Sebile Magic Swimmer Swimbait

by Russ Bassdozer

This shows and tells product photos, product descriptions and information for the lure models and colors that are (or have been) available at BassdozerStore.com. Not all models and colors shown are currently available, and exact specifications are subject to change.

Note: Some of the following configurations may not all be currently in stock. Some may be sold out at this time. Please check online at www.BassdozerStore.com for current availability of specific items below. Thank you for your business.

Sebile Magic Swimmer Swimbait

Below you will find different product selections, called chapters. Please enjoy.

1. Chapter One. Sebile's Magic Swimmer ~ The Swimbait with Worldwide Panache
2. Chapter Two. SEBILE's Mighty Magic Swimmer 95 ~ The Best Little Jointed Swimbait for Bass Fishing
3. Chapter Three. Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 SSK Slow-Sinking and 110 FSK Fast-Sinking Jointed Swimbaits
4. Chapter Four. Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait
5. Chapter Five. Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK and 145 FSK ~ Fast Sinking Jointed Swimbaits
6. Chapter Six. Magic Swimmer 125 SSK and 165 SSK Tips and Tactics from Patrick Sebile
7. Chapter Seven. Sebile Magic Swimmer 228 Swimbait for Trophy Fishing
8. Chapter Eight. Continually Learning to Fish with Sebile Magic Swimmers
9. Chapter Nine. Fishing the Fast-Sinking Magic Swimmer
10. Chapter Ten. Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft 130 ~ Soft Swimbait

Also click here for our other Sebile lure selections:

• The Magic Swimmer's Not All ~ Sebile's Other Magic Lures

Chapter One
Sebile's Magic Swimmer ~ The Swimbait with Worldwide Panache

We've all heard the old adage that there is no magic bait, but fortunately for us, there is a Magic Swimmer!

The Magic Swimmer is a relatively new and revolutionary swimbait lure that undulates just under the surface in a very natural way.

It's the brainchild of Patrick Sebile from France. It does not have a lip to make it swim, but its tiny head and humpbacked shape helps the bait start swimming and then water pressure pushing against first one side then the other generates the fluid swimming movement. Once water pressure gets going against the sides, it won't stop undulating like a living fish.

There were originally four sizes (in 2008) - 228, 165, 125 and 95 but several more exist today. In this first chapter of the catalog, however, we'll stick with the original four as our opening introduction, okay?

The one that most anglers may have heard about is the 165. It helped bass pro Todd Faircloth win a Bassmaster Elite event in spring 2008 and it's credited with other high finishes in early 2008, which is also when a lake record 17 pounder was landed on the 165 in Japan. News like that accelerated the Magic Swimmer 165 to the top of every bass angler's 'must have' list of new lures for 2008.

Based on the publicized successes with it, most anglers take for granted that the 165 swims great. Indeed, it does. The only caveat is that the famed 165 is a pretty big swimbait. It's size is 'selective' for big bass, meaning the 165 is a little larger than you'd want to use most times and places for average bass.

So what about the other three Magic Swimmer sizes, the 95, 125 and 28? You'll be glad to discover they all swim superbly. Best of all, the smaller 125 and 95 sizes are in line with everyday lure sizes - and swim great!

The Magic Swimmer's side-to-side movement is partly a function of its body length. The models wiggle tighter as you go down in length, there's simply less body length to wobble.

• 228: Being longest, the 228 also oscillates the most or has the widest swing from side to side.
• 165: Also big and long, the 165 swims with the lazy, slow, wide-sweeping dalliance of a big baitfish with nothing on its mind. The 165 swims with a wide, aimless amble.
• 125: Has the most serpentine or S-shaped movement of all, with a nice side roll and belly flash as part of the package.
• 95: Significantly smaller, the 95 has a tighter, fluttering action that does not generate as much displacement or presence - just fine for spooky fish days.

Despite their differences in size and therefore action from widest to tightest, all Magic Swimmers display supple, fluid, lively movement. They seemingly squirt along through the water. They all swim fairly frictionless, meaning you'll feel no resistance except a little bouncing sensation in the rod tip. You can feel them swim but there is no throbbing like a crankbait, spinnerbait or most other hard baits.

The most common comment anyone who's tried a Magic Swimmer will tell you is that any model may be used at any speed from slow to fast, and they'll always run true. All are very stable swimmers. They won't roll over and play dead, but just keep coming with that great action at any speed.

A few proven ways to use them are:

• Swimming Steadily Along: At relatively slow to moderate retrieve rates, Magic Swimmers will seek a swimming level a few feet below the surface. Go a little slower and they settle a little lower - and vice versa. This is ideally where they want to be on the retrieve - a few feet deep, more or less. You can let them sink much deeper on a slack line, but with most retrieve speeds that are on pace to generate the desired fluid motion, they are going to want to rise to within a few feet of the surface. So these aren't deep swimmers.
• Burning Fast: As you reel faster, these swimbaits come up and rise to the top the faster you reel, which is the opposite of a lipped crankbait that tends to dive deeper the faster you retrieve. As you increase your reeling pace with your rod tip down, the baits will rise all the way up and wake the surface. You can burn them on the surface fast so it acts like a fleeing baitfish, or you can maintain a reeling pace so they barely bulge the surface with your rod tip down.
• Waking Slowly: You can wake then slowly on the surface by holding your rod tip up.

Those are all straight retrieves, and you are going to get the best action on a straight retrieve if you tie to the split ring on the nose.

Everyone's going to want to try twitching, jerking, ripping these responsive swimbaits too. Problem is, if you pull or twitch or jerk their string too hard, they will easily '180' or turn so far to the side that they'll tend to tangle the front treble. If you jerk it hard like you'd rip a typical plastic-lipped minnow jerkbait, you'll foul it every time. That's jerking too hard for the Magic Swimmer.

Still, if you want to use it that way (rip it hard), there's a little trick. To eliminate most of the tangles that may happen if you tie to the split ring, instead tie directly to the nose eye above the split ring when you plan to twitch, jerk or rip the Magic Swimmer hard. Just let the split ring dangle down while you're not using it. The split ring doesn't hurt anything or get in the way.

