Weedless rigged swimbaits excel anytime bass are scattered across shallow snag-infested flats. We caught up with swimbait expert Fred Roumbanis for a lesson on how to rig and fish weedless swimbaits for spring bass on the verge of the spawn. For Roumbanis, this is skinny water fishing at its finest and a situation where a weedless swimbait flat-out triggers quality fish through realism, vibration, and snag resistance.
FEATURED TACKLE
- ROD – Sixgill Fenrir Series Flipping Rods, 7’6” Heavy
- REEL – Sixgill Hamarr Series Casting Reel, 8.0:1
- SWIMBAIT – Optimum Baits Weedless Boom Boom Swimbait, 4 1/2” Black & Blue
- HOOK – Hayabusa WRM958 Weighted Wide Gap Screw Lock Hook, 5/0
- LINE – 20-pound Fluorocarbon (your preference)
Shallow water and a big weighted swimbait hook require a long and powerful rod setup to make long casts and deliver the necessary hook-setting force and power to hook and extract fish from thick cover. Roumbanis details his rod, reel, and line for weedless swimbaits and why darker colors often produce best, particularly in dirty water or on dark days. This swimbait tactic works near year-round anytime bass are shallow and cover-oriented.
