So as i have recently picked up the jig fishing bug and am working on the bottom contact variety but i also had a really good day fishing swim jigs the other day and wanted some advice on trailers.

 

I have only fished them a handful of times and have been using 3.5" yum money minnows but the hollow belly makes them a little difficult to rig, not to mention they seem a litlte pricy for a trailer.  I am thinking a solid body swim bait would work and maybe some sort of craw?

 

Anyways what all are you guys using on your swim jigs and also what weight swim jigs do you throw?

 

I just ordered some from Northstar in 3/8oz but i am kind of wondering if that was to heavy but i know it seems like 3/8oz is a go to spinnerbait size and this is pretty much the same thing without the blade so that was my thinking.  I would have just used the one i have as a model but i have no clue how heavy it is.

 

Anyways your thoughts are welcome and much appreciated.

 

THanks

3/8 oz jig is fine.

 

My #1 trailer is the Rage Tail Menace rigged vertically.

99.9% of the time I have either a 1/4 oz or 3/8 oz NorthStar tied on...Depending on the weather conditions, cover, and depth when I throw each one.
Can't go wrong with a swimbait or craw style trailer of your choice...Personally I like the paca craws and big hammer swimbaits.

zoom fat albert 99.9% of the time along with 3/8 NS swim jig.

Rage craws has a pretty crazy action when swimmed.

looks like the consensus is whatever you want to put on there will work   At least now i have a good idea of what to look for on my next tackle shopping trip....

Cane Thumpers and Kickin' Darters

zoom fat albert 99.9% of the time along with 3/8 NS swim jig.

X2 Fat Albert Twin Tails, I don't know about them resembling a craw, maybe more like a bluegill, but they have great action and produce.  Rootbeer pep/grn has been a great color for us.

looks like the consensus is whatever you want to put on there will work   At least now i have a good idea of what to look for on my next tackle shopping trip....

Yes sir! The options are endless and I use different trailers based on the time of year. Single tail grubs, twin tail grubs, 5" swimbaits like a Havoc grass pig or RI skinny dipper, Havoc subwoofer is probably my favorite, and your favorite craw trailer.

 

Size wise it depends how deep and how fast you want to retrieve. I use a 1/4oz Northstar Swim Jig most of the time. This is for target oriented structure and most time i'm in 1-5 FOW. If i'm swimming deeper grass i'll bump up to a 3/8oz. 

I use mostly Mr. Twister Split double tails (the ones with four total appendages), and zoom swimmin' chunks for swim jigs. Reaction innovations little dipper is a good choice too. I've hammered bass this spring with swim jigs, especially with the split double tails.

By far the best swimjig I have ever used is the Fred Roumbanis swim jig from Pepper Custom Baits. It comes through grass and weeds very well and is versatile enough to use as a pitchin' jig. Very nice big gamakatsu hook on it too.

 

 

You guys that use twin tails or craws as trailers on your swim jigs instead of a single or paddle tail, how do you rig them? Horizontal or vertical?? It seems like to me a swim jig trailer with two apendages would be better off rigged vertical since you are trying to imitate a baitfish, versus a standard jig that you are fishing on the bottom to resemble a crawfish.

I rig mine horizontal, and I don't overthink things, as long as there is something flapping around back there I don't care, fish don't have enough time to discern what they are looking at anyway, they see something swim buy that looks like a bait fish and have about a 1/2 second to eat it or leave it.

3/8 swim jig with a rage chunk or craw

only throw 1/2 once and 3/4 dirty jigs, usually a 4.8 keitech swing fat on the back

I use the triple color Kalin grubs.

Anything that swims will work but I have found that I like zoom swimming flukes on the back of my J&J Tackle Grass Jigs I trim the first 1/4" off and glue them on they have a good kickout while swimming just a slightly different action than the traditional grubs or chunks.