Swim Jig Basics for Bass Fishing 

in La Crosse, there's two ways to swim a jig: the right way and the alabama shake/coosa river way

Thank you John

Awesome! Thank you for the great tips!!

Great explanation. Much appreciated.

Great tip from one VA man to another, I will try this next time out!

Great explanation on these. Thanks for sharing 🎣 👍

Awesome video on the finesse swim.

Lay is where I learned how to swim a jig a very long time ago! 🤣 🐟🐟

LIKE YOUR CONTENT JOHN CREWS 👍👍

I’m glad you made this video! I had a similar experience. I was ready to throw my whole set up over the hill until I physically watched the swim jig fly out of a fishes mouth. I loosened the drag a little on the set up I had and wore em out. I fish a swim jig like you would a small swim bait and haven’t had any trouble since! Thanks man!

Thanks for the insight! Great job presenting and teaching, Mr. Crews!

What an excellent video, John. Some excellent tips here.

I enjoy all your videos. Thanks for all your tips and advise. Bill from Batavia,NY.

Love your videos.

Thanks for your tips. I hope one day I will try to catch bass with the swim jig. Have a great day.

Great content

Great video! I just started fishing a swim jig a couple of weeks ago and I love it. Also, thanks for breaking down the equipment the way that you did. So many pros break down a technique line and reel, but then say they use their signature series rod for the technique. Most of the time I don’t know what their rod is and probably can’t afford it. Lol. Thanks for breaking it down.

Thanks for the lesson. Ive fished my entire life and never fished a bass jig to speak of. I just recently realized that there are different types of jigs. I caught 5 decent sized bass in about an hour using a swim jig this morning. It's great to have an entirely new method to use. I love the fact that you can keep the thing off the bottom so you dont get hung up every other cast.

I agree about the rod. I was throwing a swim jig on MH/F or a H/F with heavier line. It wasn’t until I started throwing a chatterbait on a moderate / moderate fast rod that I noticed my hookup ratio was better and made the switch for swim jigs as well.

Some of the best advice I've heard on swim jigs..

Down here on Lay. We call it the Lay Lake Shake. It works when the fish are pressured.

Just came around to this video, you got a new subscriber out of it! Loved what you had to say! I’ll still fish my 30lb braid in Florida (I think with the tannic water I can get away with it), but I’lll fish my swim jigs on my Medium Heavy Poison Adrena from now on. Love Missile Baits by the way, always have a D-Bomb on the end of my flipping jigs! Thanks, John!

My favorite is the Little John 50 crankbait. I have used it all year, and have never been disappointed. Honestly the best lure I've ever used.

Thanks for those Great Tips, John!!!👊🏻 Started using the swim jig last year and had some success. Just caught a nice Smallie on it this past weekend. I agree with using Fluro but like to use it when the hook is light and switch to braid when it's heavy. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!

Thanks John 👊 I was one of your Marshals at Dardenelle a couple years ago. I really enjoyed the day with you. I have never seen a guy your size lift a bassboat like you did that day 😳 I am just getting into swimjigs and your teaching here was very helpful 😎

Awesome video I just started using swim jigs. I’m very old-school and hardheaded when it comes to trying new techniques but this one really works. The only problem I’m having is detecting the bait it’s almost like they’re just on there, I haven’t had one bump it or not slack in the line they’re just there. Looks like there’s a few bream beds in the background!

Great video! I've hung several big fish on a swim jig that got off, now I know what I was doing wrong. I'm definitely gonna try gonna what you said. Thanks a bunch!

Great info. Absolutely right can’t knock the daylight out of them. I use a very quick short hook set, usually just snap my hands to my chest maybe 6”. I think hook speed is better than what many think is a big powerful hook set. It’s also the years of missing and loosing fish that brought my thinking around. Appreciate the video peace and God Bless

I’ve thrown heavy cover swimjigs on a MH with braid and I’ve had so many hit it close to the boat and I jack them and bend the hook or miss the fish. Good tips

Have been absolutely tearing them up on one lake in central Florida past 2 weeks... love it..Big bass

I have been loving the Missile Jigs Mini Swim Jig, this year. I fish it in a combination of the northern and the Alabama retrieve, about the same way you explained how you fish it. I use it on a 7' to 7'2" medium heavy, on braid to leader... sometimes mono, sometimes fluoro. I've been catching them prespawn, spawn, and now post spawn on them. I'll have to send you the video of one I lost a few weeks ago on a pearl white one. Easily VA citation size, but it went around the trolling motor on my kayak (twice) and eventually broke my line. I can't remember exactly what trailer I had on at the time, but most likely it was a Berkley "The Deal" or a Keitech. Looking forward to catching more giants with them!

