Swimbaits for Smallmouth | Fall and Winter Location, Gear, Retrieves

Professional fishing guide Tony Roach loves targeting late-season smallmouth bass using paddle tail swimbaits rigged on jig heads. Roach discusses how to find late fall and winter smallmouth “winter holes” and his rigging and retrieval technique for coaxing bites from lethargic yet catchable bass.

As a Mille Lacs-based guide, Roach relies on paddle tails for consistent multi-species action throughout the open water season. They’re simple to fish regardless of skill level, can be worked from a boat, shore, or kayak with minimal gear or electronics, allow you to cover a ton of water and depths without re-rigging, and flat out trigger bites when nothing else will.

TACKLE USED
• SWIMBAIT – Storm Largo Shad, 4-inch: https://wired2.fish/StormLargoShad
• JIGHEAD – VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jig, 5/16-ounce: https://wired2.fish/VMC-HybridSwimbaitJig
• ROD – St. Croix Legend X Series Spinning Rod, 6’8″ Medium: https://wired2.fish/StCroixLegendX-SpinningRod
• REEL- Pflueger President Spinning Reel: https://wired2.fish/PfluegerPresidentSpinningReel
• LINE (braid) – Sufix 131 G-Core Braid, 10-pound: https://wired2.fish/Sufix131GCoreBraid
• LINE (leader) – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon, 10-pound: https://wired2.fish/SufixAdvanceFluorocarbon
• JACKET – Rapala RAIN Jacket: https://wired2.fish/RapalaRAIN-Jacket
• BIBS – Rapala RAIN Bibs: https://wired2.fish/RapalaRAIN-Bibs
• TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Terrova: https://wired2.fish/MinnKotaTerrova80lb60in
• BOAT – Lund 1775 Impact XS: https://wired2.fish/LundImpactXS

On this day, water temperatures were in the low- 40s, so Tony takes us through his typical cold water retrieve. Bass winter around prominent manlike structures that provide quick access to different depth zones. Because of this, Roach favors using a heavier jig head as it allows him to work a range of depths.

Durable baits rigged on screw lock heads get the nod, so you can minimize beating your hands up in the cold and focus on fishing. Lastly, Roach shares his preferred rod setup for fishing this primary swimbait tactic.

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