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The ExoSwim swimbait is one of my favorite soft plastics because it can be used in a bunch of different ways for a bunch of different fish. It’s designed mostly for bass fishing but I’ve been able to catch all sorts of fresh and saltwater fish. In this post, I’m going to be talking about my favorite colors, all the ways you can rig it up, and how to actually fish the BioSpawn ExoSwim.
The ExoSwim comes in a variety of different colors and sizes, but the size I like the best is 3.25 inches. The 4 inch also works great but I’ve found the slightly smaller size to catch slightly more fish. I’m more of a numbers guy but either will work great.
Best ExoSwim Color For Bass
There are a number of different colors you can pick from and I’m pretty sure all of them will catch fish. I haven’t used all of them myself, but the ones I have all seem to catch fish. Some of it will depend on the area you’re fishing and the water conditions.
My favorite ExoSwim color for bass fishing is Pearl Flash or Electric Shad. Those two colors seem to be the most consistent in pretty much all areas and water conditions. I like Pearl Flash color because it really looks like a baitfish swimming through the water. I like Electric Shad because it has a bit of blue in it which really looks like bluegill.
I think these colors work the best because they’re natural-looking and it’s what bass are already used to seeing. Sure, they’ll still go after a yellow or green colored bait but they might think twice if it’s something they rarely see. That’s pretty much the case for all baits and lures. I’ve had the best results with natural colors such as white, silver, brown, black, and green.
The Gear
When it comes to gear there really isn’t one answer to what works best. It’ll all depend on what you’re fishing for and where you’re fishing. There are a few common things you’ll want to have and I’ll be talking about what I use the most.
Fishing rod. My favorite rod length to use for the ExoSwim is a 6.5-7 foot rod (spinning or baitcasting). The most important thing here is to use something you’re comfortable with. You could go longer and you could use something shorter. It’s completely up to you. The more important thing is the rod action. I’d recommend you use a medium or medium-heavy rod. Medium if you’re in open water and medium-heavy if you’re around weeds and grass.
Fishing line. My favorite fishing line to use with the ExoSwim is braid with a fluorocarbon leader. I like using braid because it’ll cast a long distance, it floats, and it’s a lot more sensitive than mono and fluoro. I like using fluorocarbon as my leader because it sinks and is invisible in the water. If you’re fishing open water then you’ll want to use 20 lb braid with a 12 lb leader. If you’re fishing around grass and weeds then you’ll want to use 50-60 lb braid with a 20 lb leader.
Here’s a video on how to spool your spinning rod with braid:
Here’s a video on how to spool your baitcasting rod with braid:
How To Rig A BioSpawn ExoSwim
There are a number of different ways you can rig the ExoSwim and I’m sure all of them will be able to catch fish. There are a few that are my favorite and have given me the best results. Here are some of them.
Rig 1: Swim Jig Trailer.
The ExoSwim is a great trailer to attach to your swim jig. It’ll add some weight to give you more casting distance, and it’ll give it a really nice and intriguing action through the water. All you have to do is put the hook of your jig through the face of the ExoSwim (make sure it’s the center). Push the ExoSwim onto the hook until it reaches the bend. Work the hook out the top of the ExoSwim and slide it up the hook. The tail should be pointing down.
Rig 2: Weighted Hook.
Another awesome way to rig the ExoSwim is by attaching it to a weighted hook (could even do unweighted). I like using a 2/0 or 3/0 wide gap offset hook. If you have one of the hooks that screw into the swimbait then use that. If not, take the hook and put it through the center of the face.
Push it out at the bottom of the Exo. Remove the hook. Put the eye of the hook through the bottom hole (before you attach your line). Stick the hook into the Exo and bring it out the top. Bury the tip of the hook.
Rig 3: Texas Rig.
If you don’t have a weighted hook, a great option is to do the classic Texas rig. The type of hook I like to use for this is a 3/0 offset worm hook. You’ll want to slide a bullet weight on your leader and tie your hook first. Then, take the hook and put it through the center of the face.
Bring the hook out the bottom of the ExoSwim. Pull the hook through the bait until the eye of the hook is right at the nose. Twist the hook and put the hook through the bait and out the top. Bury the hook in the little slot.
Rig 4: Jig Trailer.
This is the last way I like to fish the ExoSwim. I like to use a 1/4 or 3/16 oz jig head. The type of jig head doesn’t really matter much, in my opinion. You’ll want to tie your jig onto your line. Take the hook and put it through the face of the bait. Push the bait onto the hook until it reaches the bend. Bring the hook out the top of the ExoSwim and make sure everything is straight.
How To Fish A BioSpawn ExoSwim
The beauty with this bait is that you don’t need to do a whole lot to get fish to bite. It has an awesome amount of action and all you really have to do is cast it in the right spot and start reeling in. Here are some of my favorite methods.
Method 1: Cast and retrieve. This is obviously the most basic way to fish these baits but it flat out works. Use this if you’re brand new to fishing these baits. All you have to do is cast it out, let the bait sink a few feet off the bottom, and slowly start reeling in. You want the bait swimming a few feet off the bottom.
Method 2: Retrieve and pause. This method is a bit more advanced but could catch you more fish when things are slow. It’s pretty much the same as the first method but the only difference is that you’re adding a pause. When you stop reeling for a second or two, it’ll cause the bait to dive. This is a bit more natural-looking because most fish don’t swim in a straight line.
Method 3: Retrieve and twitch. This is the most advanced method and could work well when the bass don’t want to chase things down (after the spawn or in the winter). All you have to do is cast it out, let it sink down a few feet off the bottom, slowly start reeling in, and giving it one or two twitches every few seconds. This will make your bait look like a wounded baitfish, which will be an easier meal.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
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