Forum Topic

What is a swimbait?

July 8, 2026 at 3:55 PM in General

Joined:: Mar 2026
Bio: Rat Enthusiast

Joined:: Mar 2026
Bio: Rat Enthusiast

I know this is heavily discussed, but what do you guys think a swimbait is?

It just happens to share a name with something that conventional fishing has, like a Keitech. It seemed like a much more streamlined answer back sometime, for the swimbait community. Since more and more people got into this business, I think it kinda opened up the definition a bit.

I think the swimbait category is a double edge sword. It’s a genre of fishing that can be interpreted by each individual and there really is no right or wrong answer. For all intents and purposes I think the category should be changed to “Big Baits” vs. “Swimbaits”. However the OG’s who started the swimbait craze gave it the moniker of “Swimbait”, hence why, most, including me, consider large baits “swimbaits” when talking about that style of fishing. Again, it’s all subjective to the individual.

So my opinion on what is a true swimbait: it’s a soft bait, 6” or bigger, that looks and mimics the swimming nature of a fish.

Now this next part might ruffle a few feathers, and I mean no disrespect to anyone. A glidebait is a glidebait, a wakebait is a wakebait. They are not true swimbaits in my opinion, and should fall under that Big Bait category. I think that would be a better name suited for that style of fishing. Yes, this also includes multi jointed hard baits and walking baits like a Lunker Punker as well.

I love fishing wakebaits, rats and other large baits, and yes I am guilty as well of categorizing and calling them “swimbaits”. But it’s also like how people refer to all locking pliers as “Vice Grips” or all acetaminophen as “Tylenol”, it’s just how the wording was used and adopted.

That’s my opinion and thoughts on the subject.

Chris~~~

Def a hot take, I just call everything home made or resin a swimbait haha, as long as its over like 1oz. Im lazy af tho and all worms are senkos too

When I hear "swimbait" I go one of two ways depending on context, it's either a boot tailed soft plastic like a sassy shad or keitech, or I think of it as a hyper realistic unlipped, multi segmented hard bait. That's if I'm splitting hairs... On an average day I'll use the term in reference to anything boot tailed, hyper realistic, big, or generally awesome including but not limited to rats, crawlers, wakes, glides, wedge tailed, etc...

I definitely fall into the big baits are swimbaits category though. I don't consider a 3" wakebait that looks like a crank bait a swimbait, but I do consider rats (and even small mice) swimbaits. I'm a generalist, and I apply that to fishing unless the situation necessitates otherwise...

Despite this, I do NOT consider large top water walkers swimbaits. Maybe because they're not jointed, I don't know, but I do draw the line there. Punkers are not swimbaits.

yellowpineplugs wrote:
When I hear "swimbait" I go one of two ways depending on context, it's either a boot tailed soft plastic like a sassy shad or keitech, or I think of it as a hyper realistic unlipped, multi segmented hard bait. That's if I'm splitting hairs... On an average day I'll use the term in reference to anything boot tailed, hyper realistic, big, or generally awesome including but not limited to rats, crawlers, wakes, glides, wedge tailed, etc... I definitely fall into the big baits are swimbaits category though. I don't consider a 3" wakebait that looks like a crank bait a swimbait, but I do consider rats (and even small mice) swimbaits. I'm a generalist, and I apply that to fishing unless the situation necessitates otherwise...Despite this, I do NOT consider large top water walkers swimbaits. Maybe because they're not jointed, I don't know, but I do draw the line there. Punkers are not swimbaits.

I tend to fall into this line of thinking also, but I do consider a plunker a swimbait because the weight. A regular spook no, but something about the size and wood qualifies for me

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