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  1. #1
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    Swim Jig - shake or not

    working on my swim jig fishing and have not had much luck but the bass in the practice pond are locked on a bed, any how when i fish it i hold the rod at 45 degrees or parallel to the water but cannot decide whether to shake the rod durning retrive or not. fishing a 7.1 running a slow retreve, 7'4'' i rod 40# braid, 1/4 oz jig bluegil color and a rage craw. Also do i need to fish it deeper right now i get it to 12-18'' might have to go to 3/8 oz

  2. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #2
    Experiment. I've had days where they want a steady retrieve, days where they want it to be shaked, and days where it didn't matter. I've always felt that the main thing shaking it does is keep it up in the water column on a slower retrieve. Obviously it makes it a little more erratic, but I'm not sure it's *that* big of a difference in the way the jig moves through the water while it's a dramatic difference in the depth it tends to run.

    Regarding the depth, one thing that I think gets overlooked a ton is how much the trailer can affect your depth. A rage craw has a lot of action, of course, but also creates a lot of lift. If you want to go deeper, try a trailer that doesn't kick as hard. Or even better, rig a grub with the tip of the tail pointed up or a swimbait with the boot pointed up. This will push the bait down as the trailer swims and can make the same jig run as much as a foot or two deeper at the same retrieve speed. Rigging a rage craw sideways is another way to reduce lift, though I think you'll have issues with the claws getting stuck on the hook point.
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
    225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
    Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
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  3. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #3
    It’s really hard to follow Drew when his answers are so spot on! For me I start usually with a swimbait trailer (3.8 BPS) rigged the “right way”. I’ll throw toward the cover, let it sink about 3/4 way to the bottom then start a slow steady retrieve. If I can see the jig i reel slower or turn the swimbait upside down to push the jig deeper instead of raising it up on the retrieve.

    If that hat doesn’t get strikes I will then let it sink to the bottom before starting my retrieve, unless the bottom composition is just too gross to let it hit the bottom. If I’m still not getting hit I’ll start the hopping, twitching, giving the jig “life”.

    If I'm casting over an open flat with submerged grass...I really don’t change much except I want the jig touching the top of the vegetation on the retrieve.

    Like Drew said, experiment, but pay attention to what change got you the strikes!
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  4. Member
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    #4
    I agree with everything said so far, but wanted to add this little extra...if you are fishing around wood cover and using a grub tail as a trailer, make sure to position the grub with the tail pointed down. This will help the jig go up and over the branches/logs with fewer snags because there will be added lift in the back end from the grub. I've had most of my success on a steady retrieve without shaking the rod tip, but absolutely experiment if you aren't getting bit.


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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by DrewFlu33 View Post
    I've always felt that the main thing shaking it does is keep it up in the water column on a slower retrieve.
    Yep, I agree with this. I fish like this shallow, I slow roll on steeper banks or out deep.

  6. Member
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    #7
    i am going to try it again friday i think this might get more fish if i can gain confidence with it because right now they are seeing spinner baits 90% of the time

  7. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #8
    Something I've noticed in my neck of the woods is that the fish are biting a chatterbait a lot better than a swim jig right now. On a bigger scale, it seems that this is something that's emerged at least over the last several years for me. Spring, pre-spawn up til the spawn they seem to bite a chatterbait better. Getting into the spawn and post-spawn and even into the summer is when the swim jig really starts to shine for me. My working theory is that'when they're not necessarily as aggressive, particularly post-spawn, but are more keyed in on bluegills which the swim jig does an awesome job of imitating. Obviously different everywhere, though I do think the same goes for using it to imitate shad.
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
    225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
    Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
    Console: HDS 16 Carbon
    Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360

  8. Member
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    #9
    Only shake the shit outta it if your from Alabama, hence the name alabama shake. But in all seriousness these other dudes are spot on.