I use a7' ducket green ghost med fast cranking rod the tip is awesome for that

I've fished Philpott and had good success on the strike king mini flip just swimming it with a yama grub . But that was a 1 time opportunity for me.

It depends on the day, some days they want it burned and dropped, some days painfully steady, some days twitched. And I prefer to just reel into them. I learn my lessons listening to you talk about losing tournaments. 😁

I will be picking up one of your swim jig rods. I primarily use the Schmidty swim jig rod and it’s great.

I have the same rod and reel setup and it is my absolute favorite. Cashion med-heavy with a Shimano DC.

What does the wolf fish say when he sees a good lookin’ swim jig presentation? “Woof Woof”!

Swim jigging is my favorite technique. The Missile Baits mini swim jig and mini D chunk are in my top 3 of what I use and feel they come through heavier grass better than all. You have me curious about this new swim jig rod...looks like I'm going to have to buy it. Likewise, I've noticed I lose WAY less using fluoro and reel setting. Now I did lose a giant at one of my local lakes in pads where I needed braid here recently. So now I have two setups....one all fluoro and the other 30# sx1. I will tie a 2' 15-16# leader on the braid when running some of my lighter hook swimjigs and when the water is a little clearer. Anyway, great vid...I look forward to swim jig vids the most and even more so considering Missile Baits just put out maybe the best swimjig and trailer pairing combo on the market earlier this year.

Jigs are equivalent to worms in my opinion they will never go away they are just that good love them

Was fishing the brewgill color one with the super bug mini D chunk the other day. Bass were still on beds so I switched to a worm but cannot wait to throw it again after the spawn. D chunk was kickin like crazy. I was using a similar action rod, 7.3:1 reel, and 18lb Fluoro. Glad to know I was fishing as you intended. Cannot wait to land my first fish on one of these swim jigs

Dang now I need to order some of those D-Bomb's. Been looking for trailers for a while and that one looks the best I have seen so far..

I lost a 6plus reaching down to lip it jig all in the mouth one shake and didn't get it in the boat glad just fun fishing. Moderate rod might be on the list

Hay John that happen too me about 15 years ago with a jig that mouth flew open jig when over my head I thought how did I miss that bass Milton

I use braid with a fluorocarbon leader the best of both worlds

I'm a weirdo who likes a medium rod for about everything, lol. Good tip, good video, I think. I love to fly fish for bass too...so I use several hooksets...pull into the fish, then a series of harder hooksets during the fight. I don't really lose fish. But then again, I'm not a tournament angler and I don't mind playing a fish for a few minutes and enjoying it. And I use a net at the end so I never lose a fish landing them either. Still... gotta get more confidence in a swim jig. I'll fish a swimbait all day, catch a ton of bass; but somehow I don't have as much belief in the bait with the skirt added on, lol.

John. Do u tie a leader line to braid for the swim jig set up or just straight briad? Thanks

Niceee

Are your hands your real hands ? They are huge lol Great content sir

I like fishing more moderate taper rods for anything moving and honestly all techniques because when I set the hook I’m basically Barry bonds I’m knocking it out the park

what about a shad pattern style one where the skirt is speckled black and white like it's a shad? I'm looking at the berkley fusion 19 swim jig in the shad pattern with the zman razor shad in the pearl/white color.

That alabama shake is devastating here on the entire coosa river chain.

What do you think about Braid to leader for swimjigs? Quick question what’s your thought process on coming up with that amazing bone color swimjig👍love the jigs just a great size thanks

Great video.....maybe you could do one on how to skip baits ;-)

🎉🎉

What size do you want for highland lake, no grass, but has lay down, clear water

Do you use the swim jig rod for any other techniques?

I threw it on a MH with 20# flour and caught nearly every fish for years but then it got popular experts said Hvy with braid. Outside of Okeechobee I haven't found a situation where it's better. Lost way more fish especially if wood is present and went back.

