Swim Jigs for Summer Smallmouth
Yeah, you’re right. GOA has spent a lot of time talking about swim jigs this year. We can’t help it. They continue to produce. But we would like to point out that they aren’t just fabulous largemouth baits. Smallies love ’em too!
Smallmouth Swim Jig?
Really, it’s just a swim bait, on a jighead with a skirt (optional). I only started using the skirt for smallmouth last year, and well, let’s just say that I’m still using the skirt. Don’t know if I have a good explanation for why it seems to work better (not that it didn’t work good without the skirt), but I just feel like they get more of it in their mouth, get hooked better with the skirt.
Smallmouth = Small Baits?
Wrong. I use a healthy 4.8 Keitech for the trailer. Or the 4.75 inch Strike King Rage Swimmer. Another option I’ve been playing with is the Zoom Boot Tail Fluke. Not your grandpa’s smallmouth lures. I still catch plenty of little smallmouth on this size swim jig, but I also run into the “right ones” – those 3lb. plus smallmouth.
Time and a Place
Past history has shown that the swim jig bite really shines immediately after the spring and summer runoff. That bigger bait, with all its action and water displacement is perfect for slightly stained conditions. As summer begins to where into the fall, then the swim jig bite tends to diminish some. Well, it goes from crazy to just good.
Excellent! Do you mind sharing your braid and leader setup?
50 lb. braid mainline. 10-12 FC leader. Leader length is usually 3-6 feet. No swivel. Join two lines with Alberto Knot. I keep the knot off the reel, but it comes through the guides fine.
Holy smokes they were choking that jig! Great information!
How deep of water can u throw a smallmouth swimjig in? Does it have to be near the bottom of the water column?
You can throw it over deep water. Like 20-50 ft deep. But I rarely fish it that deep. Other baits are better as a bottom bouncing bait. I fish it 2-20 feet down. But most of that is in the 2-10 ft range.
What action rod do you prefer when you throw the swimjig?
A mod-fast action rod seems to work best, both in the casting and offering a somewhat “slower” response from the rod when bouncing the jig off of cover.