Swimbaits are great fish catchers, but it takes a lot of work to wring out their potential. A swimbait is a long, soft plastic lure with a deep belly that tapers sharply to a wide, paddle-shaped tail.

There are two major challenges in summer bass fishing on the TVA lakes. First is getting a bait down where they live in hot weather and keeping it there, at a speed that won't bore the angler to tears ...