How To Fish Swing Head Jigs For Summer Bass (Watts Bar Lake)

Swing Heads paired with creature baits and swimbaits are one of the most effective baits for BIG Summer bass. Today is Matt's first time on Watts Bar Lake and he's armed himself with swing heads in search of bass. Come along as he explores the lake, teaches the fine details of fishing swing heads for Smallmouth, Largemouth, and a surprising mix of other species in today's video. 

The swing head gained a ton of popularity a few years ago when Tommy Biffle saw tournament success with the Biffle Head. In recent years the hype has died back and many anglers have forgotten this technique. While effective year round, our favorite time to throw it is post spawn into Summer. There is just something about it that draws a consistently larger bite than other baits. Its great for covering water, locating fish, and catching those key kicker fish that we're all searching for. 

While it can be done with a variety of creature or swimbait trailers, all of our favorite options are hard kicking creatures. The two that really stand out are the Keitech Crazy Flapper and the Zoom Z Craw. Both baits have a great profile and a ton of action on the back of the swinging jig head. Below is a breakdown of all the baits and equipment Matt used in today's video. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

The Heads... 

-Dirty Jigs Pivot Point Football: http://bit.ly/2jOY1Ns

(1/2 oz 4/0 Hook and 3/4 oz 5/0 Hook)

-Swagger Tungsten Football Swing: https://bit.ly/2ZM9PIq

(3/8 and 1/2 oz with 3/0 Hook)

Today's Baits... 

-Keitech Crazy Flapper 4.4: http://bit.ly/2c3cXrp

(Green Pumpkin Watermelon, Double Trouble, Electric Junebug)

-Zoom Z Craw Standard: http://bit.ly/2vW7Jo5

(Green Pumpkin, JuneBug, Tilapia)

Other Great Trailers... 

-Strike King Rage Bug: http://bit.ly/2aAsuiV

-NetBait Paca Craw: http://bit.ly/2wlVAfh

-Keitech 4.3" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Xzone Swammer Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2PogV0q

Matt's Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado 150 DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Braid- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 15 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Favorite Combo For Tungsten Swing Heads... 

Rod- Megabass Orochi XX Extreme Mission Type F 7'5": http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Reel- Shimano Curado 150 DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Sunline Assassin 15 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm 

Budget Combo For Swing Heads... 

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 7'4" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2r0xWAs

Reel- Shimano SLX DC 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2LWzw2Q

Line- Sunline Assassin 15 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Shallow Water Finesse Fishing For Summer Bass

The bass are in less than 2 feet of water! How would you catch them? We turned to "junk fishing" to get the bites. A mix of swim jigs, weightless senkos, and a shaky head did the trick. Come along and watch how we break down a new section of Lake Chickamauga, build a pattern, and locate quality fish despite difficult conditions. 

Summer bass fishing overwhelms a lot of anglers. Knowing how and when to adapt is difficult until you understand fish movements. Once you understand that half the fish go to offshore structure while the other half focus on shallow cover you will find their behavior more predictable. When the water gets really hot the fish will focus on shade for relief, even when that shade is ultra shallow. 

Today we intended to fish offshore structure but the wind had other plans. As the waves we picked up we knew the only option was to focus on the ultra shallow bite. Don't let Summer heat or changing conditions keep you off the water. Focus on the basics and you'll find consistent fish in the heat. Below you'll find a breakdown of the exact baits we threw to target these shallow water fish. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Senko... 

Worm- Yamamoto 5" Senko (Watermelon Red Flake): http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Hook- Owner Jungle Wide Gap 3/0: http://bit.ly/2sBsR1Z

Shaky Head...

Worm- Netbait T-Mac 6.5" (Bama Bug): http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

Hook- Dirty Jigs 3/16 Canterbury Shaky: http://bit.ly/2aFOs0V

Swim Jig... 

Jig- Dirty Jigs Swim Jig 3/8 oz (Crappie): http://bit.ly/2dIVUMd

Trailer- Keitech 4.3" Fat Swing Impact (Pro Blue Red Pearl): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Topwater... 