My dad to his 36 year old son , " These docks in this marina have some expensive boats, cast on the outside so you don't hit any, please dont hit any!!" Me: Dad I'm good, skip my my Texas rig 95% back! Pops: Casts his 1/2 Oz Jig, BOOM 💥 side of a pontoon, guy comes out looking 👀 Me: "Dad, be careful Casting by these boats in here, please don't hit another" 🤣😅😅🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Goes to show you to each their own cuz the video I watched before his said to use braid.

Weird- I've had just the opposite problem. I have a tendency to forget to set the hook on moving baits- don't ask me why, no idea- but for some reason when I fish a moving bait my instinct is just to lean into it and start fighting. Every time I did this with a swim jig I would lose the bass though- they would stay on maybe 5 feet and then just let go and swim off. So- I started swinging on them but- then I was setting too early and blowing their mouth. So- I finally figured out that it's about the direction the fish is going. If they hit and turn away from you, which is what they normally do- they seem to hit it from behind and then turn to go back the way they came- that's when you can just lean into them and they're yours. But- every once and while one will hit and come at you- when that happens if I don't catch up quickly and set pretty hard, I'll lose them.

Hey brother Awesome video., Question..Fishing Kissimmee next week. What color D Bomb to flip, Ocachobee Crawl?

Your swim jig rod reference to Cashion website doesn't transfer over to any kind of rod recommend page. Can you update the rod mentioned? I'm interested in it. Thanks

Steve Kennedy uses 65 lbs braid to 30 lbs fluorocarbon leader and he's using a D&L advantage 3/4 ounce white flipping jig to swim around shallow bushes not a standard swim jig. He is swimming a flipping .jig with super chunk trailer not a light weed guard swim jig

Would a crankbait rod be a good option for a swim jig?

How do you choose a trailer?

Alabama shake = chatterbait?

Is there any pro using strictly mono? Just wondering cause all the records were caught on it.

yeah i don't know why people use braid i use fluorocarbon all the time because fish can see braid,and i throw it usually on 12 pound line not more because i don't have a lots of cover

Why don’t you like swim jigs prespawn?

As one of the Original Innovators of the Alabama Shake, here on the Lower Coosa (Lake Mitchell), allow me to add a few tips. When we started doing this (around '86), we didn't have the advantages of today's superior gear, prior knowledge, or experience; we were pioneering. We also had no pre-conceived notions. Here's what I learned: 1st, you must determine which forage you must imitate. Here, it's either shad, bream, crawfish, frogs, or terrestrials; (mice, ducks, birds, snakes, or even ground squirrels). Most often, I've found shad and bream will suffice. (Craws and frogs are a close second, though) 2nd, Don't limit yourself to lightweight swimjigs only! I've caught plenty of big bass (7lb+) by swimming ½, ⅝, and even ¾oz jigs. (The Original 'Coosa Nugget' was a ½oz jig!) Granted, once you get to around ⅝oz, it's hard to keep on the surface, but nothing says it has to be there! It's more of a high, hopping STROKE of the jig at times (with the heavier weights) but I've had plenty of success swimming a ½oz in the grass. These are mostly crawfish imitators. Down here, December is prime time to swim a ½oz, in order to penetrate the dying, matting grass. Either a PacaSlim, if a craw is needed, a Pearl Menace grub if it's shad, or even a big daddy pork chunk to imitate the swimming action of a frog...AND the chipmunk. 3rd, If a lighter, slower, or surface swim jig is required, such as a shad spawn, bream, or frog imitator, I've had tremendous success by mixing the three. You heard me; mix them. My go-to set up for years was a ¼oz BLACK/BLUE Bitsy FLIP, w/a WHITE Swamp Frog. I've had bass jump clean out of the grass, clear across THREE FEET feet of the grass, and come DOWN on top of my frog-imitating swimjig. The black and white combo is great, as is a simple brown jig w/the legendary motoroil/orange footed Swamp Frog. Since those Original Swamp Frogs are as rare as chicken teeth, I opt for a Perfection or Big Texan Pit Boss, or any number of hundreds of technologically advanced crawdads and frogs available today. Lastly, if your fishery has grass and you've never experienced the BITE, CHOMP, STOMP, or heart-stopping EXPLOSION of a big ol' bass on a swimjig doing that Alabama Shake, you owe it to yourself: Get Shakin'! Thanks, John! /\ / \ / \ / \●• / \ / ~~~~~~~~~~~ / / ¥ < ___🪨🪨____🪨