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Old 06-07-11, 09:57 PM   #1
Tavery5
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Default Swim Jigs

Swim Jigs have quickly become one of my go to baits, I have used them to basically replace spinner baits because of their more suttle presentation. I would love to have a great conversation around this bait, and see pictures and hear what each of you are using for swim jigs and trailers. I would also love to hear what you think makes for a great swim jig. I would love to hear about where and when you use them and what types of presentation you use. Tell me about your line, rod, reel choice. Let's see if we can put enough info on swim jigs in this thread to be the definitive guide to everything swim jig related.
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Old 06-07-11, 10:05 PM   #2
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I don't use them a whole lot. Spinnerbaits aren't one of my confidence baits, so swimjigs really haven't been either.

I've got a few Booyah swim jig heads. This one has a Poor Boy's Silly Rabbit swimbait as a trailer (awful swimbait, good swim jig trailer), and a skirt I made to match the swimbait.



I'm interested to hear everyone's ideas on the swim jig too as I'd like to get a little better at it.

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Old 06-07-11, 10:42 PM   #3
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I just started using swim jigs last fall and so far I've some prety fair with them. The spinnerbait is my go to lure, so this presentation was an easy transition for me. I work it primarily in areas of shallow water with grass and lilly pads. Around brush I prefer a standard jig. I basically cast out beyond my target and work it near the surface with a steady jerky retrieve. I use a Garcia Revo on a 7"0" MH/F Cabelas XML rod. If the cover is especially heavy I'll use my froggin rod with braided line.
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Old 06-08-11, 01:55 AM   #4
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I have only really gotten into them this year.

The jigs that I use are dirty swim jigs. I went with the brand because they were on clearance.
I toss them on a 7'3" heavy carrot stick, 15 lbs fluoro spooled on an older curado.

As far as where. I have had the best success when tossing them into the hydrilla or working the edges of it. I have also been making long casts past ambush spots and giving a steady reel.

I use two different trailers on these.
The first is a basstrix spintrix trailers. I like this trailer when the I am trying to work deeper in the weed. I purposely rig it with the tail up. The reasoning behind this is that I feel that I get more action out of the trailer this way on something heavy like a jig. I think that the jighead is pushing the water out of the way when I had the the paddle down.
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The second trailer that I use is a ribbit frog with the head cut off. I use this when I am fishing the open water next to the weedline. I want a little more vibration that will bring the fish out of the safety of the shadows.

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Old 06-08-11, 09:51 AM   #5
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I don't use them too often, but I know a lot of guys like a thin line like Firewire so that it can cut through weeds/grass. Also for trailers try a Paca Craw. I have also used a cut off Swim Senko rigged with the tail up, same as I use on a chatterbait.

And here is an article that has a lot of info on them: http://brovarneybaits.com/Swim%20Jig%20Basics.htm
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Old 06-08-11, 04:41 PM   #6
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I accidently caught a fish last year while reeling in my jig to pitch at a dock. So this year, I have bought a couple of teh Strike King swim jigs and some Kalins 5" grubs to use as trailers. I will let you know how it works out.
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Old 06-08-11, 08:02 PM   #7
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I want to talk about what I think makes a good swimjig. There are many, many on the market, but only a few I have all the properties that I like in a swimjig. I guess I will just do a front to back list of what I look for when I buy swimjigs. First for me the line tie should be in the nose fo the jig and should be level, I don't like jig heads like the snootie, where the head and line tie are pointed slight upward I want the head and line tie to be very level, the head itself is important to me, I prefer a pointed heat as I think they tend to come through the weeds better, I like a jig with realistic eyes, although painted is fine, I also prefer the jig have a very thin weed guard, I believe that if the weedguard is too thick I can not get the desired action I want from the bait. The hook should be a heavy nickle type hook, like on most good jigs, I do not care for thin wire hooks on my swimjigs. I also look for jigs that have some type of a bait keeper, either wire or a head design that allows for the trailer to be secured to the bait. Last but not least is the skirt, I lke for my jigs to have a thin skirt or a skirt that I can trim down to my liking. These traits are in my opinion what makes a good swimjig. Here are a couple photos of a few of the swimjigs that I like to use, not all of them have all of the qualities that I look for in a swimjig now, but it took me a while to figure out exactly what I wanted.


Top Right is a Bass Assault swimjig, probably closest to haveing everything I like in a swimjig. Top Left is a Gander Mountain swimjig, not great but will get the job done. Bottom left is an outcast swimjig, very nice jigs in my opinion. Bottom Right is a Strike King swimjig, not too fond of the skirts on these.


A few more, the two in the middle are what I consider very nice jigs. I have probably caught more fish on the one at the bottom, than all the others combined.

