Swimming A Jig

[The_Mad_Fisherman]

Does anyone here swim a jig for fall bass?  I thought that a blue and white jig would look pretty good, so I tied one up.   So heres the main question.  Do you put a trailer on your jig when you swim it?  If so how big is the jig, and how big is the trailer, and how do you do to special to make the fish bite when you swim the jig?

Thanks

[Chris]

I use a swim chunk for my 1/4 oz jigs and a twin tail grub for both 1/4 and larger. A single tail grub works good also. How large of a trailer is up to you and how much you want to extend the bait. I just use the regular zoom sizes mostly.

[Papa_Tom]

I swim jigs almost year round.  I also use the traditional flip/pitch and cast methods.  Usually I have a minimum of three jigs tied on.  Most always use a 1/4 oz swim jig in a color that would suggest a juvenile bluegill, a shad or a craw.  Rare that I use any trailer other than a 4" or 5" single tail grub, different speeds.  Curl turned down.  Zoom and GYCB make good ones.  Right now I am going to more shad colors from bluegill.  Blue/white is good.  Silver flash, use your imagination for colors and trailers.

I use the swim jig in lieu of cranks and s'baits--still use those, just lean on this first.  Throw these in the same places and with the same tactics.  Slow roll, bang into cover (speed it up just prior to contact), etc.

Brovarney Baits--go to their website.  Lots of colors.  I have had them custom some for me.  Great product, even better customer service.

[nboucher]

How do you guys decide when to swim a jig and when to use a more traditional approach. I use the traditional cast/drag/lift technique most of the time and don't have a lot of confidence swimming a jig. As a result, when I try to swim it the result is kind of a hybrid of drags and lifts with some swimming in between. What retrieving speed do you prefer, and do you intersperse the retrieve with pauses and jerks, or just a steady retrieve?

[Chris]

Clear cold water, heavy stained flats, areas with heavy spinnerbait pressure, early spring, fall through winter, is when I swim a jig. I usually count it down and reel. When I fish flats I jerk it, shake it, hop it, stop and go, bring it to the top and let it break the surface, it just depends.

[Shad_Master]

I started swimming a jig last year when I started fishing with a guy who does this a lot and loads the boat that way.  His primary technique is to use the standard jig/hop when working brush piles, standing timber or laydowns and if he doesn't get bit then he will swim it around the edges.  He also swims along grass lines, but only in water that is clear to lightly stained.  One question I have for you guys though, do you use rattles when you are swimming a jig.  My buddy says he doesn't think rattles help or hurt either way.  Just curious.

[Chris]

In super clear water I don't use a rattle in stained to muddy water I do use a rattle. I tend to shake the jig as I reel it in dirtier water to set off the rattle. It does work in muddy water go with a black jig with a chartreuse twin tail grub.

[kbkindle]

kbkindle here    did not swim a jig till this fall  was out one day last week could not get a bite on anything  had a jig on and started swiming it and   ended up with  3 keeper fish.   first time,  think i'll do it again kb   water temp was 62 deg.

[Guest avid]

Is there a color or style of jig that works better for swimming?

[Gr8wall]

hey im a pretty hardcore novice, but would my setup (daiwa tierra 6'6" heavy and viento reel) work with this.  im tryin to explore more types of lures to use.  so far frogs are fun but frustrating and top waters for me are only successful in south florida (im in gainesville florida right now).  sorry if im asking things that are already covered in previous posts but im tryin to absorb everything i can.  thanks guys.

[RandySBreth]

I've been using a swimming jig in rivers for smallmouth and the White River lakes for a few years. I use three basic colors, crawdad, sunfish, and shad. On Table Rock, during fall through winter into prespawn a grub is a standard lure, but I started using a white swimming jig someone showed me and did really well.

I also like using it where most would use a spinnerbait, using a straight retrieve and letting it fall once it gets past or hits cover, or swam anywhere you would use a grub.

I'm out of the craw color, but here are two:

Top is 5/16 Booyah, with Yum 4" grub, I call this one Grub-Plus. Great swam through treetops where fish are chasing shad. Usually throw it on a 7' MH spinning outfit using 6/14 Fireline w/12 or 14 lb. flouro leader.

Bottom is sunfish color w/ rattles on a 3/8 Eakins-type head, Yum grub colored w/sharpies. This one I use the same rod I use for light spinnerbaits-7'med casting rod w/40lb braid-no leader.

