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Old 11-16-10, 10:36 AM   #1
walkeraviator
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Default Swim Jigs

After reading Keith's post in another thread about Jig, I decided I would ask some questions about swim jigs. When would one choose to throw a swim jig instead of a spinner bait, chatter bait, or swim bait? I had one accidental catch this summer swimming a Jig. I was flipping a dock and after bouncing a few times was reeling in when a Kentucky wacked it. I didnt try to follow that pattern as I have no clue how to use a swim bait effectively. Please enlighten me.
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Old 11-16-10, 05:18 PM   #2
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I like to use a swim jig when the water is clear or stained and it is calm. Sometimes a spinnerbait on a calm day can be too much for a fish but a swim jig will work perfectly. I don't limit swim jigs to calm days and clear water. There are times where I will throw one when it is windy or if the water is muddy. When the water is muddy, just make sure you are using black/blue with a trailer that has tons of action. I also use rattles in muddy water too.
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Old 11-16-10, 07:10 PM   #3
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All of the baits are good baits to throw over grass beds. The chatterbait will give you a more erratic action as it dances over the grass. Spinnerbaits will give you more vibration if you select a large Colorado blade or two. Swim bait is similar to the spinnerbait and chatterbait in that it gives a horizontal presentation. For the most part they are all presented horizontally but you can stop them and let them flutter.

The swim jig gives a more subtle swimming presentation, horizontal, but can be stopped, dropped, and then worked in pockets in the grass. More of a vertical presentation. When I want to make this presentation then I'd use the jig.
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Old 11-16-10, 11:55 PM   #4
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They work good on cloudy days. Throw them shallow, right up to shore when the bass are chasing minnows and bluegill. Trim the skirt to the back of the hook. Use either a grub or a Denny Brauer type chunk. Don't be afraid to swim them through the weeds. They work good in the pads too.
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Old 11-17-10, 12:29 PM   #5
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I'm not sure when the best time to try a swim jig would be. I know that Tony was using a swim jig to catch several nice bass yesterday. The sky was clear, the wind was light from the N NW. The water was 52 degrees. We fished 2 lakes, one was clear the other was murky. The swim jig caught bass at both lakes. Several other moving baits didn't catch bass. We also caught a few on very slow finnese baits. The swim jig that he was using is one that I will be getting soon. The head design is like a bullet with stabilizers. It has less rubber strands than a normal flipping jig, but it comes pre rigged with a thick bodied plastic grub that has a short twist tail. The action in the water reminded me of spinning prop at the rear of the bait. It looked more inticing than a standard curly tail grub that I was using. It seemed to have most of it's action right behind the hook. Here is a link to the bait he was using.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...g&merchID=4005
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Old 11-17-10, 07:21 PM   #6
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I use a swimbait basically the same way I would use a spinnerbait. When the fish seem to prefer a horizontal presentation, and the wind is light, clear skies, water is clear, I will throw a swimbait instead of a spinnerbait. The main reason is that it is a little more subtle presentation, I think you can have too much going on with spinnerbaits at times. The other is that every lake I fish on you can watch fisherman after fisherman throw a spinnerbait, the swimbait offers just a little different look, maybe one they have not seen before. One thing I forgot to mention to Kevin, was that I remove the pre-rigged grub that comes on the all terain jig and replace it with a 5 inch Kalins grub. Kalins grubs come in some great colors and the action is second to none in my opinion. Throw a swim jig, give it a fair chance and you will be rewarded.
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Old 11-17-10, 08:23 PM   #7
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Now I need some swim jigs and some kalins grubs. The monkey will be pleased.
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Old 11-17-10, 08:49 PM   #8
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Well, the good news is neither are very expensive, and the grubs can obviously be used in a number of ways. The bad news is this gives the (dare I even speak his name) Bait Monkey a perfect chance to ambush you.

Good Luck
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Old 11-18-10, 12:46 AM   #9
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The best thing I have ever read about swimming a jig is here: http://www.brovarneybaits.com/Swim%20Jig%20Basics.htm
They also make some really great looking jigs. I've never tried theirs since I make them (and sell them). I really haven't used this tactic very often but last weekend I tried it and it was the only thing that worked for me. I had a couple bumps on a Manns Baby 1- but they wouldn't eat it so I tried the swim jig working it in pretty much the same fashion as that crank. The Kalin's 5" grub seems to be a great trailer but I have also been trying Paca Chunks and Zoom Ultra-Vibe trailers. The Pacas really move a lot of water.
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Old 11-18-10, 12:56 PM   #10
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I've been trying some lighter ones this year with some very good success. They seem to come over the cover real good, plus I'm only fishing shallow water. The weight isn't really a concern. I've also started using a double wire guard instead of the traditional fiber guard. The wire makes them run true and has very good deflection off rock, docks wood and pads. I like the curly tail grubs as trailers, like other have said. either single or double tail. With the single tail, the bait will sink a little faster. The double tail adds bulk and slows it down a little. Here's a pic of one my swim jigs with the wire guard.