A little trick is to tie direct to the nose above the split ring to get that sudden burst and pause that triggers instinctive strikes when you rip it hard - and minimizes fouling.

You do trade-off a small amount of action when you tie direct - but it still has tons of action, and you get a better, crisper dart. Best of all, this eliminates 90% of the tangles. Especially when you are first learning how to use a Magic Swimmer, you will tend to overwork it too hard (I know I did), so this tying tip may save you from a ton of tangles at the outset - or anytime you are working a Magic Swimmer in a ripping or sinking/falling way or when water/wind conditions makes one tangle too much, try this little tip and see if you don't tangle less and catch more fish!

Also, for powerfishing, in essence flipping or pitching the Magic Swimmer in heavy cover with heavy tackle, you may feel more comfortable to tie direct. The Magic Swimmer still has plenty of action tied direct.

You'll also notice the weights inside bang around loudly when you jerk these baits hard with a ripping action.

Magic Swimmer 228

The Magic Swimmer 228 is gigantic at 9" inches long and 4 ounces. It wasn't that many years ago when a bait this big wouldn't even be considered a bass bait. However, trophy bass anglers, mainly in California, can and do use swimbaits of such large proportions today. If you have the rod and reel, the wherewithal and access to huge fish, then the 228 is for you. In time, as more big swimbait anglers try the 228, I believe it may emerge as a serious contender for the title of best big swimbait of all time. It's that good, and looks even better in the water than the prestigious 165 size.

Above and below: Massive Magic Swimmer 228 weighs 4 oz

If you use humongous swimbaits, all I can say is, "Get yourself a 228!"

Otherwise, let's turn our discussion to the other three more practical sizes of Magic Swimmer now.

Magic Swimmer 165

The 165 is the size that helped pro Todd Faircloth to win a Bassmaster Elite on Lake Amistad, Texas in April 2008. Halfway around the world, the 165 landed a 17 pound lake record bass in Japan right around that same day. Also, the 165 has become the most popular Sebile bait in Europe for pike, not bass.

In short, the 165 is the bait that put Sebile on the tip of every anglers' tongue.

The 165 swims much like a big baitfish, which brings up the most important aspect of it - this is a big bait, weighing 1-5/8 oz.

Make no mistake, the Magic Swimmer 165 is a big bait requiring beefy tackle to fish it.

The 165 seems to work best in the 14-17 lb test line range.

With it's bulky body, the 165 is going to appeal to a bigger bass than average, and it's the one to toss when trophy fishing in Texas, Mexico, Florida, California or anywhere you want to up your odds for big bass, use the Magic Swimmer 165.

Magic Swimmer 125

In May 2008, Bassmaster Elite pro Kenyon Hill used the 125 to help him the win the Elite event on Clarks Hill, Georgia. Need we say more? That was the second Bassmaster Elite win in two months (Faircloth's was the first) where the Magic Swimmer helped win.

At five inches long, weighing 3/4 oz, the 125 is the Magic Swimmer size that many anglers will go for. It is a decent size to fish easily on a decent grade of tackle - not too heavy, not too light. It's just right.

It's also the size that many bass will go for. If you're looking to land a decent, average-sized bass across most of the country, the 125 may be the Magic Swimmer for you!

Best of all, it swims great! Overall, the 125 has a more eel-like, sinuous S-shaped action than other Magic Swimmer sizes.

The 125 seems best on 10 lb test, it kicks and rolls more. However, it moves practically as attractively, with just a little tighter action on 12 lb test. You can big up the hooks to #2's and big up the line strength to 16-20 lb test with #2 hooks. It still has plenty of action.

Magic Swimmer 95

The 125 (top) and 95 (bottom) may become the most popular Magic Swimmer sizes among bass anglers.

Let me start by saying, we constantly hear in ads and articles that more action, more displacement and more presence is a good thing to have in a lure. However, the 95 is significantly smaller, the 95 has a tighter, fluttering action that does not generate as much displacement or presence as other Magic Swimmers.

Now, that's not a criticism of the 95. What I mean is, if a big branch falls off a tree, it generates more action, more displacement and presence on the way down. That's right for the branch. If a leaf falls off a tree, it flutters down with the action, presence and displacement that's right for it.

So like a falling leaf, the lightweight, tight flutter and fast squiggle of the small Magic Swimmer 95 is just right for it - and just fine for spooky fish days, for shallow, clear water and other finesse fishing situations.

Smallest of the lot, the 95 is ideal for light tackle. Ideally, I recommend 8 lb test for it, either spinning or baitcasting.

On a straight retrieve, there is almost no resistance to be felt from the lure. In a way, it feels like retrieving a weightless Senko is one way to describe the sensation, except the 95 will be fluttering and gyrating wildly like a minnow on the move. Yet you can't really feel it in the rod tip.

All sizes of Magic Swimmer's jerk great - but you need to gain the knack how to do this with them. Of all, the 95 seems it's the best at any twitching, ripping or jerk-and-pause tactic. Possibly because the 95 has the tightest action to start with, it really jerks and pauses with sharp precision. It's super-responsive to any rod movements - but stops on a dime and pauses before it goes to far. That's perfect.

Yes, there finally is a magic bait - the Magic Swimmer!

It's a new swimbait with worldwide panache (that's French for pizzazz).

Chapter Two
SEBILE's Mighty Magic Swimmer 95 ~ The Best Little Jointed Swimbait for Bass Fishing

The Magic Swimmer is the lure model that made Sebile popular in the USA. It is the one Sebile model that most anglers have heard the most about. Publicity for it started in spring of 2008 when bass pro Todd Faircloth said it helped him locate bass during practice, and he went on to win a Bassmaster Elite event on Amistad Lake, fishing the productive areas that the Magic Swimmer found in practice.

