Swimjigs are fast gaining popularity due to their high success rate and relative ease of use. Having had some limited success with this technique I decided to put some questions to Marc Bywater, a Protea Angler, in order to gain a better understanding of how to fish swimjigs in various conditions. Marc has a huge amount of confidence in swimjigs and can fish them better than most people I know, so it made a lot of sense to get his insight on the subject.
What are swimjigs and how do they perform differently to similar baits?
Marc: In my opinion, swimjigs are one of the most versatile baits on the market today. Similar in fishing style to the spinnerbait, they are often fished in the same kind of situations. I first started fishing swimjigs around 2012, shortly after they began hitting the shelves in 2011. It was around this time that hollow-belly swimbaits were a big craze and I just could not wrap my head around this technique. Firstly, the realistic bait imitation swimbaits cost a fortune and I could never find the perfect rigging technique – either the bait tore too easily or the hook-up ratio was really low.
Being a fan of spinnerbaits, I found it really easy to transition into fishing with the swimjig. The weighted head, skirt and exposed hook are key similarities to the spinnerbait and when combined with a swimbait’s realistic bait-like imitation, you have a swimjig. The most important aspect of the swimjig is that it can be fished in almost any type of structure from shallow timber to deep grass lines.
When is the best time of year to use them and what areas should people look at during the different seasons?
Marc: Being very confident in a technique is key to keeping that rod in your hand and bait in the water – if you lack confidence in a particular technique you simply won’t fish it! The swimjig is an all-year bait and I have fished it from the dead of winter for smallmouth and largemouth, right into the blistering hot days of summer. The only thing that limits the bite is an angler’s lack of creativity for different presentations and retrieves.
What different techniques do you employ and what tackle should one use?
Marc: If you have never fished a swimjig before and want to get started quickly and easily, I would suggest picking up your favourite spinnerbait rod and reel and tie on a swimjig. Start off by fishing it in the same situations as you would fish your spinnerbaits. However, it’s commonly known that spinnerbaits work best with a bit of wind but you must now take that out of your mind when fishing swimjigs. Yes, it may help for the fish to be more active, but I have had some of my best fishing day with the swimjig in the calmest of waters. Elite Series pro angler Mike Mclelland is a keen swimjig fisherman and he spent a lot of time developing the ideal rod for this technique with American rod manufacturer Falcon Rods. He uses a 7.2 ft Medium Heavy rod for hauling the bass out of tight cover. Another key element of this technique is the use of a good fluorocarbon line. In clearer water, like that found in Clanwilliam Dam, use 12lb if the structure you are fishing allows for it. In heavier cover, as found in Theewaterskloof Dam, use 15lb fluorocarbon and always fish it on a 7:1 reel. A faster reel enables one to pick up the slack on a long cast and really set the hook nicely. In addition, when flipping the swimjig around heavy timber it helps to get the fish out of cover before it gets wrapped up.
Swimjigs can be fished in many different ways, varying from long casts into open water to pitching tight cover. Most of my success has been from long casts at a 45 degree angle to the structure and a steady retrieve back to the boat. Some days the bait only has to move one foot and it gets eaten, and on other days the bass will follow it right to the boat. Vary your retrieve speed in an effort to determine how they want it on that particular day. One of the most important things I have learnt while fishing the swimjig is to bump into the structure. With spinnerbaits or other reaction baits, anglers often fear getting hung up and losing their bait, but the swimjig is amazingly snag-proof, and fishing it as deep in the cover as possible will prove very successful.
Marc Bywater onto a good fish on swimjig. 
Marc with a bass that choked a swimjig. 
Correctly rigged swimjig.
What are the different ways you can rig the baits and which is your favourite all round rig?
Marc: A key factor in the swimjig’s success is in its action. There are many swimjigs on the market and many may produce fish, however I have the most confidence in the Jewel “Swim-it” swimjig. It has a very unique triangular-shaped head which not only allows it to be very streamlined, but also creates a side-to-side “wobble”. I usually pair the jig with a Big Bite Baits “Cane Thumper” which was developed by another well-known pro, Dean Rojas. The collapsible body of the Cane Thumper enables the bait to not bulk up or block the hook, providing good hook penetration. Whenever you pair a paddletail-style bait to a swimjig it important to have a trailer bait keeper. Often smaller fish will grab at the tail, ripping it off the bait resulting in you to having to replace twice as many trailers. Jewel’s swimjig has a unique wire that goes through the bait and hooks around the shank of the hook, keeping the bait aligned and in place.
It’s important to note that the trailer bait should not hang too far behind the end of the hook. I have witnessed a few anglers putting the full Cane Thumper behind the bait and then complaining about missing fish. A good measurement is to have the tail about 50 – 60 mm behind the hook. I like to take the bait out the packet and cut the full head and 3 ribs off it
The swimjig bite will be similar to that of the spinnerbait and it is important to ensure that your hook remains sharp at all times. Once the fish has attacked the bait, allow a split second to take up all the slack and for the rod to load up before firmly setting the hook. If you find that you are losing fish too often you need to vary the time you take to set the hook. Personally, I am not shy to pull back on the fish when it bites as I want the hook to really penetrate that muscular part of its mouth. Often the hard hook set will pull the fish away from cover and allow you to get the upper hand in the fight by minimizing the opportunities for getting wrapped up.
Fishing with swimjigs is just like any other technique: the more you fish it the more confident you get and the more confident you get, the more fish you catch.
A fish caught on a swimjig.
