Complete Guide to Swim Jig Fishing
Swim jigs are excellent baits, especially in the spring. They have similar benefits of swimbaits, with their full profile, tail kick, and natural movement. Beyond that though, swim jigs add secondary movement with their skirt. The skirt will move and pulsate as it moves through the water.
Secondary movement is something real fish have with their fins moving and their gills opening and closing. All of these extra secondary movement that swimbaits don’t have. These are the key benefits that swim jigs fill.
Additionally swim jigs are more weedless and have a better hookup ratio than swimbaits. The weed guard on a swim jig can apply back pressure that helps hold the hook in a fish’s mouth.
How to Fish a Swim Jig
When fishing a swim jig I like to keep it really simple. I use a straight, steady retrieve, I don’t add rod twitches, pauses, or do anything fancy. I let my trailers create the desired action.
For this reason, I am really particular about my trailer choice for swim jigs. I’ve tested many different options and now have a few tried and true trailers that give me the perfect action for the swim jigs I throw.
Where to Fish Swim Jigs
Because swim jigs are so weedless they can be fished almost anywhere. Where they out preform other baits though, is in thick vegetation. Swim jigs allow you to fish through heavy vegetation horizontally, whereas other weedless options like punching jigs can other fish them vertically.
- In or around lay-downs
- In or around vegetation
- Around docks
- Open water
For swim jig and trailer recommendations, read our swim jig buyers guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a swim jig and other jigs?
Swim jigs are designed to be fished through the water column at any depth while other jigs are designed to be fished on the bottom.
Can you fish a swim jig on the bottom?
Swim jigs can be fished along bottom but it’s not what they were designed to do. They preform best when fishing them through vegetation. There are other jigs that are designed specifically for fishing along bottom.
What is the best line to use for a swim jig?
When fishing a swim jig in heavy vegetation I use 65 lb braided line with a 20lb fluoro leader. In light cover or when using a finesse swim jig I use 14 lb fluoro.