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How to Fish a Swim Jig | Beginneer to Advanced – Wired2Fish

Wired2Fish
2/20/2024

Bill Lowen’s video provides an in-depth look at his approach to swim jig fishing, a technique he’s renowned for and utilizes throughout the year. Here’s a detailed breakdown of his insights, strategies, and preferences for swim jig fishing:

Swim Jig Selection and Versatility

  • Color and Weight: Lowen starts with a black and blue 5/16 oz swim jig, emphasizing its versatility across various types of cover, including flooded bushes, grass, rocks, and docks. He notes the importance of color selection and the need to adjust based on the lake’s conditions and the fish’s mood.
  • Seasonal Use: He highlights the swim jig’s year-round effectiveness, regardless of the season, attributing its success to its natural and subtle presentation, which is crucial in pressured waters.

Observations and Adjustments

  • Initial Observations: After a few casts and a catch, Lowen observes the fish’s reaction to the swim jig, considering every bite as a piece of the puzzle in understanding the lake and the fish’s behavior.
  • Color Adjustment: Noticing that fish were nipping at the jig rather than committing, he decides to switch colors, aiming for a more bluegill-like pattern to better match the forage, suggesting that color and trailer adjustments are key when fish are hesitant.

Technique and Presentation

  • Fishing Method: Lowen describes his unique approach to swim jig fishing, emphasizing a slower, more deliberate retrieval compared to the typical fast-paced power fishing methods. He uses a shaking motion with the rod tip to impart action to the jig, aiming to keep it in the strike zone as long as possible.
  • Versatility in Action: He points out the swim jig’s ability to be flipped like a traditional jig, allowing him to target isolated cover effectively and adjust his presentation based on the situation, from swimming through grass to dropping it into dark holes or beside isolated cover.

Gear Preferences

  • Rod Selection: Lowen prefers a 7’6″ rod with a soft tip for roll casting and a backbone strong enough for solid hooksets. The soft tip allows for subtle jig movements without aggressive rod movements.
  • Reel and Line: He uses a high-speed reel (7:1 or 8:1 gear ratio) paired with 30 or 40 lb Seaguar TactX braid for its casting ease, especially when skipping under cover, and for better hooksets in heavy cover.
  • Trailer Importance: The choice of trailer is crucial for Lowen, who looks for ones that offer resistance in the water, enhancing the jig’s buoyancy and water displacement. This resistance helps in “floating” the jig around cover, making it appear as a larger profile to bass.

Success with Adjustments

  • After switching to a green pumpkin swim jig to better match the bluegill in the lake, Lowen quickly notices an improvement in the fish’s response, with more aggressive bites and fish fully committing to the jig. This change underscores the importance of matching the hatch and paying attention to the fish’s feedback to optimize lure selection.

Electronics and Efficiency

  • Lowen also discusses the role of electronics in swim jig fishing, using his live sonar and 360 imaging to identify isolated cover and baitfish schools, even when primarily focusing on shallow water targets. This technology allows him to make informed decisions on the water, targeting areas that might otherwise be overlooked.

Conclusion

Bill Lowen’s detailed breakdown of his swim jig approach offers valuable insights into the subtleties of this versatile technique. From lure selection and presentation to gear preferences and the use of electronics, Lowen’s strategies reflect a deep understanding of bass behavior and how to effectively target them with swim jigs across various conditions and cover types. His methodical approach, emphasizing natural presentations and the importance of making adjustments based on real-time feedback from the fish, showcases the depth of his expertise and provides a comprehensive guide for anglers looking to master swim jig fishing.

In Bill Lowen’s detailed exploration of swim jig fishing, he emphasizes the critical role of color and weight selection in maximizing the effectiveness of this versatile lure. Here’s a deeper dive into his insights on these two crucial aspects:

Color Selection

  • Initial Choice: Lowen starts his day with a black and blue swim jig, a color scheme he trusts for its versatility across different environments and water conditions. This choice reflects a common strategy among anglers to begin with proven colors and adjust based on the day’s conditions and fish behavior.
  • Adjustments Based on Feedback: Observing the fish’s reactions—nipping at the jig rather than fully committing—Lowen considers this a sign that a color change might be necessary. This decision-making process highlights the importance of interpreting fish behavior as feedback on lure selection.
  • Switching to Match Forage: Lowen opts for a more bluegill-like pattern for his swim jig, aiming to more closely mimic the natural forage in the lake. He selects a color with subtle orange and blue hues, avoiding overpowering brightness for a more natural, subdued appearance. This choice is informed by his understanding that a realistic imitation of the local forage can often trigger more aggressive bites from bass, especially in pressured waters where a natural presentation is key.
  • Core Color Palette: Despite the vast array of available colors, Lowen mentions that essentially three colors can cover most fishing situations nationwide: black and blue for darker or murkier waters, green pumpkin for clearer water or bottom-matching scenarios, and white for baitfish imitations. This simplified palette underscores the principle of matching the jig color to the prevalent forage or prevailing water conditions.

Weight Selection

  • Preferred Weights: Lowen’s swim jig lineup includes three primary weights: 1/4 oz, 5/16 oz, and 3/8 oz. This range allows him to adapt the jig’s presentation depth and action to different fishing conditions and cover types.
  • Quarter Ounce Jig: Lowen expresses a particular preference for the 1/4 oz swim jig, citing its ability to “float” or “hover” in the strike zone longer. This lighter weight facilitates a slower, more deliberate presentation, keeping the lure in front of the fish for an extended period and potentially triggering more bites.
  • 5/16 Ounce Jig: When he desires a slightly faster retrieve or needs to cover more water, Lowen opts for the 5/16 oz jig. This weight still allows for a controlled, enticing presentation but with a bit more depth and speed, making it versatile for various scenarios.
  • 3/8 Ounce Jig: For situations requiring the jig to be fished deeper, such as along grass lines or down the ends of laydowns, Lowen selects the 3/8 oz weight. This heavier jig sinks faster, reaching deeper holding fish more quickly while still allowing for an effective swim jig presentation.

Conclusion

Bill Lowen’s approach to swim jig color and weight selection is both strategic and adaptive, grounded in years of experience and a deep understanding of bass behavior. By starting with a trusted color and making adjustments based on real-time feedback, Lowen demonstrates the importance of versatility and observation in successful swim jig fishing. His preference for a range of weights further illustrates the need to tailor the jig’s presentation to the specific conditions of the day, whether that means floating a lighter jig in shallow cover or sending a heavier jig down to deeper structures. This nuanced approach to color and weight selection is a key factor in Lowen’s consistent success with swim jigs across different waters and seasons.