Swim jig trailer types

[Luke Barnes]

I got a $50 BPS gift card for christmas and am thinking about adding a few new swim jigs in more of a bluegill color. I think they would do well in pressured ponds where a chatterbait may be too aggressive. I have plenty of swimbaits for trailers but im curious, what do you all use for trailers? Without a blade I'm thinking ill need a trailer with some movement because that will be the only thump and movement from it so I was thinking more paddletail than Zako style. For chatterbaits in love the Zako. But figured I might need something more for swim jigs. 

[MN Fisher]

I'll say it again - all my best catches either on chatter or swim jig have had a Berkley Pit Boss trailer.

[A-Jay]

Below are a few of my favorite swimjig trailers -

But I have to admit Josh Jones is making me rethink the need for them.

And I mean Hard !

Either way, these have been solid producers on the local brown bass population.

A-Jay

[heavyduty]

Zoom creepy crawler is a good trailer and inexpensive. Depending upon size, the menace bug or baby menace bug in green pumpkin/purple/gold is a good bluegill choice, with tails rigged vertically or horizontal.

Seiberts has some great bluegill skirt colors for swimjigs

[Luke Barnes]

I have a few colors of Rage Menace I'm going to play with. I think Moon Juice will look nice on a bluegill pattern. I have spike it markers that I can add chartreuse to the belly if needed. 

 

I never understood using craw trailers and swimming them though. Do craws swim like that when they flee?

[heavyduty]

Moon juice looks good. Markers can add that little extra

 

Craws don't swim like that. I wouldn't focus that someone called them craw trailers, I don't believe they mimic a craw unless resting on the bottom (and that might be a stretch also); but more so the action they create to trigger a strike.

[Luke Barnes]

1 minute ago, heavyduty said:

Moon juice looks good. Markers can add that little extra

 

Craws don't swim like that. I wouldn't focus that someone called them craw trailers, I don't believe they mimic a craw unless resting on the bottom (and that might be a stretch also); but more so the action they create to trigger a strike.

I guess I get caught up in the fact they are advertised as craws but people are swimming them. Ive seen Gerald Swindel use Zoom Z Craws on swim jigs and buzzbaits. Rigged horizontal they make the Buzz Bait plane out really fast and I got a bite on it, but with so many options that mimic fish it confuses me why someone would use a craw. 

[PhishLI]

Around here I can only get away with using swim jigs with vertical line ties no matter how I use them. Pitching or whatever. During the cold weather months I keep the trailers as compact as possible. Baits with flapping appendages don't get separated to minimize movement.

[NorthernBasser]

3.8 Keitech Fat Impacts work well. As does the X-Zone Swammer. Gambler EZ Swimmer and EZ Vibe are also great paddle tail trailers. 

 

As others have said, the Rage Menace is great. But you could also check out the Z-Man Goat. Similar to the Menace but will last longer. You can rig it vertically to mimic or horizontally like this to keep it a little higher in the water column. 

 

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

I'll say it again - all my best catches either on chatter or swim jig have had a Berkley Pit Boss trailer.

Most of my best catches have come when I'm wearing pants...

[Jig Man]

I’ve tried several and the Zoom swimming chunk is the most productive one I’ve used.

[Big Rick]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

But I have to admit Josh Jones is making me rethink the need for them.

And I mean Hard !

Do tell!

[Skunkmaster-k]

Glenn has a video where he said that he rigs a swim jig with a rage menace vertically and then tears off the top flapper. I tried it and was surprised how well it works. 

[A-Jay]

18 minutes ago, Big Rick said:

Do tell!

Not sure if I can link it here but the past month or so

the man has been DE-Stroying Giant Green bass on a 6th sense Swimjig with no trailer 

Like 15 pounds giant

Only place I see it is FB

2 minutes in on this one 

https://fb.watch/a8GutqhP4L/

A-Jay

[Luke Barnes]

4 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

3.8 Keitech Fat Impacts work well. As does the X-Zone Swammer. Gambler EZ Swimmer and EZ Vibe are also great paddle tail trailers. 

 

As others have said, the Rage Menace is great. But you could also check out the Z-Man Goat. Similar to the Menace but will last longer. You can rig it vertically to mimic or horizontally like this to keep it a little higher in the water column. 

 

This is what I was talking about. So its more to keep it up in the water column and not trying to hard to look like a fish? Sometimes I give bass too much credit I think because ive cUght them on the dumbest things that look like nothing. 

 

10 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Not sure if I can link it here but the past month or so

the man has been DE-Stroying Giant Green bass on a 6th sense Swimjig with no trailer 

Like 15 pounds giant

Only place I see it is FB

2 minutes in on this one 

https://fb.watch/a8GutqhP4L/

A-Jay

I watched one of his videos lately. So he isn't using trailers anymore??

[A-Jay]

2 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

This is what I was talking about. So its more to keep it up in the water column and not trying to hard to look like a fish? Sometimes I give bass too much credit I think because ive cUght them on the dumbest things that look like nothing. 

 

I watched one of his videos lately. So he isn't using trailers anymore??

I can't say if it's a permanent thing.

But he's been liking the trailer-less swimjig recently believing that the smaller profile

is what's getting the biggest bites.

Who am I to argue ?

A-Jay

 

[Munkin]

If I am swimming it like a baitfish then a Keitech fat impact 3.8 is what I use most of the time.  Craw trailer I have been using a chigger craw. 

 

Allen 

[plitz]

7 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

3.8 Keitech Fat Impacts work well. As does the X-Zone Swammer. Gambler EZ Swimmer and EZ Vibe are also great paddle tail trailers. 

 

As others have said, the Rage Menace is great. But you could also check out the Z-Man Goat. Similar to the Menace but will last longer. You can rig it vertically to mimic or horizontally like this to keep it a little higher in the water column. 

Is that a SuperK?

 

[Luke Barnes]

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I can't say if it's a permanent thing.

But he's been liking the trailer-less swimjig recently believing that the smaller profile

is what's getting the biggest bites.

Who am I to argue ?

A-Jay

 

Yeah same with me. I won't argue that it works for him where he uses it. I wonder if it's more situational with different factors. 

[CrashVector]

9 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I'll say it again - all my best catches either on chatter or swim jig have had a Berkley Pit Boss trailer.

 +1

[DitchPanda]

Ive used single tail grubs, swim baits and various craws...now days its a menace grub 100% of the time

[NorthernBasser]

48 minutes ago, plitz said:

 

No, it's a Siebert Outdoors Shot Caller.

[HaydenS]

I throw swimbaits or twin tail style baits.  I’ve had a lot more success with bootail swimbaits.  I’ve caught countless fish on a white swim jig with a white swimbait on the back.  

If I’m fish shallower water, I’ll go with a twin tail or a swimbait.  

If I’m fishing deeper, I’m gonna go strictly with a swimbait.

[T-Billy]

Keitech or GOAT covers it for me anymore. GOAT is awesome on a chatterbait as well.

[Phelptwan]

I've been liking the Gambler EZ and Little EZ myself.