The Bone Thug is our baitfish-profile paddle-tail swimbait, built to imitate shad, shiners, and white perch. The paddle tail thumps hard on the retrieve — bass feel it coming from a distance. Watch it swim:

Three Ways to Rig the Bone Thug

1. Twist Lock Swimbait Hook — the Everyday Setup

Thread the Bone Thug onto a twist lock swimbait hook and fish it with a steady retrieve or a slow roll near the bottom. We like the Owner Beast in 8/0 or the Ryugi Heavy Brutal in 7/0. This is the setup we reach for most days: cast it out, wind it back, and let the tail do the work. The weighted keel keeps it running true and lets you stay in contact through the whole retrieve.

2. Through-Line — a Different Presentation

Every Bone Thug ships with a through-line tube included. Rig it through-line when you want the bait to move differently than a hook-rigged swimbait — the line passes through the bait itself, which changes how it tracks and how it behaves when a fish hits it.

3. Treble Hook on Top — for Bottom Dragging and Light Biters

Hook a treble hook into the top of the bait. This one's for dragging it along the bottom, or for those days when fish are hitting it less aggressively — the treble finds hooks in fish that would miss a single hook.

Where to Throw It

Burn it over grass flats, work it across points and ledges, or speed it up when bass are schooling on open water. Vary your speed until the fish tell you what they want — some days they want it burning, other days a slow roll is the ticket.

When It Fishes Best

Shad spawn in the spring, fall baitfish migrations, and anytime bass are schooling on open water in clear to slightly stained water. The Bone Thug is a power-fishing search bait: cover water fast, find the active fish, then slow down.

Colors

Silver Fish, Holo Fish, Guacamole, Ghost Shad, Mr. Natural, Baby Bass, Honey, Pumpkin Seed, Blackwater. Match your local baitfish — natural shad tones for clear water, brighter attractors when it's stained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Twist lock swimbait hook or through-line — which should I start with?

Start with the twist lock swimbait hook. It's the simplest way to fish the bait and it covers most situations. Move to the through-line rig when you want a different look or you're getting short strikes.

What makes the Bone Thug different from other paddle tails?

We hand-pour every one in Texas, and the tail is tuned to thump hard even at slow speeds — it displaces enough water that bass feel it before they see it.

Get on the Water

Texas-made and hand-poured, $14.99. Shop the Bone Thug →