For professional angler Bill Lowen, a swim jig is an essential shallow lure that excels at fishing clean, fast, and triggering bites. Known for his proficiency in this technique, Lowen dives deep and covers everything you need to know about swim jig fishing, such as where they excel, how to choose the best jig and trailer based on the situation, retrieve techniques, and his preferred rod setup.
THE VERSATILITY OF SWIM JIGS
Swim jigs are versatile lures that excel anytime you're fishing shallow water with a little to a lot of cover; they easily come through bushes, grass, rocks, and docks. Lowen emphasizes the importance of having a swim jig tied on year-round due to its "everywhere" appeal and adaptability across habitats and seasons.
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READING THE SWIM JIG BITE
Lowen's approach starts with paying close attention to each bite, viewing them as puzzle pieces to the fish's behavior. He stresses the significance of adjusting colors, trailer styles, and retrieval based on how the bass hit the bait. Short strikes? Swap up jig colors or trailer styles until they eat the bait deeper, or change to a lighter jig and slow down to keep the jig in their face longer.
JIG COLOR AND TRAILER SELECTION
The key to swim jig success is choosing the right color and trailer. Lowen recommends three primary colors: black and blue, green pumpkin, and white. These versatile colors work across the country, effectively imitating everything from bullhead to bluegills to shad. Trailers play a crucial role, too; Lowen alternates between trailers with varying actions, depending on the fish's mood and the water clarity. On this day, he landed on a crawfish trailer with an abundant kick, and some added buoyancy to help skip the bait and float it through cover.
THE ROLE OF ELECTRONICS
Most don't think of swim jig fishing as a time when electronics are particularly advantageous. Lowen disagrees, and usually keeps his forward-facing and 360 sonar on, especially when fishing adjacent to drop-offs. As he explains, it's commonplace to see cover such as a laydown or boulder patch just out of view, or bass suspended just off the edge of the drop, targeting suspended forage. You could easily find yourself catching bass on jigs in open water!
TECHNIQUE AND GEAR PREFERENCE
Lowen shares his unique method of fishing swim jigs, focusing on keeping them in the strike zone for as long as possible. Unlike the typical fast-paced approach, he advocates for a slower, more deliberate retrieval to trigger tentative bass. He prefers a longer medium-heavy casting rod with a soft tip and stiff backbone for casting accuracy and hookset power, paired with a high-speed reel for quick line retrieval. He opts for a 30- to 40-braid, balancing line strength and action.
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No bite like a swim jig bite. Love watching Lowen’s videos. He’s a great teacher
I was Bill’s marshal for the Conroe Classic and got a first hand lesson on swim jigs….really effective
I have never had any luck on jigs but I’m going to force myself to fish it this year.
Put it in your hand and only fish a swimjig all day and it will become a confidence bait for you. It’s such a versatile bait
A football jig is my confidence bait, most definitely gonna try a swim jig this year
I use to never catch anything on a jig until one day I got lucky and now its my favorite technique. I think smaller jigs are the best way to start catching. Something like a strike king bitsy flip jig or smaller finesse ball heads work in a lot of places and personally I get more bites on something downsized.
Me too brother
I did the same thing on finesse jigs last summer and now it's one of my favorite things to throw
If it wasn’t for this video, I wouldn’t have caught my first three pounder on the bed just started fishing so hooked love it. Thank you for all the knowledge.
Got to meet Bill at a seminar this winter, super nice guy!
Thanks for all the tips & advice!!! I started to use braid when I first started to throw swim jigs but for some reason switched to fluorocarbon but will now switch back. I was using the 30# braid. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!🤠
this was a clinic. Awesome video
Thank you for these tips! I love watching your guys videos, and I have learned so much and caught so many more bass with these tips!!!
Great to hear!
I picked up a swim jig last August just junk fishing and, I haven't put a jig down since. I caught larger than usual fish also. I don't swim it so much but, let it sink, drag it a bit maybe until it gets hung a little on grass or an obstruction and, then I rip it out with a snap. That draws reaction bites even if they aren't hungry. I always have one tied on!
Same here. caught my PB last august on my first swim jig
Only caught a few with the swim jigg looking forward to All jig fishing this year 🤟
Excellent video. Full of great information. Thanks for sharing your swim jig tips.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Thanks for the info.
I enjoy the light Weight float also 4 swimm Jig
you tought me alot about swim jigs. I used it once in a tournament that had a lot of grass and did ok
Those shallow water anchors are so nice to have 👀! Keep them awesome videos coming, loved it 👍! Got here new subscriber fisherman from Kazakhstan 😉🖐
I'm struggling with the swim jig. I need to perfect the rod motion. Great vid!
