Swim jig enthusiasts

[Ogandrews]

Feels like I don’t see a lot of people talking about swim jigs here. They are absolutely one of my favorite baits for bass as well as pike and musky. They are so versatile and effective. I would like to know what brands/weights/colors/hook wire size/rods you use and trailers you guys like to use as well as where your favorite places to throw them is. 
 

I have use a bunch of different brands but I have settled into only using dirty jigs. If I could only pick 2 it would be the finesse swim jig and the no jack swim jig. The finesse I only throw in 1/4 oz, mostly in perch/ gill colors and always use a 3.8 keitech in sun gill. I usually throw this earlier in the season around emerging grass, or any time during the season I want a more subtle presentation in weeds. For the no jack I throw it mostly in 3/8 or 1/2 oz with a 4.8 inch keitech or rage swimmer as a trailer with a bit of the nose bit off. Mostly in perch color but I’ll use tactical shad if there’s shad or crappie around. I throw this everywhere, heavy grass sparse grass wood rocks whatever. Throw it once summer comes along for bass and all year long for the toothy guys. The thing I like so much about swim jigs is that i consistently get a bigger bite than I would if I was just throwing a plain keitech, and I can get away with throwing really heavy gear with the nojack. For the finesse jig I throw it on a Dobyns 833, and for the no jack I either throw it on a 7’10” heavy fast st croix swimbait rod with a tranx 300 or my frog rod if I’m just bass fishing.

 

would like to hear how you guys throw these awesome baits 

 

[Dens228]

I'm also a Dirty Jigs guy.  3/8 and 1/2 oz. I use 3.8 and 4.3 Kietech Swing Impact Fat paddletails. 

I switch back and forth between the various shad and the bluegill color schemes with the jig.  I think I only have 3 or 4 colors. 

For the Keitechs I have Sungill, Pro Blue Red Pearl, and Tennessee Shad.   That seems to be all I need.  I'm not a million different colors kind of guy.  I will dip a tail in JJ's Dippin Dye, chartreuse every once in awhile though. 

I ALWAYS have a swim jig tied on.  By far my confidence bait. 

 

[roadwarrior]

Siebert Outdoors for me. My favorite trailer is the Rage Tail Shell Cracker.

 

https://www.ragetail.com/products/rage-shell-cracker/

[lavbasser]

I have used many brands 1/4 - 1/2.  They have become very popular and there are lots of good choices.  The ones you mentioned from Dirty Jigs are good as well.  I just secure the skirts with braid.  I mainly use Keitechs or single tail grubs.  GLX MBR 843 and 842 if I am using a finesse jig with smaller hook.  

[FryDog62]

What are you using for line..? I’ve used fluorocarbon/co-poly in the past but have gravitated to braid due to our abundance of milfoil in the North.  Mostly 30 lb braid but am thinking of spooling with 40 lb this year to get into the thicker stuff if/when needed.  

[Dens228]

23 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

What are using for line..? I’ve used fluorocarbon/co-poly in the past but have gravitated to braid due to our abundance of milfoil in the North.  Mostly 30 lb braid but am thinking of spooling with 40 lb this year to get into the thicker stuff if/when needed.  

I use 30 lb straight braid.

 

[Ogandrews]

51 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

What are using for line..? I’ve used fluorocarbon/co-poly in the past but have gravitated to braid due to our abundance of milfoil in the North.  Mostly 30 lb braid but am thinking of spooling with 40 lb this year to get into the thicker stuff if/when needed.  

My 833 has 40lbs maxcuatro on it and I will use a 12-20lbs leader depending on the cover and clarity, sometimes a 60lbs floro or 15lbs titanium if there’s a lot of pike. For the heavy wire jigs on my heavier rods I use 65lbs maxcuatro, 20lbs mono if it’s just for bass and 60lbs floro if there’s pike around. If your fishing a heavy wire jig I think your really hindering yourself by not using braid. I know a lot of guys don’t trust leaders, but I have a lot of confidence in the blood knot and it gives you some stretch which is a good thing for fighting bigger fish.

[A-Jay]

10 hours ago, Ogandrews said:

Feels like I don’t see a lot of people talking about swim jigs here. They are absolutely one of my favorite baits for bass as well as pike and musky. They are so versatile and effective. I would like to know what brands/weights/colors/hook wire size/rods you use and trailers you guys like to use as well as where your favorite places to throw them is. 
 

