A few years ago, I dove headfirst into the world of swimbait fishing. Obsessing over catching the biggest fish in the lake, I came to terms with the fact that I was going to sacrifice a lot of bites in pursuit of trophy caliber fish. I was experimenting mostly with baits that were readily available, but like most fisherman, I wanted a “secret weapon.” A few nights of browsing forums and Facebook groups, I stumbled onto the Bacca Burrito and felt like this was the secret weapon I was seeking to give me an advantage on pressured fish.
The Bacca Burrito, brainchild of Gail Ratcliff, started out as a garage-built bait and quickly became one of the most sought after soft swimbaits among swimbait aficionados. With its unique look and astounding results, the Bacca Burrito gets its name from legendary Lake Baccarac in Mexico which consistently pumps out double digit bass.
Members of the Facebook group, Swimbait Universe, had a tripped planned to the famous lake and reached out to Ratcliff to see if he could design a swimbait specifically for the south of the border trip. He got right to work. Unlike most bait builders who carve a master and make a mold by hand. Ratcliff purchased a do-it-yourself CNC machine and utilized computer software to shape and design his baits.
The cost efficiency of the DIY CNC machine left Ratcliff with plastic molds instead of the traditional aluminum molds. To prevent the molds from melting due to the high temperature of plastisol, he opted for silicone giving the baits their soft yet durable finish and making them fairly unique in the swimbait world.
Ratcliff soon began posting his baits for sale every Sunday evening at 7 pm only to have them sell out in a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds. To meet the high demand, Ratcliff teamed up with Mike Bucca of Bullshad Swimbaits who was able to lend his processes and team to making production runs of the Bacca so the masses could enjoy these highly sought after swimbaits.
At first glance, the Bacca Burrito has a very streamline, baitfish profile. Offered in 5 and 6 inch versions, the bait is slightly larger than most conventional soft swimbait options but folds up nicely when bitten by big bass. Some comparable PVC baits are more rigid and can decrease hook up percentages.
The heavy-gauge Mustad hook is sharp and stout to provide excellent hook penetration which is important when trying to land the trophy caliber fish that this bait entices.
After already being sold on the profile and quality components, I was really impressed with was this lure’s castability. My intended use for this bait was to cover water with long casts.
At almost 3 ounces, you can really launch it a good distance on heavy swimbait rod. As most of us know, the longer your bait remains in the strike zone, the greater opportunity you have to get bit. The ideal depth for the 6-inch sinking model is 10-20 feet give or take, which I prefer when targeting less pressured, offshore bass.
I have had most of my luck with the Bacca catching suspended fish with the occasional catch coming from stroking it on ledges. If close quarter combat is in your wheelhouse, don’t be afraid to skip this bait under docks. When others are reaching for a Huddleston or a Magdraft, I prefer the Bacca. The combination of weight in the jig hook harness and the soft, flat sides makes this bait a dream to skip around.
When it comes to the action, imagine a large lipless crankbait with a boot tail. At just about any retrieve, the Bacca will have a tight shimmy action that is not overpowered by the kicking of its tail. And you can feel the thump in your rod.
The Bacca Burrito’s fishability quickly helped it earn a spot in my starting lineup for swimbaits. Not only did I have fun fishing the bait, there wasn’t much I had to do with it for it to be effective.
The Bacca Burrito is not just a big fish bait. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of smaller fish I was able to catch on it.
I found casting out and covering water to be the most effective technique followed by skipping the Bacca into tight spaces and creeping it out.
While most big swimbaits come with very hefty price tags, the Bacca is priced fairly at $38.99. The baits are extremely durable. The design, weight system, material, colors and hooks are all top of the line.
Don’t shy on the price because you think it won’t last. I have a bunch of Bacca Burritos that I’ve had for years and they are all still in the rotation. And keep in mind this was a drop-only bait last year and you had to be one of the lucky few to obtain one. The reward of catching a fish of a lifetime greatly outweighs the risk of losing this bait. As you can see from my pictures, it has rewarded me many times over.
Length: 5, 6 inches
Weight: 1 4/5 ounces, 2 4/5 ounces sinking
Depth: 10-to-20-foot range
Colors: up to 20 colors and more coming out regularly
Price: $38.99
