Swimming Jig article

Just picked up the March issue of In-Fisherman and read the article on swimming jigs!! Are very own John Stears and Champman are mentioned and talk about this technique. Nice job John and Champ, it was a good article

I am glad to hear that those guys participate here. I read the article carefully and could envision the niche presentation that this technique fills. I have two questions regarding details in the article.

First is the importance of a “soft” weed gaurd. The article shows 5 brands of swimming jigs. Do all these jigs have soft weed guards? Are any plastic fiber weed gaurds considered “hard” or are hard weed gaurds made of a different material, for example metal?

Second was a point was made that “cloud cover becomes critical” in early summer. Is that saying that this technique works “better” on overcast days? Is that because Bass raise up to attack suspending Bluegills off the weedline in this situation? And that on blue-bird days the Bass hunker down in the cover more and a presentation like a Texas worm/tube would more likely produce?

Anyway it was a informative article. The jig combo that Stears suggested looks wicked-good in the article.

FishingScout,

I make my own jigs so I can’t answer about the other jigs. There are several different grades (stiffness) of weedguards out there. One of the reasons I make my own jigs is so I can use different hooks and weedguards for different applications. A jig that’s good for weeds isn’t necessarily the best jig for heavy wood, etc. You’ll note that beauty isn’t my objective. A swimming jig needs just enough stiffness to keep it from hanging on light cover (lillypads and weeds). If you don’t hang up once-in-a-while your guard is to stiff. If you want to see the perfect jig, go to Jim’s (champman) website and look at his Lethal Weapon II jig.

I haven’t read the article for several weeks so I don’t remember the reference to cloud cover. There are several different viewpoints presented but your interoperation makes sense. What is important on lakes and reservoirs doesn’t always apply on rivers. In general, overcast days are best on any body of water but I don’t consider light levels all that important on the success of the swimming jig.

I hope Champman will jump in with his interpretation.

John

John and Champman!!!

Congrats on the article!!!!

i believe the reference was made to the southern jig swimming portion of the article for cloud cover. And to add what john said, what works on river systems may differ from man made impoundments. As far as the weed guards, i’ve found that anything stiffer than an FG-12 medium weed guard is too stiff. It seems that the “other” tackle manufactures listed in the article just want to jump on the bandwagon for creating a niche’ market, and not truely trying to design a superior jig. The looper jig has a niche for using over emergent weed, but doesn’t go into detail about using around submergent weed. All of the other jigs listed looked to have more than 20 fiber elements in the guard, which in my findings is too much. There was no “real” talk about hook type and design except for the looper jig, in which he incorporates a straight shank hook with the cutting style point. While this hook may be good for penatration on jig fishing on a short line, i feel that this hook tends to cut a large hole increasing the percentage of the fish coming off during the battle.

Congrats guys!!!

Congrats guys! Good read!

I can add I’m using a general-purpose mold so I have to us the YG 30 weed-guard, which is a 1/8” diameter guard. I use the 40 fiber count (the more fibers-the softer the guard). I cut out about 1/3 of the guard, from the back after it’s molded. When you cut the guard, it will crimp the fibers so take them off the back-side so the crimp doesn’t catch any weeds.

Thanks to Riverfan and Champman for their feedback.

I am not sure why the stiffness of the weedgaurd is so critical. Is the stiffness critical on a per application basis, for example weed structure vs wood structure? Or is it critical because the swimming jig is being “burned” back and less resistance to the hook set is simply superior?

Also, on the subject of weedgaurds, has anyone tried running a spinner bait without blades? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate “soft” weedgaurd?

Thanks again.

When will this article hit the news stands? I dont subscribe to the mag

It is on the newstands currently

FishingScout,

The issue with the weed guard on a swimming jig is getting a good hook set. The swimming jig can be a tool to cover lots of water so you may make longer cast than normal. Plus, a fish may push the jig ahead when they hit it and knock slack in the line so the conditions aren’t perfect for a good hookup. As I alluded to earlier, I make my own jigs to get the hooks and guards I want. There are 3 or 4 different size (diameter) and at least 4 different stiffness bristle guards available for molding. When I’m flipping wood I use an extra stiff guard with a 5/0 hook. I seldom hang-up and being that close to the fish you have the power the get good hooks. When fishing weeds I use a medium stiffness and I may downsize to a 4/0 lighter wire hook. For fishing under docks with spinning tackle I go for a light weed guard a 2/0 or 3/0 hook. It’s a mater of balancing the lure to the conditions.

