This is the time of year when you’re likely to see a swim jig dangling from at least one of a basser’s rods.
It’s certainly the favorite time for swim jigging for Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bryan Schmitt, arguably one of the best among Elite pros when it comes to swimming a jig.
“If I had to pick one time that is my favorite, it’s during the spawn — early prespawn, spawn and even early postspawn,” says Schmitt. “After that, I really like it in the dead of summer.”
While those may be his favorite periods, the Maryland angler cautions anglers against believing it’s strictly a seasonal lure. He has one tied on throughout the year and has developed a specific system that he believes makes it deadly year-round.
Schmitt grew up on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, where lipless crankbaits, bladed jigs and swim jigs rule for fishing over prominent, shallow grassbeds.
“The way we fish our swim jigs is a lot different than how most of the country fishes them,” says the two-time Elite Series champion. “I’m only fishing at this level because of my success with this swim jig system. The money I won fishing other tournaments enabled me to [be able to] afford to travel the country and make the Elites.”
The technique has been a staple for him in B.A.S.S. competition as well, where he has been in the money in 47 of the 63 tournaments he’s fished. Thirteen of those have been Top 10 finishes.
His system is built around a light-tackle approach and a presentation that he says gets him more bites in water 4 to 15 feet deep.
“I only use fluorocarbon line [and] a light-wire jig and fish it slow and low in the water column,” he describes.
His jig is the Lil’ Schmitty Swim Jig that he helped create for Hayabusa. It has a compact design with a light-wire 4/0 hook and a light-fiber weedguard. It comes in three sizes, but he leans mostly toward the 3/8- and 1/2-ounce models.
While some situations call for braid when fishing shallow, he opposes using it for everything because braid floats.
He rarely upsizes his line above the 15-pound P-Line 100% Fluorocarbon that is his go-to.
“Fluorocarbon sinks, so with my presentation, it’s all about getting deeper and fishing it slow,” says Schmitt.
Essentially, he likes to slow roll a swim jig over and through cover or, in the case of spawning fish, over the bed.
“When they’re bedding, I believe the slow retrieve sneaks up on them,” he explains. “I really like fishing it this way when I’m in an area that spawning fish use but I can’t see them.”
Don’t Be Shallow-Minded
Schmitt says most people think the swim jig is at its best when fishing shallow water and visible cover. However, he believes they are making a big mistake by not realizing how awesome of a tool it is for offshore fishing around deep vegetation.
“I really enjoy fishing the swim jig on submerged vegetation, like on the Tennessee River where you’ll find deep grass,” he describes. “Now, we all want to chase bass on those famous ledges, but there are a lot of fish that relate to deeper grass as well.”
He adds that the fish get accustomed to seeing a crankbait and other power fishing techniques rip overhead.
“But man, I’m telling you, a finesse swim jig is a very, very deadly technique on offshore grass,” he insists. “It’s a technique I apply around the country, anywhere I find offshore habitat. So, it’s not just a shad spawn or a shallow, springtime technique.”
He will look for grasslines that run far offshore and make his casts to the deeper edge. He lets the bait fall to the bottom just like with other jigs.
When he finds such habitat, he crawls it over the cover. That’s what it’s designed for, he adds.
“I start reeling slowly, trying to keep it as close to the bottom as I can,” he describes. “I want to bump into the grass and pop it a little bit.”
The line size enables him to get the bait to the bottom more quickly and fish it more slowly, which explains the need for the lighter-wire hook and weedguard.
“You can’t fish a heavy-gauge hook on light fluoro-
carbon because of the power needed for a good hook set,” he explains. “With the light-wire hook, you don’t have to jerk excessively hard — just pull into the fish — and the hook we use penetrates easily and can handle big fish.”
He designed a rod with Fitzgerald Fishing specifically for the technique. It’s a 7-1 medium-heavy casting rod that’s a little more forgiving than most medium-heavy designs. His reel is a Fitzgerald VLD10 baitcaster with a 7.2:1 gear ratio. He says that gear ratio allows him to control the lure speed better; an 8.1:1 reel causes him to work it too fast.
“The rod is designed so that I can feel a little bit of the grass on my swim jig on a long cast,” says Schmitt. “It’s got a shorter butt so that I can put some motion in the bait with little hops and pauses. I fish it similar to the way I might fish a jerkbait.”
He begins the retrieve with a slow wind, but if he bumps into grass, he’ll pop it free. If it triggers a bite, that tells him the fish are in a reactionary mood.
“That’s when I will add a little more shaking of my tip with occasional pauses,” Schmitt details. “I may add a few short hops to get a fish’s attention, but honestly, I catch a lot of fish with a slow, steady retrieve.”
The bite sensation can vary. There are days when the fish literally slam the swim jig, but sometimes they just load up on the rod.
“A lot of times, you sense the line gets heavy, and that’s when I slowly reel into them,” says Schmitt. “There’s no need for a powerful hook set.”
The trailer he places on the jig is equally critical. He chooses one that will help get the jig to the maximum depth more quickly, noting that big, bulky trailers drag in the water and hamper his ability to keep the bait down.
Most of his trailer choices are slender, like the Missile Baits Shockwave, a small paddletail swimbait, or a Missile Baits Chunky D creature bait.
“When imitating baitfish, I go with a swimbait, but when crawfish are prevalent, I prefer the twin-tail Chunky D,” he explains.
Schmitt says most anglers think they have to imitate baitfish colors, like shad or bluegill, with their swim jig and often overlook the advantages of mimicking crawfish.
“I believe a crawfish color is a deadly tool for me,” he insists. “It can be a bit seasonal, but you can imitate crawfish with a swim jig when fishing my system.”
Nor is it just a largemouth technique. It’s a technique he has also used to catch big smallmouth to win two B.A.S.S. events — an Elite and a Bassmaster Open — at Lake Champlain during his career.
One thing is for certain: the Lil’ Schmitty system is a unique way to fish a swim jig, and Schmitt has the proven track record to back it up.
“It’s a way to fish a swim jig that the fish typically don’t see, and in this day of pressured lakes, you need every trick you can add to your arsenal,” he says.
Originally appeared in Bassmaster Magazine 2025.
