Big calico baits
 

For all of you big calico hunters, what hard baits, jointed or non, is your favorite? I've heard of the big 10" roman customs, but they're not cheap. In excess of $100. For that kind of money I could buy mounds of plastics.

Waxwings are awesome, ive had calicos go airborne going after those things.

Size? 118's? Bigger?

I usually throw plastics but in the Kelp Wax wing, along the rocks or Bomber A salt series

$15-20 for one? Dahhhmmmm!

Was thinking of trying a sebile magic swimmer.

Any shimano baits are gonna run you back that much but they produce and dont tear up like plastics do. Its semi topwater and weedless so your chance of losing it is less then with plastics and with prices on plastics going up its actually not a bad investment.

Most of the times I loose them because I forget to put the reel in free spool and the line snaps while trying to cast.

Haha well at least your not throwing roman made "mother"s. Those baits are like 500 bucks apiece haha

Kevin are you fishing these on straight braid? That's the only way I fish mine

No with about 6 feet of floro; normally 12lbs when fishing for bass.

For swimbaits I fish 55# diawa samurai braid. Its smoother then most braids and quieter too. I would never put mono between my reel and anyrhing worth more then 15 bucks haha

Calicos, Big Calicos, BIGGEST CALICOS!
Baja or Bust 2014 has Asuncion as it's 1st trip. We should be back home and posting by the 8th of Jan. Some of us oldtimers will be fishing the Calicos hard. Rumor has it that 20-25 inch fish are common and the Sandies get pretty big too, and some Calicos up to 30+" being caught every year. Story is they swim down there and die of old age! Time will tell. I am taking my fly rod. Might get lucky! Want to see how many I can release in a day. Big calicos are awesome, YT on the other hand get to be tiring when you get to your mid 60's one a day is enough for me. Tight lines and bloody gaffs! And please feel free to join us on this or any one of OUR trips!!!

Sounds awesome. I got a couple 9lb + calico on the yoyo my last baja trip

Ended up getting a savage herring swim and jerk.


And a lot more 6 in swimbaits.

That's probably why you had the extra cash for the PA ..I need to learn from this haha

when i was in cali I would throw 7 inch gulps, usually jerk shad. or the large size hammer shads.

You're still getting bit when ties straight to the braid? I would think that would have an affect on your hook up ratio. Maybe not?

Yeah I was worried about the same thing, especially when i'm running bright yellow braid.

Broken Record Vs. Broken Baits..
 

This is your swimbait.
This is your swimbait on Calico.

http://youtu.be/RqArwwrgT7M

(These Plastic Swimbaits are brand new never rigged.
These ElaZtech Swimbaits have been fished many times, many fish, many nicks and cuts, hook tears rerigged & still the ElaZtech bait wont propagate a tear like plastic does..

I've got a bunch on order for my Asuncion trip in Jan. will let you all know how they stand up to BIG Calicos!

Yes Sir! They designed the Waxwing to be fished on straight braid. What I have found is when they're on the chew it almost doesn't matter with line type or size even. When they're finicky though, I'll dial back my size and go with flouro or mono and a different, less pricey bait. But as William said, with baits like the Waxwing or similar in $, it's striaght braid homie :D

Roger that. Makes sense.

When I do run a leader I bulk it up to 30#. Like when im jigging a lucanus jig shimano recomends running braid to a minimum of 7' mono to avoid tangles and for better abrasion resistance around rough structure...
Wade ive heard good things about zman products and how long they last. I was refering to the big hammers, mc viejos and other weak plastics that are going through the roof price wise. They are not worth the money aby more imo

I am sold on those Zmans! I have had so many tails ripped off of regular plastics when fishing calicoes in the kelp.

I've caught some of my biggest Calico's on the Waxwing. Tie braid directly to it. San Diego or Uni knot. Me, personally, the mackerel pattern is killer. I've found that summer and fall are the best for the waxwing. The rest of the time , I'm playing with the plastics when it's better to go low and slow.

I don't have much patience for fishing calicos in deeper water and mostly fish em in the summer when they're up on top. For top water stuff I like the jumbo slugs type plastics. When the kelp is pulled down just a foot or so below the surface a big light iron, tady 45, candy bar, salas 7x, can produce big fish. Again, its a surface summer thing but you can get a surface iron way back over the kelp and really cover the area. Also with the slugs and light iron you get to see some massive blow ups. Mike

I'd buy 'em.

One of the most popular Big Calico baits by far are the MC Slug or the old 7-9" Sluggos if you can find them.

Has anyone had a chance to fish the Z-man STREAKZ XL 8 inch baits?

I haven't even heard of these things until this came up in the post. Excited to give them a shot though. Went through 5 swimbaits today in SD bay due to tears.

Don't seem to be any Zmans in the local tackle shops, online only?

About to order some ill bet those would be amazing in smojey shad on a dropshot

Tackle warehouse has the best prices, pretty good selection too.