I don’t buy many jigs so I don’t know much about what’s out there but most of what I see are medium stiffness guards. In my opinion, they are to soft to flip with. There appears to be a reasonable assortment of lighter jigs for lighter conditions. My advice is pay more attention to the hood and guard and less attention to who they look!

My only comment about a blade-less spinner would be the cost difference, but it might be worth a try.

John

Jim tell me if you think I’m off base on the following.

The jig must run straight. If it rolls over you spend way to much time picking junk of it and being hung up.

The weed gaurd should be soft. Whether you trim it or use a soft one Isn’t the issue. It should deflect but not prevent hook ups.

The hook should be sharp and not make to big a hole. Needle points are prefered.

Color matters. Either because you are trying to match the hatch or giving them something that they can see and kill because it’s different. Or you just fish a color you love harder.

Trailers matter. Either because they affect the lift on the jig or the action of the jig. There is some balance between the softness of the trailer and the durability that has to be met. You can slow roll a 1/4 down a drop with a 3″ grub that you would not be able to with a 5″ grub. etc. etc. There are other options besides single tails.

There really is not a good hook out there for swim jigs. Most of the better swim jigs either adapt a hook or use some type of adapting devise to allow using a good hook in an application that it really was not designed for.

You hate me because I was born with good looks and you weren’t. (I know this a lie I just wanted to see if you were awake).

Last but not least…..

Now that the swim jig is out in the open the few folks that make swim jigs with the stuff listed above will have trouble keeping up.

(maybe I was kidding about you and the ugly stuff) (Maybe not)

very close on all observations but not all swim jigs are created to a uniform type of cover. i employ a different style head design for fishing drops and the sort, where you would get a more vertical drop presentation from the bait. If you notice, the bullet head has a “glide” to it which is not conducive to fishing drops. Balance is the number one key to a swim jig, and a very close second would be the hook. Now, if a person wanted to buy a 100,000 hooks at a time, well then a hook manufacture will make you what you want! Weedguards, well i want as few of fiber elements as possible to fish the terrain i’m fishing. And last, plastics give you the desired speed of approach and triggering mechanism that the bait needs.

If they only made a jig head that had built in resistance with an ability to run at any speed without rolling and had most of the weight desplaced from the tie you would sure have a good jig… They might look a little different but they would sure fish easy….
Seems I have seen something like this around.
jc

Champman,

Where does color fall into this as far as importance? Correct me if I’m wrong but swimming jigs shine in cleaner water, don’t they? If so, wouldn’t the color scheme be almost as important as balance and the hook? I guess what I’m getting at is would a shad colored jig out perform a bluegill colored jig in June? Or vice versa in fall? I guess I just think color has a big role to play.

Tbass

I was wondering what most people use for line with their swimming jigs? I use mostly a braid around weeds and cover, and Vanish in clear water light cover. I am wondering if others have found mono works best in all cases.

Bassman

I find that Power Pro gives me the best distance. That’s what I want.

If the hook, balance and weedgaurd don’t work well together the jig will roll and the jig will be weed colored. That will always be bad.

One School of thought is to match the hatch. Dark colors in the spring to match blue gils and craws. Light colors when the bait fish start bunching.

Another School of thought is that you are attacking the fish and want to make it as easy as possible to find and eat your bait. This school swears by the bright colors and heavy tinsle models.

Both Schools have succesful people in them.

One thought is that a single jig with an option for 3-4 different colored trailers will give you flexability.

A june bug colored jig with a june bug trailer is really dark. With a watermelon grub it is medium dark. With a white trailer it’s medium lite and with a chartruse grub it is fairly brite. And you can test the light to dark part of the equation without retying.

Just play with them.

jim, what is your website address? I would like to look at your swim jigs

i promote custom lures which is in my “profile”. I personal jigs, well usually only the fish get to see them.

Are those the ones you call “mooseknuckles”?

Moose knuckles ? anything like a camel toe?

don’t get side tracked boys!