By: Lake Fork Texas Fishing Guide Ricky Vandergriff
Have you seen the new Mister Twister SwimSation? Well I'm here to tell you you’re missing out if you haven’t. I've served as a licensed fishing guide on both Lake Palestine and Lake Fork here in Texas for over forty years now and have seen lots of baits come and go and none of them have made me say dang it's about time we got a bait that can be fished in an assortment of ways.
Down below I have a photo of the SwimSation in one of their many colors. Now color is not what I want to discuss, it's the lure itself and several ways of how I fish the SwimSation.
When you get your SwimSation look at it very close, notice the arms. The arms play a big part in how the SwimSation swims. Now look close at the tail, the tail comes from one of Mister Twisters older baits, the Sassy Shad. The Sassy Shad was designed to swim like a baitfish, likewise, the SwimSation’s tail will work back and forth giving the tail a side to side wiggle.
Now look at the air pockets the SwimSation has in it's mid section. The air pockets helps the SwimSation to stand up when fished on a worm hook, jig or a Carolina rig. When pitched, the SwimSation will lay down and then slightly lift up to make it stand on it's end.
Texas Rig – Option 1:
The SwimSation is very good when Texas Rigged. The Texas Rig is nothing more than sliding a bullet weight on your line and tying on a #4 worm hook.
The knot I like to use is the palomer knot, it’s very strong and is a knot that is very hard to break.
Cast the SwimSation at a distance and work it back slowly.
Texas Rig (modified) – Option 2:
Another way I will rig up the SwimSation is to repeat what we did above but this time I will slide a rubber band up through my bullet weight and peg the weight down onto my hook so that the weight can’t slide up and down my line.
Now I’ll move in near a grass bed or other cover and pitch the SwimSation into the grass or cover keeping my boat close in, on the area I'm fishing. I’ll pitch the SwimSation into the spot, jig it up and down a few times then pick it up and move my bait over to another spot.
This type fishing is called pitching or flipping. Work your lure slowly when fishing this way and be ready when the strike comes.
Jig – Option 3:
The third way I fish the Mister Twister SwimSation is on a jig. When jig fishing, you can use many trailers to produce good fish but the SwimSation is a great jig trailer.
The SwimSation, has air holes made in the mid section making it rise up off the bottom when fished. The SwimSation causes even the cheapest jigs to stand up on their head.
When you team the SwimSation with the Big Eye Jig I build here in Texas you have a winning combination. The Big Eye Jig is built to stand on its head when fished. Rigged with the SwimSation, The Big Eye Jig will stand on its end waving the rear section of the SwimSation at fish, forcing them to bite.
Carolina Rig – Option 4:
Last but not least is to rig the SwimSation on a Carolina Rig.
Start by using a bullet weight of your choice and slide it onto your line. (As for me, I prefer a 1 oz. size because I like fishing deeper water but you can rig it with any size weight, what ever you are comfortable with.)
Next, I like to use a clacker and glass beads. I will slide a small glass bead on my line, followed by a metal clacker, and lastly, a larger glass bead under the brass clacker.
Then I will tie a swivel on below the beads. This will help to create a noise when you move your weight and beads.
Now, I know you’re saying you don’t have a hook on your line, this brings us to the next part of your rig. I like to use a two-foot leader on my rig but that’s my preference, you can use shorter or longer leaders.
I will tie my leader onto the swivel and then on the other end place a 4/0 hook on my leader this will give you plenty of hook to pull through your SwimSation when you rig it on your Carolina rig.
Earlier I said the SwimSation will stand on it's end and on the Carolina rig your weight will be about two-feet in front of your SwimSation and this will allow the SwimSation to fall to the bottom when pulled and then rise up off the bottom to create a strike.
When I fish the Carolina rig I like to fish it both deep and shallow, giving it a drag and pick up technique, making it get ole Mr. Bass’ attention. This drag technique will produce more fish than you can imagine.
The SwimSation is a unique, versatile bait that allows you fish it other ways with success too. Above I have mentioned a few ways I fish it here in Texas to catch big bass and I think they will work for you in all other parts of the country.
Try the Mister Twister SwimSation you to will love it as we do.
