The 4 Best Swim Jig Trailers

Swim jig fishing has become a massive player in both tournament and casual bass fishing.

The 4×4 nature of a swim jig allows you cover lots of water and fish any type of structure without getting snagged.

And the right trailer will help match the right forage, water clarity, and other factors. After years of swim jig fishing, I have found these to to be the4 best swim jig trailers.

Splitting Them Up

So because there are two styles of swim jig trailers, I’m going to split them up and discuss the exact baits according the style they fall into.

If you don’t know how to choose the right style of swim jig trailer for every application, read How to Pick the Right Swim Jig Trailer.

But for now, just keep in mind that you can either use a craw style trailer or a swimbait style trailer. And I will give my two favorite trailers from each category.

Best Craw Swim Jig Trailers:

1. Z-Man Baby GOAT

I actually only started using the Baby GOAT about a year ago, but it has already become my favorite craw style swim jig trailer.

When it comes to the actual action of the Baby GOAT, it is pretty much exactly the same as any other flapping craw trailer.

But there are two things that I really love about it. First, the profile is much slimmer and more compact compared to other craw trailers.

I like this a lot better because even though you are using a craw style trailer, you are still imitating baitfish.

And the slim, compact profile looks more like a baitfish than other craw trailers. The second reason is of course, the ElaZtech plastic that all Z-Man baits are made out of.

It is incredibly durable, which is especially useful because the swim jig is fished all around brush, grass, and twigs that can tear up traditional soft plastic baits pretty quickly.

The overall profile and durability of the Z-Man Baby GOAT has been more productive than all other baits for me.

• Twin action tails incorporate unique curved paddle tail design
• Produces thumping action at all retrieval speeds and even on the fall
• 10X Tough ElaZtech construction provides for extreme durability and buoyancy

2. Strike King Rage Craw

Over the past 15 years of swim jig fishing, the Strike King Rage Craw has probably been the most popular trailer in all of bass fishing.

It is just a staple of the swim jig fishing industry, and one of the first flapping craw style of soft plastics. The Rage Craw specializes in vibration.

Tons and tons of vibration. If you are fishing super muddy water and need to draw bass in from a distance, the Rage Craw is a fantastic choice.

The Rage Tail Craw is infused with Strike King’s exclusive coffee scent to mask your scent as well as the scent of the plastic that often repels fish.

Note: I do like to trim up the Rage Craw about and inch or so. The 4 inch body is a bit too long for swim jig fishing.

• Length: 4 in.
• Coffee scent
• Engineered with hi-grade plastics for superior action
• Creates significant noise and splash, increasing the success rate

Best Swimbait Trailers:

1. Z-Man MinnowZ

If you read my description of the Z-Man Baby GOAT, you can probably guess why I love the MinnowZ so much.

The durability of the ElaZtech material is super convenient and cost effective. As far as the action goes, the Z-Man MinnowZ has a quite wide, rocking boot tail action.

This helps give the swim jig a full body action and pulse rather than just the tail of the bait moving. Personally, I feel like that whole body action is more natural and gets more bites.

The MinnowZ also goes in a ton of awesome colors that allow you to really dial in the exact presentation that you need.

• Crazy soft, 10X Tough ElaZtech construction for lifelike swimming action and extreme durability
• Split dorsal protects hook point for completely weedless rigging
• Available in more colors than any other ElaZtech bait

2. Keitech Fat Swing Impact

The Keitech is one of the most popular soft swimbaits in the industry. And for the anglers that prefer a ribbed body, this is the swimbait for you.

No matter how it’s fished, the beefed up paddle tail of the Keitech Swing Impact FAT creates a distinct swinging action that fish find irresistible.

The Keitech Swing Impact FAT is also made with a special dual-injection molding process, which combines two different salted plastics and gives it a well-balanced action at any speed.

• Tapered ribbed body design distorts the shape for a more natural appearance
• Remarkable swimming action
• Custom Keitech two-tone color process
• Most colors have a strong squid scent (Chartreuse Flash, Sight Flash, and French Pearl are unscented)
• Perfectly balanced, never rolls over
• Swims perfectly at any speed
• Center rigging line for easy rigging

Best Colors for Swim Jig Trailers

This part is very simple. Just match the color of your trailer to the color of your swim jig.

A white swim jig should have a white or silver trailer. A bluegill colored swim jig should have a green pumpkin or brown colored trailer.

You don’t need to get some fancy colored bait or try and create some crazy color combination.

Although that might be fun, it’s not really going to catch you any more bass.

Just keep it as natural as possible and match your trailer colors to you jig colors.

Also Read: Best Swim Jig Weight

Reeling this In

Swim jig fishing, with its unparalleled versatility and weedless design, has undeniably cemented its place in both competitive and recreational bass angling.

By understanding the distinct advantages of both craw and swimbait style trailers, and specifically utilizing top performers like the Z-Man Baby GOAT, Strike King Rage Craw, Z-Man MinnowZ, and Keitech Fat Swing Impact, anglers can effectively match forage, water conditions, and enhance their presentation.

Ultimately, selecting the right swim jig trailer, and keeping color choices simple and natural, will significantly increase your success on the water.