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Old 11-18-10, 06:32 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bender View Post
The best thing I have ever read about swimming a jig is here: http://www.brovarneybaits.com/Swim%20Jig%20Basics.htm
They also make some really great looking jigs. I've never tried theirs since I make them (and sell them). I really haven't used this tactic very often but last weekend I tried it and it was the only thing that worked for me. I had a couple bumps on a Manns Baby 1- but they wouldn't eat it so I tried the swim jig working it in pretty much the same fashion as that crank. The Kalin's 5" grub seems to be a great trailer but I have also been trying Paca Chunks and Zoom Ultra-Vibe trailers. The Pacas really move a lot of water.
Bender, can you post a link or picture of your swimjigs. I would be interested in seeing what you have.
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Old 11-20-10, 10:19 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavery5 View Post
Bender, can you post a link or picture of your swimjigs. I would be interested in seeing what you have.
Here is a baby bass one: http://zoom.it/XRCm
(sorry I can't get it to show up here)

The way I have been making them is with Living Rubber and Flashabou. I've made some with normal silicone too for special orders. It's a little hard to see in that photo but there is a screw lock on the hook to keep your trailer from falling off when it comes through the heavy stuff and when burning it. They do take a long time to make for me.

Edit: Here's a photo of the screw lock:

Last edited by Bender; 11-20-10 at 01:15 PM.
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Old 12-04-10, 07:07 PM   #13
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Caught my first bass on a swim jig today. It came on one of these in bluegill color. I used a 5" Kalin's grub as a trailer.

I definitely see myself fishing this technique more, it was a lot of fun. Thanks for the recommendations guys!
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Old 12-04-10, 07:26 PM   #14
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Congrats, I like the Strike King swimbaits, the skirts are nice and the bait keeper on them is cool also. What did you think about the Kalin's grub?
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Old 12-04-10, 08:56 PM   #15
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The grubs worked great. They had a really good action and I thought they gave the jig a very fish like profile. Rigging the grubs on straight was critical to keep the jig from rolling over.

I tried the Strike King jig and a Booyah swim jig with the spade head. I liked them both for different reasons. I will have to try a few more brands and log a few more hours. I don't fish spinnerbaits that often so I could definitely see swim jigs filling a void in my arsenal.
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Old 12-04-10, 11:20 PM   #16
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Yes, it is important to get them rigged straight, I also have found that I have better luck with them if I rig them with the tail down.
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Old 12-04-10, 11:26 PM   #17
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I noticed that too, the tail definitely had more action rigged down than up.
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Old 12-10-10, 10:23 AM   #18
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Ive caught alot of big bass as well a some fine muskies. a matter of fact my biggest muskie is a swim jig fish. I like to use swimbaits as trailers like big hammers and hollow bellies. bluegill colors are just deadly during the spawn.
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Old 12-10-10, 11:59 AM   #19
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I also like using swimbaits as trailers....Adds a good amount of weight when you want to remain contact with the bottom...Even with a 1/4oz head for a slower rate of fall gives it a nice vertical drop with a slow kicker action.
Heres a few jigs Ive been making lately...Ive been really liking these heads from Barlows..I think its a 5 ought hook on the 3/8 oz head..straighter shank,with a barbed bait keeper.
I also like modifying the skirts with the tips I got from a viddy on Tacticalbassin.com

http://tacticalbassin.com/modify-swim-jig/


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Old 12-10-10, 05:11 PM   #20
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Looking good Walker. What swimbaits are those?

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Old 12-10-10, 05:32 PM   #21
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Thanks Anthony...I really enjoy putting em together and they're probably my new favorite bait.
The top and bottom are just the Zoom swimming flukes...The middle one is a 5'' Big bite paddle tail swim minnow..Also my favorite as far as color options...Got a 4 pack at Academy for 99 cents on sale...The site says 8.99...But Ive never seen em more than a few bucks at Academy.
http://www.bigbitebaits.com/swimminmain.htm
What I really wanna find is a flat tail swimbait (or vortex tail,I think their called)...for the cold season....Looking for a slow natural ''side to side'' action to slow roll on the bottom....Like the tails you see on the Huddleston baits....But I havent seen anyone offer that as a ''simple'' plastic swimbait
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