Fishing swimbaits isn’t about chasing numbers; it’s about finding the class of fish that makes a lake special. Few baits show you what truly lives in a fishery like the Magdraft. With the ability to trigger giants and draw followers from 20 feet away, these swimbaits have become a benchmark tool for anglers committed to big-bass fishing.

The Magdraft lineup, anchored by the 8-inch, 6-inch, and Magdraft Freestyle, offers different tools for different conditions. Fished correctly, they cover everything from deep secondary points to shallow laydowns, giving you a complete system for targeting bass that rarely see a meal this realistic.

The 8-inch Magdraft: Early-Season Giants on Secondary Points

When the water’s clear and the sun is high, there’s nothing quite like the Magdraft 8in to expose giants staging on secondary points. This bait’s size and presence have a way of pulling big fish that smaller offerings never reveal.

Boat positioning is critical. Set up on the deeper edge and make long casts across the point. A slow and steady retrieve is key, visualizing that big tail thumping and the head rolling in 12–20 feet of water. If current, wind, or clarity make the bait rise too quickly, insert a 1/16-ounce nail weight into the belly to keep it tracking true.

Line choice makes a huge difference with the 8-inch. Running heavy fluorocarbon (20–25lb) keeps the bait down, while copolymer or mono gives it lift, almost like fishing a heavy spinnerbait. Both have their place depending on how deep you want the bait to run.

Because of the bait’s size, you’ll want a true big-bait stick like the Orochi XX F10-80XX Big Bait Special. The length and backbone let you drive hooks on long casts, even with the stretch of mono, and control a fish that completely engulfs the bait.

The 6-inch Magdraft: Cover Water and Trigger Reaction Bites

If the 8-inch is the heavyweight, the Magdraft 6in is the versatile workhorse. Think of it as the swimbait equivalent of a spinnerbait. You can burn down a rocky bank, swim it across shallow laydowns, or pick apart isolated boulders.

The key is keeping it moving just slow enough to maintain that signature head shake and tail kick. On 15lb fluorocarbon, the bait runs true without losing action. It’s thin enough to let the bait breathe but strong enough to handle the size of fish this lure attracts.

For this setup, a jig or pitching rod is perfect. The Orochi XX F7-72XX Perfect Pitch pairs perfectly with the 6-inch, offering the accuracy to put it tight to cover and the power to drive hooks home. A 7:1 reel helps you manage retrieves, whether you’re burning down a bank or crawling it across a key piece of structure.

The Magdraft Freestyle: Weedless Versatility

When the water dirties up or heavy cover comes into play, the Magdraft Freestyle becomes the answer. Rigged on a screw-lock swimbait hook, it can be skipped under docks, pitched into laydowns, or swam through grass lines, which are places where a harnessed swimbait can’t go.

A quarter-ounce hook is ideal for shallow water or grass edges, while a 3/8-ounce model helps you get down to 15–20 feet. Pair it with 17lb fluorocarbon for the best balance of strength and natural action. The key is maintaining that head shake and tail kick without overpowering the bait with too much weight.

The Freestyle shines where you’d typically throw a spinnerbait or jig, but it gives pressured fish a completely different look. It’s especially deadly in stained water where bass hunt more by vibration and silhouette.

Choosing Colors and Making Adjustments

Swimbait fishing is about realism, but also about matching conditions.

• Shad lakes: Albino Pearl or White Back Shad.
• Tannic water: Brownie, a great golden shiner imitator.
• Bright shallow water: AYU, which doubles as a bluegill imitator.

The color may change, but the principle remains the same: present the most natural forage profile possible, given the water color, light penetration, and season.

The Swimbait Mindset

Fishing swimbaits like the Magdraft isn’t about getting 30 bites a day. It’s about finding fish you wouldn’t see otherwise. Even followers can tell you where big bass live, giving you confidence to come back when conditions align.

Whether you’re probing deep points with the Magdraft 8in, burning shoreline cover with the Magdraft 6in, or slipping the Magdraft Freestyle into gnarly laydowns, each bait has a role in the system. Commit to them, learn how line, weight, and retrieve affect their swim, and they’ll consistently show you the biggest bass in the lake.