Favorite Finesse Swimbaits/Heads

[UmairF]

I know that the Keitech fat swing impact is the gold standard and I’ve gotten a lot of bites on it. Mainly throw the 2.8 inch on a gamakatsu horizon head or an outkast tackle golden eye jig head both in the 3/16 oz 2/0 hook. What are some of your favorite swimbaits and terminal to go along with it? Went though a whole pack of keitechs during a tournament today and ran out halfway in. Guess that’s a good thing lol. Just looking for some alternatives that are also durable and just as productive as the keitech.

Thanks!

[Jig_Man]

My favorite head by far is the Dirty Jigs guppy head. I carry 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, and 3/8. In most colors. I’ve been using some Tackle Max Fugitive swim baits. They last a lot longer than the Keitechs.

[mflora98ss]

Strike King Squadron swimbait head paired with a Crush City mayor is a great combo.

[dragon1]

X-Zone Swammers are excellent in all sizes and more durable.

[ECobb91]

For heads: Guppy heads, VMC neon moon eye jigs, and I also make my own ball head jigs.

for swimbaits: Keitech 2.8 fats, Keitech 4” easy shiners (great profile, very finessey for a 4” swimbait, and Megabass 3” spark shads

[MCS]

6Th sense finesse heads and if you want smaller, the pecos is money. Me and my kids can catch a ton of anything in the water with a little pecos in pro minnow or pro shad. paint holds up to crabs and gar. I've been trying to spend less on bulk orders and shipping. These are readily available at Dick's, Academy and BPS.

[UmairF]

What do you guys think about the angle of the line tie? I heard a straight 90 degree line tie keeps the bait stable and a 30 degree line tie make the bait want to roll side to side more. The submerged grass is starting to grow thicker here and thinking, should I just buy 90 degree line ties for colder water and use something like a swimjig that has a weedguard starting post spawn when the grass gets thicker?

[dragon1]

For jighead hooks, I like Mustad 60 degree cross eye 32798, the paddletail swims great with this hook and has good body roll.

[eyra_kid]

Z-Man Swimmin Trout Trick has a killer action. I use Z-Man Trout Eye Finesse jigheads with 2/0 hook. Tactical Bassin recently talkeded about these jigheads in a video on A-rigs.

[dwtaylor]

I make my own from a roundhead jig mold with a screw lock keeper. I pour using Owner 5313 hooks. For the 2.8s, I rarely go bigger than 3/16 oz and a 1/0 hook. I use a 1/8 most of the time for that size of bait.

With that said, castagaintackle sells basically the same thing.

Bait wise, the keitechs are great and all, but I really like the big bite baits suicide shad. It is closer in action to the easy shiner, but way more durable.

[coreynov902]

Megabass Okashira Screwhead jighead with a 3" Megabass Spark Shad.

[UmairF]

Megabass Okashira Screwhead jighead with a 3" Megabass Spark Shad.

I’d throw that more if they had a 3/16oz head

[Phrog Phil]

Okashira screwhead with hazedong shad or spark shad.

[Borderland]

Northland smeltinator with 1/0 hook. 2.5 inch crush city mayors

[spookybaits]

Northland Smeltinator heads for me as well. 1/8 or 1/4 oz heads.
1/0 hook size for 3.3” or smaller. 3/0 for 3.3” or larger.

I mostly fish the fat impacts still. Tried a bunch of different ones but haven’t found any that best the keitechs on a consistent basis.
I like the Rapala Mayors too, especially in cooler weather or when I want something more subtle.
You can get them to kick a little wider if you warm em up.

[Mackl]

For 3.3” or 3.8” Keitech style baits the Dirty Jigs Finess swimbait head is a good option.

[fish365]

The tva highland reservoirs that I fish only have vegetation when the lakes are at full summer pool. I have found that a football head, 1/8 oz fits the bill perfectly when I throw a finesse in warmer weather. I go up in weight and swimbait size when the offshore bite gets going. I only use a ball head or Okishira Screw head in colder water.

[M1RT]

The new Berkley hybrid heads have done real well this spring. The hook size and weight is printed on each jighead, which is a nice touch. I was using Outkasts Golden Eye, but the Hybrid head has taken over the #1 spot.

[ECobb91]

I forgot this in my original post but worthy mention..

a 1/8oz Megabass Okashira screw heads are fantastic for smallmouth. The heads alone are nice too.

the Shin Fukae green fish tackle shinspin is a great jig head too, the hook is larger and more suited for 4-5” baits

[A Wood]

I have found these to be the best for 2.8 keitechs.