In this bass fishing video, FLW bass fishing pro John Cox is sharing some secrets for success when fishing a swim jig. I also lost a lot more.The History of Swim Jigs For Bass Fast forward 25 years, and swimming a jig is a prominent pattern in fishing from coast to coast, from Wisconsin to Louisiana. Fishing a jig for Bass is one of the most common and versatile ways to catch fish. Jigs can be used year round. When a bass jig falls in a completely vertical manner, the most natural action is allowed to happen. The motion of the jig during its fall can additionally aid in triggering the fish’s reaction. Seams and eddies in the river are typical strike zones. These can come in all shapes and sizes, plus all kinds of colors too. A lot of people including myself use a trailer on the back of the jig for more action in the water. Simply pop the shrimp’s head off and insert the jig to replace its head. You can fish a rig anyway you want there are many ways and techniques to do so. Several folks have laid claim to creating the swim jig or the swim jig technique. Remember that the lighter the jig is, the slower it will sink to the bottom, using a lighter jig early in the year is a better choice because it matches the mood of the fish. Lucky Tackle Box Media, the best tips in fishing. A jig has a much softer presentation, and it doesn't spook the fish as much." If you don’t get bit after five minutes, try another jig. Whatever jig you choose, though, make sure it has a good fiber weed guard and a head shape that allows it to come through branches without getting hung up too much. You can fish with this method both from shore, boat and ice. They are usually made of plastic or rubber, some of which are designed to sink, and some of which have neutral buoyancy. Unlike heavy blackfish rig fishing (typically use 6+ ounce sinkers) the tog can pick up the jigs and swim away without feeling the tug of the line and weight as they crunch and munch the bait. Also the jig’s stealth approach gives the fish a sense of security so they take the bait. How I hook that shrimp depends on how I plan to fish it. I like to fish bucktails in current, the … Anglers can switch from a grub body that imitates a shrimp to one that mimics a bait fish in just a few seconds. Some of the main ones are Amberjack, Snappers, Bonito … It is ideal for coming through all sorts of thick cover where big bass live. If standing timber is more common where you fish, a swim jig can work there as well. Attain the best results by using a suitably sized and configured jig for your target species. If you must fish in great wind velocity, try heavy jig heads—an ounce or so—and lose the skirt or trailer, whichever you think you can do without. Fish often follow a lure and strike when they think the prey is about to escape, so don’t stop your retrieve too short. A jig is a type of fishing lure, one that is designed to mimic small prey and bait fish. If the fish are just pecking at the bait instead of inhaling it, change the lure color to the opposite color. A second benefit of the Jigging Rap is the rapid depth variability. When ice fishing or using a sinker to still fish, hook the minnow through its back. Yes, I caught a lot of fish swimming a jig. Conversely, on extremely calm days when the water is glassy, you might want to try fishing your vibrating jig with the skirt or trailer removed as well. How to Fish a Swim Jig - Cox In this bass fishing video, FLW bass fishing pro John Cox is sharing some secrets for success when fishing a swim jig. All you need is a handline fishing reel, line, lures and a sinker, which you can often buy as a kit. Repeat this until you get a bite. Yes I caught a lot of fish swimming a jig. It is the simplest but most effective lures to use. It will discuss the best rod, reel and line for fishing swim jigs, as well as the best swim jig fishing trailers like craws and swimbaits. Leadered hook(s), top-rigged – Use this method when rigging up to speed-jig or yo-yo. Where do I begin on how to fish a jig. You can fish a jig with or without a skirt and you can add something enticing to the hook. Using them correctly can result in fish catches like this… As well as countless anglers all over the globe, many fish species also seem to display a keen interest in this type of fishing. Many times, the bigger fish will hit it when it is sitting still. Before we get into those 3 types let’s just cover some of the basics. This can help you locate bass with the jig acting as a searchbait. I also lost a lot more. Cast past your strike zone, and reel back somewhat quickly, at the pace of the current or a notch faster. This small jig was the ideal size and had the motion (with the 3-inch curly tails) to lure the fish into hitting. The blade on the jig gives it a tight vibration unique from spinnerbaits and crankbaits but still with a jig profile. Fast forward 25 years, and swimming a jig is a prominent pattern in fishing from coast to coast, from Wisconsin to Louisiana. Back then I was using a 6 foot rod, 10-pound mono and an Arkie jig. Ben and I began to catch one fish after another, however rarely were two fish in a row the exact same species. 