Bass can also be caught during these times on spinnerbaits, buzz baits and Chatterbaits, but fishing pressure and cold font conditions can cause bass to ignore these lures, yet the subtle presentation of swimming a jig will still trigger reaction bites. Rip it, jig it, crawl it, hop it, troll it; even if you do nothing but cast and reel steadily, it'll get crushed. When bass hiding in weeds or under docks are reluctant to hit fast-moving lures such as a spinnerbait or buzz bait, try slowing down your presentation and tempting the fish with a swimming jig. The standard bass jig has always been a staple bottom-bouncing lure for decades, but the lure became more versatile when savvy anglers started swimming it for suspended bass. BANK FISHING Trick to finding fish!!! Three-and-a-half and four-and-a-half inches are my favorite sizes, though I have caught fish on all sizes. Storms are my go to snook and tarpon lures and really produce, very very slow retrieve and let the current do most of the work. One of the all time best softplastic swimbaits is the Keitech Easy Shiner. This tactic works best for me in the fall when bass are hiding in the shady areas of docks and ambushing any shad that swim into their strike zone. Use a net if you want to catch smaller fish to use as bait. But I haven’t found one that produces as much action or noise as the Rage Tail Shad does. For american shad a 1 to 1/0 size hook is a good option. I will be fishing off a pier. 4. So effective is its ability to catch any fish anywhere, bucktails were once stocked in military-issue survival kits. Whether you want to fish the Swim'n Caffeine Shad over submerged grass, swim it over brush piles or drag it through some bass beds, I believe you'll also be impressed by this bait. Rocket Shad single spin spinner bait, any shad colored spinnerbait.....most of your tackle box could work. What is the proper retrieve speed and jerks? A 4-12 pound monofilament line will work just fine for shad. Tom The attraction also applies to their action when moving through the water. Small swimbaits have become a mainstay bass fishing lure and popular technique anytime fish are feeding on minnows and other small baitfish. Be the first to rate this post. The Storm Largo Shad is Wheeler's top choice in this bait category due to its seductive action and extreme durability. 10 Record-Setting Fish Caught In Utah This Season, 4 Tips To Prevent Your Feet From Freezing This Winter, Everything You Want To Know About The 10,000 Fish Yoto Worm, How The Army Uses Christmas Trees To Make Fishing Better, 10 Fishing Tips That Will Help You Catch A New Personal Best Bass. Fishing Line. A typical shad casting net is 7 ft (2.1 m) in circumference, weighing 1 ⁄ 2 pound (230 g) with 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) mesh. My favorite trailer is a plastic craw because its flat bottom glides through the water creating a more natural swimming action for my jig. I get the same production regardless of color or whether they swim straight or not, excellent bait. Niggemeyer: The Rage Tail Shad. Jacob Wheeler relies on small to mid-sized paddle tail swimbaits to catch bass throughout the country. This can be a great time for swim jig fishing. This specific item has a rating of 5. There is usually a little bit of current Jump to content. Theyre are in Virginia and Maryland in the winter time and migrate North of New Jersey in the Summertime. Hooks. Some of the best weeds for swimming jigs are lily pads, water willows, milfoil, matted maiden cane and hydrilla with a tapered edge that forms a cavern underneath the weeds. Product item Swim Shad 3" Soft Bait, which belongs in category Soft Swimbaits. Split shot reaper or a 1/8 oz dart head with a shad worm, take your pick. Fast forward 25 years, and swimming a jig is a prominent pattern in fishing from coast to coast, from Wisconsin to Louisiana. Edges and holes in the weeds are key locations for swimming a jig in the fall. Wheeler shares his top 4 rigging methods that allow paddle tail swimbaits to be fished through a variety of cover types and depths. Mike doesn't buy into the "slower is better" swimbait mentality so get ready to have your eyes opened! The colors that I use, I use basically three different colors. “I swim it, flip it, everything.” “This is the only chunk I swim,” he said. Use a pretty hefty size of monofilament fishing line like 12 pound up to 20 pound test depending on the size of fish you are planning on catching. Keeping my rod at about the 11 o’clock position, I pop the rod a bit during my retrieve so the bait hops and slightly wakes the surface. The main difference between a standard casting jig and a jig designed for swimming is the head design. The double soft jerkbait rig or “Donkey Rig” as it is sometimes called is a great way to fish a D-Shad and you always have the chance at catching two fish at a time. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! It … There were guys in Alabama, Wisconsin, Arkansas and more using this technique 20 years ago and … “I start with one swivel that slides up and down the line and then attach a swivel. Why fish like them: These lures look like a real shad and the realism doesn't stop there. I use a green pumpkin, a white or shad pattern, and then a black and blue. So we're always anxious to try the new ones that come out, looking for a little different swim that might entice more bass. Key times to work fast moving jigs are in the spring during the shad spawn and in the fall when shad are in shallow water. We caught up with Mike Bucca, Owner of Bull Shad Swimbaits on Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee to get a look out how he fishes his own swimbait. Then you have two swivels and attach a leader, hook, and D-Shad to each one,” he says. James Niggemeyer favors the Strike king Shadalicious as his swimbait of choice. 3. Try using a swim jig in areas near shallow spawning grounds. I will sometimes switch to a heaver jig such as a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce model if I want the jig to slide by the cover faster and trigger more reaction strikes. A 1/4-ounce jig is my favorite size for the swimming jig tactic because it is light enough to keep the lure near the surface during my retrieve yet is heavy enough that I can still make long accurate pitches to my targets. How to fish a swim shad and buck tail. In addition to saving money, durability also reduces rigging time, equating to more casts made as well as expanding suitable applications. Your eyes opened could work popular technique anytime fish are feeding on minnows other. Three colors that i use a green pumpkin, a white or shad pattern, and D-Shad to each,... 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