Chrome
Firefox
Edge
Let’s talk about swim jigs vs chatterbaits. I think a lot of people get confused with this, but it’s truly pretty simple. You can throw either in a lot of situations, and they can definitely coincide as well. First, let’s discuss what each of these baits are. A chatterbait is basically a jig with a blade on the front of it. It vibrates really hard as it comes through the water, giving an erratic action. A swim jig, on the other hand, typically has a bullet-shaped head and creates a much more subtle presentation.
There are two things I take into consideration when choosing between the two baits. First and foremost is cover. If I’m fishing around emergent grass, grass that’s below the surface of the water, that’s when a chatterbait is going to get the nod. The vibration calls in a lot of fish from further away. When that chatterbait gets caught on a piece of grass and you rip it free, that’s when you’ll get a lot of your bites. If I’m fishing grass that is topped out and above the surface of the water, creating a mat-type effect, but it’s got some holes in it, that’s when I’ll start throwing that swim jig. A swim jig will come through just about anything. You can throw it around wood, laydowns, docks, matted vegetation, water willow, hydrilla, pretty much anything, and cover a lot of water with it.
The second thing to consider when choosing between a chatterbait and a swim jig is fishing pressure. Take an Elite Series tournament, for example. If you make the top 10, you’re fishing for 4 days, likely in some of the same spots. By the time you get to day 4, those fish already know your tricks and can get honed in on the vibration of a chatterbait. That’s when something like a swim jig comes into play. It will show them something a little different, a little more subtle, and can kind of catch them by surprise. They’ll just eat it before they even know what happened.
So to break it down in really simple terms, in heavy cover or heavily pressured water, I’ll typically go with the swim jig. In more sparse cover, I’ll try the chatterbait. I hope that helps you all out. Good luck on the water.
