What are some of your thoughts on the flip and swim jigs. I have a few that I believe were from a old site sponsor. The weed guards seem really stiff for swimming. Am I better off just using a separate jig for each purpose?

21 minutes ago, Deebo said:

What are some of your thoughts on the flip and swim jigs. I have a few that I believe were from a old site sponsor. The weed guards seem really stiff for swimming. Am I better off just using a separate jig for each purpose?

 

There are endless options out there for jigs that excel at both flipping and swimming.... I don't understand why anyone would carry separate jigs for both...

Swimming a jig has been a great technique for me, a jig marketed as a "swim jig" is just to catch fisherman by adding two eyes to the side or the head. Yes they may come through grass better but so does a grass jig, I just use a casting jig as a swimjig and throw a keitech or rage craw on the end, i promise you the fish will not know it's not a "swim jig" jig.

My main concern was about being able to get a good enough hook set on a stiff guard while it's swimming. I could try to run braid instead of flouro too. I could just be overthinking it. 

1 hour ago, ajschn06 said:

I don't understand why anyone would carry separate jigs for both...

Because teardrop heads with vertical line ties come through weeds and soft muck much more cleanly, but can wedge in rocks, etc. Differently shaped heads/line tie orientations are out there for a reason.

18 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Because teardrop heads with vertical line ties come through weeds and soft muck much more cleanly, but can wedge in rocks, etc. Differently shaped heads/line tie orientations are out there for a reason.

So I'd be picking the head shape based on which structure I'll be throwing the jig in.  You can swim them all...

I agree with @PhishLI. Different head shapes and line tie degrees do make a difference.

 

One jig I have found that has been nice for both swimming and pitching into cover is the plain old Hack Attack. The 30 degree line tie is generally versatile (maybe not in rocks) and the perfect line tie for swimming plastics. Also, the thin triangular shape of the jighead gets through both weeds and wood very good.

23 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

You can swim them all...

? 

2 hours ago, ajschn06 said:

 

There are endless options out there for jigs that excel at both flipping and swimming.... I don't understand why anyone would carry separate jigs for both...

I would have to agree. I can take a flipping jig and work it like a swim jig and vice- versa, but one must do what they are comfortable with.

Sure you can swim them all... until you can't. Talking about thick weeds of course, that's where a proper swim jig with a bullet nose comes in.

5 hours ago, Deebo said:

My main concern was about being able to get a good enough hook set on a stiff guard while it's swimming. I could try to run braid instead of flouro too. I could just be overthinking it. 

 That has NEVER been an issue for me and I fish swim jigs a lot!

True you can swim any type of jig. Go find a nice fishy looking weed clump and swim a 3/4oz football jig thru it..that's a fun experiment for you.

Don’t be afraid to mod the jig and snip off some of the bristles until it feels right to you. I tweak the weed guard and skirt on every single jig I buy right out of the package. 

6 hours ago, Deebo said:

What are some of your thoughts on the flip and swim jigs. I have a few that I believe were from a old site sponsor. The weed guards seem really stiff for swimming. Am I better off just using a separate jig for each purpose?

 

If you want a lighter guard cut some of the strands out, do not cut them shorter that only will make them stiffer.

 

Allen

Any jig can be a swim jig, the real reason I buy the officially designated ones is because they tend to be tied with baitfish colored skirts while those colors aren't terribly common among lots of others, it makes no difference at all if you tie your own or are into replacing skirts though.

37 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

True you can swim any type of jig. 

 

You are inviting Anarchy! 

 

Allen

1 hour ago, Munkin said:

 

You are inviting Anarchy! 

 

Allen

I don't mind a little craziness...unleash the kraken!

I have a BUNCH of those flip and swims - they are great jigs. What you are describing has never been a problem, and you can flip them into some nasty stuff. If you’re not fishing heavy cover, or you’re swimming mostly open water, trim the weed guard back

Jiust go with a poisontail style jig if you want to do both, 30deg so swims well, but it also comes through cover well. As Munkin said, just tri your weedguards for the situation.

23 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

I don't mind a little craziness...unleash the kraken!

^^^^

1 hour ago, Munkin said:

 

If you want a lighter guard cut some of the strands out, do not cut them shorter that only will make them stiffer.

 

Allen

Finally, someone who understands leverage!

 

As far as using a swimjig and flipping jig in the same situations, that's a pass for me.  I can make a swimming jig work in a flipping situation, but the flipping jigs I use have too much weed guard for me to not blow a mouth open.  I've had that happen several times trying to swim my flipping jigs.

 

I also fish my swimjigs on a heavy power moderate action glass rod, the same one I use for chatterbaits and spinnerbaits.

I cut most all guards shorter to make the profile more streamlined, just got to do that first then thin out fibers to get the stiffness you want.