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  1. #1
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    basstrix swimbaits

    but a bunch last year before going to Guntersville. I was basically fishing them straight out of the package on either a wide gap hook or a jig head, but I didn't come away with the best impression of them. They just didn't seem to have a ton of action. Is there any tips or advice for getting better action out of these? I don't recall the weights I was using. maybe 1/2ounce throwing 5-7" baits. Lighter weights/slower speeds maybe?

  2. Mississippi River Rat Kittycat2012's Avatar
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    #2
    I’ve got a bunch that won’t swim at all. They have a thicker head/body than ones I have gotten in the past. Sucks to have spent that much on them and get garbage. Don’t get me wrong if they’re right they are money
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  3. Member
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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by buzzzzbait88 View Post
    but a bunch last year before going to Guntersville. I was basically fishing them straight out of the package on either a wide gap hook or a jig head, but I didn't come away with the best impression of them. They just didn't seem to have a ton of action. Is there any tips or advice for getting better action out of these? I don't recall the weights I was using. maybe 1/2ounce throwing 5-7" baits. Lighter weights/slower speeds maybe?
    Like everything else, when they got popular they started mass production and went to crap.




  4. Member jamey1e's Avatar
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    Jan 2015
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    #4
    I bought a large lot of them a couple of years ago. The lot had all different sizes and not a one of them would swim. I tried everything and it didn't matter how fast or slow you fished the baits they just didn't have any action.

  5. Member
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    Dec 2011
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    Bluff City, TN.
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    #5
    I bought a few packs of shad color 5" that would not swim. Compared them to others that I knew would swim and noticed the tails was offset and too small. Now, if I want a Basstrix, I'll buy a pack of Zoom.

  6. Member mysuzytoo's Avatar
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    Aurora, KY (Kentucky Lake)
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    #6
    I guess that's why TW has them on clearance!

  7. Member
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    Camanche, Iowa
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    #7
    Well shit. Tw had them on sale last year and I bought a ton of them. Now I probably can't even sell them. I was hoping somebody had some tips to get better action

  8. Member
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    Knoxville, TN
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    #8
    I bought 3 packs because people on here as well as other places loved them.. I threw them in the trash a few weeks later. They wouldn't swim unless I was burning it. I tried boiling the tails and stripping some of the plastic away to make the tail thinner but they still sucked.

  9. Member
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    Lakeport CA
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    #9
    When they sit for a while they get stiff,ive done pretty well with the 5" using a 1/8oz belly weighted hook.Also have caught fish with a revenge swimbait head, they look funny rigged that way but the fish dont care.

  10. Member
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    May 2011
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    Bowling Green, KY
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by 5 Alive View Post
    Like everything else, when they got popular they started mass production and went to crap.
    Exactly what happened. Way better options on the market now.
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  11. Moderator Luke's Avatar
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    Sullivan,MO
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    #11
    Kitech is what I buy now
    got a punch of the Bastrix and never use them

  12. Member
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by buzzzzbait88 View Post
    I was hoping somebody had some tips to get better action
    Peel the top layer of rubber off. You will lose the eyes and most of the paint but at least they will work and not trash canned.




  13. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #13
    Not the BassTrix, but I trimmed some Yum Money Minnows at the thin part between the body and tail with an Xacto knife and it helped quite a bit. Though of course they were more fragile then, tearing up a bait quicker is better than not using it because the action sucks. Sounds like that might not work here based on what WackyJig said though.
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  14. Member
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    Apr 2014
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    Moody, AL
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    #14
    I bought a bunch of basstrix last year and gave them away.

    True bass swimbaits are my go to but they’re out of stock pretty often.

  15. Member
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    Jan 2010
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    Belleville Ontario Canada
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    #15
    Yeah bought some Basstrixs as well absolutely hated them weren’t like the original baits. Give 6th Sense a try they look decent and have great reviews.

  16. Member
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    joliet
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    #16
    Not impressed on my end tried all kinds of different rigging and none swam right. I even put them in hot water
    Nitro z21

  17. Member
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    #17
    The problem is the tail design - not closer to a right angle to the body, as well as the V-shaped body which reminds me of a Sassy Shad by Twister. For good action, design is everything along with plastic softness. Even my hand pours work better than most sold:


    To use what you have, consider cutting the body lengthwise in half with scissors or a razor blade, cutting off the useless paddle but shaping the tail to a point. This is an example of a four flat sided lure that works great:



    Another is to do the above but add a paddle tail from a plastic worm you might have laying around using a candle flame to attach:


    When the lure is jerked, the tail whips & wags back & forth.

    Rig it however you want.

  18. Member
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    Oct 2016
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    Guntersville, AL
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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by jacob461 View Post
    I bought a bunch of basstrix last year and gave them away.

    True bass swimbaits are my go to but they’re out of stock pretty often.
    Interesting everyone's opinions are a little different. I have never had any success or even heard of anyone having success on the true bass but a couple of guides in Guntersville, I think they must be sponsored by them or something because one guy claims to catch tons of fish all the time and year round and is "using" the true bass swimbaits! There's another guide that uses Bill Lewis in every report year round, I think this site has more solid advice than any of the guided fishing reports.

  19. Member
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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by phoenix5252 View Post
    Interesting everyone's opinions are a little different. I have never had any success or even heard of anyone having success on the true bass but a couple of guides in Guntersville, I think they must be sponsored by them or something because one guy claims to catch tons of fish all the time and year round and is "using" the true bass swimbaits! There's another guide that uses Bill Lewis in every report year round, I think this site has more solid advice than any of the guided fishing reports.
    Ryan Salzman is the owner of true bass and he’s also a guide on Guntersville. I don’t throw swimbaits that often but all of the true bass baits I’ve used have had great action straight out of the pack.

  20. Member
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    Jan 2017
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    #20
    I've been fortunate to have my Basstrix baits swim really well. I do remember Matt Allen from Tactical Bassin' saying that they did go through a period of time when the baits just wouldn't swim right. According to him they have fixed the problem and the baits swim like they are supposed to now. One thing you might try to get more action from the bait would be to use the "banjo minnow" rigging technique. Thread a hook onto an Owner CPS Centering Pin Spring (you can find these on Tackle Warehouse among other places) and then screw the spring into the head of the Basstrix bait. Since the hook is not in the bait itself, the bait has a little more freedom of movement. Not sure if this will help or not, but I'd give it a try before junking the baits, considering how much they cost.

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