1. Handlining or handline fishing is a great and inexpensive way of fishing. Fishing with jig heads and soft plastics is an extremely effective way to catch big fish consistently. It also works well when fish are cruising big-lake flats and enough wind is blowing to move the boat. It could be an artificial like a swim tail grub, but more often than not it is a live bait, usually a live shrimp. Fish With A Swim Jig The History. Jigging for bass is a technique that requires a skirted jig and a plastic grub or craw imitation trailer worked along the bottom or reeled through the middle of the water column. The lure should mimic a wounded baitfish that is struggling to stay afloat. A jig or metal lure that is too large and simply being used because the anglers tackle is not adequate to cast something lighter and more appropriate will do nothing but frighten most fish away! Dock talk. Those individual fish that are suspended (and likely feeding) can be just as quickly and … Select rubber-skirted jigs in the 1/4 to 1 ounce range to catch largemouth bass, but smallmouth bass often prefer hair-tipped jigs. When I use a jig head, I will have a bait attached to it. There are so many types of Jigs and different techniques. They are a couple clumps of hair from a deer tied with thread to different sizes of jig heads. Retrieve a jig all the way back to your position, and through the surf line if you’re standing on the beach. Ive caught fish in clear water with a black jig and fish in murky water and at night with a green jig so what's that tell us. He shares what he thinks are: the best jig for swimming, the best trailer for swim jigs, the best 3 colors of jigs (and the trailer colors to go with them). One great thing about the jig and grub combo is how quickly and easily baits can be changed. If you are trolling or repeatedly casting, run the hook through the minnows lips so it will appear to swim naturally as it’s pulled through the water. I fish mine on a six-foot casting rod and use 17 to 20-pound line, usually Stren or Trilene tough lines. I have been fishing with jig heads for many years now, and given the vast selection at the tackle shop, it can be a bit daunting knowing what to use.. You can flip jigs, swim jigs, cast jigs etc…. You can also use small movements with your rod to make the jig move up and down in the water as you retrieve the lure. Color is confidence in my book. You fish a jig without a rod by using handlining. For a jig to work its best it must drop on a slack line. You’ll miss 90-percent of the fish that strike as the jig sinks, but you’ll get good, solid jaw-hooks from those that strike as it’s zooming up through the water, which … The jig and grub is a very versatile fishing lure. Being able to rapidly pull (vertically) this lure throughout the water column is one of the biggest reasons it produces fish. Another of my favorite places to fish a jig is around boat docks. Most people tend to go with soft lures, although squid strips and pork rinds are popular too. Finesse is the key to most successful fishing scenarios and believe it or not still applies when fishing with metal. He shares what he thinks are: the best jig for swimming, the best trailer for swim jigs, the best 3 colors of jigs (and the trailer colors to So, we started to fish little, 1/4-ounce flathead jigs under the schools of bait. Jigs are intended to create a jerky, vertical motion, as unlike most spinnerbaits which tend to move through the water horizontally. You have the spawn and you can pretty much catch crappie in 6"-5' deep on just dropping a jig head with a grub with tail and not even have to move it..roster tails work very well during spawn...to go after the bigger crappie I use a jig head and minnow. Alter the presentation to see whether that triggers a strike or spooks the fish, or try a different color of jig. Sometimes lures that carry treble hooks can be problematic in timber. But when the fish got finicky I stopped catching them so easily! If you are targeting small trout or panfish, choose a 1/16 to 1/8 ounce hair-tipped jig. I eventually learned how to throw a jig, and part of that journey was learning to properly rig jigheads in the first place.. Once I mastered that, I began catching more speckled trout and redfish, especially when the bite got tough. You can get them in weights 1/4 to 1 ounce. To fish a swim jig effectively, make sure it is moving as slow as possible without sinking in the water column. To catch fish on jigs, cast upstream, and just past where you think trout are hiding out. This article with tips for how to fish a swim jig for bass will take you through spring, summer, fall and winter bass fishing tips. The worst thing a jig can do is swing back to the angler in a pendulum motion. For wood, my go-to jig is the Brush Jig from Elk River Jigs. Note: This is the same as if you were rigging a Berkley Gulp Shrimp on a jig head. This is how I use a jig head and live shrimp when fishing inshore. Trailers/Chunks These come in many shapes and sizes, Most of them are made to represent the pincher end of the crayfish which are either threaded or simply hooked on to the jig. When you hook a minnow to use for bait fish, where you place the hook depends on how you like to fish. We can break the jigs down to those 3 categories and that will give you a great start. Watch the line for twitches, slight jerks, and abnormal movement of any kind. Fished with split tail, curl tail or flapping trailers, the bladed swim jig catches big bass and lots of bass from shallow water and deep water alike. Feed the hook into the shrimp and pop it back out through its back and the head of the jig head should be in place of where the shrimp’s head used to be. Drifting: Drifting may work best for river settings when fish are hanging along edges of river bars or along the bottom in big holes. The skirt and trailer can act as a kite. The most recent addition to the design is a weed guard, keeping strands of vegetation away from the hook. A fairly stiff rod and heavy line is the norm for jig and pig fishing since you are after big fish and are usually fishing heavy cover. Swim it through the remaining vegetation or along rocky outcroppings. A jig consists of a lead sinker with a hook molded into it and usually covered by a soft body to attract fish. 2. The "Mean Green" Trilene works well around cover. 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