Swim Jigs - Trying Them For The First Time

[ipeeinmywetsuit]

I want to start fishing some of these and I've been looking at the Revenge swim jigs in 1/4oz and the Dirty Jigs California swim jig in 3/8oz. For my trailer I want to use paddle tails and I have been looking at the grandebass swim'n rattlesnake, keitech swing impacts and roboworm ez shad for the DJ Cali swim jig. My problem is the rod I have is a 7'2" MH EF rated for up to 3/4oz. Do you guys think a roboworm ez shad on a 3/8th oz dirty jig might be too heavy? Should I just stick with the lighter Revenge swim jigs and the grandebass/keitech swing impact trailers? I just want to have some sort of variety but I don't have a rod that can throw a heavier bait. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks.

[rockchalk06]

I run 1/2 with larger trailers on my 7' MH and its fine. I prefer my H, but use my MH more as the H is my pitching stick.

I have experimented with several different types of trailers on the swim jigs and so far really havent found one that doesnt work. I have a crap load of senko type worms that I dont't use. I cut them in half, stick it on the jig and cut the last 2" of the worm up like the tail of a tube. I also use tubes on them. It has some killer action when you are working it fast through timber.

[SirSnookalot]

I constantly exceed the recommendation on most of my rods by a little bit. Many of my rods rated 3/4 oz max I'm tossing 1 oz, have yet to ever run into a problem, but all rods are not created equal. Actually a slightly heavier lure is easy to cast, the rod loads up well, if you have fear don't do it. The only trailer I use on a jig, and I only use bucktails, is zoom worm, it's pretty lite and affects nothing. For freshwater I swim a 1/4 oz jig, sw up to 1 oz.

[roadwarrior]

Both NorthStar and Siebert Outdoors make great swim baits. I prefer 3/8 oz with a variety of trailers:

Rage Tail Single Tail Grub, Twin Tail Menace and LFT Live Magic Shad.

[Jigfishn10]

I don't see a problem with your rig and lure choices.

[Quillback]

I like the Keitechs, but they are soft, I recommend using superglue to keep them on the jig. Rage craws make a good trailer also, the claws flap really well, you can pause your retrieve and when the jig drops those claws will flap on the way down sometimes triggering a follower to bite.

[Bayoubassin8]

I use some saltwater swim baits like ttf trout killers or marsh works bc they can be more durable for bigger jigs. I also use paca chunks in black.

[ipeeinmywetsuit]

I constantly exceed the recommendation on most of my rods by a little bit. Many of my rods rated 3/4 oz max I'm tossing 1 oz, have yet to ever run into a problem, but all rods are not created equal. Actually a slightly heavier lure is easy to cast, the rod loads up well, if you have fear don't do it. The only trailer I use on a jig, and I only use bucktails, is zoom worm, it's pretty lite and affects nothing. For freshwater I swim a 1/4 oz jig, sw up to 1 oz.

I want to start with 1/4 maybe a 3/8 for the robo ez shad trailer. I have a MH Powell Endurance btw. It's a great rod so my thoughts would be it could handle it. Who knows if these will even exceed the recommended lure weight with a trailer.

Both NorthStar and Siebert Outdoors make great swim baits. I prefer 3/8 oz with a variety of trailers:

Rage Tail Single Tail Grub, Twin Tail Menace and LFT Live Magic Shad.

Nice, I'll check them out this morning. I have plenty of craw/creature plastics but I like the idea of a swim bait trailer for this short Fall season I'll be having. It's something I've never done and the spinnerbait bite has slowed down so I feel like this may be the next step.

I said this before but the rod I am using is a MH Powell Endurance 7'2" EF action w/ 12lb line. Also, the patterns I have in mind are chart/white, chart shad, and bluegill. I think thats enough light to dark colored bait variety.

[G3Steve]

I was out fishing with Matt Allen last weekend and right now he recommends using the 4.8 Keitech Swing Impact Fat for 1/4 and 3/8 Cali swim jigs. He said the more subtle action of the Keitech is more suited for the lighter jigs. For 3/4 jigs, go with the Robo EZ Shad.

Your rod will work ok for the swim jigs up to 3/8. Keep in mind that the swimbaits have some weight to them, and will probably get the total weight up to the max rating of your rod, so you may have some trouble if you plan on crashing the bait through weeds. Remember that the jigs come with a super heavy hook, so you'll need to have some backbone in your rod.

I suggest you step up your line as well. With the kind of fish that this bait attracts you'd be better off with at least 15lb test for the lighter jigs, and 20lb for the 3/4oz. You might want to consider stepping up to braid though...

My swim jig setup: Dobyns 735C with 50lb PP. I tie direct if fishing weeds, otherwise I use a 20lb mono/fluoro leader.

HTH

Have fun with this bait. When fish hit it, they annihilate it!

