That's pretty much mirrors my condition/locational experiences with the buzzer-caught Smalleys. The swimbait versus skirt is something I'll try both for Smalleys and Largies. It wasn't taken as spam by me.
So far I haven't been able to get them to come to the surface on this river for anything except 1 13"r that took a Stimulator fly during a short lived Golden Stonefly "hatch" at dusk. I say "hatch" because I'm not sure what it's called when they comeback to lay eggs and die. Flyfishing is kind of my new toy. Lots of fun because it's so challenging, but I throw the conventional gear when I get frustrated.
Tight lines,
Wade