Our experts are impressed with the sculptured, naturally-shaped body designs, the lifelike 3-D Lazer Eyes, the extra-loud rattles, and especially the hot finishes that replicate the natural colorization process (becoming more pronounced in direct sunlight, and somewhat less intense under the surface). All styles are equipped with premium extra-sharp hooks.This high-riding, rattlin’ pencil bait darts and splashes with every twitch of the rod tip. Special body design gives that ''rolling shad'' effect that bass can’t resist! Length: 4". Weight: 7/16 oz.
Average Customer Rating:
4.4 out of 5
Rating Snapshot
Rating Snapshot
(23 reviews)
5 stars
18
4 stars
1
3 stars
1
2 stars
2
1 star
1
19 of 23 (83%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
FEATURED REVIEW
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Tops everything else i've used.,
August 21, 2006
By BassBiologistfrom Virginia
"i baught Bass Pro's lure kit consisting of a handfull of XPS lures, the kit included a 09 (ghost shad) colored slim dog lure. I was REALLY looking forward to using it the moment i saw it and tore it out of it's package.
I know bass LOVE top water action, food, just anything that breaks the surface and ripples attention to the bass.
I'm a top water guy, and there are two reasons why i LOVE this lure.
1. It's casting ability: The lure has a couple of metal balls inside that clank together and make that rattle sound, they also fall straight to the back tip of the lure and push that weight far to the end during a cast. This is what gives the lure a long smooth cast, it doesn't twirle or move side to side during the cast, even on slightly windy days, it flies relatively straight and even for some of your longer casts wont create a giant splash; that is because it slides in tail first like the a diver falling from 20 feet as opposed to a cannon ball from 2 feet. it's a minimal slash. I also worked this lure along the weedy edges of a lake, i'm talking about casting it no further than 20 feet from my targets, and this lure can really really allow you to pin point them with acuracy. It's just basically a lure that you will love if you use top waters to pin point structures.
2. It's cathing ability: This is my first walk-the-dog type of lure i've baught and used correctly. when i was a kid i had no idea what to do with them other than to reel them in. now i actually use them quite expertly. It can be worked with a straight forward motion, with the left-right -eft side action or any other array that may come to mind. it looks like the head of a snake if you use it correctly, which is fine ffor the bass as it can produce some of those violent splashy attacks on the lure if used in this manner. but then when the fish are holding on tight to structure and really want to get a good look , i let them. i would give it slight twiches, then sharp ones, then pause, and go slight again, pause, and usually i get a stright right then and there. the key is this lure will look good if it just sits alone, and then the rattles call the fish when you give it a slight twich. this only works, however, in holes where you KNOW there are fish holding in there but are reluctant to bite, and it must be during afternoon when you can see them chase the minnows to the surface.
i just love this lure, i switch to it all the time. some days i catch bass on every other cast, other days it'll catch only 1 or 2. it's a great lure, i will be buying more of them in different colours."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Top 250 Contributor
Overall Rating:
3
out of 5
okay topwater,
April 8, 2008
By countryroadsfrom small town, wv
"this is not the best topwater bait in my opinion. i have a hard time walking the dog with this bait. of course, bps offers a great color selection, it's easy to get distance on your cast, and the hooks are pretty sharp out of the package, but it does lack in the all-important action department. go ahead and spend a little more money on the spooks. they are the best walk the dog topwater i have fished with."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
4
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Review 3 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Top 250 Contributor
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
The Best "Walk The Dog" Action,
February 16, 2008
By Longhorn23from Guyton, GA
"When I recieved this lure as a present I figured that it was just another topwater lure that did not work right. Boy was I wrong. This was the easiest lure to teach my buddies how to walk the dog. It caught many fish and a lot of heart- stoping blowups. I have it in the Texas Shad color and works like a charm .The paint is so strong after going saltwater fishing for snook,reds, and seatrout the paint did not chip. An overall great lure"
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
Would you recommend this product as a gift?:
Yes
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Review 4 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Top 100 Contributor
Overall Rating:
2
out of 5
OK Topwater Lure,
January 15, 2008
By Bassinman
"This lure is good for striped bass fishing. the only problem i had with this lure is you can't really walk-the-dog vert easily. It isn't very durable and it comes with a hole in it that water leaks into and makes it sink. I am not getting more of these."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Would you recommend this product as a gift?:
No
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Top 500 Contributor
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Great Snook plug,
January 1, 2008
By Slim2n1from East Central Florida
"I was turned on to this lure by a guide down in the Everglades City area where we used it for Snook and Redfish. It works much like a Zara Spook but sits lower in the water and has a very enticing "walk" that Snook just explode on. I generally change the hooks and split rings right away because you really need something a little heavier than what it comes with for satlwater fishing. It is just about the only topwater plug I've been using lately, and despite it's low price it holds up very well. For the last month or so I've used it in the local inlet where we fish right up against the rocks for Snook. This will generally wind up breaking most lures eventually but I've found that this one is as durable if not more so than more expensive plugs. I highly recommend it."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Saltwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
