Swimming a jig is a technique that not a lot of people use, but is possibly one of the best techniques you can use in situations where you would normally use a crankbait or spinnerbait.

Swimming a jig
By: Nathan Gravert


Everyone knows how versatile a jig is, whether your jigging a deep drop-off, flipping wood, flipping pads, flipping rocks it’s a very versatile bait that is known for producing larger fish in most scenarios. The one technique that I think is very under used and under rated for fishing with a jig, is swimming it.
Swimming the jig is one of those techniques that can pretty much used at any speed, any depth, or in basically any situation you might encounter. One of the most important things when swimming a jig is making sure you choose the right jig. Jigs with a slightly pointed head are the best options, because weeds can’t get wrapped around the head of the bait as easy. A couple of my favorites are the Karu lures poison tail swim jig, Indian creek lure company, and the Brovarney baits swim jig. Brovarney baits is pretty much the originator of the swim jig with the pointed head and really put this bait on the map. (Links to all of these site will be located at the bottom.) Choose colors that match the hatch or colors you would choose with a spinner bait.
When the swim jig really excels is in clear water. Spinnerbaits can often times have far to much flash on bright sunny days in very clear water. With the swim jig, you don’t get the flash, but you still get the profile of the spinnerbait. You can also skip jigs under docks easier and are less vulnerable to getting hung when your fishing them over a weed bed and when you come up to a nice laydown you already have a jig tied on.
Swim jigs can be fished the same places as a crank bait also and you’ll likely catch as many fish. The advantages again here are that a jig has a far better bite-fish in the boat ratio. Any one who fishes crank baits a lot knows that you lose a lot of fish. You also won’t get hung with the weed guard and 5 less hooks.
Heavy pads are another really good option. Put a large profile grub on it and reel it across the surface like a buzbait. Drop it in the holes when you come to one and continue on. I’ve even fished it in places people will only throw a plastic scum frog. The bass will come up and get it or swipe just as it gets to the edge.
Another kind of swim jig is a bladed swim jig. Its often called a chatterbait, but in reality its swim jig with a blade in front. It isn’t as weedless, but yet will produce more fish. The best I have found is the Karu lures Vibrashock. It has tremendous vibration and the blade hit’s the head of the bait with every thump that creates a lot of noise, sort of like a rattle trap, that calls in fish from a long ways away. The ticking noise also helps the fish locate the bait in muddy water and it helps with your hookups because the fish is keying in on the sound not the tail of the bait or back of the bait. Instead the front of the bait. This way you know your getting a good hook-set every time.
When fishing muddy water with a non-bladed swim jig I like to use a large plastic tail that will put out vibration and rattle. In the muddy water you have to have those things to help the fish find the bait. Vibration and sound are key in dirty water. Take these tips to the lake with you next time and your sure to catch some fish.


www.karulures.com

www.brovarneybaits.com

www.indiancreeklureco.com