In-Fisherman tackles Swimming jigs for bass

[RandyFish]

Hi Guys,

We had discussion about the use of swimming jigs when I asked about search baits a while back.

The most recent edition of In-Fisherman has an article about swimming jigs.

One interesting facet: The sources in the article almost all use a very fast retrive and kept the jigs just under the surface...almost like one would work a jerk bait or "bubble" a spinner bait.

I thought I would repay some kindness and let the interested parties know about the article.

If nothing else, it igves me a reason to keep one rod rigged with a jig, so I learn how to use them.

[beeflover]

If your deadsticking or draggin a jig you are imitating a crayfish. If you are swimming the jig then you are imitating a baitfish or in weeds/pads maybe a frog. Since a jig or a spinner bait doesn't look much like a baitfish you won't want the fish to get a good look at them. you want to pull them fast near the surface. All the fish sees then is a profile like a baitfish against the light background of the water surface.

It sounds like the guys swimming the jig are saying they are fishing them like spinner baits which basically you want to slow roll off the bottom or pull fast up high against the background of sun and waves. If you've got 1-2 ft waves you want the spinnerbait right up in the waves.

Works for me. sometimes

[andy j]

I have never really experemented with swimming a bass jig but I do know that some Northern Bass Pro's use this tiqnique. Like posted before, fish it like you would a spinnerbait. I can't see the hookup rate being great unless the weed guard was trimmed or removed.

[delmuts]

andy. i haven't had much trouble with hook ups fishing this style. ( i got started with it accidentally as i was reeling in my jig) so far my exsperience has been when they hit , they just hammer it.

[Daze Off]

I tried the technique for the first time in the BASS State Tournament last year with no success (probably not a great time to try a new technique but nothing else was working). Heard a few guys caught fish that way though. As I understand it, it is primarily a fall technique and most often done with white jig/trailers as it is closest to baitfish as everyone has said.

I WILL be trying it again as we move into late summer/fall at least.

Daze Off

[grab the net]

I fish a jig quite often and have experimented with this technique and never been very sucessful with bass. Plenty of pike though. I think the article stated towards the end that it was not a real popular technique up here. If I want to fish horizontal, I fish a spinnerbait. Any sucess I have had has been with a white jig and white trailer in fall.