Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

senkoman85 · Post by **senkoman85** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:45 pm

Went out on the lake today to test some baits out, and to attempt to particiapte in DaveJ's contest...using the ever popular Shinner Reverse Grip.

While I didn't get a chance to use Dave's gripping technique, I did get to throw some of the baits that I got from TW on my last order.

I started off with the 6" Castaic Snap On Real Baits in Ghost Rainbow. The bait looks incredible in the water with a very nice swimming action, and I was highly impressed with it. I have the slow sinking version and I was able to wake it right under the surface with very impressive results. I had one taker, but he ate the tail and ripped that off, quite easily actually, and I lost the fish. I am not happy about losing the tail section of the bait even though replacements are inexpensive and I have another tail.

From there, I tied on the Castaic Platinum Super Real Bait in Rainbow Trout. The bait looks very lifelike out of the water. And that's where the realism stopped for me. I couldn't find a speed to swim this bait in without it rolling on its side, spinning, or no movement at all. I ordered the floating version of the bait, but there were times where it would slowly sink, and times it would barely float (which, actually, looked awesome). There were a few brief times where the bait swam properly and it looked very good, but it wouldn't swim for long. The bait's head is some sort of plastic that has begun tearing out of the head. The bait is useless now until I glue it back together.

From there, I tied on the Reaction Strike 6" Posiden Swimbait in California Trout. This is a boot tail bait and is not nearly as lifelike as the other two baits I had out there today. It casts a country mile, however, and sinks fast. It was a very cool bait and threw some serious wake when cranked in under the surface. The bait itself was very cool, the front part wobbled while the tail wiggled, giving it a great appearance under the water. I was impressed. I slow rolled it along the bottom and it came free of snags/rocks very easily and ripped free of grass very well. I ended up burying it in a rock and lost it towards the end of the day, but at 12 bucks a piece it isn't heart breaking.

All baits were thrown on my 7'6" Heavy action Telescopic BPS Extreme Flippin Stick and a Curado 201B spooled up with 50# Power Pro dark green. All baits were coated in MegaStrike Gel. I fished in a lake from shore along a main lake point that goes from 8 F.O.W. down to 22 F.O.W. (The deepest area of the lake). Fished from 5pm until 730 pm. Air temp when I arrived was 90 degrees and when I left it was 83 degrees, no wind with sparse clouds rolling in towards the end of the day.

Disappointed with both the Castaics that I threw. The Real Baits series is nice but that tail popped right off. The Platinums love to run on their side...which I hate.

davej · Post by **davej** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:38 pm

awesome report.. these are the types of detailed write ups that help us all make those buying decision.. Keep at it.. They will come.. And you will change you screen name;-)

thanks again for breaking it down for us..

senkoman85 · Post by **senkoman85** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:41 pm

Dave,
The funny thing is I havn't fished a senko in 2 years, and havn't fished a senko style bait in about a year!!!! It's been a forum name for 3 years now, and instead of changing it and having to remember it, I keep using Senkoman85.

I guess soon enough I'll be SwimbaitMaster85

The baitmonkey is tapping me, reminding me I lost a bait and 2 tails. I'm avoiding TW at all costs.

davej · Post by **davej** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:51 pm

senkoman85 wrote:Dave,
The funny thing is I havn't fished a senko in 2 years, and havn't fished a senko style bait in about a year!!!! It's been a forum name for 3 years now, and instead of changing it and having to remember it, I keep using Senkoman85.

I guess soon enough I'll be SwimbaitMaster85

The baitmonkey is tapping me, reminding me I lost a bait and 2 tails. I'm avoiding TW at all costs.

swimbaitman07,
yeah same here.. It's been two years since I fished one.. not that there is anything wrong with them.. I know they catch fish.. I just like trying new baits, different techniques etc..

I have bought a lot of expensive bunk baits buying them from pretty pictures on web.. we need more people like you to write up what worked or didn't work.. hopefully it will save someone else from wasting their hard earned cash..

