The last time I wrote about the Outkast Swim Jigs largemouth were the target but in the last few years I have found a few more uses for my swim jig. In today’s article we are going to look at targeting springtime smallmouth and pike, you will be amazed as I have been at the catching power of the swim jig.
Springtime Smallies
After spending the long winter in the depths smallies cannot wait to get into the shallows to put on the feed bag looking for spawning areas along the way. One of the main baits to target springtime smallies is a tube bait but a few years ago on a smallie outing to Chequamegon Bay a tube was the last thing that a smallmouth wanted so we had to dig into the tackle bags for a new bait that would possible get us some bites. I tried a Texas rigged Stick Worm rigged on a weighted hook and I had a few smallies take the bait but I was not setting the world on fire there had to be a better option. Having been largemouth fishing the weekend before I had a Swim Jig already rigged and ready to go on one of my rods. Grabbing the rod I fired a cast to the edge of the shoreline, letting the bait sink to about a two count I started to slowly reel the jig back to the boat. After a few turns of the reel the line tightened, I set the hook and after a short run the smallie was air bound and the fight was on.
As the day went on the Swim Jig fast became the bait to be fishing as the smallies wanted a bait that was moving but breaking it down more they wanted a jig, grub combo. This swim jig, grub combination was the ticket the first day, with the smallies just seeming to start their search of the shallows they had roaming on their minds. Seeing the weather forecast for the next day we decided to spend one more day and try our swim jig tactic but when we got back to our fishing area we noticed a change had taken place overnight.
Moving into the back of the bay we noticed smallies starting to sit next to cover taking up places to get ready to spawn in few days. Casting the swim jig in the area close to the smallies did not get any attention from the smallies today’s fishing was about getting the jig next to cover. When you would see the smallies sitting next to cover you had to drop the jig next to the cover to get a bite. As for the in between stops you could still catch the roaming smallies in the shallows with the swim jig. When the two day smallie catch fest was over my partner and I took close to 100 smallies in the two days on the water and the majority of these fish were taken on an Outkast Swim Jig.
When it comes to rod and reel set up for this smallmouth tactic I generally fish a 1/4oz to 3/8oz Outkast Swim Jig on a baitcaster setup. For this I use a 7ft medium action baitcaster rod, teamed with a matching reel, spooled with 12lb to 15lb P-Line Halo line. This is a fluorocarbon line that gives me more sensitivity than mono. The lower line stretch helps get a good hook set at the end of the cast also. For some you may opt to use a spinning setup for this type of fishing. If that was the case I would recommend you use a 7ft medium action, teamed with a matched spinning reel either spooled with 10lb P-Line Halo or 20/6 Fire Line Crystal. If the smallies are a little line shy use a fluorocarbon leader with the Fire Line. I feel the key to this bite was the jig and grub combo when you are using this tactic experiment with your grub offering to see how the smallies react and make changes from there.
Early Season Pike
How many times have you been fishing a swim jig and you catch pike? At times maybe more than you want especially if you are fishing in a bass tournament, but seeing this it started the wheels turning. In the last few years when the time is right you cannot beat fishing a swim jig for shallow water pike. At the start of the season with pike hitting the shallows looking for food pike want a bait that is moving and an Outkast Swim Jig is a perfect bait choice. Anywhere you think about fishing a spinnerbait you can fish a swim jig. With the pike seeing so many spinnerbaits during the early part of the season from bass fishermen a swim jig is a great option for a spinnerbait. One fact that makes a swim jig stand out is the grub tail and the bright colors that you can use to attract pike.
The grub tails that you use are an important part of how the jig attracts and works for both bass and pike. When it comes to matching grubs to the jig I will generally use an Outkast Fat Tail Grub but I will not stop there I will many times use a double tail grub if I feel the need to get the pike to come out of the weeds. I will also take a white grub and color the tail chartreuse or pink with Spike It Dye to create more visual attraction to the swim jig. Pike cannot resist bright colors making this a great way to dress up your swim jig.
So if you are looking to up your catch with swim jigs this year give these tactics a try. If you do not have a swim jig make it to your local sporting goods retailer and throw a few Outkast Swim Jigs into your bag. Remember to grab a few different color Fat Tail Grubs to go with the jigs and add a few different Spike It Dye colors into the mix. You will soon what bass fishermen have known swim jigs can catch fish and they are not just for largemouth bass.
Create some memories please practice CPR (Catch, Photo and Release). The future of fishing is in your hands.By: Scott M. Petersen