As you can see my trailer of preference in a single tailed grub, always rigged tail down, I prefer the 5" Kalin's grub, I like their action.
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Old 06-08-11, 10:35 PM   #8
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Tony most of the things you look for,I do as well...With the exception I prefer a heavy weed guard because I fish swim jigs throw some heavy cover at times.
I look for the arkie style head with a straight shank hook,bait keeper ,etc.I havent tried a true pointed head yet,but they definitely look like they cut through great!
I use alot of the Johnson reptile jigs,but I try and make my own from parts at Barlow's.
I like changing up the trailers alot..But I really prefer swimbait and boot tail trailers.
I use 15b invisx line on a 7'mh/fst rod.For the retrieve I do a pause every 5-7 revolutions,lift and fall the rod tip....Let it sit.repeat.
Heres a few I keep rigged in the box
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Old 06-08-11, 10:54 PM   #9
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I like the idea of the attached blade, I also have heard that the Lake Fork Shad makes for an excellent trailer, what are your thoughts on this bait.
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Old 06-08-11, 10:58 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cassidyta View Post
I have only really gotten into them this year.

The jigs that I use are dirty swim jigs. I went with the brand because they were on clearance.
I toss them on a 7'3" heavy carrot stick, 15 lbs fluoro spooled on an older curado.

As far as where. I have had the best success when tossing them into the hydrilla or working the edges of it. I have also been making long casts past ambush spots and giving a steady reel.

I use two different trailers on these.
The first is a basstrix spintrix trailers. I like this trailer when the I am trying to work deeper in the weed. I purposely rig it with the tail up. The reasoning behind this is that I feel that I get more action out of the trailer this way on something heavy like a jig. I think that the jighead is pushing the water out of the way when I had the the paddle down.


The second trailer that I use is a ribbit frog with the head cut off. I use this when I am fishing the open water next to the weedline. I want a little more vibration that will bring the fish out of the safety of the shadows.
I bet that frog body can raise hell, I have been wanting to try some of the basstrix baits, guess I am going to have to order a pack or two.
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Old 06-08-11, 11:56 PM   #11
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Good thread guys! What time of year do you guys consider prime for swim jigs? Never been very fond of swim jigs myself, I hope this thread helps.
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Old 06-09-11, 12:10 AM   #12
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I've been fishing swim jigs quite a bit over the last year. It has been a very productive bait for me. I primarily fish 1/4oz baits in shad and bluegill patterns. If I'm fishing deep with more bottom contact or if I'm fishing heavy cover, I will go with a 3/8oz jig.

Tavery pretty well summed up the things I look for in a swim jig. I like a pointy head jig with the line tie at the nose of the bait. I also look for a thin skirt that has a bit of flash, thin weed guard, bait keeper and a good, straight shank hook.

I do feel like a thin skirt is very important. I think the transparent nature of a thin skirt really helps it look like a bait fish. They flair out really well and "flow" more naturally. They also make for a harder to define silhouette.

My retrieve varies depending on where and how fast I'm fishing. I usually fish in relation to the bottom. I will cast it and let it go to the bottom, then swim it back with occasional bottom contact. Other times I fish it like I would a spinnerbait, higher in the water column and with a straighter, steady retrieve.

I primarily use 5" Kalin's grubs as trailers. I feel like they help the jig look like a bait fish. The thin grub tails are semi-transparent, short and constantly in motion. The thin skirt and active tail really brake up the silhouette of the jig. I do also use paddle tails some, I think the Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper is my favorite so far. I also bought some Optimum Double Diamond Swimmers that seem promising but I really haven't fished them much. I usually cut an inch or so off the tip of most paddle tails, I try to keep the bait fairly compact. I also use Roboworm Zipper Grubs sometimes, mostly when I'm fishing heavy cover or going to be fishing with a lot of bottom contact. I'm really not a big fan of craw baits because I'm not trying to imitate a craw, I'm sure that they would catch fish though. The trailer possibilities are endless.

My favorite swim jigs are made by Brovarney Baits (same company in the link Bender posted earlier). Their baits are hand tied and hand painted, they have all the attributes I look for in a swim jig. I have also had good luck with Strike King's swim jigs but I don't really see myself buying them anymore, I like the Brovarney's better.

I primarily use a 7' MHF rod with 12lb CX but will sometimes use my regular jig rod with braid.
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Old 06-09-11, 08:24 AM   #13
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I appreciate the thread. I have been reluctant on swim jigs. I have a few of them, but I have never put one in the water. Keep the post coming. While I have a headache from a more technical thread HAHAHAHAHAHA, I am all ears on this one. What kind of rod or reel I am looking for? MH-F? Slow or fast reel?
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Old 06-09-11, 09:20 AM   #14
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Lots of technical stuff in the thread about which jigs and what rod and line, but what about when to throw them? I havent used em much, but I have kind of viewed them as a "finesse" approach to the spinner bait. If the water is Gin clear, or after a front has moved through, or whenever they seem to have lockjaw I think is the time to throw these swim jigs in lieu of a spinner. Is thet the general consensus?
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Old 06-09-11, 10:04 AM   #15
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I like to throw simjigs in and around weeds when the water is calm. I like throw swimjigs on a 7'Mh Fast action rod with 30 or 70lb braid depending on how thick the cover is. I like a 7.1:1 gear ratio.
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Old 06-09-11, 10:25 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavery5 View Post
I like the idea of the attached blade, I also have heard that the Lake Fork Shad makes for an excellent trailer, what are your thoughts on this bait.
The LFT shad is definitely becoming a must have for me..I hate the package they come in,and I think they're a little pricey,but they produce really well!
During the pre-spawn,and spawn,I used just the shad with a Owner flashy swimmer hook (That hook is crap btw...Blade breaks off very easily) ...But it got nailed more than anything else.
I more recently made a batch of chatterbaits...Went to my local pond to test them...Originally I had a cane thumper trailer and fished around a pier..Hung up and broke it off...Tied on one with a LFT shad trailer,and picked up 5 keeper fish in about 1.5 hours.
Im not sure what the difference is in the LFT shad and other segmented swimbaits,but the LFT seems to top them in bites.