Lubina · Post by **Lubina** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:12 pm

Very good report.
I would add to your list the MagaBait LA Slider.

b23ball23 · Post by **b23ball23** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:17 pm

I definitley need to loan you that shellcracker and Lunker Punker to try out.......or we can finally get out on centennial and you can watch me use them......

good work man....hopefully we can fish soon!!

ben

T Dot · Post by **T Dot** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:23 pm

i was throwing a castaic platinum swimbait. it was the lure that got us started. previous we had a big bite on that lure, and the fish totally unleashed its fury on the drag. so i decided to pick up that lure since it was available in local stores.

$15 / sb it was the castaic is low end swimbait. i quickly learned why this swimbait is more affordable that others. from the beginning it swam on its side, and occasionally swam upright. i thought to myself, this sucks... but swimming on its side also made it looked injured. i used it for the rest of the night, and surely enough, the more time in the water, the more upright it swam. by the end of the night it was swimming correctly. so if you purchase this specific swimbait, make sure you let it soak in water before using.

T Dot · Post by **T Dot** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:25 pm

senkoman85 wrote:Dave,
The funny thing is I havn't fished a senko in 2 years, and havn't fished a senko style bait in about a year!!!!

it has been 1 year since my last confession

i sinned last year, as it was the last time i threw a senko style bait.

senkoman85 · Post by **senkoman85** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:39 pm

My wish is that the companies listen to thier customers concerns. I e-mailed Castaic with my story and hopefully they will respond by FIXING the problem for everyone. The Platinum Series baits looked AMAZING in the water during the time they would run upright and straight. The action was similar to a BBZ-1 to be honest with you. I was so disappointed with its tendancies to roll on its side.

DaveJ,
If I can save someone a few bucks by buying a product not worth it, EXCELLENT. The only way companies change is through hearing from customers and watching sales drop. Castaic has some awesome products. Their basic unjointed soft plastic swimbait has produced big bass and musky for me, but these other two baits have me heartbroken.

I am not telling anybody to not buy these products. I am simply telling MY STORY and MY REVIEW on the products that I have used. Take what you will from them, as I am not a professional fisherman (yet

) Just a tackle junkie fishaholic.

Now to plan my next recipie for dinner after this upcoming TW order.......

davej · Post by **davej** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:40 pm

Ben that is a awesome offer to get swimbaitman07 out on the water to show him your baits and how you are working them... definitely take him up on that offer..

senkoman85 · Post by **senkoman85** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:53 pm

davej wrote:Ben that is a awesome offer to get swimbaitman07 out on the water to show him your baits and how you are working them... definitely take him up on that offer..

Ben and I have been trying to get a trip out on the water for the past 2 years

He'll show me the lunker punker and I'll have to bring out KONG and the SPRO BBZ-1. Should be an awesome day on the water with Ben and the Bait Monkey on my shoulder.

bpm2000 · Post by **bpm2000** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:03 am

thx for the write-up!

senkoman85 · Post by **senkoman85** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:22 pm

Went out again today with the same two castaic baits, with a new tail on the realseries.

WINDY as anything, with my lake whitecapping

Threw the Real series first because it looks awesome. Had one fish eat it and I WAS PUMPED. Turned out to be a little guy, 13 incher eating a 6 inch trout but it was a fish! Lost the tail on the bait AGAIN, too. Turns out that its designed to disengage when fighting a big fish. Not sure if I like THAT idea, but from a boat it wouldn't be nearly as bad. From shore, bad choice in baits if you want to recover the tail. The tail DID float up......about 30 feet from me, and then got blown around the lake (thank's, WIND!!!"

Nothing else for the rest of the day, but only stayed for a little while. There was an accident on the main road and wanted to get out of there before it was shut down.

bpm2000 · Post by **bpm2000** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:46 pm

you know, more and more reports i see, the less i think i will be apt to buy the cheaper castaic baits. They just fall apart too easily IMO

dbass · Post by **dbass** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:27 pm

You should Pro Rig the Castaic. Here is a link to do this.

http://westernbass.com/dotcom/library/view.html?id=2089

-dbass

Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

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Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits

Re: Review of some Less expensive soft plastic swimbaits