As the name suggests No Live Bait Needed or NLBN lures, make swimbaits and jigheads. So what, I hear you say, there are heaps of swimbaits on the market these days.
Well, No Live Bait Needed make high-quality hand-crafted swimbaits and jigheads. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill mass-produced swimbaits. In fact, these swimbaits are made in limited monthly batches.
They are stocked in some tackle stores on the east coast from Massachusetts down to Florida. But if you want to get your hands on the latest limited batch NLBN swimbaits and jigheads, it’s best to sign up for their limited batch alerts. Each monthly product drop tends to sell out fast!
No Live Bait Needed is a new and upcoming fishing tackle company that has only been around for a few years. They are based in Florida USA, arguably one of the best fishing locations in the world. So NLBN lures are well placed to develop high-quality tried and tested swimbaits and jigheads.
No Live Bait Needed Swimbaits & Jigheads
The main product offerings from No Live Bait Needed are currently: a 5″ Paddle Tail (3 pack) swimbait, an 8″ Paddle Tail (2 pack), and an 8″ straight Tail (2 pack) swimbait. Plus, they have a 3″ Paddle Tail product currently under development.
NLBN lures also does a 5″ “LiL Mullet” swimbait as a 3 pack and has a 7″ “Big Mullet” that they released in limited numbers as a prototype.
No Live Bait Needed do 5″ and 8″ jigheads as 2 packs in various weights and colors to match with their swimbaits. Their jigheads feature a great screw lock design which ensures the swimbait won’t come off.
This is just the beginning for NLBN lures and we suspect the best is yet to come with a product range that will continue to increase over time. They have a strong following in Florida for catching tarpon, snook, redfish, fluke, lingcod, and other species. But as more anglers find out about their high-quality hand-crafted products no doubt their popularity will grow across the US.
So, if you want to become the king of your lake, or be the first of your fishing buddies to have one of these cool swimbaits, head over to the No Live Bait Needed website and buy one.
Swimbait FAQs.
What is a Swimbait?
A swimbait is a type of lure designed to realistically resemble and mimic specific baitfish species to produce bites. The realistic looks and excellent mimicry of swimbait fishing lures draw in bigger fish that aren’t easily fooled by other types of bait.
Swimbaits were originally used by Southern California anglers in the 1980s. These large first-generation lures were made to resemble rainbow trout. Which were preyed on by striped and largemouth bass in the area’s reservoirs.
Today, swimbaits can be found in a wide variety of baitfish species, shapes, colors, and sizes. The one thing they all have in common is their realistic looks. This is what distinguishes them from jigs, crankbaits, and other types of lures.
Swimbaits, like those made by No Live Bait Needed, are generally designed for larger fish over 10 pounds. They come in many different sizes depending on the specific baitfish species they’re meant to resemble. Nonetheless, most anglers tend to use swimbaits six to 12 inches in length to attract bigger fish.
Types of Swimbaits
There are two primary types of swimbaits: soft bodied and hard bodied. However, with each of these types, there are subtypes of swim baits varying by material, movement, and more. In other words, the swimbait category is pretty diverse.
Hard Body
Hard body swimbaits are a popular choice for freshwater fishermen. They are common for targeting largemouth bass in Florida, California, and Mexico. They perfectly imitate full-size baitfish and prey with fluid swimming motions.
These baits are available in single-jointed or multi-jointed varieties for different swimming movements. Regardless of which type you choose, hard body swimbaits provoke a predatory response when properly used and fished with.
Soft Body
Hard body swimbaits serve their purpose, but some anglers prefer softer options. Soft body swimbaits, like those made by No Live Bait Needed, are made almost only of soft rubber or plastic and feature a paddle, wedge, or split tail for an enticing wobble.
Of all soft body varieties, paddle tail swimbaits are ideal for warmer waters and by far the most commonly used. These baits are available in several different sizes. While the smaller sizes are often used as a chatter or spinnerbait trailer, larger varieties are usually used on an extra-wide gap hook or jig head.
Paddle Tail
Paddle tail swimbaits are popular due to their vigorous wiggle action during retrieval. With a large flat paddle at the tail’s end, the entire tail wiggles when being reeled in, allowing it to trigger bites without the need for any other action.
Straight Tail
Like their name suggests, split tail swimbaits have straight, unhinged tails. They don’t move side to side like paddle tail lures, so they vibrate less when tracking through the water. This makes them better suited to freshwater environments. No Live Bait Needed make both straight tail and paddle tail swimbaits.
Glide Bait
Glide baits are hard body swimbaits with joints in the middle, causing them to glide in an S-shaped curve when being retrieved. The body of a glide bait bends at the joint, causing it to slide from side to side when pulled through the water.
Glide swimbaits are also wider, resulting in a much broader swim path and an increased chance of being targeted.
How to Fish Soft Swimbaits
Swimbait fishing lures are designed to be cast out far and slowly reeled back in. When cast, you can let them sink a little or a lot during the reel in depending on where you’re fishing and the specific swimbait you’re using.
If you’re fishing in a shallow area or want to imitate a dying baitfish, which come near the surface and flutter when they die. Then a buoyant topwater swimbait will work great in the early morning or evening hours when the water is calm. But, a heavier, less buoyant swimbait that dives and sinks is better for fishing in clear, deep water.
Keep an eye out for underwater drop-offs with ample grass cover. Since swimbaits primarily attract fish by sight and don’t need much action, all you do is set the lure in place and slowly reel it in. The fish will come to you.
How to Rig NLBN Lures
Many soft swimbait lures come fully rigged. But, if you enjoy making your own rigs, you can rig them yourself with jig heads or weighted hooks.
Check out this YouTube video that explains how to rig a No Live Bait Needed lure better than we can!
What is a Paddle Tail Swimbait?
We touched on them above, but paddle tail swimbaits like those made by No Live Bait Needed, are a type of soft body swimbait with large flat paddles at the end of their tails. The paddles cause their tails to wiggle vigorously when being retrieved. This is the great thing about paddle tails. Their natural action triggers bites simply by reeling them in slowly and surely. No other action is required.
How to Fish Paddle Tail Swimbaits
Since paddle tail swimbait lures have tails with large kayak-like paddles that produce some killer swim action. They’re great for fishing in grasses and weeds where fish tend to hide. Like other types of swimbaits, just cast the lure and reel it in slowly either near the surface or at depth according to your target fish and location.
Some paddle tails come rigged, but you may need to rig hooks onto these nlbn lures yourself depending on which ones you choose. Just make sure the hook you use fits the shape of the lure.
Final Thoughts
No live bait needed lures are at the pricier end of the soft bait lure market. But they are a high-quality handcrafted lure that is only available in limited batches. If you’re after something different to impress your fishing buddies and slay the fish as well. Then you can’t go past these impressive swimbaits and jigheads by NLBN lures.
