Taking Swimjig Out Of My Arsenal

[CTGalloway21]

I have a buddy that strictly fishes chatterbaits.  He destroys anyone using a swimjig year round.  I do not know of one instance I would prefer swimjig over chatterbait.  He catches more in grass, clear water, etc.  He destroyed me yesterday as well when I was wanting to use my swimjigs.  

[HoosierHawgs]

Forage bass and water color. If fish are finnicky a swim jig is the way to go. Also, around wood cover a spinnerbait or swim jig is going to outfish a bladed swim jig plain and simple.

[CTGalloway21]

We mainly fish creeks and rivers, he dominates with a chatterbait.  I think we try to overthink things.  I seriously don't think having a blade matters.  Even in clear water that we fish.  

[J Francho]

Was he at the front of the boat?

[gulfcaptain]

Some guys are just more efficient with some baits then others.  #1, he is confident in his bladed jig....#2, you seem to have taken yourself out of the game mentally by letting his success get in your head. Once you loose focus it's over.  

[smalljaw67]

I think you are making a mistake, the swim jig is a very effective lure and just because someone is beating you with a bladed jig isn't a reason to give it up. The reason you are getting beat with a bladed jig is the conditions in which you were fishing, there are times when a particular bait will dominate, like wiggle warts on Table Rock at certain times of the year. Trust me, there will be times when the fish do not want a lot of flash or vibration, that is when the swim jig will excel, it happens to me every season, July comes and it gets hot and the fish are spread out and not chasing, we try to get some spinnerbait or topwater action before the sun gets up but the fish have been beat up with those baits by that time, that is when you break out the swim jig and you realize just how good that presentation is. Someone else also mentioned about being in the front or back of the boat, that will make a difference, especially if the fish are scattered or spooky, the guy in the front gets to the spot and catches one fish, there might be several in there but if the water is clear and shallow those other fish could be spooky and the thrashing fish hooked on a lure will cause the other fish to flee. If they are scattered then you only have one or two fish in a spot and the guy in front is hitting those spots before you get a cast into a productive area, this is what we call "back boating", not letting the guy in back get a shot at good spots. What you need to do is keep the swim jig and when the conditions are right, that is when you break it out, and the conditions I look for is any time a spinnerbait would be too much, like clear water but no wind to ripple the surface, that is when a smaller 3/16oz or 1/4oz northern style swim jig works, or if you have dingy water with a fair amount of weeds, the larger California style may be a good option.

[bigfishbk86]

If you truly believe it's the bait, then you are already defeated.  

[aavery2]

Forage bass and water color. If fish are finnicky a swim jig is the way to go. Also, around wood cover a spinnerbait or swim jig is going to outfish a bladed swim jig plain and simple.

Nothing is plain and simple in bass fishing.   Your experience is valuable, but should be offered as an opinion rather than fact.  

[Catt]

Was he at the front of the boat?

Well! Was he?

[hatrix]

Sounds like a terrible idea. I fish both a ton but a chatter bait can be a bit obnoxious at time and a swim jig instead will shine. Plus a swimjig is far more weedless.

[ChrisWi]

swimjigs catch at least 30% of my green fish every year!

[gulfcaptain]

Well! Was he?

That's what we are all wanting to know

[riverbasser13]

While we are waiting to hear who was in the front of the boat here's my 2 cents. I've tried to learn both and the chatterbait has been catchin 'em and the swimjigs are not. Not giving up on the swimjigs yet but the chatterbait has impressed me to the point where I always have one tied on. Even with the front over thanksgiving the chatterbait still produced, in deep grass and also around some standing trees and brush.

[gardnerjigman]

Also, around wood cover a spinnerbait or swim jig is going to outfish a bladed swim jig plain and simple.

I strongly disagree with this.

[roadwarrior]

I had days this year when the swim jig ruled, others when it was nothing but a Chatterbait.

There is no reason to take either out of the line-up.

 

 

 

[Raul]

It ain´t the arrow, it´s the injun !

 

I had days this year when the swim jig ruled, others when it was nothing but a Chatterbait.

There is no reason to take either out of the line-up.

 

 

 

 

In deed.

[bigbill]

I carry just about everything with me. I use a ritual of baits till the pattern develops on what they want. One lure can be hot at a certain spot all summer I've seen it before. But next year the hype can be over. Fishing from shore at the same exact spots the so called hot baits do change.

I use them all, sometimes even when another bait works I switch to a different bait to see if there stuck on one bait. There are days I find that one color or one type of lure is hot. Other days anything I throw works. Go figure. Don't limit yourself.

[CTGalloway21]

this was kayaks.  Floated 7 miles with 3 people.  always changing positions on front and back.  Chatterbait is a more efficient creek and river bait by far.  Probably caught over 50 fish all day between the 3 of us trying different things.   I have fished with these 2 guys for the past two years in various locations.  

[ABW]

[Catch and Grease]

I don't fish chatterbaits yet but I find it hard to believe one would always out fish the other, Swim jigs have been dominating for me lately.

[HoosierHawgs]

I strongly disagree with this.

Why? It's easier (IMO) to get a jig along wood and laydowns. You can put it in more places, and that generally equals better fishing. Just my 2 cents. To each his own.

[iabass8]

Why? It's easier (IMO) to get a jig along wood and laydowns. You can put it in more places, and that generally equals better fishing. Just my 2 cents. To each his own.

Because saying a swim jig/spinnerbait will always outfish a chatterbait around wood cover "plain and simple" is 1. false and 2. asinine 

 

There isn't one instance in bass fishing where there is a rule as to what baits will work better 100% of the time over another. 

[gardnerjigman]

Why? It's easier (IMO) to get a jig along wood and laydowns. You can put it in more places, and that generally equals better fishing. Just my 2 cents. To each his own.

Because saying a swim jig/spinnerbait will always outfish a chatterbait around wood cover "plain and simple" is 1. false and 2. asinine

There isn't one instance in bass fishing where there is a rule as to what baits will work better 100% of the time over another.

Exactly this.

[J Francho]

Could be your buddy is just better at it.

[Bluebasser86]

Why? It's easier (IMO) to get a jig along wood and laydowns. You can put it in more places, and that generally equals better fishing. Just my 2 cents. To each his own.

I love fishing a bladed jig around wood and catch tons of fish on them. They will snag more often with a standard open hook design but there's ways around it. When I'm in the really heavy stuff, I break out one of my bladed jigs that I use a swinging football head and Owner Twistlock XXX hook so I can T rig my trailer and it'll go anywhere a jig can while producing the strong vibration of a bladed jig.

I really have little use for a swim jig because a lot of our lakes are dirtier and the fish have a difficult time locating one. I've been trying to incorporate one into my arsenal whenever possible though and have found some very specific situations when they are better than a bladed jig, which ties back into the OP's situation where, even though I much prefer one to the other, one isn't better than the other 100% of the time.