I have use a bunch of different brands but I have settled into only using dirty jigs. If I could only pick 2 it would be the finesse swim jig and the no jack swim jig. The finesse I only throw in 1/4 oz, mostly in perch/ gill colors and always use a 3.8 keitech in sun gill. I usually throw this earlier in the season around emerging grass, or any time during the season I want a more subtle presentation in weeds. For the no jack I throw it mostly in 3/8 or 1/2 oz with a 4.8 inch keitech or rage swimmer as a trailer with a bit of the nose bit off. Mostly in perch color but I’ll use tactical shad if there’s shad or crappie around. I throw this everywhere, heavy grass sparse grass wood rocks whatever. Throw it once summer comes along for bass and all year long for the toothy guys. The thing I like so much about swim jigs is that i consistently get a bigger bite than I would if I was just throwing a plain keitech, and I can get away with throwing really heavy gear with the nojack. For the finesse jig I throw it on a Dobyns 833, and for the no jack I either throw it on a 7’10” heavy fast st croix swimbait rod with a tranx 300 or my frog rod if I’m just bass fishing.

 

would like to hear how you guys throw these awesome baits 

 

I like these ~ 

They are a mixture of 6th Sense, Bass Dozer and I think there's one Strike King mixed in there.

I do up most of my own skirts and my preferred color pallet is usually perchy & bluegill/pumpkinseed-ish.

I'm usually throwing them for big brown bass in the same type of shallower deals I'd use a spinnerbait, but often when there's less wind and / or super clear water - around or over vegetation and high(er) in the water column.

Gear used is routinely on the 'medium' side of things. 

Long casts work well for me so a somewhat 'lighter' (but not too light) hook finds a home a bit easier.

1/4 oz baits will be presented on spinning gear and 20 lb braid while 3/8 oz baits usually get thrown on casting gear with 12 lb FC. 

A-Jay

 

[DitchPanda]

My rundown goes like this...boss swim jig heads 1/4 oz and the only colors I throw are shad and bluegill imitations and I make my own skirts. Also I prefer the northern\ finesse type skirt which is maybe 35 or so strands with all the inside strands trimmed almost to the head and a lot of the time I tie the skirt with braid.I've tried lots of trailers including swimbaits, various grubs and several craw types and by far the two I've been most successful on are the big bite baits 5 inch finesse grub in white pearl and zoom Ultravibe speed craw in green pumpkin. For rods\reel the one I use the most is a St Croix mojo 7ft1in medium heavy fast..use this rod for regular jigs alot as well..reel is a Abu Garcia revo sx in I believe 7.1 to 1. For line I don't fish very many grass lakes\ ponds just mostly wood and rock so I throw 12 or 15lb izorline xxx copolymer.

[MassYak85]

Eco pro tungsten sick boy swim jigs are what I primarily use. I also like the lethal weapon swim jigs for grass buuuuuut I can't legally use them anymore with the lead ban. I don't have much variety for trailers tbh, usually a keitech fat impact or the eco pro swing shad, sometimes a grub. 

[MN Fisher]

I use three different swim jigs based on depth and cover

 

1/4oz SK Tour Grade for shallow/sparse cover situations

3/8oz SK Tour Grade for deeper running and/or moderate cover

1/2oz SK Hack Attack for going way deep and/or heavy cover

 

Trailers are Eco Pro Swing Shad, RI Skinny Dipper, Berkley Pit Boss, Berkley Chigger Craw, Missile D'Stroyer or Zoom Ultra Vibe Chunk - which one I use when is pretty much 'roll a random number' type thing.

[12poundbass]

Good stuff here. I’m looking to try swim jigs a little more this year. 

[FryDog62]

I use the Dirty Jigs finesse swim jigs a lot - primarily 3/8 oz.  Perch/bluegill colors here in the North.  I plan to order some Sieberts Jigs with the wire tied skirts next... for .30 cents more definitely sounds worth it and still less than many other jig brands.  

