Up North Waters Swim Jig Recommendations

[smbrule]

Fishing Lilly Pads in northern waters if I'm not using a drop bait will go to a frog or spinner bait.

Want to try swim jigs this year in the pads.

In the past if I used a swim jig I would fish the coontail and cabbage on the outside edge of the pads and my swim jigs range from 5/16 to 1/2 oz with relatively heavy hooks on bullet head shape .

There are bullet head swim jigs, and heads that are some what like a blunted arrow point and other shapes.

Also, some will have small fine hooks that appear to be 1/0 or 2/0 and others with heavier 3/0 or 4/0 hooks.

For fishing over pads where one is crawling the bait over the pads and then letting it drop down what type of swim jig and/or brand seems to work thru the pads the best. And what weight predominates. I would assume to get the jig to drop a typical weight would be around 3/8oz?

Does any one particular head style avoid getting hung up on the pads?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[NOVA Angler]

I don't have any experience fishing swim jigs through pads, but I would think you would want a heavy gauge hook. Another consideration would be the trailer. I could see something like a Kalins grub getting the tail caught on the pads as it goes over them. A paddle tail style trailer might work better. I like the bullet shape heads on my swim jigs because I feel like they come through cover better than other styles. I use both Brovarney and Yank'em swim jigs.

[Siebert Outdoors]

stick with an angled or bullet shaped head it will be the best for that.  I usually throw 1/2-3/4 in lilly pads that are not real thick.  Real light pads 3/8-1/2.

Stick with a heavy hook imo.  The reason is if you get a good fish and it gets you into the pads you will be hauling 5lbs of fish and 5-10 lbs of lillies in.  Dont want to bend out a lite wire.

[CWB]

Check out ***s store. I just got some and they are top-notch.

http://www.***store.com/

Scroll down the left side until you see jigs and swimming jigs.

[brgbassmaster]

Im orginally from michigan but moved from there 3 yrs ago cuz of the military. but i have found one of the best way to fish jigs in pads is bring the jig on top of the pads just like a frog but wait for the bass to bust on it if he misses pull it right into the hole and 9 times outta ten he will nail it. caught alot of fish doing this. we used to use small finesse jigs black and blue wiht black trailer.

[smbrule]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. The swim jigs I currently use range from 5/16 oz to 1/2 oz. They have bullet heads and a vertical line tie. They have strong hooks ranging from 3/0 - 5/0

I had seen the swim jigs from ***s store and had read his article which made me think that the bullet head style may not be the best for a swim jig. And in my area the tackle stores are promoting small light swim jigs with small light hooks.

Based on the above comments it appears that a bullet head style will do just fine. As I have about 30 jigs left from my original tying I believe I will use those up before trying another style. But, I am intrigued by the style of the head of ***'s swim jigs.

While it might seem strange especially because I've fished pads on my trips to Minnesota for forty + years I've never cast swim jigs into anything but really sparse pads up north or swimming them over thru coontail or cabbage out from pads. I fish drop baits, senkos, frogs or spinner baits in pads.

That will change this year!

[David P]

Check out Dirty Jigs Tackle, this past year I started tossing swim jigs and these were the best I found. I didn't manage any fish over 5lbs, but had a few 3's and 4's. Definitely a fun bait to throw!

[MSPbass]

I haven't had much luck fishing swim jigs in the middle of MN lily pads. I've found that, when I get snagged, they snag hard. Sometimes I'll actually hook a stalk right through but, more often, I'll get caught where the stalk meets the pad when the line was riding up one side & the jig was on the other. They're super strong plants and you can easily spoil the whole area trying to get your jig back.

You've been fishing MN for a while, so you've probably heard of Outkast swim jigs. Check out their design. I throw Super K jigs though. It's a guy named Gregg, in Western WI, and he makes sweet swim jigs. Both use very smooth, simple, bullet heads. 1/4 oz. is the usual and the hook is big and sturdy.

http://www.superkfishing.com/2.html

[Sherlock 60]

Thanks for all the info. Lots of pads here, so this should help me catch a few more bass this summer.

[Gone_Phishin]

Here's one from a company in Minnesota: http://www.***.com/descpageATJ-ATTSJ.html