Soon thereafter, at the Bassmaster Elite event on Clarks Hill, Georgia, bass pro Kenyon Hill won that one with the help of the Magic Swimmer 125. Between those two Bassmaster wins, plus a lake record 17 pounder landed on the Magic Swimmer 165 in Japan at that same time, Sebile's Magic Swimmer received a lot of press publicity, and bass anglers everywhere became aware of Sebile and the Magic Swimmer. many for the first time.

Based on the publicized successes, many anglers tried the 165 and the 125 sizes, and they are both great lures. The only caveat is that the famed 165 is a pretty big swimbait. It's size is 'selective' for big bass, meaning the 165 is a little larger than you'd want to use most times and places for average bass. The 125 is also very good, and the 125's a little more in line with everyday lure sizes - but still bigger than most other crankbaits or jerkbaits one would ordinarily use.

Really, for most bass fishing, it is the relatively unpublicized Magic Swimmer 95 size that will work better for most anglers in most places.

The 95 (all shown above) is significantly smaller than the well-publicized 125 or 165 size Magic Swimmers.

Bass pro Todd Faircloth - the guy who first brought the Magic Swimmer to national attention - says he has increasingly been making more and more use of the Magic Swimmer across the country. I was talking with Todd about this the other day, and here's what he had to say.

"I think anglers as a whole, myself included, are still getting accustomed to swimbaits. The use of swimbaits overall, and particularly for me, is still growing. The more places and ways I use the Magic Swimmer, the more I like it and the more I use it," says Todd.

• Magic Swimmer 165. On some of the country's biggest trophy bass waters like Amistad or Falcon in Texas, Todd opts for the beefier Magic Swimmer 165. "In order to be competitive on trophy bass lakes, you need to use the big Magic Swimmer 165 to produce big sacks of fish, otherwise you just won't be in the running," admits Faircloth.
• Magic Swimmer 125. Todd favors the Magic Swimmer 125 for lakes like Rayburn, Toledo Bend or anywhere you find a decent largemouth bass fishery across the country. Overall, for many of the country's high profile tournament largemouth lakes and waters, it's the Magic Swimmer 125 that's Faircloth's preferred swimbait. "The 125's the size best-suited for most largemouth in most places that I compete on the pro tour," says Todd. "It's not only that you have to catch fish, but their weights need to be competitive, and the Magic Swimmer 125 is of a lure size that lets you be that."
• Magic Swimmer 95. On the other hand, when Todd competes on prime smallmouth or spotted bass waters, Faircloth often downsizes to the Magic Swimmer 95, since smallmouth and spotted bass have smaller mouths than, and don't ordinarily grow as large on average as their bigger largemouth cousins. The Magic Swimmer 95 is almost more like a minnow, and in terms of its size, will attract quality smallmouth, spotted and largemouth bass too.

Keep in mind, Todd Faircloth is competing on the country's best bass waters, selected particularly for the quality and size of bass they produce. For the ordinary angler on ordinary bass waters, we're just not fishing for the same caliber of fish as the Bassmaster Elite pros. In many cases, we're on small bodies of waters or after small fish. That makes the Magic Swimmer 95 the overall best size for ordinary, everyday angling situations.

Size comparison of the 95 (bottom) and 125 (top). They are the two most useful Magic Swimmer sizes for most bass anglers - especially the 95. Think of the other hard baits you use, and for average angling, they're going to fall within the 78 to 100 size range - exactly where the Magic Swimmer 95 fits in with your fishing. If you live or fish somewhere that the 125 is a better day in/day out choice than the 95, consider yourself fortunate. For most other anglers, the 95 is going to prove to be the most consistent Magic Swimmer size.

So if you have overlooked the mighty Magic Swimmer 95; if you've instead focused on the 125 or 165, now may be the time to get realistic again, and go to the 95 for most fishing situations. The 95 really is the Magic Swimmer size that's more in line with the jerkbait and crankbait sizes you'd otherwise ordinarily use!

A Word on Hooks. The Magic Swimmer 95 can handle #4 or #6 hooks without any substantial effect on its action or productivity. So use whatever size (#4 or #6) suit the conditions, the size of the fish and the strength of your rod, reel and line.

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 ~ Jointed Swimbait ~ Holo Greenie

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 ~ Jointed Swimbait ~ White Lady

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 ~ Jointed Swimbait ~ Blue Chrome

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 ~ Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural White Perch

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 ~ Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural Shiner

Chapter Three
Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 SSK Slow-Sinking and 110 FSK Fast-Sinking Jointed Swimbaits

When the Magic Swimmer first got famous in spring 2008, it was because pro Todd Faircloth used it to help him locate the fish with which Faircloth won the Bassmaster Elite event at Amistad, Texas. Not long after, pro Kenyon Hill won the Bassmaster Elite event at Clarks Hill, Georgia with the help of the Magic Swimmer.

These two pros had huge sacks of bass, and they used the larger size Magic Swimmer 165 (Faircloth) and 125 (Hill) to help land their winning sacks. Based on those two wins, many everyday anglers went and got some 165s and 125s to try on their own home waters.

For the average angler on the average lake, pond or water, fishing for average size bass, the 110 and 95 are better sizes to use. The 165 and 125 that Faircloth and Hill used are too big for most bass and most places.

So take a serious look at the 95 and 110 for ordinary everyday fishing situations.

When you consider that all imported lures from Japan and other countries are measured in millimeters - you probably have very few lures over 100 mm that you normally use. Most normal size lures that bass anglers use range from 75 to 100 mm, and the Magic Swimmer 95 and 110 fit right into the upper end of your normal size range.

The 95 (bottom) and 110 (top) are the two Magic Swimmer sizes that can be of most use to most bass anglers.

Patrick Sebile lands a nice one at Lake Powell, Utah on fast sinking Magic Swimmer 110 FSK.

