If you're tired of getting hung up in heavy cover, the citizen 7 swimbait might just be the most effective tool in your boat right now. It's one of those lures that feels different the second you take it out of the package. While a lot of soft plastics feel like they were popped out of a generic mold in a factory far away, the Citizen 7 has that hand-poured, intentional feel that Working Class Zero is known for. It's built for one thing: catching big, smart bass in places where most swimbaits simply can't go.
What Makes This Bait Special?
The first thing you'll notice about the citizen 7 swimbait is its profile. At seven inches, it's that "Goldilocks" size. It's big enough to tempt a double-digit bass that's looking for a real meal, but it's not so massive that you need a specialized $600 rod just to hurl it across the lake. It fits perfectly in that sweet spot for most trophy hunters and tournament anglers alike.
The design is incredibly sleek. It's got a thin, tapered body that leads into a boot tail that provides a very specific kind of thump. It's not a violent, rod-shaking vibration like you get from some of those oversized paddle tails. Instead, it's a natural, subtle "body roll" combined with a rhythmic tail kick. When you see it in the water, it looks less like a lure and more like a trout or a hitch just minding its own business.
The Art of the Weedless Setup
We've all been there—you see a perfect laydown or a thick mat of grass, and you know there's a giant sitting right in the middle of it. If you're throwing a treble-hook swimbait, you're basically just donating money to the lake bottom if you try to cast in there. That's where the citizen 7 swimbait really shines.
It's designed specifically to be rigged weedless on a weighted swimbait hook. Most guys lean toward an 8/0 or 10/0 Owner Beast hook. The bait has a deep top-and-bottom slot that allows the hook to sit perfectly flush. When a fish bites, that soft plastic collapses easily, exposing the hook point for a solid connection.
I've found that the internal harness (or lack thereof) is what makes it so skip-able. You can skip this thing under docks or overhanging trees like a flat stone. Because the hook point is buried, you don't have to worry about catching a rogue branch or a dock pylon. It opens up a whole new world of "un-fishable" spots.
Choosing the Right Weight
How you weight your citizen 7 swimbait changes everything about its personality. If you're fishing shallow flats or over the top of submerged grass, go with a 1/4-ounce or even a 1/8-ounce weighted hook. This lets the bait "swim" at a very slow crawl without digging into the muck.
If you're fishing deeper ledges or you want to keep the bait down in a current, bumping up to a 1/2-ounce or 3/4-ounce hook is the way to go. The cool thing is that even with a heavier weight, the bait doesn't lose its signature roll. It stays stable and tracks true, which is a testament to the engineering Mike Gilbert and the WCZ crew put into it.
The "Slow Roll" Philosophy
There's a temptation when you're fishing a swimbait to want to burn it back to the boat. With the citizen 7 swimbait, you really want to resist that urge. This bait is a "slow roll" specialist. You want to move it just fast enough that the tail starts to kick and the body starts that slight side-to-side shimmy.
When you're winding it slowly, the bait has a way of looking "heavy" in the water. It has presence. Big bass are often lazy; they don't want to chase down a Ferrari. They want a slow-moving, easy-to-grab target that looks like it's struggling or just unaware of its surroundings. The Citizen 7 mimics that perfectly.
I like to imagine I'm "walking" the bait along the bottom. If I feel a rock or a stump, I'll let the bait drift over it and then pause for just a split second. That's usually when the "thump" happens.
Durability and Texture
One of the biggest complaints with high-end soft swimbaits is that they fall apart after one or two fish. You spend twenty bucks on a lure, a three-pounder shreds it, and suddenly you're out of luck. The citizen 7 swimbait is surprisingly resilient.
The plastic is soft—don't get me wrong, it has to be to get that action—but it's "stretchy" in a way that holds up to abuse. The nose of the bait is reinforced enough that the screw-lock on your hook won't just tear out after a single cast. I've had days where I've caught four or five fish on a single bait before I had to reach for a bottle of Mend-it.
The texture is also worth mentioning. It doesn't have that oily, chemical smell that some mass-produced baits have. It feels organic. While I'm not sure if the fish care about the "hand-poured" vibe as much as we do, the lack of air bubbles and the consistency of the plastic definitely contribute to how well it swims.
When and Where to Throw It
Honestly, you can throw the citizen 7 swimbait almost anywhere, but there are a few scenarios where it's basically a cheat code.
- Early Spring: When the fish are moving up to the shallows but are still a bit sluggish. The slow-roll capability of this bait is lethal when they're sitting in that 4-to-8 foot range.
- Post-Spawn: When the big females are guarding fry or just hanging out near docks recovering. Skipping a Citizen 7 into the shade of a dock is a high-percentage play.
- Fall Transitions: When baitfish are everywhere. The 7-inch profile mimics a large gizzard shad or a small trout perfectly, making it a "big meal" option for bass trying to bulk up for winter.
I've had my best luck on overcast days or during that low-light "magic hour" at dawn and dusk. The silhouette of the citizen 7 swimbait against a dim sky is something a big bass just can't seem to ignore.
Managing the Hookup Ratio
Let's be real for a second: weedless swimbaits can be tricky when it comes to landing fish. You're dealing with a lot of plastic, and you have to drive a thick-gauge hook through that plastic and into the jaw of a fish.
The key to success with the citizen 7 swimbait is the "delayed hookset." When you feel that "thump," don't immediately jerk the rod like you're setting the hook on a jig. Give it a second. Let the fish turn its head. Reel down until you feel the weight of the fish, and then deliver a long, sweeping hookset.
Since you're likely using a heavy-action rod and 20lb fluorocarbon (or 65lb braid), you have the power to move some serious water. Let the equipment do the work. If you swing too early, you'll often just pull the bait right out of the fish's mouth before the hook has a chance to clear the plastic.
Final Thoughts on the Citizen 7
At the end of the day, the citizen 7 swimbait isn't just about catching any fish; it's about catching the right fish. It's a confidence bait. When you have it tied on, you're telling yourself that you're hunting for a kicker.
It bridges the gap between those tiny 4-inch paddle tails and the giant 10-inch "magnum" baits that require a workout just to cast. It's easy to fish, incredibly versatile, and it flat-out catches 'em. If you're looking to get into the big bait game but don't want to deal with the frustration of constant snags or specialized gear, this is probably the best place to start. Just be prepared—once you see a big girl blow up on this bait in the grass, you might never want to throw a worm again.