Frog- River2Sea Bully Wa 2 (Ghost): http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

Matt's Senko Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Maxima Ultragreen 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Tim's Shaky Head Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 854C JWR: http://bit.ly/2hedqsq

Reel- Shimano Metanium DC HG: http://bit.ly/2qrSZvs

Line- Sunline Flippin FC 18 lb Fluorocarbon: https://bit.ly/3clXxt2

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Summer Worm Fishing Tricks for Shallow and Deep Water Bass

Are you missing it? There are so many great ways to fish a plastic worm! Come along with Tim as he demonstrates a 2-bait method to maximize your time on the water when finesse fishing for Summer bass. You can fish from 40+ feet all the way up to the water's edge with these 2 baits rigged a few different ways. You don't need an entire box of baits to catch Summer bass!

Tim's 2 favorite baits for this technique are a senko and a Trick Worm (Netbait T-Mac). By adapting the rigging he can fish both of these baits at a variety of depths. When you think senko your mind immediately goes to fishing it weightless around shallow cover but with a little weight (Neko rig) that bait is suddenly effective in 20, 30, even 50 feet of water! The same goes for the Trick Worm. Most guys see a trick worm and think of the floating worm technique but this bait is incredibly effective on a shaky head, Neko, and exposed jighead as well. 

Summer worm fishing can be overwhelming. There are so many great baits that will consistently catch fish (and you know we'll jump down that rabbit whole soon) but it can also be as simple as a couple baits and a couple rigs, to consistently catch fish. Don't let bass fishing overwhelm you. You can catch these fish and you can do it on a budget. Below are links to the exact baits and rigging methods that Tim was implementing in today's video. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

The baits... 

Senko- Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Favorite Colors- Green Pumpkin, Green Pump/Wtrmln Lam, Green Pump Blue

Trick Worm- Netbait T-Mac 6.5": http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

Favorite Colors- Bama Bug, Texas Craw, Green Pump

Budget Worm Alternatives... 

-Yum Dinger 5": http://bit.ly/2J8nMrF

-Zoom Trick Worm: http://bit.ly/2aWkG7E

Weightless Rigging... 

Standard- Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap 1/0: http://bit.ly/2aKGmHM

Weedless- Owner Jungle Wacky Weedless 1/0: https://bit.ly/2VKZl9U

Neko Rigging... 

Standard Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse Neko: http://bit.ly/2kfdv37

Weedless Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse Weedless Neko: https://bit.ly/2zXirRH

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pagoda Nail: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

Jig Heads... 

Shaky Head- Dirty Jigs Canterbury 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2aFOs0V

Ned Head- Swagger Tungsten Flanders 5/16 with 2/0: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Tim's Neko Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7' Med Light: http://bit.ly/2jOUXAO

Reel- Shimano Stradic CI4+ 2500: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Sunline SX1 12 lb High Vis: http://bit.ly/2FngUkQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 7 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Tim's Shaky Head Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 852C JWR: http://bit.ly/2hedqsq

Reel- Shimano Metanium DC HG: http://bit.ly/2qrSZvs

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

All-Around Summer Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150 HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Sunline Assassin 15 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

RUNAWAY BOAT CRASH!! - Lake Chickamauga Summer Boating

IT HAPPENS FAST! After the driver was ejected his boat spun out of control. With no operator to slow it down and the throttle pinned, the boat was whipping donuts uncontrollably. The boat made its way dangerously close to an island full of partying weekend boaters before ultimately crashing through the trees and underbrush. Could this have been prevented? Of course! 

Boating has inherent risks. Raising those risks by ignoring the boat's built-in safety features is negligent. Its easy to see the mistake in hindsight. Admittedly, we've all made the same mistake at some point. Let this incident cement the importance of wearing your kill switch. Its imperative not only for your safety but also for the safety of those recreating around you. Thankfully the boat driver in this incident was uninjured after being ejected from his boat and all of the on lookers were spared as well. The only real damage in this crash was to the boat as it plowed through trees and sand repeatedly. 

The message here is anything can happen when you're on the water. When it does happen, it happens quickly. Wear your life jacket and kill switch any time the outboard is running. If something happens, its better to be prepared than caught off guard. Below are links to the life jackets we use when we're on the water as well as some budget friendly options. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of the items.

** When purchasing inflatable PFD's its wise to purchase the  automatic versions so there is an extra level of security if you are not alert when the life jacket is needed.**

Life Jackets... 

What We Wear- Mustang Elite Inflatable PFD: http://bit.ly/2odXXIP

Basic Automatic (Budget)- Mustang Classic M.I.T. 100: https://bit.ly/3dqoddd

Traditional Type- Onyx Tackle Warehouse: https://bit.ly/2ZVYmpE

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G