Swim Jig Trailer swimbait trailer size questions

[Cgolf]

On a recent trip I fished a 5/16 Santone rayburn swim jig a little bit. I had a 4" Largo shad on it and it generated a lot of hits in a short time with only one fish landed. It is possible it was panfish grabbing the tail that were all the hits I felt, but I would like to think that some were bass.

 

Was the issue that the trailer was too large and I should have went with 3" or 3.5" trailer?

 

Over the years on this lake I have found that I have to trim my spinnerbait skirts even with the end of the hook to increase my hookup percentage. Could the northwoods bass just be a short strike group of fish?

[Team9nine]

10 minutes ago, Cgolf said:

Was the issue that the trailer was too large and I should have went with 3" or 3.5" trailer?

Nope, trailer is fine - your bass are too small ?

 

On a more serious note, hard to tell. I’d try a different trailer (3” or similar smaller profile) and see if the same thing happens. Trial and error is really the best learning option we have. I’m always hitting a pond with something different just to see what will happen.

[casts_by_fly]

For me, if a bass is going to hit a swim jig it isn’t going to be a little peck. They are hitting it to kill it.

 

a 3.8 keitech is my standard trailer for swim jigs. I’ll go to a 4.3 at times too. I wouldn’t worry too much about a 4” largo shad, but next time it happens just take the shad off and nip a half inch off the nose. Easy way to tell. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

4" is pretty much standard for a full size swimjig, with 3-5/0 hook.  I'll go down to a 3.5 swammer, but thats as small as I go on a full size swinjig.  For clear water or spooky fish ill use this greenfish chibi swim jig with a swimmin super fluke jr.  The fluke jr is 4" but most of it is tail and the profile is real small.  The hook is so sharp and fine you hardly have to set it at all, close to 100% hookup ratio.

IME when they hit a swimjig they usually choke it, especially the bigger fish.  The hits you were feeling were probably smaller bass.

[Cgolf]

27 minutes ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

4" is pretty much standard for a full size swimjig, with 3-5/0 hook.  I'll go down to a 3.5 swammer, but thats as small as I go on a full size swinjig.  For clear water or spooky fish ill use this greenfish chibi swim jig with a swimmin super fluke jr.  The fluke jr is 4" but most of it is tail and the profile is real small.  The hook is so sharp and fine you hardly have to set it at all, close to 100% hookup ratio.

IME when they hit a swimjig they usually choke it, especially the bigger fish.  The hits you were feeling were probably smaller bass.

 

Yeah my biggest bass of the trip absolutely choked a 3.75" rage swimmer on a VMC Moon Eye jig, which was surprising since I was reeling it back. I will continue to work with swim jigs to build up some more confidence in them.

 

I was also fishing them in reed beds which does mess with their angle of attack, but they really have only had that issue with ploppers, they generally find spinnerbaits just fine.

 

[JN94]

I have recently been using 5" paddletails on my swim jig but that isn't always the ticket due to size. Generally 3.5-4.5 is the sweet spot. 3" for finesse jigs

[ChrisD46]

*Don't forget Finesse Swim Jigs using a 3.25" ~ 3.5" swim bait trailer !

[roadwarrior]

Rage Tail Shell Cracker

 

https://www.amazon.com/Strike-Shell-Cracker-Watermelon-RGSC-18/dp/B09BFN1PY6