You can always catch bass shallow in my home lakes. Whether it’s December or May, you can bet there will always be a shallow bite happening somewhere. For that very reason, I’ve always loved to burn the bank with a swim jig. I sure do love a crankbait, but a swim jig allows me to force reaction strikes in heavy cover without the snags and hang-ups. From grass, docks to even laydowns, a swim jig is truly an all-terrain option for shallow-water anglers.
For the past several months, I’ve been tinkering with the Advantage Swim Jig; I’ve fished it a bunch and have logged a bunch of hours on it. My buddy and I found a solid swim jig bite this year and you’d be hard pressed to pull this jig out of our hands. I can’t believe its price point either. At just $5.49, the quality is nothing short of remarkable.
I’ll quickly go through the characteristics that make this one of my favorite swim jigs of all time.
Conical head shape makes a big difference
In addition to its conical head shape, the Advantage Swim Jig also has a flat spot on the bottom of its head. While it looks cool, this certainly isn’t for aesthetics. The combination of the head shape and its flat bottom make this swim jig track better than most I’ve fished. Whether you’re burning a White Shad-colored swim jig during a shad spawn in the morning or slow-rolling a darker swim jig in the afternoons looking for those bluegill eaters, this jig will absolutely not roll on its side.
When a swim jig rolls on its side, it looks unnatural to the bass. But more importantly, it can significantly hinder your ability to get a good hook up. Whenever a bass eats a crooked-running swim jig, you’ll hook ’em in some really low-percentage spots, such as the bottom jaw.
Because of its ability to track so true, I’ve had an incredible hookup ratio with the Advantage Swim Jig. All but a few have been hooked TDC (top-dead center).
Excellent underwater action
This swim jig features a 90-strand, 100 percent silicone skirt. That may sound like marketing jargon, but it actually means something. While you’re retrieving this jig, the skirt pulses beautifully. Even if you’re simply using a steady retrieve, the Advantage Swim Jig skirt pulses and moves with every revolution of your reel handle.
This characteristic is particularly effective when you’re fishing around key irregularities in shallow water such as grass points and isolated stumps. As the swim jig nears a high-percentage area, you can barely pop your rod tip or speed up your retrieve for a few turns of the handle and the skirt will pulse and really draw attention to itself. This results in reaction strikes even when the bass aren’t actively feeding.
It’s tough to get it snagged
Nobody wants a swim jig that gets snagged all the time. It’s completely contradictory to what a swim jig is supposed to do. You should be able to fish it in just about anything that’s wet.
Thankfully, you can do just that with the Advantage Swim Jig. I could dang near blindfold you and have you toss it towards a laydown and you probably wouldn’t even get snagged. Thanks to a recessed line tie and a high-quality weed guard, you’re not going to have an issue fishing this swim jig around the slop.
I’ve fished the heck out of it around grass, docks, laydowns, stumps, riprap and jagged seawalls without any issues. There has not been a single time that I’ve had to get on the trolling motor and retrieve this swim jig. It is a true workhorse.
Final impressions
This swim jig is a bona fide fish catcher, without a doubt. The $5.49 price point is worth mentioning again, as well. The value it offers is incredibly difficult to beat. If you frequent shallow water, this is one you need to have. Give it a shot and you’ll quickly agree with my assessment.
The Advantage Swim Jig is available at TackleWarehouse.com and you can find additional colors at AdvantageBait.com.
