The Magdraft Freestyle isn’t some flashy swimbait you throw just because it looks good out of the package. It’s a tool, and like any tool, it has its place. If you’re already familiar with the standard harnessed Magdraft, you know how effective that bait can be in open water or around light cover. But when you need to get into heavy stuff, fish deeper structure, or present a swimbait in places the original can’t reach, that’s where the Freestyle steps in.

When the Freestyle Makes Sense

The standard Magdraft shines in that zero to ten-foot zone. It’s great around open water, over grass, skipping around docks with good visibility underneath. But if you’re dealing with deeper breaks, isolated rock in 20 to 30 feet, or heavy cover like crib docks or laydowns, that harnessed version becomes a liability.

The Freestyle gives you the flexibility to adapt without switching baits entirely. You get the same profile, same draw, but with rigging options that let you fish it your way. Whether you’re threading it on a one-ounce jig head for bombing offshore casts or rigging it weedless on a belly-weighted hook to crawl through shallow cover, the Freestyle can handle both ends of the spectrum without changing your cadence or confidence.

How to Rig It

When fishing offshore or around isolated structure in deeper water, a one-ounce jig head is the setup that gets the job done. It lets you keep bottom contact, fish slow, and maintain that natural Magdraft action that draws fish from a distance. Trimming a small section off the nose helps the bait sit flush on the head, which matters when you’re trying to keep a clean profile.

The hook should be stout. A 5/0 or 6/0 with heavy gauge wire is the move, especially when you’re rubbing rock and setting the hook on heavier line. You’ll want to touch that hook up with a file occasionally if you’re grinding the bottom a lot.

In shallow water or when picking apart cover, switching to a weighted swimbait hook makes sense. A belly weight of around 1/4 or 3/8 ounce keeps the bait down just enough without killing the swim. This setup is ideal for skipping docks, fishing laydowns, or pulling through brush where an open hook would get you in trouble. The Freestyle skips surprisingly well for a swimbait and lands soft enough not to blow fish out.

The key in both cases is the hook gap. This is a thick bait. You need a wide-gap hook to get a clean shot when they eat it. If you’re under-gunned on hook size, you’ll miss fish or barely skin-hook them.

Retrieve and Boat Positioning

This isn’t a bait you burn. Whether you’re fishing cold water or warm, a slow to moderate retrieve is what keeps that tail thumping and the head rocking in sync. When it’s working right, you’ll feel that subtle head shake and consistent pulse in the rod. If it starts to feel off, either something’s fouled, or you’re moving it too fast.

Fishing into the wind gives you better control of the drop, especially in deeper water. Let the bait fall on a slack line and watch for that belly to straighten, then start your retrieve. You’re looking to stay just above the bottom, crawling it along, occasionally ticking rock or cover. Those little deflections are often what trigger the bite.

In clearer water, fish are tracking visually. If they follow and don’t commit, don’t panic. Just keep the bait moving steadily. If they get too close to the boat without eating, give it a slight twitch or short pull to break the cadence. That change-up can push them over the edge. Plenty of fish eat it right at the boat, especially when they’re sitting on structure you didn’t know was there.

Dock Patterns and Shallow Cover

The Freestyle’s weedless rig really shines around docks, especially in lakes that are loaded with them. Figuring out which docks are holding fish is half the game. Crib-style docks tend to hold more life: rock, crawfish, bluegill, even crappie, and they give bass everything they need. But seasonal docks, floaters, or steel-frame docks all have their time depending on conditions.

Skipping the Freestyle under those platforms and letting it fall into the shadows gives you a shot at fish that aren’t seeing many baits. Most guys aren’t putting swimbaits that deep into cover. Let it fall on semi-slack line, and then slow roll it out. If you can make periodic contact with the structure, like tapping a post or beam, it’s even better.

Rod, Line, and Hook Setup

If you’re committing to this approach, the gear needs to match. A 7’2″ to 7’6″ rod, medium-heavy to heavy power, with a tip soft enough to detect light bites but enough backbone to drive a single hook through plastic and bone, is what you’re after.

Fluorocarbon in the 20-pound range is a must. Not just for abrasion resistance, but because you’re usually putting the bait in places where you have to lean on fish once they eat. You don’t want stretch, and you don’t want to baby them out of cover.

When you get bit, hit them hard. It’s not a finesse bait. You’re not waiting for pressure. You feel that thump, you drive the hook, and you keep them moving.

Final Thoughts on Fishing this Swimbait

There’s no fluff here. The Magdraft Freestyle gives you control and versatility with a proven bait profile. It’s not a cure-all, and it’s not something you throw when you’re just covering water blind. It works when you’re targeting fishing, specific pieces of cover, defined structure, and known fish positioning. And it’s most effective when you match the rigging and retrieve to the scenario, not just the season.

If you’re looking for a way to extend what you can do with a six-inch swimbait, this one’s worth putting in the rotation. It’s not about getting more bites, it’s about getting the right ones.