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 SSK ~ Slow-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural Blueback Herring

Sebile Magic Swimmer 95 SSK ~ Slow-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural Fleeing Shad

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK ~ Fast-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural Blueback Herring

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK ~ Fast-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural Fleeing Shad

Chapter Four
Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait

At 5 inches long and weighing 3/4 oz, the Magic Swimmer 125 is the ideal hard swimbait size for many medium-sized gamefish in fresh or saltwater. Most any gamefish that strikes minnows and weighs within the 3 to 10 pound range is the ideal quarry to pursue using the Magic Swimmer 125. It's not too big or heavy, not too small and light. It's just right. It is a decent size swimbait to use easily on a wide range of medium to medium/heavy tackle.

Best of all, the Magic Swimmer 125 moves through the water with a realistic, fishy swimming motion that has made the Magic Swimmer world famous in a short amount of time, only a few years since its introduction. The Magic Swimmer 125 displays a supple, fluid, lively movement. It seemingly squirts along through the water like a live baitfish. It swims fairly frictionless, meaning you'll feel little or no resistance in your rod tip.

Much of the time, all you need to do is reel steadily, and the Magic Swimmer 125 will swim seductively a few feet below the surface.

When you suddenly spot gamefish scattering panicked bait on the surface, cast into the melee and reel quickly, holding your rod tip down. Used that way, both the Magic Swimmer will rise to the top and wake the surface, wiggling frantically like fleeing baitfish.

That's along the lines of how Sebile pro Kenyon Hill used the Magic Swimmer 125 as a key bait to win the Bassmaster Elite event on Clarks Hill, Georgia in spring 2008. Kenyon was casting the Magic Swimmer 125 in and around fleeing schools of blueback herring with big bass on their heels. Since the largemouth he was landing were pretty big, Kenyon is reported to have upsized the hooks in his situation to #2 trebles, to better handle the bigger bass.

Another of the most realistic ways to work both the Magic Swimmer 125 is to use one as a slowly-sinking twitchbait where you let it sink in or around any shallow cover. You can let one sink up to 8 or more feet as you twitch it with little downward twitches of the rod tip. Only twitch a few inches, and it will flip and flop in semi-circles and can easily do an about-face 180 degree turn-around when you lightly twitch it. One of the keys to this action is to twitch it, and then instantly move the rod tip back toward the lure so the lure may complete its movement on a slack, not tight line.

Once you try it, you'll find the Magic Swimmer 125 is a great size for bigger largemouth bass or for any gamefish ranging from say 3 to 10 pounds in fresh or saltwater, if they'll strike a minnow, the Magic Swimmer 125 is a hard, really hard lure to resist!

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Blueback Herring

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Fleeing Shad

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Largemouth Bass

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Bluegill

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Tilapia Yellow

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Slow Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Silver Gold Back

Chapter Five
Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK and 145 FSK ~ Fast Sinking Jointed Swimbaits

The fast-sinking Magic Swimmer 110 FSK and 145 FSK are Fast Sinking models. The result of their unique and heavy balance is that they will swim when sinking without reeling. This gives you something totally new and unique for a jointed hard bait, as you can use the Fast Sinkers with a regular, steady reeling and they'll swim magically just like the original Magic Swimmers (95, 125, 165) but you can also stop reeling to let the new Fast Sinkers wriggle or swim beautifully on a deadstick fall!

If someone asked you what is the number one action that fish go for, keep in mind the answer is often a falling action, and the new fast-sinker Magic Swimmer 110 FSK and 145 FSK have got it! They can be made to swim as they fall without reeling.

The FSKs are long distance casters too, thanks to their heavy body weights.

Size comparison of fast finking 110 FSK (bottom) and 145 FSK (top).

By holding the rod tip up and reeling steadily, they're able to be used on or close to the surface, looking like fast-fleeing baitfish. With the rod tip down on a steady retrieve, the new fast-sinker models will swim magically like the original Magic Swimmers (95, 125, 165) but the FSKs will swim at a lower level down in the water column as follows:

Best of all, if you let the new FSKs swim on the fall without reeling, and occasionally try some twitching action, they can be fished down to double-digit depths. Fishing ten, twelve or fifteen feet with a sinking, twitching, falling, deadsticking action is something totally new and unique that Pat Sebile has designed these FSKs to do. So try that!

From top down: Size comparison of Magic Swimmer 165 SSK, 145 FSK, 125 SSK, 110 FSK and 95 SSK.

Magic Swimmer 110 FSK Fast-Sinking

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK Fast Sinker ~ White Lady

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Natural Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Natural Gold Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Natural Perch

Sebile Magic Swimmer 110 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Craw Perch

Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast-Sinking

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK ~ Fast Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Blueback Herring

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK ~ Fast Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Nat. Tilapia Yellow

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Natural Perch

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Natural Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ White Lady

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Natural Gold Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Rainbow Trout

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Light Violet

Sebile Magic Swimmer 145 FSK Fast Sinker ~ Craw Perch

Chapter Six
Magic Swimmer 125 SSK and 165 SSK Tips and Tactics from Patrick Sebile

In this chapter, we highlight the Magic Swimmer 165 SSK and Magic Swimmer 125 SSK - the two sizes that respectively helped Todd Faircloth and Kenyon Hill win top Bassmaster Elite tournaments in 2008.

From top down: Magic Swimmer 165 SSK, 145 FSK and 125 SSK.

A tip on the Magic Swimmer 125 is to replace its hooks with bigger #2 trebles on the 125 size swimbait.

"When I first decided I'd design the Magic Swimmer, it was because I love swimbaits, I love their natural live action, but I was feeling I would like to make one with the most realistic swimming motion I can, just like a real fish. So I kept that design goal in my mind, and yes, I am glad to say the Magic Swimmer can swim like a real fish at any retrieve speed," says Patrick Sebile.

Indeed the Magic Swimmer looks more lifelike and realistic than most any other swimbait, other crankbait or whatever other lure.

