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  1. #1
    Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    KiTech swim bait durability?

    I am having good success with the KiTech style swimbait but discouraged by how easily they can be destroyed by the fish. These things are basically $1.00 each and I seldom get more than 3 fish before they are torn up.
    Is there a way to rig it that makes it more durable or a swimbait with this same action that is more durable or cheaper?

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  2. Member
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    #2
    Do you super glue them to your jig head? That seems to help me a lot. For the thicker bodied ribbed swimbaits, I do think Keitechs are the best. But I also have had good success with the BPS speed Shad and the Strike King rage swimmer. If you’re fishing them slow I think the Swing Impact Fat has the most action because they’re softer, which makes them less durable

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    #3
    Keitech works so well because of the softness of the baits. I’m not sure how you’re rigging them but I use them on either a ball head jig or an under spin and can usually get 5-6 fish per bait with them, often times more. If you’re using a jighead I’d suggest either super glue or buy a jig head with a wired bait keeper.

    for other brands the BPS speed shad is alright, but I usually only throw them on an A-Rig because it’s not really a finesse presentation. The Strike King rage swimmers worked really well too but the colors are extremely inconsistent. I bought a pack of sexy Shad color and only 3 actually looked like sexy Shad. The remaining barely had any blue or any chartreuse flake in them.
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  4. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #4
    Thanks Guys, this is helpful I will try the superglue and look for a jig head with a wire keeper. Any suggestions appreciated.
    I do slow roll it, seems to work best.
    This my current jig head.

    Last edited by Bill Reynolds; 05-10-2020 at 06:11 PM.

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    #5
    I’ve a little better luck using a screw lock keeper, might get 1 or 2 more out of it

  6. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
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    #6
    Get some Mend-It and repair your torn baits. It will save you a ton of $$$. A small bottle lasts me 2 years and I repair most of my plastics..
    "The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

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    #7
    I use the ball head with no bait keeper and tie sewing thread around the wire just below the ball instead of a bait keeper. This gives the superglue a good surface to bond to, you can catch several fish before it becomes unusable.

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob4AU View Post
    I use the ball head with no bait keeper and tie sewing thread around the wire just below the ball instead of a bait keeper. This gives the superglue a good surface to bond to, you can catch several fish before it becomes unusable.
    Can you show us a picture of this?? Intrested in this technique.

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    #9
    https://bigbitebaits.com/product/swimmer-head/

    these double keeper heads work well with Keitechs.
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    #10
    Drop of super glue and you can at least double the life of your keitech. Best $2 you’ll ever spend.

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    #11
    Super glue. Keeper style doesn't seem to make a difference for me, post vs wire they all rip after a couple fish.

  12. Member Quillback's Avatar
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    #12
    Same here on the super glue. Keitechs do get torn up, but they have caught me a lot of fish. Keep an eye out for sales, LBF had a couple of 25% discount sales on Keitechs this year. Load up when you can.

  13. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hahn View Post
    Get some Mend-It and repair your torn baits. It will save you a ton of $$$. A small bottle lasts me 2 years and I repair most of my plastics..
    Good idea. It seems to always tear in the same place and should be easy to glue back.
    Has anyone tried the line through Lure body with an embedded treble hook? If the lure is knocked up the line at hookset, does this prevent it being torn?

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    #14
    If you net your fish rather than a boat flip it makes a big difference.

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    #15
    I use glue on mine and it works well. The Loctite ultragel control bottle works best for me.

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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hahn View Post
    Get some Mend-It and repair your torn baits. It will save you a ton of $$$. A small bottle lasts me 2 years and I repair most of my plastics..
    Do this. Can repair to almost like new.

  17. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #17
    Thanks to all for the tips, I have made some positive improvements.
    I bought the screw lock jig heads and they did improve the durability. I had a little trouble figuring out how to screw the bait onto the head and felt pretty dumb after watching a video.
    I bought the Mend-it and that works great. I now have a bag of repaired baits.
    I saw a video about how to create a line-through using the barrel of a pop rivet. I started with the treble hook on the top and it did not work very well but I moved it to the bottom of the body and it works great. I caught 6 spots yesterday and each time the swimbait was knocked up the line. Bait still looks new after 6.
    Thanks again for the help.

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  18. Member Seguin Fisher's Avatar
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    #18
    I know it’s not a Keitech, but last weekend I tested out for the first time the Berkley Powerbait Power Swimmer. We were pike fishing, and I was throwing a 4.3” sized bait on an Owner ballhead jig in 3/8 oz, and I caught ten pike, about fifteen big smallmouth up to 5lbs, and a couple rainbow trout, all on the same bait. With all those fish, there was hardly even any tooth rash at the head of the bait, and not once did I have to adjust the bait on the jighead. I’ve been using Rage Swimmers the last few years and was getting tired of having to fix the baits as they always started to slide off the jigs after a fish or two. These new Power Swimmers are absolutely fantastic as far as I’m concerned.
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  19. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Seguin Fisher View Post
    I know it’s not a Keitech, but last weekend I tested out for the first time the Berkley Powerbait Power Swimmer. We were pike fishing, and I was throwing a 4.3” sized bait on an Owner ballhead jig in 3/8 oz, and I caught ten pike, about fifteen big smallmouth up to 5lbs, and a couple rainbow trout, all on the same bait. With all those fish, there was hardly even any tooth rash at the head of the bait, and not once did I have to adjust the bait on the jighead. I’ve been using Rage Swimmers the last few years and was getting tired of having to fix the baits as they always started to slide off the jigs after a fish or two. These new Power Swimmers are absolutely fantastic as far as I’m concerned.
    I looked at those at the tackle store yesterday, may go back and pick some up. If the Pike don’t tear them up nothing will.
    I also got a PM from another member about Megabass Spark Shad. Couldn’t find any locally but have a couple packs on order.

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  20. Member eyra_kid's Avatar
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    #20
    Bill, if you like the style of keeper on your Lunker City Pro-Lite, you should try these jigheads for Keitechs.
    https://zmanfishing.com/store/catego...ners/headlockz

    The gap between the head and the keeper makes a huge difference in bait retention over the Lunker City. I've used both. The HeadlockZ allows the plastic to mold back over the keeper. No super glue needed, but it won't hurt. Lead barbs or wire barbs rip the plastic going in, and eventually rip through. I havent found a jighead that lengthens the life of Keitechs any better. They do have a Mustad 2X hook. Pretty stout, but theyre designed for inshore SW fish.

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