Barracuda Baits Tournament Series 3.5" Inch Rip Swimmers Soft Plastic Bait
Barracuda Baits
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Barracuda Baits
Barracuda Baits Tournament Series 3.5" Inch Rip Swimmers Soft Plastic Bait
How, where, and why it excels
Swimbait Jig Head (1/8–3/8 oz)
When & where: Flats, grass edges, docks, and points (4–20 ft).
How: Slow‑roll close to cover; tick grass/rock; speed up with wind or bait activity.
Why this setup: 3.5″ paddle tail = proven baitfish signal with balanced thump and body roll.
Color picks: Shad/flash → White, Silver Bullet. Natural clear → Baby Bass, Watermelon w/ Red. Sun/rock/grass → GP w/ Gold. Stain/low light → Black Sapphire, Black. Pre‑spawn current → Fire Craw.
Ball / Round Head (river swim • 1/8–1/4 oz)
When & where: Current seams, tailouts, eddies; rip‑rap transitions.
How: Quartering‑downstream casts; maintain depth with rod angle; brief kills after deflections.
Why: Tight kick keeps contact and tracks true in current—smallmouth & walleye candy.
Color picks: Baby Bass (clear rivers), Silver Bullet/White (overcast/wind), Black Sapphire (night).
Underspin (1/8–1/4 oz)
When & where: Wind lanes, bait balls, suspended arcs on electronics/FFS.
How: Count down, steady retrieve; add 1‑sec kills to let the blade flash and tail re‑engage.
Why: Flash + thump without upsizing; shines on pressured, roaming fish.
Color picks: Silver Bullet, White; Baby Bass in clear water.
Weighted Swimbait Hook (3/0–4/0 • 1/16–1/8 oz belly)
When & where: Grass, wood, docks where open hooks hang.
How: Steady swim with stop‑and‑go; glide through lanes and let the tail keep working on the fall.
Why: Weedless coverage with a natural fall and horizontal posture.
Hover / Strolling (1/16–1/8 oz)
When & where: Suspended fish over points or channel swings.
How: Slow glide with micro shakes; long pauses; subtle tail tick is the trigger.
Why: Neutral swim when wide thump gets ignored.
Swim Jig Trailer (1/4–3/8 oz) — situational
When & where: Stained flats, grass lanes, shallow cover.
How: Medium retrieve; tick tops; kill for a one‑count near ambush points.
Color picks: White/Silver Bullet for shad, GP w/ Gold for sun over grass, Fire Craw for stain/wind.
Trim & Mods (quick hits)
- Nose trim: Remove 1–2 ribs to seat on shorter keepers or to tighten the kick.
- Tail tune: If rolling at speed, slow down or shorten 1/4″; if too subtle, bump head weight one step.
- Scent/lock: Gel scent + tiny dot of super glue at keeper.
Dial it in
- Clear (6–10+ ft): Baby Bass; Watermelon w/ Red Flake (sun); GP w/ Black Flake (neutral).
- Stained (2–6 ft): GP w/ Gold Flake (sun/grass/rock); Fire Craw when wind/cloud/current adds color.
- Muddy (<2 ft) / Night: Black Sapphire; Black (silhouette); White for high contrast with flash.
- Wind / bait pushes: Silver Bullet; White on underspins and open‑water swims.
Stocked Colors (initial set)
- Baby Bass
- Black Sapphire
- Black
- Fire Craw
- Green Pumpkin w Black Flake
- Green Pumpkin w Gold Flake
- Silver Bullet
- Watermelon w Red Flake
- White
Specs & Build
- Length: 3.5" (88.9 mm)
- Profile: Paddle‑tail swimbait; tapered body for balanced roll and thump
- Material: Plastisol soft plastic
- Species: Bass (LM/SM/Spots), Walleye; also trout where forage size allows
- Best Pairings: Swimbait Jig Head (1/8–3/8), Ball/Round Head river (1/8–1/4), Micro Underspin (1/8–1/4), Weighted Swimbait Hook (3/0–4/0 w/ 1/16–1/8 belly), Hover/Strolling (1/16–1/8), Swim Jig Trailer (1/4–3/8)
- Availability: Ships in 1–3 days from San Antonio, TX. Some orders may ship from Cedar Falls, IA.
Care & Storage
Store flat in the original bag. Separate darks/lights to avoid dye bleed. Bagged (no clamshell). Compatible with gel scents.
Plastics Recycling
Don't toss torn baits, recycle or dispose of properly. Learn more here: Soft Plastics Recycling.
Proof & Community
On‑the‑Water Notes
- Wind lanes & bait: underspin or open‑water jig; steady grind with periodic kills; Silver Bullet/White.
- Grass edges: weighted swimbait hook; slow roll, then stall to let the tail work on the fall; GP w/ Gold.
- Rivers: ball head quarter‑downstream; maintain depth with rod angle; Baby Bass, Black Sapphire (night).
Species Notes
- Bass: All rigs above apply; match shad/perch with White/Silver Bullet or Baby Bass/Watermelon.
- Walleye: 1/8–1/4 oz heads on breaks and seams; slow roll just off bottom; occasional stalls.
- Trout (where applicable): 1/8 oz heads in tailouts/eddies; steady swim with micro pops.
Related Products
- Barracuda 3" Tracer Shad (FFS minnow) — slim, fast-start minnow for sonar‑sighted retrieves.
- Barracuda 3.2" RipRap — compact swimmer with high stability in current.
- Parsons 3.5" Paddle Tail Shiner — shiner‑profile swimbait for grass edges and docks.
- Doug’s 3.75" Rippin’ Shad — tighter minnow hybrid when you want less thump.
- Doug’s 3.75" Coreshot Rippin’ Shad — high‑contrast coreshot for stain/low light.
- Doug’s 4" Pintail Shad — straight‑tail finesse for cold fronts/clear water.
- Barracuda 4" Tracer Shad — longer FFS minnow for distance/draw.
- Barracuda 4.4" Scorpion Tail Dangler — oversize action tail for maximum presence.
Q&A
Q: Why pick the Rip Swimmers over a pintail or the Rippin’ Shad?
A: Rip Swimmers add a moderate, steady thump and body roll that covers water and calls fish in wind or stain. Pintails/straight tails are better when you need ultra‑subtle flash in clear/cold; Rippin’ Shad sits in between with a tighter hybrid vibe.
