I was suggested by the Cabelas salesman to use a 1/4 oz. jig so I bought some to go along with the baits but after getting home and trying to rig it the hook appears too short and is coming through ahead of the indentation where it is supposed to come through near the head of the bait. I tried to push the Keitech forward over the jig but it didn't seem to work very well. How does everyone else rig these baits? I can't wait to try it out, bass season just opened where I live :).

Keel-weighted, screw-lock hooks in the 4/0 size. This is made by Owner. 

Buck-Eye J-Will

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Buckeye-Lures-J-Will-Swimbait-Head/1364103.uts

 

Make an extended cast on structure or along a weed line. Allow the bait to fall to the bottom, then begin a steady retrieve. The bait creates all of the action, nothing is needed on your part.

YouTube them.

BassThumb nailed it for a more weedless presentation. A Kalin swimbait jig head works for me when I'm fishing off-shore structures and don't have to worry about weeds as much.

Owner Beast weighted 4/0 or Owner Twistlock Weighted 5/0. The Beast has a better gap, the Twistlock comes through/over grass better. Apparently you can also fish them on a plain 4/0 EWG hook but I haven't been able to make that work reliably.

I like the weightless Trokar swimbait hooks

I like fishing them weightless, but you have to center the hook perfectly or the bait will run very poorly.  I have found that a pair of 1/32 nail weights makes the hook placement a little less exacting and still lets me run them nice and slowly.  

I just bought some of the Keitech 1/8oz swimjigs to try with them, I have high hopes for them.  

I reelly like the Trokar Boxer Jig for my swimbaits a 4.8" sif is pictured. Super sharp and sticks them easily. It has forward spikes top and bottom to hold the swimbait on. I like the spikes better than the round holder on a regular jig likely the type you are having difficulties with. Of course this is used in more open water spots but it actually goes through weeds ok'ish

 

7 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Buck-Eye J-Will

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Buckeye-Lures-J-Will-Swimbait-Head/1364103.uts

 

Make an extended cast on structure or along a weed line. Allow the bait to fall to the bottom, then begin a steady retrieve. The bait creates all of the action, nothing is needed on your part.

^^^^This^^^^^ 

J Will's is what I use the most. The best part is they come in weights that range from 1/8 to over 3/4 of an ounce. Any weight you need, they got. 

11 hours ago, Gundog said:

^^^^This^^^^^ 

J Will's is what I use the most. The best part is they come in weights that range from 1/8 to over 3/4 of an ounce. Any weight you need, they got. 

Plus, the make a weedless version also. Great swimbait head!

I use 3.8 amd 4.3 inch kietech fats and 3/0 or 4/0 spring lock keel weighted hook. Owner and Gamakatzu are great. Burkeley fusion 19 are really good too and come in a nice clamp shell. Trokar makes one that is more of a 'monster' wider gap. They all work well and are weedless when put on straight. I get a lot more use out of one lure than many people say dispite it being fragile. For the 4.8 size I would use a 5/0 or 6/0 in whichever brand you can find or is a dollar less. They all work fine for me and the only difference is trokar being a wider gap and being unable to texpose into the swing impacts with the knife hook point. Use what you like, good luck bro : )

Eagle Claw Lazer Weighted Swimbait 60-degree Hooks 4/0 or 5/0. - 1/8 to 1/4.

I've used variations of all of the above with success.  5/0 or 4/0 keel weighted swimbait, swimbait jigheads, and boxer-style jigheads (I used the 1/4 oz VMC's but they were on the small size).  

Just to add to the mix:  This morning I made a weedless "poor man's" swinging jig by just T-rigging it with a small bullet and a 4/0 EWG.   Fished it using the retrieve recommended by roadwarrior and it worked great.

Recently nosehooked one with a 2/0 octopus hook and threw it weightless in open water.   Fished with the old fashioned pop/pop/pause retrieve. That worked too.

I nose hook them at times with a Weedless wacky hook when I want to fish them weightless....But you can also use any jighead or weighted swimbait hook, or a screw lock hook...I like the screw locks only because I feel I can keep the bait straighter but they are also good on a weighted hook with a blade underneath...

Either a keel weighted hook as described above, or I'll use a glass bullet on the hook eye whenever I want to go weightless.

 

 

Mike

Is it imperative that the tail be facing downward?  I bought a pack and the lighter part of the bait would be on top for the tail to be downward.  Most all baits I know of the lighter part of the bait would be on bottom.

 

this is with a buckeye su-spin blade jig head. 

the larger baits 4.8 last the longest on the beast hook.  For some reason the keeper is larger and the bait will last multiple fish and go threw cover including hangups and not self destruct.  The smaller 3.8 fat work well on the back of a swim jig i like serbert or a standard owner weighted hook.  The keitech swim jigs are amazing and they dont hang up hardly ever but unfortunately when you get a fish, which you will, the keeper on the keitech swimjig tears up the nose of the bait.  I have used the keitech hook with a owner screw lock in the large size and that works wonders.

I put mine on Siebert outdoors shot caller swim jig. Crushed smallies on it last year in our state championship on the last day driving me from dead last to 3rd.