Would you recommend this product as a gift?:
Yes
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Review 6 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
4
out of 5
Awesome Bait,
November 17, 2007
By Anonymous Reviewerfrom Denton, TX
"This bait is unbelievable at producing strikes. The bass simply cannot resist it's action. I had the biggest bass of my life on the line with this bait and it came off. The only thing that I would change is the hooks. Take off the stock hooks and put on Gamakatsu trebles."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
No
Would you recommend this product as a gift?:
No
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Review 7 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Great Investment!,
September 18, 2007
By Kick
"This lure is extremely versatile. I can catch fish on it anywhere I go. Ponds, lakes, and rivers; it doesn't matter. The Slim Dog drives fish insane! By varying your retrieval speed and technique, you can really nail em. Swimming the Slim Dog over submerged logs and on top of humps works really well. It is also effective early morning off and around main points, especially in clear water. I've caught all my biggest fish on this bait and intend to stick with it!"
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Review 8 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Great Topwater Bait,
September 13, 2007
By longshooter300from Kentucky
"I am not real great at walking the dog, but I can tell you that this lure works great! It gives a very irrattic action which fools the fish. You don't have to be that great at walking the dog for it to work. Obviously it works best when fish are coming up and feeding on shad and all one needs to do is use it and throw it in the vacinity of the feeding bass. It's best to cast beyond the boils and work the bait immediately after spash down. Let the fish take the bait before reeling in. You can't usually fool birds feeding on shad with lures, but I can tell you that a bird unfortunately took my very best colored lure and I ended up having to cut the line. I since have used other colors and done just fine with my secondary colors. Natual colors are the very best,, however the blue back model is easier for the fisherman to see his lure and it does not seem to effect the bite either. I would disreguard the negative remarks made by some reveiws as to their not knowing how to fish the lure, or their misunderstanding of what is to be expected from fishing this type bait. This lure is made to fish primarily when fish are feeding on shad. If one wants to stimulate a bite they would be best served to use a popper style lure which can actually stimulate shad movement and a bite."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
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Review 9 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
2
out of 5
Very Bad Lure,
August 22, 2007
By fishyfrom NY
"I have only caught 1 fish on this lure since i bought it 5 weeks ago. This lure dose not work if there is a singel ripel in the water or else it will turn over on its side. I Do Not Recremend This Item."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
3 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
explosive topwater action,
August 19, 2007
By moose
"i cant get enough of these sammys, i have always loved fishing topwater baits and i have never fished one with this much success, wether you are fishing for spots, large, or stripers , they all absolutely devour this thing, ive even caught crappie on it, it is a great early morning, late evening bait and the # 1 all day long schooling , boiling bait, favorite colors here are tenn bleeding and black chrome, ultra clear water, oh yeah can buy a hand full for the price of one lucky craft"
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Review 11 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
1
out of 5
Overated,
July 7, 2007
By rubfubfrom utah
"The lure looked great, but it seemed after two or three switches, the front hook walked over the line, making it tangled. Not a good thing when fishing striper boils. When I did catch a fish the front hook fell off. Sorry guys I'd have to look elsewhere."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Best Topwater Lure in Over 50 Years of Fishing!,
November 7, 2006
By WadingManfrom Central Texas
"July 5 seemed like a great day for a recently retired guy to go fishing. While wading the shore of a Central Texas lake, I found a XPS Slim Dog. Fishing early mornings before sunrise, I caught and released a "ton" of Black Bass, White Bass, and Hybrids on this lure. The Hybrids I caught on the Slim Dog were the largest I have ever caught weighing up to 8 pounds. They're tons of fun on a light action spinning rod with the drag set light . I can truthfully state --- Despite the front treble hook's tendency to tangle on your line --- The XPS Slim Dog is THE BEST topwater lure I have ever fished with bar none!!! I STRONGLY recommend the Blue or Black Chrome colors if you're fishing Central Texas lakes. - Good Luck to You! - WadingMan."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
3
Do you own a boat?:
No
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Review 13 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
It wears out my Sammy!,
October 17, 2006
By FishinK9from Georgia
"I know it's hard to believe, but I have more confidence in my Slim Dog than any Sammy I've ever fished. It's action is different in that it spits water unlike any other stickbait I've ever used. Spotted Bass in my area CAN'T STAND IT and hit it like a torpedo. I missed a check by ounces at a Lake Lanier tournament and my go to bait that day was the Slim Dog, with my best fish weighing in at 4.5 lbs. I missed a much bigger fish (and cost me a much better finish!) that day because he jumped clear out of the water and knocked my Slim Dog about 4 feet high!
