(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
When it comes to jig fishing, Gerald Swindle continually preaches simplicity. He may not keep it as straightforward as his good friend Andy Morgan, who doesn’t have rod straps on the deck of his boat because he only needs a single pitching stick (which he keeps on his hip while he drives), but the G-Man is not far behind.
“I’m probably the most simplistic fisherman you’ve ever been around in your life,” he said. That’s why he relies on a jig so often, calling it “the most versatile bait in your tackle box.” It’s not wedded to any water color, any season, or any water temperature. Moreover, it’s a big-fish bait, and that’s what’s needed to win tournaments.
“You ain’t got to catch 20 (fish) to catch 20 pounds,” he said.
While Swindle and many other pros have embraced the jig, many weekend anglers are intimidated by it. They shouldn’t be, he said, since it’s “no different than throwing a worm.” Actually, in Swindle’s eyes, it’s even simpler, as he basically throws two versions – a big flipping jig and a smaller ball-head jig.
The ball-head model that he’s thrown for years is now manufactured and sold by Buckeye Lures as the “G-Man Ballin’ Out jig.” He likes it because the eye lays flat with the hook so as not to catch every limb and piece of grass in the lake. It also has a weedguard that sits down right on the hook, which again limits the hassles of getting it wrapped around cover. While the Gamakatsu hook may match the lure’s compact design, it’s brutally strong, allowing Swindle to make a lightning-fast hook set that he refers to as “slapping him in the face.” He doesn’t waste time fighting a fish, either. “The longer he stays in the water, the more chances you have of losing him,” he explains.
When it comes to colors, he keeps it simple: “Black and brown, period.” Morgan, by comparison, is even simpler, using only brown. He doesn’t focus on colors or the numbers of strands in the skirt. His sole concern is putting the bait where the fish live. If he starts with brown and doesn’t get bit for an hour, he’ll switch to black, or vice versa.
Unlike some other pros, he never adds a rattle to his jigs, even in water as thick as pea soup, noting that he’s never “seen a crawfish get up on top of a rock and start clapping.”
He fishes the jig primarily on 16- to 22-pound test Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon and uses only two rods – 7’4” and 7’6” Quantum pitching sticks. You can even get away with one rod if pressed, he explained, because with a pair of scissors and 20 seconds, you can cut one lure off and tie on another. He’s picky about his reels, using a Quantum HD baitcaster because it features a big spool. When you retie a lot, it’s easy to get depleted otherwise.
If you want to listen to some of Swindle's gut-busting stories while learning many more of his jig fishing secrets – including why he sometimes doesn’t want his lure to make a soft splashdown on the cast -- check out his full video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