Amazing video man!!! Good stuff! Makes me excited for spring and summer fishing! I make fishing videos too and I love watching yours!! Great work and keep these videos coming! 💪🔥🤝
Bluegill color swim jigs are one of my confidence baits. Love it.
Try a Strike King Rage Menace in Moon Juice color as a trailer. That color has twin tails that mimic a blue gills tail to a T. I trim it a little so it fits well. It's a winner!
Awesome. I'll try that.
@@scottankers6690 oh, and no need to rotate the bait so that the twin tails look like a bluegills tail, it works fine rigged like a craw. Especially when you are swimming it back.
good info, thanks
Great tips from a great angler
Thanks 👍
Lure parts online 🎉 Where fishing 🎣 starts!!! And catching begins
Luv swim jig fishing Especially with a legionary fisherman
He's one of the best!
Great video Bill, thanks for the good information! What full cork handle rod were you using (model and brand)? Thanks, Will
Love that you use your electronics to find cover rather than fish.
You don't like using the technology to its full potential?! 😂
Caught my PB on a swimjig, I love throwing them into a submerged bush, and ripping it through and out. Caught a good one getting hung up, and it smoked it when it came free.
💪🏻
When i fish fresh water in delaware, it’s usually in ponds with a ridiculous amount of foliage/growth. Hangups have made me wary of using jigs, but i may have to keep one ready now
You are so right about them ponds out there 🤦♂! Ocean fishing is awesome in Delaware, did that few times while I was going to School in Newark and I loved it💪👍! Now I live, fish and make videos about fishing in Kazakhstan 😉😎🖐
Love swimjigs. Sucks I don't get bit much at all in the winter. Won a couple Tournaments on them
I have not had luck with them in the winter either. maybe it is the color and size I am using is not right for the conditions.
@@thomasneal7126 I think I'm just reeling way to fast is my guess
Jigs are best in early spring through the spawn. After that there are better options.
And like any bait, if boat after boat is throwing it, the fish seem to learn very fast.
When do u fish the swim jig vs bladed jig?
Wish I had time to do more of this. I’m told to get good at any bait/technique is to go fishing with ONLY that bait/technique and try to learn OJT so to speak
Question for you sir, do you think the color change made them see it more easily, therefore they preferred it, or do you believe that they could see the different colors about the same and simply preferred the other color?
Not seeing the 5/0 jig listed at TW???
braid to mono leader? Or straight braid
What time of year was this recorded and approximately what was the water temp?
Do you use braid or what please
30 lb braid for swim jig? I throw mine from the bank on a 7ft medium, heavy fast action
The average fisherman can’t afford a forward facing sonar. So hearing that a fish is “following” it or nipping at the tail gets frustrating. I simply don’t have that kind of money. Help me fish without live and 360!
Wahhhh
@@mikea7233 yep…but it’s 100% true.
I promise you swim jig fishing is old school fishing at its finest. I think you miss understood what he was saying. Fish swipping at you bait you can feel and Seeing a fishing following your bait that's what a good pair of shades provides for you. Nothing I mean Nothing has anything to do with FFS.
Go back about 7 years on the vids.
@@shelbybrasuell9035 I respect your opinion but it really sounds like he was watching the fish on FFS. I know how to swim bait fish but would have liked some better info without even bringing up FFS. I would love to watch the "pros" fish without it now.
Would you choose a medium heavy vs medium rod for 3/8oz and less....I'm worried the mh with braid will pull the bait from their mouth.....would the medium be the preferred rod bc it may allow them to get the bait more......thoughts anybody?
A MH fast tip is fine
I don’t understand why the pros usually cast with their right hand but then switch the reel to the left hand after casting. I just cast with my right hand and reel with my left wouldn’t you want to have the pole in your dominant hand/arm? I assume most people are right handed
Bc they’re idiots
Yeh…..I thought the same thing until I got a left hand bait caster and found that your most nimble and strong hand is best on the cranking handle….not on the rod. I returned that reel and now have several bait casters, all right handed.
Ive always let them sink to bottom & bounce them , never had much luck. Just keep trying
Why 4 strand VS 8 strand?
Dollar Bill!!
Ark now. That’s a big loss for lews
Not even watching! Fish it like a damn spinner bait
He lost me when I saw all the screens I thought he was flipping