The only modification I've made is replacing the stock hooks with Mustad TripleGrip trebles (red hook in front).
And did I mention I can buy 4 or 5 of 'em for the price of one Sammy?
Now.... if only they'd bring back the Baby Bass color...."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
No
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Review 14 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
best topwater!!!,
September 20, 2006
By Spartanfrom San Juan Capistrano, CA
"best lure on the market period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! best time to use is at night and morning. you can easily walk the dog after a few casts. casts way far out like a mile."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
No
Share this Review:
Review 15 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
clearlake ca.,
September 14, 2006
By bassbennyfrom california
"caught bass on a slow week......shad was jumping so i threw th slim dog out , bam largemouth galore.....great topwater action i've seen ever without scaring skiddish fish....."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
No
Share this Review:
Review 16 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Fresh or Salt,
September 5, 2006
By FreshorSaltfrom Lacombe, La
"Love this lure. I have caught bass in (Bayou Lacombe) , then took it to Lake Ponchartrain and caught redfish. After hurricane Katrina its nice to look forward to at least some good fishing. I especially like the shad colors."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
No
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Review 17 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Must Have,
August 7, 2006
By BassProLukefrom Lakeland, Fl
"I bought this lure after watching it being used in the Bass Pro Shop tank because I loved the responses it was getting from the bass that were just fed with real shiners. Now that Ive used this lure for myself I am a believer. It will out fish anything in my box. I recommend having at least one. I bought the ghost shad because I tend to fish really dark green-coffee colored water here in central florida. It is very easy to use but sometimes maybe every 15 casts tends to get the first hook caught on the line and can mess up the entire retrieve. The trick I've learned is to keep the line taught at all times even with the slightest jerks. Enjoy. Thanks BPS!"
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
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Review 18 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Absolutely a quality lure,
August 6, 2006
By SmallmouthHunterfrom Minneapolis, MN
"I've had my "Slim Dogs" for about 2 weeks now and have taken them out on the Upper Mississippi river here in Minnesota twice. Each time they've produced some of the biggest fish I've seen pulled from that river. It's truly amazing the size and number of fish that this lure brings to the surface (not all hits are guaranteed hook ups but that has more to do with them being a top water presentation than anything else). I HIGHLY recommend this lure to anyone who goes after smallies.
Tight lines!"
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
No
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Review 19 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
great lure,
July 17, 2006
By scooterfrom Pittsburgh, Pa
"The lure just catches fish. It out produced a Lucky craft sammy 5 fish to 0 fishing the same area at the same timeon a day where the fishing was tough at best with air temps at 90 and water temp at 84. It has a unusual stride for movement which seems to be the key to catching fish.
Get yourself some of these as they do catch fish"
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
5+
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Slim Dog Hardbaits
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
walk the dog,
July 13, 2006
By jason05from oklahoma ok
"The slim dog is an easy bait to walk the dog with. Some of the walking baits that we fish doesn't walk as easy as this one. I tried to teach my son how to use one of the other baits and he couldn't get it down. when I gave him the slim dog after a couple of casts he was walking the dog as good as anybody. The bad thing was i only bought one at that time and by the end of the day he ended up with more bass then i did."
What is your favorite type of fishing?:
Freshwater
How many times a month do you fish on average?:
4
Do you own a boat?:
Yes