"Two Bassmaster Elite tournaments were won, one by Todd Faircloth on Amistad, TX in April 2008, the second by Kenyon Hill on Clark Hill, Georgia in May 2008 with the help of the Magic Swimmer. And that publicity has helped the Magic Swimmer become the top-seller in the USA today. When you see a champion with a bait tied on his line, or read the tournament reports and articles about it, or see them fishing on TV, you have confidence. You say, okay, if this champion used that bait, okay that works, and then you yourself try that technique, you will start to use it with confidence too. So the confidence itself is important, and I am glad these two tournament champions, Todd Faircloth and Kenyon Hill, had confidence in my bait and by their demonstrated successes have instilled that same confidence in any angler who has heard of their victories made with the Magic Swimmer's help," says Patrick.

According to tournament reports, Todd Faircloth had made extremely long casts with the Magic Swimmer 165 SSK and held his rod tip high to wake the bait. Sometimes big bass would hit it, Todd explained, but other times they'd just come up behind it in that very clear water. It's common with swimbaits to have big fish follow but not always strike them. However, even if they didn't take it, they showed Faircloth where he should concentrate fishing in the tournament.

In Kenyon Hill's Magic moment, he was reported to use the Magic Swimmer 125 SSK in Holo Greenie color. One report indicated Kenyon upsized from the stock #4 to stronger #2 trebles to better match the bigger fish he was catching.

In both Hill's and Faircloth's victories, they both swam the Magic Swimmer, and obviously their swimming tactics worked well enough to help them win two of the top tournaments in the world.

"Okay now, let me share one of my favorite ways to use the Magic Swimmer. One of the tactics I designed it for, may surprise you. It is to use it is as a sinking twitchbait where you let it sink in or around the shallow cover (you can let it sink up to 10 or more feet) as you twitch it with little downward twitches of the rod tip. Only twitch a few inches, and it will flip and flop in semi-circles and can easily do an about-face 180 degree turn-around when you lightly twitch it," explains Sebile. One of the keys to this action is to twitch it, and then instantly move the rod tip back toward the lure so the lure may complete its movement on a slack, not tight line.

That sinking, twitching tactic is the strategic advantage that only the Magic Swimmer has - and what it was designed to do. So practice at it until you can sink and twitch the Magic Swimmer perfectly.

Until you get the hang of it, or if you twitch it too hard, it can tangle. Also, if you give it too much slack after you twitch, it can tangle too. So it takes some practice, and you can have some tangles at first until you get the hang of it. As you gain mastery, you will tangle less and less, and soon you'll become so skilled that it rarely tangles at all. It's easy to sharpen your skill at first when you work the lure close enough to watch it as you twitch it and see some fish react to it. Once you've grown confident at doing that, you can cast further beyond where you can watch it, yet reproduce the sinking, twitching movements at longer distances.

Once it sinks to bottom or beyond the level or location where you feel you want to work it, you can just swim it over to the next bush, the next stick-up, grass clump, rock, tree stump or whatever piece of cover where a fish could be hiding, and then perform the sinking, twitching tactic close to the fish's hideout again. It really is fun - and the deadliest way - to use the Magic Swimmer!

Magic Swimmer 125 SSK

At five inches long, weighing 3/4 oz, the 125 is the Magic Swimmer size that many anglers will go for. It is a decent size to fish easily on a typical grade of tackle - not too heavy, not too light. It's just right. The 125 seems best on 10 lb test, it kicks and rolls more. However, it moves practically as attractively, with just a little tighter action on 12 lb test.

The 125 has the most serpentine or S-shaped movement of all Magic Swimmer sizes. It has a nice side roll and belly flash is part of the attraction.

The 125 is the size that many good-sized bass will go for. If you're looking to land decent-sized bass, the 125 may be the Magic Swimmer for you! Best of all, it swims great! Overall, the 125 has a more eel-like, sinuous S-shaped action than other Magic Swimmer sizes.

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 SSK ~ Sinking Swimbait ~ Halo Greenie

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 ~ Swimbait ~ Natural Gold Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 ~ Swimbait ~ Deep Bronze

Magic Swimmer 165 SSK

The three-piece, double-jointed 165 swims much like a big baitfish, which brings up the most important aspect of it - this is a big bait, weighing 1-5/8 oz. Make no mistake, the Magic Swimmer 165 is a big bait requiring beefy tackle to fish it. The 165 seems to work best in the 14-17 lb test line range. With it's bulky body, the 165 is going to appeal to a bigger bass than average, and it's the one to toss when trophy fishing in Texas, Mexico, Florida, California or anywhere you want to up your odds for big bass, use the Magic Swimmer 165.

The 165 swims with the lazy, slow, wide-sweeping dalliance of a big baitfish with nothing on its mind. The 165 swims with a wide, aimless amble

Sebile Magic Swimmer 165 SSK ~ Sinking Swimbait ~ Blue Althea

Sebile Magic Swimmer 165 SSK ~ Sinking Swimbait ~ Natural Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 165 S-SK ~ Slow-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ White Lady

Sebile Magic Swimmer 165 S-SK ~ Slow-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Natural White Perch

Sebile Magic Swimmer 165 S-SK ~ Slow-Sinking Jointed Swimbait ~ Holo Greenie

Chapter Seven
Sebile Magic Swimmer 228 Swimbait for Trophy Fishing

We've all heard the old adage that there is no magic bait, but fortunately for us, there is a Magic Swimmer!

The Magic Swimmer is a new swimbait lure that undulates just under the surface in a very natural way.

It's the brainchild of Patrick Sebile from France. It does not have a lip to make it swim, but its tiny head and humpbacked shape helps the bait start swimming and then water pressure pushing against first one side then the other generates the fluid swimming movement. Once water pressure gets going against the sides, it won't stop undulating like a living fish.

The Magic Swimmer 228 is gigantic at 9" inches long and 4 ounces. It's ideal for muskie, pike, saltwater fishing and even for big largemouth bass. Now, it wasn't that many years ago when a bait this big wouldn't even be considered a bass bait. However, trophy bass anglers, mainly in California, can and do use swimbaits of such large proportions today. If you have the rod and reel, the wherewithal and access to huge fish, then the 228 is for you. In time, as more big swimbait anglers try the 228, I believe it may emerge as a serious contender for the title of best big swimbait of all time. It's that good, and looks even better in the water than the prestigious 165 size.

