I live in northern Illinois and I want to buy some swimbaits. Most of the lakes I fish have shad as the main forage. There isn't any trout in these waters. I was thinking of getting the Huddleston 6" trout in silver and the Huddleston shads in a few colors. I can't make up my mind on a bluegill bait so I will take recommendations for the pros here. We have both smallmouth and largies. I don't think there is a smallie over 6-7lbs and largies bigger than 8lbs. I will be fishing water from 4-25 feet. Are my choices a good start? Thanks for the help in advance and the website ROCKS!!!

There are soooooooo many options out there and most will get bit. you just have to figure out what baits fit your waters and style of fishing. What works for me might not work for others. There are plenty of baits that lots of guys realy like but they just dont fit into how I fish. Check out the reviews section on this site, lots of good accurate info on most of the baits out there. Pick a few that you think you might like and learn to fish them. Don't be disscuraged when you don't get bit, thats just part of swimbait fishing. Stick with it and good things will happen.
The one bait that I think every newbie swimbaiter should have is a 7" M.S. Slammer. This bait gets bit. more of a late spring through fall kinda bait but it gets bit year round if you give it enough play. Its the perfect size to get the attention of bigger fish yet still draws plenty of strikes from 2#ers.
One more thing. Befor you go out and break the bank buying a bunch of baits, make sure you have the proper tackle to throw them on. you can get a good swimbait rod for right around a $100 same for a decent reel. once again check out the review section on this site.

Thanks for the advice. By the number of views I'm not the only one looking for help. Am I on the right path with the Huds? I emailed them 3 times and I didn't get a response from them. Not cool.

6" Hudd is a great starting point. Be sure to get a 5 and a 12. Fun little bait to fish it gets bit for sure.

I was only going to get the 12 but after reading your first post I put the 5 on the list also. I am thinking of the Mattlure bluegill for my bluegill choice but not 100% yet.

Don't worry about the bait being a trout. Bass hit the trout baits even if there's no trout in that water way.:-)

Don.

I put the big dog on my list also. I'm going to spend $125-175 to get started. See how things go and go from there. Just wanted to see some of the choice you guys would make and if they matched mine. Thanks again.

Received the Huds today. I ordered the shads in 5 and 12 and the 6" trout in 5 and 12. I will post soon how I did. They look awesome!!! Can't wait to get them in the water.

Got my first hit on the shads but it only folded over the tail on the hook. Good to get a bite though. Winds picked up and started fishing another way. Try again in a week or so.

Make sure you are using scent. Lots and Lots and Lots of scent. It turns fallow into bits. Hits into hook ups. Also I'm learning to work with retives. Slow, fast and dead stick all seem to work at some point and time.

Also I would go with the Slammer. This thing I've had tons of hits on.

dz

Finally giving an update. I used the Hud shads in the spring on some area lakes and didn't get bit but a couple of short strikes. I gave up until yesterday. I was fish a clear lake and said to myself this just has to work here. Well I was right. I had 5 hits and two fish in the boat. I think I will have to put a treble in the tail because I missed fish with the tail folding over. I will be on the phone to order more. Thanks for all your help.