Swim Jig Vs. Swim Bait

[skip]

Swim Jig Vs. Swim Bait

When do you fish one and not the other?  

What differences in rod action or line type?

[WRB]

Swim Jig Vs. Swim Bait

When do you fish one and not the other?

What differences in rod action or line type?

You use a swim jig where and whenever you use a spinnerbait.

Swimbaits are slower moving and mimic larger or slower moving baitfis.

Apples vs oranges.

Tom

[JeziHogg]

I throw smaller swimbait (5inch basstrix pattle tails om a 4/0 1/8oz twistlock hook) on the exact same rod (LTB 71mhxf swimjig finesse) I use for my swimjigs (3/8oz hand tied jig w/ a menace or subwoofer trailer). The xf tip makes it easy to rip through the weeds where bait fish around the same size as the two baits hang out.

[skip]

I like the comparison with the spinner bait.   I was thinking for the swim bait a med rod, that i might use for a crank bait could be good for the job.  See any disadvantage to that?

[WIGuide]

I like the comparison with the spinner bait.   I was thinking for the swim bait a med rod, that i might use for a crank bait could be good for the job.  See any disadvantage to that?

I think that's going to depend on what size and style of swimbait you are throwing. Something like a Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper, or a Berkley Havoc Grass Pig, you would probably be alright with a medium power rod. If you step up to some of the hollow belly swimbaits, you're going to want to go to at least a medium heavy due to the bigger thicker hook. You'll need some of that extra power to drive it home. For the bigger yet swimbaits, I would imagine they'd be using at least a heavy action rod just based on weight of the bait alone. However, this style of fishing is outside of my expertise one of the big swimbait guys can chime in on that.

[MainelyBASS]

For me throwing jigs and swimbaits require minimally a MH rod-- a good part of the time i'll throw em on a heavy action rod as well. The way I see it is you lose nothing other than finesse by using heavier rods, which in the case of swim jigs and swimbaits isn't necessary. Finesse baits require light action rods because it requires the fisherman to implement most of the action with the rod. If its too heavy the rod will just drag the bait through the water without letting the lure perform it's designed action. Swim jigs with trailers, as well as swimbaits create their own action when being reeled in, therefore don't require a forgiving rod to create their action. Plus im fishing both baits around pretty gnarly cover and if I do load up, I wanna make sure I have the power to bring him to the boat.

[roadwarrior]

Wherever you would throw a spinnerbait is pretty good advice.

I use a variety of small swimbait naked, but my favorite presentation

is a NorthStar Original Swim Jig with a Rage Tail Menace trailer.

 

Also, I generally fish a steady retrieve letting the tailer account for all the action.

[Volboy]

Swim jig- more around shallow cover ( grass, wood, docks, laydowns). I'll throw it in same places as a spinnerbait or chatterbait. It's especially deadly around docks and grass when the shad spawn is going on. I also like to pop aggresively in shore grass (water willows) all year once the grass grows back. It's more of an object oriented bait to me.

Swimbait more of an open water bait for me (points, ledges, flats, etc.). Will fish it a lot in the summer over submerged grass beds before they mat out. Swim jig works in this situation too.

[skip]

I didn't really think about the hook set, not used used to worrying about 4/0 hooks.  Lost a few using a swim bait last year using a 30%-35% rod, meaning it bends about 1/3 of the way down.  It wasn't a light rod but maybe just not enough "action."  My crank bait rod bends just above half way down...its not a light rod but has that med action. 

 

I'm thinking that a 1/4 swim jig with small trailer could be something I could fish nice and slow for these first few (cold) weeks.  But maybe I could get the same effect from a naked swim bait (maybe 1/16 weighed hook)...

[hatrix]

I threw lots of swimbaits on a cranking rod using braided line and had great success. Nothing to big just your standard hollow bellies. To me it seemed sometimes using braid with a m/h f or xf they would hit it so hard and fast they would feel the shock of the rod and be gone by the time u set the hook. That is just how I felt when using braid sometimes.