Learn How To Fish A Swim Jig
Ever wondered how to fish a swim jig? Well it can be tricky at times and might require a lot of practice. If you have been fishing for a long time and still gets frustrated in catching a swim jig, which belongs to the bass family, don’t worry because you are not alone. Even the professional fishers say it took them a long time to master it.
There are techniques that you can learn either by accident or just by trying too many times until you found the art to make it happen. Today, you will learn how to fish a jig the proper way with some techniques that we have prepared here. It is going to be a little bit of a learning curve, but with enough patience and determination, you will be able to pull it off.
Things You Need When Fishing A Swim Jig
1. Fishing Rod
You will need a rod that is around 7 feet long. But don’t go longer than 7 feet because it comes less efficient for this type of fishing. Why? Because longer rods than the suggested length are prone to poking objects easily on the ground, which can hinder your target fish.
Avoid using heavy rods as well because it will be difficult for you to catch and manage the whole endeavor. Another thing to consider is to make sure that although your rod is long, it has to be light. The heavy ones will make it hard for you to get an angle and it will dwindle, as soon as it reaches the water.
2. Reel
Make sure that your reel is high speed in catching the fish. Remember when I said earlier that this can be tricky? Here is why. Although it is recommended to have a lighter rod, you have to actually keep the reel not light and a little bit on the heavy.
Some will suggest that you resort using a lighter reel, but that doesn’t always pan out well. You will experience a lot of miss more than hits if you follow that, especially for a swim jig.
Step-by-step Procedure to Fish a Swim Jig
- Throw your rod tip to the water and make sure that it doesn’t touch any of the surface or object that can hinder your fish from taking your bait. You can feel it if it starts touching the ground near the water and it is your duty to keep avoid that from happening.
- You can measure the depth if it is in shallow water and make an estimation, as to where you would like the end of your rod to fall given that you have step 1 in mind.
- Wait patiently for the fish to take your bait and make sure that it swims through your ambush point without breaking the surface. When the fish successfully breaks the surface, you should be aware that your chances of it taking the bait becomes slim
- Once you found success on that step, reel in fast for retrieval and don’t wait, as soon as you get a feel that a fish already has taken your bait. Never dawdle on this part because the fish can easily swim away if you don’t reel in quick.
Techniques on How to Fish a Swim Jig
1. Precision and Speed
This is another challenging part because it will require some of your upper body strength and the coordination of your brain. The retrieval won’t be the same, as fishes have different personalities and swimming styles.
You can’t really be 100% sure that a specific speed will always help you make the catch. I wouldn’t say it is a matter of luck, but rather a matter of patience and tact. However, if you are fast enough to act on your retrieval, the higher the chance you get in getting a catch because speed can trigger your target by biting your bait.
2. Focusing on Retrieval
It is not enough that you know how to deal with the speed of reeling in your target because the retrieval is more involved than you think. The two tasks actually go hand in hand like if you have established a good speed in reeling your catch, you are more likely to get the hang of the retrieval as well.
Don’t be confused about the two, as a lot of people thought they are the same. Keep in mind that the reeling still belongs to the process of baiting the target. The retrieval is the last step to actually acquiring the fish.
3. Catching the Jig Unique Tact
This is something that probably not a lot of fishermen do, but it has been effective for those who have discovered it. This is the part where you have the fish come near your attack point and have it swim through it without any signs of breaking the path or the surface.
You must know that once a fish breaks that surface, it will be nearly impossible for you to convince them to take your bait. So be careful and make sure that you keep this in mind.
4. Working the Angle of Your Rod
This is one of the things that a lot of people take for granted, the angle work. Most of the time, they just cast their rod tip willy-nilly and not thinking about the best angle for the fish to take the bait easily and fast.
The trick is to not just feel your environment but to actually visualize where the fish can take your bait. You can envision not just the possible angle of the bass fish to attach, but also its manner of attack.
Don’t get stuck at one angle. In fact, it is best to try multiple angles until you finally hit the spot and make a catch. It can be a trial and error kind of technique, but it can work. You have to be patient and determined in order to eventually get the hang of it.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, learning how to fish a swim jig is a challenging activity but totally worth it once you have mastered it. You must have the right tools, to begin with, and I suggest to not buy the cheap ones. The quality of your tools also contributes to the success of actually having a catch. Some would tell you that since this type of bass fish can be tricky to bait and catch, it is considered lucky if you ever catch it.
The Truth About Fishing a Swim Jig
The truth is, it is all about timing, precision, and speed. You have to be able to envision the possibility of how the fish will take your bait and its movement in the water. There is no guaranteed specific technique because it is always different for everybody when it comes to how the fish will react and even the environment.
The depth of the water contributes to your success, as well as the weather. Make sure that there is less tension going on in the water for you to easily catch this challenging type of fish. But don’t be too hard on yourself and get disappointed if you don’t get a catch on your first try. Because trust me that it will take more than twice to perfect with a swim jig and finally get that groove!
Happy Fishing!