Swimbaits are great fish catchers, but it takes a lot of work to wring out their potential. A swimbait is a long, soft plastic lure with a deep belly that tapers sharply to a wide, paddle-shaped tail.

There's been a steep rise in popularity of the 6-inch-ish soft plastic swimbait over the last decade. Several companies have introduced pre-rigged baits in this size range with wire harnesses and ...