I havent fished too much with the willow blade swimjig..I need to trim the skirt down a bit,but it does look pretty good on the retrieve.No fish on it yet,though.

Where I fish a swimjig is anywhere a jig or spinnerbait willl fish...Grasslines,lillypad edges for sure...But I also love crawling over cover and deflecting off stumps,rocks,etc....Very versatile bait imo.
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Old 06-09-11, 12:21 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tavery5 View Post
I bet that frog body can raise hell, I have been wanting to try some of the basstrix baits, guess I am going to have to order a pack or two.
The frog body will kick a lot of water, but there are times when this can be a distraction and I prefer to go with a more subtle trailer.
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Old 06-09-11, 12:40 PM   #18
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Sounds interesting guys. Do yall feel it's more important to match the hatch with a swimjig? Or is something more out of the ordinary like a chartreuse better, or a flashy white (like the top left one it Joe's pic), in a lake who's primary forage is bream? And would you consider this bait a cold front bait as well?

I was looking around on tackle warehouse and saw the northstar swim jigs. They look very, very nice for the money. Wire hand tied skirts, good hooks, nice colors, long customizable skirt. Seems like the real deal, anyone use these ones?
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Old 06-09-11, 03:04 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassboss View Post
Sounds interesting guys. Do yall feel it's more important to match the hatch with a swimjig? Or is something more out of the ordinary like a chartreuse better, or a flashy white (like the top left one it Joe's pic), in a lake who's primary forage is bream? And would you consider this bait a cold front bait as well?

I was looking around on tackle warehouse and saw the northstar swim jigs. They look very, very nice for the money. Wire hand tied skirts, good hooks, nice colors, long customizable skirt. Seems like the real deal, anyone use these ones?
I would probably go with something like the jig on the far right of that pic, if bream were on the menu. I don't know if it's a cold front bait but I can say that swim jigs are good cold water baits. I know Walker and I both did really well with them early in the year while the water was still cold.

I've never used Northstar jigs but they look pretty good.
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Old 06-09-11, 05:26 PM   #20
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In a lot of the places I fish probably 6 out of 10 guys are throwing spinnerbaits. I made the change to swimbaits and immediately noticed I was catching more fish. I attribute it to the more suttle presentation, the action of the skirt and trailer combination, and maybe it is just different enough to be interesting to them. Swimjigs have basically become my goto bait in the spring, I throw them in every type of of situation you might imagine, you can slow crawl them, you can burn them, they are very versitile and usually produce fish. My thinking on them is anytime I think about a spinnerbait, I also feel very comfortable throwing a swimjig. I usually throw them on a 7ft MH F rod with 12lb copoly line.
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Old 06-09-11, 05:29 PM   #21
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Sounds like I need to throw more swimjigs...but I have all these beautiful spinnerbaits arranged in their own little box...it'd be a shame not to use them.
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Old 06-09-11, 07:51 PM   #22
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Sounds good. I didn't get anything on the swimjig, or anything else for that matter, lol! Fish just weren't bitting good is all. The bream weren't even bitting to good for my brother.
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Old 06-09-11, 08:41 PM   #23
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Quote:
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Sounds like I need to throw more swimjigs...but I have all these beautiful spinnerbaits arranged in their own little box...it'd be a shame not to use them.
Given a choice Daniel, I'd sling a spinnerbait any day!
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Old 06-10-11, 08:31 AM   #24
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In one of my previous threads, I explained using a jig actionator. I've recently added an actionator to a sickle hook 1/16 ounce ball head jig and then put on a Vicious brand shad in pearl white. Being thin, they are very supple and show the writhing and twisting action provided by the actionator very, very well. Just adding this bit to the thread if anyone would like to try. Good Fishing, Mac
p.s. The sickle hook is a 3/0.
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Old 06-10-11, 03:40 PM   #25
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Quote:
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Given a choice Daniel, I'd sling a spinnerbait any day!
+1 I've caught fish on swim jigs plenty of times, but I have a lot more confidence in a spinnerbait.
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