[Big-O]

Swim Jig presentations and choices of weight and trailers are extremely varied and necessarily so. It's important to remember that in most waters, bass are keying in on certain bait/prey species more so than others at different times of the year, but are always opportunistic feeders. Water colors, light conditions also play a part in tweaking the bite.

When they're feeding on Crayfish, a high action craw is your best choice for a trailer. If baitfish like shad is on the menu, then slender profile trailers are the choice, If Brim are getting eaten regularly, a short more bulky profile is the ticket. Experimenting with your jig weights, colors, trailer sizes and positionong on the hook can make the difference in gettiing bit and getting bit regularly... Hope that helps!

[ww2farmer]

My favorite is the SK Tour Grade and/or Hack Attack swim jigs in bluegill color, with a green pumpkin rage grub. In my lake, where bluegills make up a large part of the forage base, I have found it to be very effective year round. 3/8 and 1/4 get the nod for me. I use the 1/4 up shallow, and the 3/8 over the top, along the edges, and through mid depth milfoil beds (6-10 fow)

[Nitrofreak]

My favorite is the SK Tour Grade and/or Hack Attack swim jigs in bluegill color, with a green pumpkin rage grub. In my lake, where bluegills make up a large part of the forage base, I have found it to be very effective year round. 3/8 and 1/4 get the nod for me. I use the 1/4 up shallow, and the 3/8 over the top, along the edges, and through mid depth milfoil beds (6-10 fow)

I like this too, Siebert Outdoors makes a great grass jig that can double as a swim jig and very effective for areas like these.

One other thing I have learned while swimming a jig is do not forget to cover all of your depth ranges just like you would with a spinner bait, shallow, mid and deep are key in my area around cover, just because you are swimming a jig does not mean you can't bounce it off the bottom either, rocky areas in my lake have proven effective with a swim jig bouncing from one rock to another, especially in shad colors, so be open minded once you get the feel for a swim jig, you are going to love this way of fishing a jig.

[Big-O]

For you Swim Jig enthusiast that want a Brim profile, IMO the Twintail Menace rigged with tails vertical instead of horizontal is a new look and better for Brim profile and/or shorter compact presentation swim jigs...

[Nitrofreak]

For you Swim Jig enthusiast that want a Brim profile, IMO the Twintail Menace rigged with tails vertical instead of horizontal is a new look and better for Brim profile and/or shorter compact presentation swim jigs...

OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH !!!! DADDY LIKES !!!! LOL !!!

That sounds very interesting, can't wait to give that a try.

[piscicidal]

Nice!

A little money-saving tip I use for a swim bait trailers...We use alot of Gambler Big Ez swimbaits in the grass down here in the Everglades/Okeechobee. When the nose of these baits gets beat up, I break the baits in half (they are jointed in the middle) and use the tail end as a swimjig trailer. The profile looks a lot like a sunfish.

[hookset on 3]

I don't see a problem with your rig and lure choices.

I agree. This is the set up I use with a Powell Endurance Med H Ex Fast 7'2.

I throw them with a three year old Curado 200DHSV. 7.0 to 1 ratio

It's a sweet rig for swim jigs 1/4 or 3/8.

[Loop_Dad]

I run 1/2 with larger trailers on my 7' MH and its fine. I prefer my H, but use my MH more as the H is my pitching stick.

I have experimented with several different types of trailers on the swim jigs and so far really havent found one that doesnt work. I have a crap load of senko type worms that I dont't use. I cut them in half, stick it on the jig and cut the last 2" of the worm up like the tail of a tube. I also use tubes on them. It has some killer action when you are working it fast through timber.

Nice! I too experiment and recycle and have fun doing it. My fish appear to be not very picky.

[Mike L]

Nice!

A little money-saving tip I use for a swim bait trailers...We use alot of Gambler Big Ez swimbaits in the grass down here in the Everglades/Okeechobee. When the nose of these baits gets beat up, I break the baits in half (they are jointed in the middle) and use the tail end as a swimjig trailer. The profile looks a lot like a sunfish.

Great tip!!

Perfect, I have a tourn on Big O next Sunday and Walk in Water the week end after that.

I have a bunch of the Big Ez that I'm gonna start breaking the head off!

Thanks

Mike

[ipeeinmywetsuit]

I ended up pairing a 1/4oz swim jig with a 3.8in keitech and the tail has enough wobble to generate a side to side movement in the jig head. The bass were slamming this setup. What bums me out is how thin the connection between the paddle tail and body is. It's rendered a few of my keitechs useless way too soon in the game. At that price point I might be looking for a different swim bait trailer. The 3/8oz cali swim jig with a roboworm ez shad swims great but I haven't been able to get out on some bigger water. I haven't bothered throwing it in the small ponds I fish because I feel like it will just spook fish. However, I have caught quite a few bass big enough to snack on something that size. Lately the bass have been biting when I throw a 1/4oz swim jig with a paca craw trailer. I'm liking the swim jig right now and so are the fish... it's so versatile in how I can present it its hard not to get bit. Thanks for your help everyone!