Targeting Groundfish – Swimbaits Made Simple
With some nicer weather headed our way as we go into the late Spring and early Summer, anglers may choose to target groundfish in legal areas as a change up from trolling salmon.
A common tactic for groundfish, weather they’re ling cod, halibut, or rockfish, is to jig with heavy darts or irons, but some anglers are starting to fish swimbaits- and to good success!
When using swimbaits and paddle-tails style lures, we can fish them a few different ways: casting and retrieving, jigging, and drifting/mooching.
When targeting fish on structured flats, casting and retrieving swimbaits and paddle tails can provide some exciting and visual fishing. A medium-heavy to heavy spinning rod paired with a salty reel and braid is all you need outside of the terminal tackle you probably already have, with various swivels (snaps and barrel) and heavy leader being all you really need outside of the lures.
Jigging with paddle tails is also a great tactic to stay active and feel bits in-hand.
Remember to use an erratic jigging motion, imitating stunned or injured prey. All too often anglers do smooth lifts and steady drops, making their jig barely move down at the depths it’s at. Having sharp, short, jerky motions will help draw fish in out of curiosity, as well as instinct. When choosing the different sizes, I make sure to have a variety of weights to make sure I can drop down straight the best I can during various tide swings. More flow with more depth will equal a heavier lure if choosing to jig.
The other way is to use a sliding weight and to ‘mooch’ your swimbait.
Running a Slydo above the first swivel will allow you to clip in (and out) various weights as needed. This also allows you to completely unclip everything, removing all lead and heavy objects that may bounce or damage your rod during travel.
Once a paddle-tail has been chosen, along with the weight of choice, let the line down to your desired depth and set the rod in the rod holder that is angled straight out the side. Imagine mooching cutplugs- same idea. Adjust your speed but know that as long as the line is on an angle, the tail is kicking, and the lure is active. This is a great way to drift and cover water, letting the current control your speed and drift angle.
Whether you’re casting and retrieving or jigging vertically, the gear is mostly the same. The only gear you may need to have on hand if you choose to drift/swim the paddle-tails is some Slydo’s and ball-weights.
Remember to always have your descending device on hand and ready to go should you need to use it.
Always know where you’re angling and be aware of any sponge reef closures or RCA areas.
Cheers,
Jordan Simpson