Owner Flashy Swimmer Product Review #ownerflashyswimmer #ownerhooks

Terminal Tackle Review

An Extra Dash of Flash: Owner's Flashy Swimmer

Date:	9/30/21
Tackle Type:	Terminal Tackle
Manufacturer:	Owner
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 8.5 - GREAT

Introduction: Underspin jigheads are certainly nothing new. What I always found strange about them is if you tip one with a paddletail swimbait like a Basstrix or Big Bite Baits Suicide Shad, you're essentially throwing a bait with two heads. The fish probably don't care, but that configuration always bugged me.

Cody Meyer recently shared with us one of his favorite ways to rig a paddletail swimbait

Owner has a solution and makes a weighted hook with an attached blade that has the added benefit of allowing you to rig it weedless. So you get the added attraction of the blade flash while being able to throw it in the weeds or other cover situations. Sound like something useful? We first looked at this solution a decade ago and since then Pro Anglers and Weekend warriors have leveraged this design and the company has expanded the line to include larger Beast version. Let's take an updated look at Owner's Flashy Swimmer.

Owner Flashy Swimmer Specifications
Type	Underspin
Weight	1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8 oz
Colors/Patterns	2 blade configurations, Colorado or Willow
Hook	Owner (Super Needle Point XX-Strong)
Additional Features	Owner TwistLOCK Centerpin-Pin (CPS)
MSRP	$4.99 - $6.99 per 2pack for the standard size : $10.99 - $13.99 per 2pk for the Beast

Owner's Flashy Swimmer is sold in packs of 2

Impressions: Owner's Flashy Swimmer is essentially a weighted paddletail swimbait hook with the added attractant of a blade underneath the hook. It is different from an underspin because it's made to be fished weedless and you get to choose between a willow leaf or Colorado blade. Underspins traditionally only come with a willow leaf blade.

It's basically a weighted swimbait hook with a flasher attached

Weedless rigging is enabled via Owner's TwistLOCK centerpin and the use of a wide gap hook. Additionally, you get hook size options with the Flashy Swimmer ranging from 1/0 through 12/0 if you include the Beast version.

With this centering pin, weedless rigging is a breeze

Real World Tests: I only fished the standard sized Flashy Swimmer and kept primarily to the 1/8 oz - 1/0 hook and 1/4 oz - 5/0 hook sizes. I tipped the bait with a variety of swimbait tails and kept to casting gear with either braided line or fluorocarbon spooled onto my reel.

Ready for action

Most recently, my bait of choice has been either Strike King's Rage Swimmer, Jackall's Rhythm Wave, or the bait that inspired them both and kind of revived a new generation of paddletail madness, Keitech's Swing Impact. Rigging baits with the Flashy Swimmer is easy, simply screw the head of the bait onto the TwistLOCK centerpin, line the back end of the bait up with the hook point and Texas rig the back end of the bait.

The Flashy Swimmer features a needlepoint, not cutting edge hook point

From there it's a matter of finding the right spots to cast the bait and the retrieve that's going to elicit a strike. You can fish the Flashy Swimmer on a straight up retrieve, hop it off the bottom, drag it along, or rip it through grass. It is as versatile or one-dimensional as you want to fish it.

Attachment to the flasher is via this ring at the back of the weighted head

Design & Ergonomics: As mentioned earlier, the Flashy Swimmer is available in a variety of sizes although each hook size is only available in one or two weights and each weight is only available in one hook size. They are offered two per package and you can order replacement blades for both the Colorado and Willow Leaf configurations. Replacement parts are a good idea if you have one style and want to just change out the blades and/or simply to have on hand because you can lose the blades while fishing sometimes.

The flashing blade is available in willow leaf (shown) or Colorado

Price & Applications: Prices for the Flashy Swimmer varies greatly depending on the size and model that holds your interest. The range is from $4.99 for the smallest, 1/8 oz - 1/0 hook size on up to $13.99 for the largest, 3/4oz - 12/0 hook Beast model.

Spare parts are a good idea as sometimes, after casting into something hard, that blade can fall off

Ratings

Owner Flashy Swimmer Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Simple but effective	9
Performance	A great way to present your swimbaits with a little extra flash	9
Price	It's more than just a hook, different than an underspin and priced according to size	7
Features	Quality hook, of course, with a centerpin pin and different blade options	8.5
Design (Ergonomics)	Sold in packs of two with spare parts available to order	9
Application	There are likely other plastics that would be effective with this product, but I only used it with paddletails	8.5
Total Score		8.5
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ Centerpin allows for easy weedless rigging	- Blades can be lost during fishing/casting
+ A great way to dress up your paddetail swimbait with a little extra attraction	- Once you start to offer different hook sizes, I kind of want those options across different weights not just tied to one and vice versa
+ Owner hooks are proven
+ Available in different hook sizes for baits of all lengths

Conclusion: If you like throwing paddletail swimbaits, Owner's Flashy Swimmer is an invaluable tool. My only real gripe with this product is if you're going to offer different hook sizes, I'd like those options in more than just one weight and vice versa. In other words, take the 3/0 hook size as an example right now, you can only get that hook size as the standard Flashy Swimmer at 3/16 oz. If you a little more weight like 1/4 oz, the hook size jumps to 5/0. There's no option to purchase a 3/0 hook in any other weight with the standard Flashy Swimmer Hook. It is available in Beast at 3/8 oz.

If the Flashy Swimmer is a go-to setup for MLF Bass Pro, Cody Meyer, then it's going to have a permanent spot in my tackle box from now on too

I'm really nitpicking there, but you get my point. Otherwise the Flashy Swimmer is really an invaluable tool for anyone that relies upon paddletail swimbaits to catch their share of bass on any given fishing trip. The more I use it, the more I come to rely upon that extra bit of flash, and hey, if it's a go-to setup for MLF Bass Pro, Cody Meyer, then it's going to have a permanent spot in my tackle box from now on too.

Looking for Owner Flashy Swimmer try Tacklewarehouse for the

Standard Flashy Swimmer or Beast Hook Flashy Swimmer