Alan, you're way ahead of me on swimbaits. I have yet to get a sniff at my baits, but I'm going to keep trying! I got the Okuma Heavy rod based on the review here at calfishing.com and I currently have a 3:16 Baby bass, 6" Charlie and 9" Osprey. I'd like to check out the MS Slammer when you get it.
I figure that tip of following up the shadow with the big jig ought to pay off for you. Alan is the man on Austin for big fish on the big jig, well one of 'em, but he's dedicated to big fish fishing out there!