Sinking Lure SMITH BTK BOTTOM KNOCK SWIMMER - 3.5 cm

Product highlights

The SMITH BOTTOM KNOCK Swimmer trout lure is an unconventional lipless sinking minnow designed to trigger strikes from the wariest trout, both in the off-season and during summer. Lacking a lip, this lipless trout lure for river fishing greatly reduces snagging on weeds and debris while drifting, making it a valuable ally on snaggy stretches rich in vegetation or obstacles. Its calibrated density allows it to reach the desired water layer quickly while maintaining a lively, quivering action—ideal for probing currents, seams and undercut banks where active fish hold.

Thanks to its compact profile and optimized center of gravity, the SMITH BOTTOM KNOCK Swimmer delivers excellent casting accuracy, even with light rods and fine lines. It slips easily beneath overhanging branches, along banks or behind rocks to reach trout holding where other lures struggle to pass. Its ability to work near the bottom while remaining reactive to the slightest rod movement makes it a true trout magnet in small and medium rivers.

Technical specifications

• Lipless sinking minnow, specifically designed for trout river fishing.
• Calibrated density to reach the target depth quickly while staying very responsive to angler animations.
• Compact profile favors precise casts and excellent wind penetration, even with light rigs.
• Quivering, nervous action perfectly suited to strong currents and narrow water seams.
• Robust construction with careful finishes to withstand repeated impacts on stones and successive fish strikes.
• High-quality hook setup designed to ensure excellent hookup rates and secure fish retention during the fight.

Advantages and key strengths

The main asset of this sinking trout lure lies in its animation versatility. It performs well with a simple cast-and-retrieve with a quivering action, but also excels with a more technical approach alternating pauses, accelerations and direction changes. By imparting a quick upward "dart" with the rod, the angler can make the lure hop laterally, imitating a small panicked fish trying to escape a predator. A few short left-right twitches are often enough to provoke violent reactions from holding or following trout, especially in strong currents.

Another major advantage is the absence of a lip, which allows the SMITH BOTTOM KNOCK Swimmer to thread through very cluttered sections where fish are less pressured. The risk of picking up weeds or excessively snatching the bottom is reduced, allowing methodical prospecting close to covers: undercuts, roots, boulders, heads of riffles or tailouts of pools. This behavior makes it a fine prospecting lure for trout, deadly when water levels are low and fish become particularly wary. It is therefore an excellent complement to a tackle box already stocked with spoons and other minnow-style lures.

How to use

To get the most out of this sinking minnow for trout, use a relatively fine mainline and a discreet leader to preserve the lure's freedom of action. On the initial drift, cast upstream or across-stream, let it sink to the chosen depth, then start a retrieve punctuated by small rod twitches to bring it to life. Alternate continuous retrieves with micro-pauses to let the lure suspend slightly—often triggering reflex strikes.

In summer, when trout sit in fast seams or under branches, aim precisely at marked lies and animate the SMITH BOTTOM KNOCK Swimmer with short, sharp twitches to make it spin in place. In the off-season, a slower retrieve close to the bottom will persuade less active fish. Vary retrieve speed, pull length and line tension to adapt presentation to the current and fish activity. This river trout fishing lure also pairs well with quieter or noisier rigs to offer a different signature to already pressured fish.

Testimonials

FAQ

Question 1: Is this lure only suitable for trout?

Answer: It was primarily designed for trout fishing in small and medium rivers, but it can also entice other opportunistic predators present in the same areas, depending on conditions.

Question 2: Do you need a technical animation to use it effectively?

Answer: The lure performs very well with a simple cast-and-retrieve, but reveals its full potential with a few twitches, upward rod sweeps and speed variations that accentuate its fleeing-prey behavior.

Question 3: Is it suitable for snaggy, shallow areas?

Answer: Yes, the absence of a lip and its ability to work close to the bottom while remaining controllable make it an excellent choice for precise fishing in cluttered runs, shallow riffles and broken banks where the biggest trout often hold.