The Magic Swimmer 228's side-to-side movement has a wide swing from side to side. The 228 swims with the lazy, slow, wide-sweeping dalliance of a big baitfish with nothing on its mind. The 228 swims with a wide, aimless amble.

If you use humongous swimbaits, all I can say is, "Get yourself a 228!"

The 228 is massive compared to other Magic Swimmer sizes. From top down: 228, 164, 125, 95.

Massive Magic Swimmer 228 weighs 4 oz and is 9 inches long.

Sebile Magic Swimmer 228 ~ Swimbait ~ Natural Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer 228 ~ Swimbait ~ Rainbow Trout

Sebile Magic Swimmer 228 ~ Swimbait ~ Golden Trout

If you really want to latch onto that trophy bass of a lifetime, then take the Magic Swimmer 228 to a trophy bass fishery.

Chapter Eight
Continually Learning to Fish with Sebile Magic Swimmers

All the Magic Swimmer sizes are awesome and I have caught lots of fish with all of them.. However, each size swims a little different, and the action I use with or give to each is a little different.

First, there is a difference in size or profile, and there are five sizes now. No, make that six - but for bass, we can dismiss the big 228 quickly.

For all practical purposes, the 228 is too large for everyday bass fishing. If I was going for the world record bass, the 228 is the only one I would use. Otherwise, the 228 is better for muskie, pike or for trophy bass hunters who are seriously hoping for 15 to 20 pound largemouth.

Although nowhere near the size of the massive 228, the 165 is still pretty big. The 165 is truly a trophy bass lure. It is a heavy lure requiring heavy tackle. Although you can catch bass anywhere on it, the 165 is better suited for trophy bass in Mexico, Texas or California, and even in those areas, the 165 would be considered a pretty large swimbait.

So the 165 and 228 are really limited to true trophy bass situations, and for most anglers, that's not too common.

Which leaves us with four sizes that are applicable in most situations - the 125 and 95 slow-sinkers and the 145 and 110 fast-sinker sizes. These all are moderate sizes, and they're good for fishing many different places across the country.

As they get smaller, Magic Swimmers swim tighter, harder and faster, more like minnows - and that's exactly how I use the smallest 95 size, just as if it was a minnow. There are minnows everywhere and the 95 fits right in everywhere. I tend to use it on spinning tackle, say 8-10 pound test.

On the other hand, as they get larger, Magic Swimmers swim wider and slower, more S-like or snake-like. The 228 and 165 act real wide and slow-moving like disoriented big baitfish. Big bass cannot resist their aimless dalliance.

If I had to choose one, I'd say the 125 size is the best or most lifelike Magic Swimmer. The 125 exhibits the most sinuous eel-like action of all the sizes. However, each size from the 95 right up to the massive 228, they all have their own mesmerizing styles of lifelike swimming motions. You can fish any of the six Magic Swimmers from very slow to very fast, and you are going to get incredible, stable swimming action at any speed. There are very few hard baits that will work well at any speed whatsoever. The fact it swims superbly at any speed makes the Magic Swimmer very unique - and valuable.

But getting back to the 125 size, it is the most useful of all the sizes. It's not too big yet not too small. It is just right! It goes great with anywhere from 10 to 20 lb test mono or fluoro or equivalent braid.

So I've talked a little bit about the slow-sinkers, which are the light tackle 95, the heavy tackle 165, medium size125 (plus the massive 228).

The common characteristic of all the slow sinkers is they swim great but when paused, have no action (except for slow-sinking). So when paused, you need to impart all the action by twitching as the slow-sinkers sink, and really that is the best way to use them, twitching them as they sink. You need to practice to get perfect at that.

That leaves the two in between sizes, the 145 and the 110 which are the two fast-sinkers. In terms of size, the 145 is closer to the 125 than to the 165 in size. So the 145 is a great size, a little big but okay for everyday use where decent bass are found. The 110 is a little smaller, but still fine for everyday use. Since the fast-sinkers are also heavier, they require heavier tackle. The 145 is as heavy as the 165 (but the 145's closer in size to the 125). The 110 is as heavy as the 125. So you really do need heavy tackle for the hefty 145, and medium heavy tackle for the 110 and the 125. Okay, what that means for Magic Swimmer fishing is three rods:

1. a heavy rod to throw the heavier 145 and 165
2. a medium heavy rod to throw the 110 and 125
3. a third, for me a spinning rod to throw the 95

The fast-sinkers (145 and 110) have good swimming action on the retrieve. There is no Magic Swimmer that doesn't swim good, they all just swim different. For the fast-sinkers, it is more of an almost side-to-side flipping swim - it's very difficult to describe, but very natural.

In addition, the fast-sinkers swim on the fall, and there's a way to almost swim-fall them by reeling in barely enough so they fall and swim in precisely the way you want them to do that. You really need to practice to control this swim-fall action. Also, the fast-sinkers can be worked much deeper with the swim-fall retrieve. It's a little hard to explain how to do that, since it is so new and unique. Yes, the fast-sinkers can be twitched as they fall also - just like the slow-sinkers, and the key when you pull any Magic Swimmer up close to cover where a fish may be hiding, is to twitch it as it falls near the cover.

Also, if you fish where there is current, I think you'll find the fast-sinkers are better choices for that.

To repeat the main message, you really need to treat each size of Magic Swimmer separately. Each size has its own actions, all great, although the different sizes fish a little different from each other. They are all well worth learning how to use them.

I think the real key is to get out there and practice. That's how I learned (and am still learning) to fish the Magic Swimmers, and I am not talking about making a couple casts for a few minutes, but hours and hours day after day. Practice makes perfect.