If I remember right, the March 05 issue of In-Fisherman had a great full length article about the history, use, and application of swimming a jig.

[Papa_Tom]

Avid...first head style.  There are two predominant styles seen most often.  An arrowhead style (Booyah, Davis) usually comes out of the South.  I think the deal here is to swim it high over grass, etc.  The other style head is much like a slip sinker (bullet).  These most often come out of the North, Wisconsin in particular.  Brovarney is there.

I prefer the second style.  I can get it thru/over grass and other forms of cover quite easily.  Light needle sharp hook, minimal fiber weedguard.  I fish it anywhere, but it is best employed where there is some water clarity as it is a sight process mostly.  I always have some mylar in the skirt.  The grub will add vibration.  I have used twins, but almost always it is a single.  I like handties, they will run truer than others at higher speeds, and come thru cover easier because of that, too.

As earlier stated, and I agree with RSBreth here, craw, sunfish (bluegill/bream) and shad in that order.  Always believed that bass feed on young bream for a lot of the year, and I try to use colors in that range.  Greens, browns, black-blue with a june bug grub.  Then more to shads after that.

Rod of your choice that has a soft tip---mine is a Fenwick HMG 6'6" mh mod, PowerPro 30/8 on a Curado SF with a very loose drag.  Let them take it.

[MBeery]

This might sound like a dumb question, yet when you are talking about swimming a jig, are we talking cast and retrieve like a crank.  Am I looking to have it ride on/near the bottom or higher in the water column.  

Also, what is rule of thumb for size/weight of a jig and feet per second of the fall.  I remember someone saying a formula somewhere, yet could not find it.  I am trying to count and determine, relatively, how deep the jig is.  Thanks.

[Papa_Tom]

MBerry....my response to the first part of your question(s) would be "yes" to about everything.  Great majority of the time in the spring, summer and fall, I will be using the uppermost part of the water column.  I usually feel like I am using a spinnerbait w/o the blade(s).  Sometimes I run it to where it just disappears, but most of the time I'm bringing it.  Looking for the reaction as it comes by cover.  In more open water, try using different retrieves.

As for the weight, I have found that 1/4 oz is what I use most.  By changing grub size (4-5") you can change lift, drop, fall, etc.  I also like to go to a 1/8 oz for throwing on top of slop, grass, etc.  Doesn't sink in and you essentially are using it as a frog.  This is where the braided line earns it's keep.

You can crawl these just off a gravel bottom like a crayfish, or go anywhere up in the column.  Lots of flexibility.  

[lubina]

Try Monsoor Swimming Jig with a GY grub.....the Fukae's formula

[bubbler]

Ther is one thing to remember when you swim a jig. NEVER LET IT TOUCH THE BOTTOM.

That is why its called a swin jig.

I like to use a white strike king jig. I will use a reg grub un the back for a tralor.

when you get close to cover you want to make he bait dande through the water.

Ther is no limit on the tralor, but if you start getting bites and you can't hook them, use a smaller tralor, they may ge getting the tralor instead of the hook.

[Munkin]

Most of the time I am using a 1/4 or 3/8oz white or shad colored jig with a matching 4" single tail grub. The way I fish them is just like a spinnerbait and like someone else mentioned they are a great alternative to spinnerbaits in highly pressured lakes.

Allen

[Lard_Bass]

I am not much of a jig guy.  So, I apologize for the following ignorant question.  I have several jigs but haven't used them much.  Can you swim any jig or do have to specifically buy a "swimming" jig.  

For some creepy reason, I see the bait monkey about to say that there is a substantial difference and I have to run out, right now, and by a kit of 50 swimming jigs.  

Any good swim jig recommendations?

[Millerman]

I suggest googling "tom monsoor swim jig" or "Jimmy johnson swim jig". You will have your pick of articles that describe swimming a jig in great detail. AS to the latest question...you can "swim" any jig in your box. The bullet style heads come through the grass a little better than a flat eye jig. Use the flat eye around wood or rocks. I know there are certain characteristics of a swim jig like the type and size of brush guard, how many strands per skirt, tinsel in skirt, type of hook etc etc etc. If you ask me...just swim with what you have first.  no need to buy the "classic swim jig"---just the latest fad in my book.  again, Iguess that is my opinion.