Swim Jig Season

The swim jig is a great bait throughout the year but it really shines in the spring! As the bass are moving off the beds  and beginning to feed again the swim jig stands alone as a bait that can be thrown into virtually any cover. Aside from the way it comes through vegetation, the secondary action is what sets the bait apart.

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We've been on an awesome swim jig bite the last few weeks using a two-pronged approach. First, we're using the California Swim Jig around spawning beds. The defensive fish can't resist a bluegill color! The second pattern is to target the post-spawn fish that have begun shifting into their summer patterns. As the fish pull out into the grass beds to recover from the spawn We've been able to draw the fish up out of the grass with shad colored offerings.

Instead of filming a whole new video about throwing the swim jig we decided to replay this video on the California Swim Jig. This bait revolutionized swim jig fishing, catching giant bass from coast to coast after this video hit youtube. Understanding why the bait works works, how it works, and when to throw it, will have a huge impact on how you target bass during the post-spawn season. Good luck out there!

Simplify Your Jigs and Save Money

In the past we've talked about fine-tuning your jig fishing to catch bigger fish. We discussed using accent colors and different skirts because fine detail matters, especially with wary bass. Today, we want to turn the tables and talk to you about simplification.

Both methods have merit. While its true that extreme attention to detail is sometimes needed to fool the GIANT bass, not all anglers are interested in spending every last dollar on fine-tuned equipment. The weekend warrior, even most pros, doesn't have the time (or money) to purchase dozens of jig colors to adapt to every changing situation. That's why I want to talk to you about simplification because its okay too. Both methods can work.

Let's break jig colors into 4 basic categories. Those categories are black, brown, green pumpkin, and watermelon. By choosing a basic jig in each of these categories you can cover virtually every situation the water can present. In the event that fine detail is needed, you can add it by changing the color of your trailer instead of completely changing the jig itself. This is an inexpensive alternative to owning 100 different jig styles and colors. To get you started, we'll  recommend a few colors.

Black Base: "Black/Blue" (This particular black blue is a fairly complex color and can be accented very well)

Brown Base: "Supermat Brown" (This is Matt's favorite color day in and day out. Its a brown base with purple and green pumpkin accents)

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Green Pumpkin Base: "Go To" (Go To is a simple green pumpkin/brown jig that works well with any trailer color)

Watermelon Base: "Watermelon Red" (This jig is a basic color that accents well with every trailer you own)

Not every base color will work in every situation but one of them will. Once you have your base color, experiment with trailers like the Sweet Beaver, Double Tail Grub, or speed craw to fine-tune what the fish are looking for. We hope this helps you keep things simple and use trailers you already own instead of spending countless dollars trying to own a jig for every situation. Good luck out there!

How to Catch the Fish of a Lifetime

I recently had the opportunity to do two seminars at the International Sportsman's Expo in Sacramento. From swimbaits to jigs, even going so far as fishing a chartreuse spinnerbait with willow leaf blades at night, I laid out my tricks for fooling big Winter and Spring bass.  There was a great turnout and a lot of positive feedback. There were also quite a few requests from anglers that live outside the area, that we record the seminar so they could listen and learn as well. The show was extremely loud and there is some background noise but Tim did everything he could to bring you the complete seminar.

From start to finish, here it is! Below you will find a breakdown of the various baits I discuss in the seminar with quick links to see them on Tackle Warehouse.

We hope you're able to glean some knowledge from the seminar and put it to work on your local fisheries. If you have any questions, we're here so feel free to ask.

The following baits were used in the tank:

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Photo Courtesy of Sean Moffett

Trout/Kokanee eaters:

• Huddleston Deluxe 8" Swimbait
• River2Sea S-Waver 200
• Gan Craft Jointed Claw Magnum
• Dirty Jigs Tackle 3/4 oz Pitchin Jig with Sweet Beaver or Pork Trailer

Bluegill/Baitfish Eaters:

• JSJ Prototype Swimbait (Not yet available)
• River2Sea S-waver 168
• Dirty Jigs 3/4 oz. California Swim Jig with Roboworm EZ Shad Trailer

Night Fishing:

• Huddleston 8" Trout Swimbait
• Osprey 7" Tournament Talon Swimbait
• Dirty Jigs 3/4 oz California Swim Jig with 4.8 Keitech Trailer
• Revenge Heavy Duty Spinnerbait (Double Willow)

Winter Jig Fishing

As fall fades in the rear view mirror and the freezing Winter mornings arrive, many bass fishermen put their boats away for the season. If you're one of the few committed anglers who continues fishing regardless of weather, temperature, or season, this week's post is for you. While Winter brings cold weather and uncomfortable conditions but it also brings your best shot of the year at a GIANT bass on a jig. 

Let's begin by breaking Winter jig fisheries into two categories:

1) Reservoirs or lakes with sparse cover and/or clear water

2)Shallow water fisheries, often containing heavy cover, including river/tidal systems

Category 1)  I focus on small, compact football jigs. My jigs of choice are the Dirty Jigs Finesse Football and HP Football. The finesse football is my most consistent jig. It comes equipped with a light wire hook, allowing me to downsize my equipment and draw bites, even under tough conditions. Coupled with a double tail grub or smallie beaver, this jig is deadly throughout the cold water months. 

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Clockwise From Left: HP Football jig with 4" Double Tail Grub, Pitchin' Jig with Paca Chunk, No-Jack Flippin' Jig with Sweet Beaver, Finesse Football Jig with 5" Double Tail Grub

If I know that I'll be encountering larger fish, or if I feel that I may need to step up to a heavier weight line to combat heavier cover, I'll transition over to the HP football. This jig has a slightly heavier wire "EWG" style hook and is great for powering fish away from snags. With both versions of the football I'll start out with a light weight and go with the lightest line possible, only stepping up to match the conditions or size of bass. 

Day in and day out these jigs get critical bites when I need them most. For colors, I keep it as simple as possible. My two most consistent colors lately have been "Go To" and "Super Matt Brown". In the past "Molting Craw" has been a consistent producer as well. Trailer color is a matter of preference. Some days I'll stick to complimentary colors, other days I'll use a clashing color to change the overall profile of the bait. You'll need to experiment to see what your fish prefer. 

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Left to Right: Finesse Football Jig, HP Football Jig

Category 2) When fishing shallower water, especially around cover I will use either a Dirty Jigs Pitchin' Jig or the No-Jack Flippin' Jig.  The pitchin' jig is a go everywhere, do everything jig with a medium-heavy wire hook. I'm confident that I can show up to any body of water and use this head shape to catch bass. 

If I'm specifically dealing with heavy cover, grass, or giant fish I'll step up to the No-Jack Flippin' Jig. The No-Jack hook is the stoutest hook on the market. While this isn't necessary for fighting the fish during their cold water dormant season it can be vital to getting them through thick vegetation. With these jigs I prefer either a beaver-style trailer or a pork chunk. I will generally start with the plastic trailer but if I can't get bit will switch to pork. 

Color selection in shallow water fisheries depends upon water color. If the water is fairly clear I will stick with "Go To" or "Molting Craw" but if the water becomes dingy or muddy I'll transition into "Black and Blue" , "Black Emerald" or "Black Red". 

Another quick tip is to add a section of chartreuse plastic to the shank of the hook before adding your primary trailer. This works for murky water largemouth but is also deadly on clear water smallmouth. 

We hope these tips will help you refine your cold water jig fishing this Winter. This is prime time to catch a monster bass so bundle up, grab a pair of gloves, and head for the water. Good luck out there!