Swimming jigs

[turn_in_poachers]

I work with a gentleman who fishes a lot of tournaments around here. I asked him how he did this past weekend and he said he just slaughtered them. One cast after another. Asked him what he was using. He said he was throwing jigs, and swimming them back. Ive seen this method on Bass Center and stuff, but Im curious.... Under what conditons would you swim jigs? What color jig/trailer to use? Weight?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I love swimmin a jig.. color is up to you.. I like White or pumpkin...and you usually use a grub with a twister tail on it for a trialer... then its just a matter of casting and reeling it back in.. and sometimes pumping the rod... I will throw a swim jig anywhere I would throw a spinnerbait and anywhere I wouldn't.

[Griggs]

Do you use your regular old jigs or are you buying the new "swim jigs" that are made for it. And what weights do you use?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I just sue a regular jig, lighter weights work best.. 1/4 oz is what I use most...

[turn_in_poachers]

I gotta give that a try. Got a couple of white jigs that I havent even used yet. I figure, you can cast it out and swim it, and kill the retrieve, fish the normal way you would fish a jig, and swim it again? I gotta experiement with this.

[Bill L]

Hey guys. I am a Central Illinois guy that comes to Winona every summer for a week. This year will be my fourth year. Last year I got hooked up with one of the other dads at hockey camp, and he turned me on to the swimming jig. We had a blast, even though the river was high and fast for that time of year. I had not been doing well on the patterns I developed in '04. He put me on fish right away. He gave me a specific swimming jig to use. I have since bought several more to use on this year's trip. I will be there July 22-29. BTW, I have a thread in the S-E section looking for fisherman friendly hotels in the Winona area if anyone has any information. Thanks and good luck. Bill

[bronzeback01]

I throw a lot of swim jigs. They can really be used anywhere, but over shallow vegitation is where they really shine.

Yes, twister tails is the best trailer for swimming a jig. 5" grubs are the prefered length and seem to give the best action. Zoom, Black magic, and B-fishin are my personal favorites. Color is totally up to the individual. However, white, white/chartruse, and black/blue are the perenial favorites.

I wouldn't recomend just any jig though. You will want to use a jig with the eye in line with the hook, 30 degree angle is the best, in my opinion. A regular jig will work, but it will not slide through weeds and cover nearly as well.

I would recomend a 1/4 oz jig for most applications, but a 3/8 oz works well for deeper water or any time you want to use a faster retrieve.

[jdoyle5599]

If you haven't tried the chatterbait jigs, you should give them a try. They are just an adaptation when swimming a jig seems to be the pattern the fish are looking for... But hold on to your rod because the will absolutely spank that chatterbait when they are in that mood. I use them quite a bit at night when they just don't seem to want to chase a spiinerbait but are looking for something a little faster than a bottom hopping bait.

[turn_in_poachers]

I have a couple of the Chatterbaits. Havent caught anything on them yet. I did have a big smallie check it out all the way to shore. I dont really throw them that much though. We'll see.

[Wallydog]

Here one I took last saturday on Owyhee Res. in eastern Oregon on a Booyah swimmin jig tipped withaa Kalin 3 1/2" grub. They seem to be fairly effective swimming just out of sight. They also fish well thru junk/weeds which are fairly hard to come by on out western waters. Hope this one and a few friends are there Saturday for our tournament.

WD