Bigger Bait, Bigger Bass!

We’re going to take a look at the larger version of a bait that we have reviewed before, the Netbait BK Swimbait in the 5 inch size. We use mostly the 4 inch and it has accounted for a lot of fish this year.

However, this time of year presents a wonderful opportunity to fish the bigger bait because the fish are not only getting more aggressive in preparation for the winter but they will eat larger baits in their haste to take advantage of an easy meal. These are precisely the conditions that allow a bait like this to shine.

I’ll never forget a year ago when “The Kid” and I went fishing on a brutally cold day in November on Lake Lanier. Our guide for the day was arguably the best guide on the lake and because of the conditions, his strategy evolved into using live blue back herring and fishing for Kentucky, or Spotted Bass, as they’re known.

I bring this up because the size of the bait got bigger and bigger as the day wore on. The last area we stopped to fish, he put on herring that were at least 6 inches in length. We ended up getting a double with both fish exceeding 5 pounds.

Here again, the old adage, ”big baits catch big fish”, proved to be the true. I know that there are a lot of folks who just haven’t ever tried throwing a bait like this. It simply is out of their comfort zone. But sometimes you have to be willing to throw caution to the wind to give yourself an opportunity at a new experience.

The 5 inch Netbait has all the same endearing features as its little brother. A good solid head, belly slit that makes rigging easy and of course the same over-sized paddle tail. The action is just as good with the 5 inch and the colors are the same.

I like to throw this bait using the Owner Power Lock Plus swimbait hook in the 6/0, 1/4 ounce size. I prefer the larger hook as I believe it makes for a better hook-set. I’m here to tell you that usually when you get a strike on this bait, the fish aren’t playing with you. They hit the BK  hard with every intention of eating it.

I like to fish this bait, this time of year, by casting it out, letting it sink below the level of the shad and then begin retrieving it at a medium to medium fast pace. I know that a 5 inch bait is often larger than the shad that are being chased but, there are time when I want to have some differentiation in my bait so that the fish can pick it out of the crowd.

If that isn’t working or there are no shad in the area you’re fishing, another way to use the BK is to slow roll it along the bottom adding yo-yo style hops now and again while making sure that after the hop, you once again make some bottom contact. I can’t even begin to count the number of fish that I’ve caught this way, using this lure. Due to its action, the Netbait displaces a lot of water and seems to get the attention of bass.

Just like its little brother, the 5 inch BK comes through structure like a champ. The semi-solid head deflects well off of stumps, lay-downs, stick-ups or just about any other underwater impediment. You will get strikes as the bait is bumping into and deflecting off of these kinds of cover.

Another cool thing about the Netbait product is that the 5 inch is the same price as the 4 inch. We talked about the fact that you can catch several fish on one of these baits. The first one that I used, the final tally for that bait was 22 bass before it was unusable. These swimbaits are truly an exceptional value at about $5 a pack.

Netbait BK 5 Inch Swimbait
Overall Rating
Great value, and even better results

See ya’ on the water …