After almost a decade on the market, this swim jig is still a best-selling bass catcher
Fred King and Ray LaBorde, the co-owners of Delta Lures LLC in LaPlace, really were ahead of their time when they introduced one line of artificial lures nine years ago.
The swim jig’s popularity has reached epic proportions in today’s bass-fishing world. That particular jig is responsible for more and more bass getting hooked and boated as bass anglers turn to them.
King and LaBorde, who started Delta Lures LLC in 2010, had a swim jig on the market within a year of producing their first product, a spinnerbait. At the time, King said, bass anglers kept asking him for a swim jig.
“I had never fished a swim jig,” King said. “I knew we wanted one that came through the grass real good, so we did a recessed line tie because it makes it a little more weedless and actually makes it look better and gives it a better appeal.”
Delta’s Rattling Swim Jig has been the answer for a growing number of bass anglers, including pros such as Logan Latuso of Gonzales, who used one to win the Louisiana B.A.S.S. Nation spring tournament this year at Toledo Bend. Latuso, 25, said he caught bass on it both days, including a 7.21-pound kicker in a 20.21-pound limit on the first day. He followed up with a tournament-clinching bag of 22 pounds.
Toledo Bend’s bass wanted the 3/8-ounce black/blue jig he was throwing with a sapphire/blue Strike King Rage Menace Grub those two days in March.
“I personally like them a lot. Actually, I caught my two biggest bass of the year on them at Toledo Bend,” Latuso said.
Subtle works
The Rattling Swim Jig is effective because it’s a “subtle bait” that consistently triggers big bites, said Latuso, who retrieves it like a spinnerbait, giving it a pop every now and then to get a shake out of whatever soft plastic trailer he has on it, either a Zoom Speed Craw or Strike King Menace Bug.
King and LaBorde added a “bait keeper” to hold a soft-plastic trailer, and there’s a weed guard that flexes more than others for a better hookset.
Rattling Swim Jigs also are armed with a 4/0 Mustad Ultra-Point Hook.
There is more to the Delta’s product than can be found in most other swim jigs, according to King. For example, the Rattling Swim Jig features, true to its name, two rattle chambers.
“I’m not going to say there’s not any (others), but I don’t know how many people have swim jigs with rattles in them. After we started making them (with rattles), we started selling so many of them,” King said.
And, as an added attraction, the head has 3D red eyes.
Rattling Swim Jigs are available in three sizes — ¼-, 3/8- and ½-ounce — and 18 colors. The most popular size is ¼-ounce. The top colors are white shad, black/blue, Delta shad and watermelon/blue/orange.
Easy fishing
“We’ve got the bait for people who are novice fishermen,” he said. “Throw it out and reel it in. It’s a very good bait. Throw it out and reel it in,” he said. “They’re getting real popular. We can see our sales increasing every year.”
As for King, who never threw a swim jig before he made them, “Now I have one tied on all the time.”
One of his most-productive outings with a Rattling Swim Jig was on Lake Verret while fishing with Kevin Swiber of Morgan City. They caught beaucoup bass hanging around cypress trees, he said.
“That showed how good they can be around cypress trees. You’re able to get close to the trees and the knees. That’s when I started using them,” he said.
There’s some lagniappe for anglers who own a Rattling Swim Jig. It has been accounting for as many redfish as bass.
“Redfish love them, too,” he said, fondly recalling a trip to Delacroix.
For more information on the Delta Lures LLC Rattling Swim Jig and other Delta Lures LLC products, go to www.deltalures.com.