Chapter Nine
Fishing the Fast-Sinking Magic Swimmer

If someone asked you what is the number one action that fish go for, keep in mind the answer is often a falling action, and the Magic Swimmer 82, 110, 145, 190 and 228 are all Fast Sinking models with built-in, beautiful swimming/falling action on the drop. As a result of their unique and heavy balance, they will swim magically while sinking without reeling. This gives you something totally new and unique for a jointed hard bait, as you can use the Fast Sinkers with a regular, steady reeling and they'll swim amazingly like the original Magic Swimmers (95, 125, 165) but you can also stop reeling to let the new fast-sinking swimmers wriggle or swim beautifully on the fall!

The fast sinkers are long distance casters too, thanks to their heavy body weights.

Note: The chart shows the running depths if not allowed to sink. They may be counted down to sink as deep as you allow them, to 20-30 feet or deeper., depending on model. Also note that the 228 comes in a slow sinking version too.

Swimming on the Fall

As soon as your Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking hits the water, simply close your bail or engage the reel to lock the spool and let your line come semi-tight. Don’t leave slack line as that may cause the Magic Swimmer to sink head down and the tail hook may foul the line. But simply by having the resistance of a semi-tight line, you will provide for a level descent as your Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking alternates in a right/left swimming motion during the drop or fall. There's nothing you need to do here except keep a semi-tight line and have the rod ready to set the hook. You may have bites at any time during the fall, before you ever turn the reel handle, from the moment the lure hits the water until it sinks down to reach the level you want to begin retrieval. This falling, swimming movement is an action that no other hard baits really have, and you can simply alternate a reeling and pause phase to have your lure going up (as you reel) and down (when you pause), but swimming constantly all the time, even on the pause, to attract fish. Simply reel the Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking along for a number of feet, and then suddenly stop reeling for a number of seconds. You don't use the rod, just the reel to do this. Simply keep the rod in position for a good hookset throughout the retrieve. You'll get bit most often during the pause as the lure keeps swimming down. That provocative action has proven to be exceptionally effective - and so easy.

Speed-Reeling

This is simply turbo-charging the tactic described above. Do the same thing, use a semi-tight line to let the lure sink/swim to the level where you want to start, and then reel speedily so the lure suddenly bursts up and away. This will attract and excite any predator fish in the immediate vicinity. Then just as quickly stop. The sudden halt is what triggers an impulsive, powerful reaction strike. Depending on depth and distance, you may be able to repeat this a couple times, keeping in mind that as it is reeled, the lure will rise higher. Once the lure has been speed-reeled up to the point you want, use the semi-tight line tactic to let it descend on the sink/swim again and start speed-reeling all over again.

Quartering a Current

To quarter a current is to cast so the Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking lands approximately forty-five degrees upcurrent. Then let the force of the current swing it around as it drifts back down, reeling at first in order to maintain a semi-loose line while the lure is still upcurrent from you. Note when we discussed the previous tactic - casting into non-moving water, we espoused that you maintain a semi-tight line. In moving water, we recommend a semi-loose line. They're not the same thing. In non-moving water, a semi-tight line will metabolize the lures built-in swimming momentum. Whereas in moving water, the water flow energizes the swimming momentum, so a semi-loose line is needed to allow that. A semi-tight line in moving water would work against the natural sinking/swimming motion that is so magical with these lures.

Truly, the exact angle and spot where you drop your cast really needs to be calibrated (depending on current speed and depth) so the lure swings down into prime position when it swims directly in front of you - as that is the key place and exact instant for a strike. The heavier nature of the Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking lets you drop the cast in at the precise spot with greater accuracy. As the current sweeps the Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking back down at you, it will sink down while swimming along. You don't do anything to impart action - the swimming is all built into the lure itself. You do need to be reeling in just a little line, maintaining a semi-loose line so the lure will maintain a level posture as it continues to sink and swim on the drift down.. If you let the line go too slack, the lure will angle nose-down and may foul the line with its tail hook. Nor do you want to wind in line at too fast a pace, since that will defeat the lure's natural sinking/swimming action as it moves along with the current. That portion of the cast is the set-up for what happens next, meaning as as the lure comes perpendicular to you (directly in front of you), there is a brief instant when water flow pressure neutralizes and overrides gravity's downward force, and your Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking achieves an almost neutral buoyancy as it floats and swirls most naturally. That is often the moment when the connection is made between fisherman and fish, when the lure is no longer drifting down, but floating freely right in front of you, buffeted by the swirling current. The Magic Swimmer Fast Sinking is fairly neutral for an instant there, like an astronaut in a weightless environment! What happens the next instant is the lure switches over to being downcurrent from you. It does an about-face 180 turn and starts rising in the current. This sudden rise is a strike trigger. You can't really do it with the rod tip or with reel and line manipulation. It is only the current and the dead-drifting swing tactic that makes such strike trigger moments possible. If there is any fish-holding boulder, hump, wood jam, shell bed, rise, ledge, sand bar or whatever may hold fish, you really want to orchestrate the instant of the 180 turn-around and rise to happen right there in front of you. Once you understand and perfect this, you will realize that you do not catch many fish on the part of the retrieve when the lure is coming down current. That's only the part used to set up and prepare for when it gets directly in front of you, and that's when you do your catching - upon the point of the weightless equilibrium, turn-around and rise. Nor will you get as many strikes once the lure drifts past that point and swims down current from you. You will get most of your strikes directly in front of you. So you must strive to drop your cast at the exact angle and spot upcurrent that lets the lure sink/swim down to the depth and distance where it's exactly perfect in front of you where fine, strong fish are feeding in the current.

Chapter Ten
Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft 130 ~ Soft Swimbait

Model: Magic Swimmer Soft 130
Type: Slow sinking soft plastic swimbait. Double jointed unibody with three articulated sections.
Length: 5-1/8 inches (130mm)
Weight: 3/4 oz (19g)
Depth: Swims weightless from 0-3 feet. Can be weighted and twitched down to 8 feet
Other Rigging Methods: Texas rig, Carolina rig and dropshot rig are recommended.

The Magic Swimmer Soft is a soft plastic jointed lure that swims just like the famous Magic Swimmer hardbait, but can be rigged weedless.

