Swim Jig Fishing 101

I remember the day when there wasn't a bait called a Swim Jig.  Not that bass weren't being caught by swimming a standard jig, but most of the time it was by accident.  It was by accident because we weren't really fishing the jig at the time of the strike, we were just quickly retrieving it to make the next cast.  I'm sure you have all caught a bass here and there when you really didn't think you should catch one for one reason or another.  Like when your crank bait got tangled in the line and was just helicoptering back to the boat and a big bass comes up and engulfs it.  Well to tell the truth that is exactly how the Swim Jig was born.   Most of us older fishermen started to see a pattern form when we were getting strike after strike while quickly retrieving our jigs back to make another cast.  In fact, some of us started fishing that pattern when it was working.  As with all new techniques this one has been refined over the years to where it is today.  Many jig companies now have their own swim jig lines that are designed to swim through cover better than those standard jigs we used years ago.

One thing that I've found out over the years a Swim Jig is one of the most versatile baits you can have in your tackle box.  They can be fished in so many different ways using so many different trailers and color combination.  In fact they can be affect at all times of the year and at many different depths and on many different types of structure.  If there was only one bait I could carry fishing then I would have to carry Swim Jigs.  Now for them to be most effective you have to match the hatch.  This means to match your swim jig color and trailer type to what the bass are feeding on in the area you are fishing.   If they are feeding on Shad then you would want to use a swim jig and trailer combo that resembled a shad in size and color.  Same goes if they are feeding on bream or other baitfish, match the color and size.  Now when the bass are eating bait fish I really want my swim jig to have some well defined eyes as I think that is key a lot of time in drawing strikes.  I will also trim my skirts to match what the bass are feeding on.  Cutting the skirt shorter will make it flare more when it is stopped or paused and I've found that when they are feeding on bream this is very effective.  I would have to write a novel to tell you all the different ways I've setup Swim Jigs to catch bass.  So for this article I'll say use your imagination and think about what the different types of bait fish look like when they are in the water swimming or better yet, when they are running away from a bass. This should get you started down the path of coming up with your own setups, which can be fun in itself.

Now what technique is best when retrieving your swim jig?  The answer depends on the bass that day and the type of structure you are fishing.  I've seen days fishing grass where you couldn't retrieve it fast enough to kept the bass from hammering your bait.  Then there have been times where a more slow steady retrieve gets the job done.  So basically you will have to keep working your jig with different types of retrieves until you find what the bass want.  Now don't be fooled when you catch your first bass though.  What I mean by this is one bass doesn't always set the pattern.  Sure when you catch that first one you want to continue to use that retrieve, but if a second bass doesn't hit soon then you will want to tweak the retrieve some.  Make small changes until you are getting strike after strike.  Now I don't mean you will get a hit on every cast, but you will know when you get the right retrieve locked in.  Also remember that the bass may change during the course of the day or from one type of structure to another so you will have to tweak your retrieve from time to time and on some days hour to hour.

Now one of the question I always get is which Swim Jig is the best.  Like I said there are a lot of swim jigs on the market and most all of them will catch bass on any given day.  However for me the best Swim Jig ever made is the Rayburn Swim Jig from Santone Lures.  It is my personal choice and the choice of a lot of tournament fishermen.  What makes the Rayburn Swim Jig so much better is it's head design, plus the hooks that Santone Lures use are far better than a lot of the other jigs manufactures.  Hey a picture is worth a thousand words so here are a few that point out the major aspects that make the Rayburn Swim Jig stand out in my book.

As you can see from these pictures the Rayburn Swim Jig has everything I look for in a really good swim jig.  On top of that the head design even gives the bait a wobble or swimming action that triggers bass to strike like no other swim jig I've ever used.

So remember to fish a good swim jig but also the most important element is to "Match the Hatch".  Make sure you jig resembles the bait fish the bass are eating.   Play with your retrieve until you find one that triggers strikes and then you will be catching bass like the Pros!!!  Also check out Swim Jig Fishing-201 Part-1 Laydown Timber and Part-2 Lily Pads and Water Hyacinth for even more information.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!

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