You are never going to effectively put the trolling motor down and pound a stretch of bank or a cove with a swimbait in your hand. You might catch a big fish here or there doing so, but you'll wear out and get tired of all of the inefficient casts you are making. My research revealed to me that your highest percentage of fish is going to come on points. Yes, you will absolutely catch fish on and near underwater ridges, rock piles and boulders too, but for simplicity, if you just focus on points you have a great start. (If you know where the boulders, piles, and ridges are - then great - you can incorporate them into this approach, but if you don't, you can simply focus only on points).
Begin by selecting one or two of your favorite swimbaits and rigging them up. If you only have one swimbait rod, then you'll only have one rigged, but I like to use two. I'll often rig up a fast sinking 8 inch soft plastic swimbait and an 8-inch or 12-inch Triple Trout (hard bodied three piece swimbait). You are going to make 3 casts per point with that bait. You will alternate points. On the first point, for example, I'll make 3 casts with the 8 inch soft plastic swimbait and then on the 2nd point I'll make 3 casts with the Triple Trout. The third point brings me back to the Hudd and so on.
Next, I'll have my two favorite large (non swimbait) reaction baits tied on. For example, I might have a deep-diving crankbait, spinnerbait, large rip bait or a big (3/4 oz. or 1 oz.) tied on. You could also toss a "small" swimbait in this category like a Money Minnow or a Basstrix Paddletail. Now you have 4 rods on the deck.
Lastly you may pick just one finesse bait and tie it on. This will be your 5th rod on the deck. It might be a darthead worm, tube, or smaller jig. You are only going to make one cast per point with this rod. My goal in approaching each point (or rock pile, boulder or ridge) is to make 3 casts with the swimbait, 2 casts with a large reaction bait and then one last cast with a finesse bait.
Approach each point from the downwind side such that the nose of your boat is facing into the breeze. If the breeze is blowing directly onto the point squarely, then it will not matter as much which side you approach from. I want to stay as far off of the point as I can with my boat in 15 to 20 feet of water. You need to be able to throw your swimbait over (not on) the point. If you plop your blob of rubber right on the top of the point you greatly reduce your chance of getting bit.
Kill the big motor far from your point (at least 75 yards) and troll over to the side of the point. Keep your trolling motor on a low setting. You are stalking the biggest and smartest fish with this approach and you do not need extra noise alerting them to your arrival. I would turn off all sonar units too, unless you absolutely need one to tell you how deep you are (you shouldn't, though, as you should be pretty close to shore and able to eyeball about how deep you are).
On my first point, I'll pick up my 8 inch Trout soft plastic swimbait and cast it into about 30 feet of water as far across the ridge of the point as I can. I will then let it sink down to the bottom or near the bottom and begin reeling very slowly. I want that bait to just barely swim and if it is sinking while it is swimming that is great. In fact, ideally, you want that bait to slowly and lazily swim right into that point and gently bump it as you drag it over the ridge of the point.
Yes, this is an expensive bait and you don't want to lose it. I realize many of you are thinking that you don't want that bait anywhere near the bottom, but remember, you are using 20 to 25 pound line. If you get hung up, give the bait some slack and troll over to the other side of the bait. Nine out of ten times you will pop it free if you pull from the opposite side that you cast from. At that juncture you must also move to the next point as you will have ruined that one - but that is okay, it is just part of what happens.
The second cast will be the same except it will be into 20 feet instead of 30 feet. And the third cast is the same again but into 10 feet of water. So, I will have effectively made three fanning casts over the point while holding my boat in one position. All of my casts have been with one swimbait. Incidentally, on the second point my casts will start and 10 feet and then go to 20 feet and finally to 30 feet. I'll keep experimenting back and forth from deep to shallow and then shallow to deep to see which method works better on that day.
