When and where to throw them? Why throw a swim jig over a spinnerbait?  Any tips?

Well, first off let me say I haven't mastered the art of swimming jigs. I really don't reach for a jig simply to swim it, because I am in the same boat as you, just don't know the right conditions it would be best for.

But I can tell you this. Sometimes when I am using a jig with a paca chunk, or rage tail chunk trailer (2 trailers that have great action). And I am simply flipping/pitching the jig to a peice of cover, hopping/pausing it a few, and then making a new cast, instead of just ripping it back to me as quick as possible or hop/crawl/pausing it back to me, I'll slowly swim it back. And I have caught fish like this. I'll go as far to say this, I have had incidents where I was pitching/flipping to cover, and on the retrieve to make a new cast I'd swim it back nice and steady, and catch fish. I wasn't catchin crap when I was fishin it slowly near cover, but swimming it instead was getting more bites. So for the rest of the day I didn't bother flipping/pitching, I just swam the jig every cast, and if I remember correctly, I did pretty well that day. So I guess saying the fish will tell you what they want is true after all.

So next time your pitching/flipping the jig, try to swim it on the retrieve back to yourself every now an again, and if you start getting bit, you know the time to swim a jig is now.

Ps. The ragetail chunk, and paca chunk swim great...

Good stuff.... Im looking into those two trailers...

Good stuff.... Im looking into those two trailers...

The Paca chunks are a KILLER trailer! In fact try there Paca Craw and Baby Paca Craw on T-rig and HOLD on!

Swimming jigs became a habit many years ago when I was getting hits when reeling a jig and pig back to the boat at the end of the retrieve.  Instead of just reeling a jig in now I hop and swim it in.  Amazing how many bass clobber it.

As to the where and whens of fishing a swim jig?  Around docks with some weed cover is my favorite and any time of the day seems to work.  A white jig with a white zoom chunk casted as far back under or along a dock as possible, just slow roll it back and keep your eyes on the jig.  If they want it they will swim out and grab it.  Another place is over and around grass with holes.  Cast the jig as far as possible and swim in back, but kill it and allow it to drop into the holes in the grass along the way.  This also works in Lily pads, but is a pain when the line gets caught in the V of the pad.

I am sure there are many more ways of swimming a jig, but these are what has worked for me the best.  

Don't forget to always swim any jig you are fishing back to the boat at the end of the retrieve you will be surprised as what happens.

This is definitely something i want to get more into.  Does anyone have a favorite swim jig/brand?

Look for jigs with somewhat pointed heads that have the line tie in the nose of the jig instead of those that have it sitting on top or at an angle.  The reason is the pointed jigs with the line tie in the nose come through weeds better and don't collect weed strands under the line tie.  I have used both Booyah and Strike Kings jigs for swim jigs, but there are many others.

I like the 1/4 oz. Outkast Pro Swim Jig, I usually thread on a Kalins or a Yamamoto single tail grub and fish it like a spinnerbait. One feature on the outkast that I really like is the double barb keeper, keeps the grub on real well. Recently *** posted the swim jigs he offers, they looked like another good choice.

I grew up my entire life just miles from the swim jig man himself, Tom Monsoor.

A quality swim jig paired with a 3-5" grub is absolutely probably one of my best presentations, especially on river systems (stained to muddy water in fact).  I would recommend using flourocarbon line (to get the jig slightly deeper) and fish it pretty much in the conditions you would throw a lipless bait or spinnerbait.  Over the top of grass, around stumps, docks and rocks.  I view it as a finesse spinnerbait and it is absolutely amazing.

In relation to swim jigs, I do not believe there are any that are produced in extreme quantities that are any good.  I would recommend the following website:

www.customlures.net

The Lethal Weapon II is probably the best swim jig, but I make my own with a few little modifications.  

Take care,

Steve