also uses a 1/4oz weight, so I’m guessing I might be on to something with the weight that I’m using and suggesting for the hook. I haven’t tried that one out yet and it is a bit more expensive, but I’ll probably pick a couple up at some point based on my experience with the standard swimbaits.
If you haven’t already tried these out and you have bass that are chasing shad in your fishery then you should consider picking some up at some point. There are plenty of good options out there when it comes to swimbaits and there are others that I use and have mentioned on this site, but this one has been standing out to me a bit lately and so I figured I’d mention it.
Product: Scottsboro Tackle Swimbait
Category: Swimbait
Length: 5″
Suggested Colors: California Smelt, Natural Light
Suggested Hook: 6/0 1/4oz Owner Weighted Beast Hook w/ Twistlock
