Round ball or free style jig head for swimbaits?

[Les Young]

 Any suggestions on what will keep baits in place pretty good? I'm talking about 3 to 4 inch baits to fish in  bass feeding on shad down to 25 or so feet in deep open water at night  on straight braid. Baits like kitechs, rippers & slick shiners. I'm thinking 1'8 & 1/4 ounce. Any suggestions & who makes them? Thanks

[ctom]

Those weights and either style of head will work ok, but I'd suggest casting them with an over-sized hook, 3/0 or 4/0. The wire keepers work pretty well. I add a drop of super glue to the keeper just before running it into the bait.  Done as such they'll hold the bait for quite a while.

[bigjim5589]

I agree with ctom and I really like the Freestyle because I think the eyes on them add a little to the attractiveness of those swimbaits.

However, I also like the Midwest finesse jigs with a bigger hook, like a 3/0. I pour them with a Gamakatsu 114 light wire hook in 2/0 for Ned jigs, but have also poured them with other hooks. The Mustad 32746 is a good one for example.  I like that the head positions well against most plastics.

[Les Young]

Those weights and either style of head will work ok, but I'd suggest casting them with an over-sized hook, 3/0 or 4/0. The wire keepers work pretty well. I add a drop of super glue to the keeper just before running it into the bait.  Done as such they'll hold the bait for quite a while.

Tom you're right i don't want a light wire hook in these heads.

[Les Young]

I agree with ctom and I really like the Freestyle because I think the eyes on them add a little to the attractiveness of those swimbaits.

However, I also like the Midwest finesse jigs with a bigger hook, like a 3/0. I pour them with a Gamakatsu 114 light wire hook in 2/0 for Ned jigs, but have also poured them with other hooks. The Mustad 32746 is a good one for example.  I like that the head positions well against most plastics.

Jim do you have any pics of these two heads that you've painted up in shad colors? Thanks

[Les Young]

Wouldn't   a round ball head with decently heavy hook &   a screw lock   work great &   hold the bait in place pretty well too?

[ctom]

Wouldn't   a round ball head with decently heavy hook &   a screw lock   work great &   hold the bait in place pretty well too?

Sure thing Les. I just don't like a screw lock on baits as thin as the Keitechs, Rippers and Slicks.

[efishnc]

I've used a 1/4oz round head (on 10lb mono) with the 3.75 Thump Grub as a swimbait in clear water with great results... considering these were never designed to be used in this fashion, it has a great side to side swimming action and has tricked many a bass for me.  My point is two-fold: first, either head should suffice, especially with a drop of super glue for extra holding power; and second, I don't think the heavy hook will be all that important at 25 feet because I'm not losing any in 6-8 feet using the standard Aberdeen the mold was designed for (although I am using lighter rods and longer casts because of the clear water).

[bigjim5589]

Les, no sir, I don't.

This is a color combination that I like using as a Shad color, but this is the Hybrid head. I use  pearl powder and a silver/chrome type powder for the back & second color.

[Les Young]

Jim good looking jig. Thanks