New Article On The Home Page

[roadwarrior]

Did you guys read this?

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/swim-jigs.html

First of all, Does anyone use line that is this heavy?

I use #12 on a baitcaster to fish jerkbaits and 3/4 oz

Ledgebuster Single Willow Blade spinnerbaits, but all

my other smallmouth techniques are with #6.

Secondly, What do you think about swimming jigs?

The only time I "swim" a jig is after I'm out of the

zone and retrieving for another cast. Yes, I have

caught a few when doing this, but I don't think it's

a high percentage technique.

Third, We all know grubs can be killer at times,

especially when the focus seems to be baitfish.

I don't think the jig had anything to do with this

guy's success. I suspect they would have done

just as well with the grub, naked on a plain jig

head. He claims he was "swimming a jig", but I

think all he was really doing was "fishing a grub".

What do you think?

8-)

[bigfruits]

ive had luck swimming jigs with grub trailers over grass in the potomac river. ive never tried it on smallmouth. i swim it over the grass and let it drop into holes/pockets. not really a with a steady retrieve.more like long slow hops. i think of it as a bulkier grub presentation or a spinnerbait sans spinner. i rig it tail down along the seam...

that being said, i tie on a spinnerbait alot more often than a swim jig.

[SuskyDude]

My prefernces in line are alot like yours. I use 10 lb. mono for cranks, topwater, spinners, etc. I use 6 lb copolymer for jigs and plastics (p-line cxx, which is more like 8 lb in most nylon monos). I agree his choice of line seems a little heavy, but everyone has their prefrences.

Some thoughts on the rest:

I think anything on a jighead is a jig. So as far as I'm concerned, a grub on a jig is a jig, and probably the best for swim jigging. So in essence I think when you're "fishing a grub" you are "swimming a jig."

Swimming jigs is something I really started to play around with last spring, and something I plan to do more of this spring. I was dragging my usual jig of choice one morning, a tube, and wasn't getting great results. A misfired cast had me quickly retrieving my tube to try again, when a smallie instantly hooked up. No big deal, I thought. I've had this happen before, and I too used to think it was more of a fluke than a pattern. But when I tried it again, just for craps and giggles, and hit another fish, and another, and another, I said.....hmmmmm...

Then the crankbait bite took off a few days later, and I put down the jig. I will be experimenting with it agian though, not just with the tube, but with grubs and hair jigs as well. Obviuosly swimming a grub catches smallies (though its a technique I don't use much), but I think swimming other types of jigs might be a viable technique as well. I think the power in swimm jigging may be that it's a mid-water coulmn, moving bait presentation with a different "look." Something subtle, not as in your face as a crank or jerbait.I hope to find out in a few months.

[J Francho]

Scott has several other articles out there, detailing using a plain old grub (specifically on an Outkast Money Jig), so I think he's making a bigger point about profile.  I'm not entirely convinced that his process in determining what bait to use went from a Senko to swim jig with a grub.  

Personally, the progression seems backwards to me.  I'd have started with something like a spinnerbait or jerk bait, downsizing to a grub, finally fishing a Senko or drop shot plastic.  If I found they were taking a simple grub, it isn't very likely that I'd mess with bait profile, though that's probably what separates me from the pros.  

The day two part of the story is very interesting, as it sounds to me that he was merely finesse jigging with a jig labeled as a "swim jig," while using a grub trailer.  He said the fish were "holding tight to cover" which I assume meant weeds.  I'm not surprised a small, pointy head jig worked here, though I wonder if other techniques might have worked as well.  

In his other articles, he has a well documented process for using what baits at what temperatures starting from ice out to spawn, so I'm a little surprised that this anecdote doesn't include similar info.

As for line recommendations, if I'm in the lake proper, I'm with RW with the 6# recommendation.  He did say he was "in the back of a bay" which on the Great Lakes is very similar to many small eutrophic reservoirs and lakes, so heavier line may have been more important.

At any rate, the main gist I got was creativity led success on those two days.    They adjusted and were still able to catch fish.  In that respect, its good info.

[Guest Grandfather]

   I think he's selling those jigs....

[Matt 825]

I agree with RW.  I never go over 10IB line for smallies.  Sounds like grub fishing to me.  

[Crestliner2008]

#8 lb. test is tops for me for any smallie fishing (DD cranks or blades) but 6# test is my staple. As far as swimming the jig goes, I wish he'd have tried just a plain ball head jig with a grub for comparison. When the smallies are on bottom and chasing, you can't beat this jig/grub. Not sure I've ever experienced a situation where smallies ever "needed" bulk to inspire a strike. I rely more on depth and speed control.

[SteveF]

I personally believe that unless you have tried or knew this gentleman's exact situation it is pretty bad to claim that he was trying to sell us something or fishing a jig.

Swim jigs are extremely popular in my area, where we fish very stained to muddy water on the Mississippi River.  We burn swim jigs across the tops of grass beds, along shallow wing dams and even sand bars when the smallie's are chasing shad.  I will typically fish my swim jigs on 10-12 pound line, however he was using Flouro and I would guess that be cause of the sinking properties he increased the line rating to prevent the jig from getting too deep (at least in that particular situation possibly).

Steve

[OkobojiEagle]

I think anything on a jighead is a jig. So as far as I'm concerned, a grub on a jig is a jig, and probably the best for swim jigging. So in essence I think when you're "fishing a grub" you are "swimming a jig."

My thoughts exactly... I don't own a "skirted jig with a plastic hook set inhibitor.

A wise smallie fishing sage writes on another board that smallies are either "looking up or looking down". When "looking up", swimming a grub or tube above them is the answer to bites. When "looking down", dragging or dead sticking your favorite plastic is a better choice of techniques.

It appears to me that the picture accompanying the link to this article on the front page is of this wise sage known on other boards as Mr. Jig.

[Paul Roberts]

I use line appropriate for the hook mostly. The other aspect is speed control. Thicker line will buoy you up a bit, and with the 1/4 to 3/8oz heads he said he was using, he probably needed such line in the shallow water he was talking about -"casting to the shore". Why he had such tackle made me wonder if had his LM tackle with him (?), or maybe the jig he's talking about doesn't come lighter (?). I tend to use a 1/8oz head (on 10#) for the top ~4feet of water a lot. If I'm using 4# I may need to go to a 1/32 -which I pour myself with an adequate hook. Depends on depth and speed I need.

I swim jigs a lot. In fact it's default for me. Fish often take a swum jig really well and it's relatively fast -a good way of covering water. I fish 'slower' only if I need to: on the drop, hop, bottom crawl,... .

A grub body is great for swimming. I use them mostly in the early season (water is clear and cold) and go to a skirted jig later when the bass seem to need a larger profile (and more speed).

I think he mentions that particular jig because he sells them or is sponsored by them. (Nothing wrong with that necessarily, just typical 'sponsored' angler speak nowadays.) But you can swim ANY jig as far as I can tell.

[justfishin]

He was fishing that grub dude. I never use over #8 for smallies. Most of the time it is six unless I am around the rough ledges or trash where I fish then its #8. I only go higher for smallies when its a baitcaster and spinnerbaits. I use #12 then. Any higher in the current and it just bags too much. I have tried those da** swimming jigs for smallies and they never did much for me. Oh, I caught a few but give me a five inche bluegill colored grub any day around here.