New Swimbait Tactics for Bass in Mixed-Cover Areas

Professional bass angler Edwin Evers hails from Oklahoma jig country but has been quick to adopt swimbaits to his regular tournament arsenal; the universal appeal of a minnow profile makes them a get-bit lure, especially so in the clearer waters of the Great Lakes states. While the most common way to fish an exposed hook finesse swimbait is with a slow and steady straight retrieve, this method also limits their versatility.

Design innovations such as those seen in the Megabass Dark Sleeper have ushered in new ways to fish these lures. Edwin provides an in-depth look on how he employs the keel weighted, weedless Dark Sleeper over mixed-cover bottoms using a combination of traditional straight reeling while mixing in erratic jig-like rod motions to trigger bass. The hidden hook design allows this lure to penetrate grass and fish cleanly like a jig while delivering an ultra-realistic baitfish profile. The short and stocky body profile doubles as an excellent crawfish imitator when pulled over the bottom, as it does goby and a range of other bottom-oriented baitfish.