At 5-1/8 inches long and 3/4 oz unweighted, the ICAST award-winning Magic Swimmer Soft 130 is the ideal soft swimbait size that many anglers favor most. It's not too big or heavy, not too small and light. It's just right. It is a decent size swimbait to use easily on a wide range of medium to medium/heavy tackle.

Best of all, the Magic Swimmer Soft 130 moves through the water with the same realistic, fishy swimming motion as it's hard-bodied counterpart, the Magic Swimmer 125 SK.

Magic Swimmer Soft 130 (bottom and 3rd up) is comparable in size, action and tactics with the Magic Swimmer 125 hard bait (2nd & 4th).

Despite their differences in construction and material. both hard and soft Magic Swimmers display supple, fluid, lively movement. They seemingly squirt along through the water like live baitfish. They swim fairly frictionless, meaning you'll feel little or no resistance in your rod tip.

Not only does the Soft 130 swim like the hard 125 SK, but the new Magic Swimmer Soft can be used with many of the same tactics which you already use with hard-bodied Magic Swimmers.

Much of the time, all you need to do is reel steadily, and either the soft or hard Magic Swimmer will swim seductively a few feet below the surface.

When you suddenly spot gamefish scattering panicked bait on the surface, cast into the melee and reel quickly, holding your rod tip down. Used that way, both the soft or hard Magic Swimmer will rise to the top and wake the surface, wiggling frantically like fleeing baitfish.

Another of the most realistic ways to work both the hard and new soft Magic Swimmer is to use one as a slowly-sinking twitchbait where you let it sink in or around any shallow cover. You can let one sink up to 8 or more feet as you twitch it with little downward twitches of the rod tip. Only twitch a few inches, and it will flip and flop in semi-circles and can easily do an about-face 180 degree turn-around when you lightly twitch it. One of the keys to this action is to twitch it, and then instantly move the rod tip back toward the lure so the lure may complete its movement on a slack, not tight line.

The Magic Swimmer Soft comes with a stout, offset-neck single hook for weedless rigging. This gives you the ideal size hook to use, and Sebile provides six soft tungsten weight rings to slide on or off the hook shank. Each individual sinker ring is 1/32 oz, so you can add from one to six weights (or 1/32 to 3/16 oz) to the hook shank.

The soft tungsten rings can be positioned on the hook shank toward the nose of the bait to make it fall faster for instance to dive toward bottom underneath floating weeds - or the soft tungsten weight rings can be slid toward the back end of the hook, to get a more horizontal fall.

Magic Swimmer Soft has a recessed hook channel grooved on top to help sheath the inward-angled hook point from any potential snags.

The belly is like an empty envelope that conceals most of the hook bend hidden inside the envelope. There are basically only two side flaps, and an empty although tightly-closed envelope-like section inside. There isn't much more than a small section of connective plastic right along the top that holds the hook securely in place - yet enables effortless exposure of the hook when required for solid hooksets.

Rigging is easy every time since there are factory-made holes through the nose and through the upper back where the hook eye and hook bend respectively need to go through the plastic body. These hook holes guide the hook properly when freshly rigging one, yet the holes are tight enough to grip and hold the hook in perfect position while fishing one.

On a different note, one thing that helps the Magic Swimmer Soft achieve its best swimming action is not to affix a heavy weight onto its nose. The head of the bait often needs to be able to move from side to side to generate the best swimming action. So if the head or nose has a heavy weight fixed to it (like a jig head for example) the head will be restricted in its movement, and that tends to stifle the swimming action or twitching action.

We've talked about how the soft and hard Magic Swimmers are similar. One of the big ways that they differ, obviously, is the Magic Swimmer Soft may be rigged weedless and used in many snaggy or weedy areas where a hard Magic Swimmer cannot go without fear of getting hemmed up. So if there is a big old tree or jumbled rock pile with a monster fish holed up deep in that cover, you can only swim a hard plastic Magic Swimmer with treble hooks on the outskirts of the lunker's lair, hoping it will come out to whomp it. Wouldn't that be exciting?! Many times though, a lunker buried deep in cover is probably feeling pretty comfy and its not going to come out of its safe haven for any reason. I think you know what to do next. Just smack a weedless, snagless Magic Swimmer Soft right into the worst part of the cover - which equals the best spot to pull out that lunker now!

A skip cast or "skipping" is also a great way to skitter a Magic Swimmer Soft underneath low-lying docks or low-hanging trees or bushes to reach lunkers lazing in the shade below. The Magic Swimmer Soft 130 skips more easily and further than many other soft baits.

Another great tactic, called "deadsticking" is to let a weedless-rigged Magic Swimmer Soft flutter to bottom and lay there like a baitfish gasping for its last breath. It's one of the easiest ways to use it. If you can cast out, wait for the Magic Swimmer Soft to reach bottom - and then wait some more, you may be well-rewarded for your patience! That's all there is to deadsticking with the Magic Swimmer Soft.

In addition to rigging the new Magic Swimmer Soft weightless or weighted with the hook and soft tungsten ring sinkers, we also recommend you try it rigged with a Texas bullet sinker or on a Carolina rig or beefy dropshot rig. With Texas, Carolina and dropshot rigging methods, you are able to reach deeper fish more effectively. Keep in mind, it's often best to let the Magic Swimmer Soft have some freedom to move its head, as that starts the desirable swimming action which ripples down the body to the tail.

Finally, it's true that, like other quality swimbaits, they are relatively expensive. So keep the Magic Swimmer Softs properly preserved in the bags and plastic trays they come in. By keeping them in the original bags and trays, they will stay in the best condition possible until you are ready to use them.

Once you try it, you'll find the new Magic Swimmer Soft is hard, really hard, to put down.

Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft ~ Pro Pack ~ Natural Shiner

Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft ~ Pro Pack ~ Blueback Herring

Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft ~ Pro Pack ~ Hollow Greenie

Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft ~ Pro Pack ~ Electric Rainbow

Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft ~ Pro Pack ~ Bluegill