 

The swim jig rod will be a Shimano Expride 7'2" MH power, Moderate-Fast action. Backordered but on its way by May (I hope) ~

[Tizi]

I like 3/8 to 1/2 in Dirty Jigs and 6th Divine in white or bluegill colors.  I use a 3.8 or 4.8 Keitech in Ghost Rainbow Trout as a trailer.  I typically throw these on a MH rod with 10-12 lb flouro.

[Columbia Craw]

I find myself leaning toward Dirty Jigs for my swim jigs.  I have been running black/blue, blueguill and an Ayu color pattern.  I match up with paddle tails, single tail grubs and the Rage Menace but fell in love with the Zoom  Super Speed Craw.  That trailer moves like  a guy running from and swarm of yellow jackets.   I throw straight #30 braid on a Champion 734 but i'm switching to my new Kaden 744C.  I love them in any vegetation.

[CarpCasey]

I make my own but it's one of my main baits I always have.  I use grass pigs, cane thumpers and the BPS version of those as trailer typically 

[Jig Rookie]

8 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

A-Jay

 

A-Jay these are BEAUTIFUL

[Ogandrews]

Thanks for all the replies, gives me some baits to throw in my cart at some point. One thing I want to try a little more this year is more craw style swim jigs. A couple of the lakes I fish are pretty craw heavy so I’d assume they would do well. I’ve had success with using a rage craw as a trailer in a craw trailer but I’ll have to try out the zoom speed craw, looks like a great bait. Looks like a lot of you guys have issues with dirty jigs skirts, I’ve never had any issues with them even when I’m pike fishing. Anoth trailer I really want to try is the river2sea d walker, I just wish it came in a perch color.

[PhishLI]

6TH Sense Divine swim jigs in several bluegill styles. 3/8 and 1/2 oz with Eco Pro swing shads or Berkley chigger craws. Tons of pads where I fish so 50lb braid minimum.

[Dens228]

5 hours ago, PhishLI said:

6TH Sense Divine swim jigs in several bluegill styles. 3/8 and 1/2 oz with Eco Pro swing shads or Berkley chigger craws. Tons of pads where I fish so 50lb braid minimum.

I like 6th Sense jigs but really don't like the screw on trailer keepers.  Just personal preference. 

[Quarry Man]

On 3/28/2020 at 10:50 AM, MassYak85 said:

Eco pro tungsten sick boy swim jigs are what I primarily use. 

How do you like those? I get 50% off eco pro thru the college deal and wanna try em out when I get the funds.

 

 

As to answer your question, I fish mainly Strike King Finesse Swim Jigs in 1/4 oz and some pewter jigs I got on tackle warehouse a few years ago. I will be trying out the dirty jigs versions as ive heard great things about them, along with eco pro swim jigs.

 

For the 1/4 oz swim jigs, I cast and reel around, not in cover and in open water with sparse vegetation. Throw them on a 7'1" M Moderate with 12 lb mono / 15 lb braid depending on how I have the reel rigged.

 

For the heavier 3/8 - 3/4 swim jigs, I will be ordering a Falcon Lowrider 7'2" MH Mod Fast. Not sure on the reel yet, maybe an elite or Tatula SV. line wise, gonna try 17 lb floro out. I have a similar pitching rod with braid for heavier cover.

[MassYak85]

16 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

How do you like those? I get 50% off eco pro thru the college deal and wanna try em out when I get the funds.

 

They're pretty much all I use anymore. Partially because of the lead laws here in the Northeast and there aren't many tungsten options, but I like them regardless. They're a good "all-terrain" swim jig. There are ones that are better in grass or better in super thick cover but they're a good middle of the road jig. The weedgaurd isn't super stout like a dirty jigs california swimjig but not so flexible that it gets snagged around any kind of wood cover. Plus the bluegill colors are awesome. 

[Bandersnatch]

Lethal weapon Iv swim jig! Once it warms a bit I'm going to toy with the few I added a queen tackle switch blade to(Chatterbait blade) 

[Ogandrews]

7 hours ago, Chief250 said:

Lethal weapon Iv swim jig! Once it warms a bit I'm going to toy with the few I added a queen tackle switch blade to(Chatterbait blade) 

I’ve had great luck using the lethal weapons but 3 different times I have snapped the hook in half on hooksets, not even on very big fish. Have you had this issue at all?

[Quarry Man]

20 minutes ago, Ogandrews said:

3 different times I have snapped the hook in half on hooksets

Sounds like a problem