There are many different terms for the swinging football head. Some call it a "hard head," others call it a "wobble head," but the concept is the same. Its free-swinging hook on a jighead gives your soft plastic baits a great movement that perfectly imitates a crawfish scurrying away.
There are many fans of the technique, including 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year, Alabama's Josh Stracner. It's a technique he uses throughout the year and believes in as he searches for fish.
"Part of what makes it so good is how versatile it is," he said. "It's something I have rigged up all year long because it works in every part of the country. I especially like it when I'm fishing a new lake that I'm unfamiliar with and when searching for fish."
A Versatile Way to Fish
Stracner believes the technique is versatile because it works for all bass species and can be fished in any situation, from hot to cold weather. He also likes how you can customize it with different soft plastic baits to match the situation.
"You can fish just about any soft plastic you want on it, and I always say to use what you have the most confidence in," he said. "For me, that's a Strike King Rage Bug, either the standard or mid-size version. I've heard of guys catching them on big 10-inch worms with it, and I'll even add a swimbait like a Rage Swimmer; you can use just about anything and catch fish with it."
Many fishing brands make their version of a swinging football head jig. They come in different sizes, shapes, and hook options. However, Stracner uses one that he believes is the most versatile, the Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Swinging Football Head.
"What's great about that one is you can use any hook you want," he said. "I can use the same head and swap hooks to smaller or bigger versions to fit the bait perfectly, and you can also replace a hook if it gets dull or you roll a hook point. For example, I use an Owner Haymaker in 3/O, 4/O, or 5/O, and that hook is great for hooking them. The hook point is angled up, which is crucial because many bites you get fishing this way are just picking it up off the bottom, and it does a good job of getting hooks in those bass."
He generally goes on the heavy side for weight sizes, with ¾ and 1-ounce being his favorites. "On calm days and fishing less than 5 feet of water, I'll drop down to the ½-ounce," he said. "Most of the time, I like the heavier ones to keep the bait in contact with the bottom, which is key for fishing this way."
Fishing the Swing Head
Stracner says there are two distinct ways to fish this rig: slowly dragging it along the bottom or winding it at a relatively fast clip. The quicker of the two methods is how he typically does it, as he can cover water and have a better chance of running into biting bass.
"I'll fish it just like a crankbait, slowly winding it and keeping it right on the bottom," he said. "It's great because the jighead design lets it hit bottom, but it doesn't hang up nearly as much as a jig. So I fish it on hard bottom areas, and it does great in small rock, gravel, stumps, and shell beds."
Stracner will drag it slowly when fishing slower like many do with standard football head jigs and a Carolina-Rig. "It's almost like a mini Carolina Rig the way it looks on the bottom," he shared. "The bait moves side-to-side naturally, just like a crawfish with the Rage Bug. But, then, if you use different baits, you can get a completely different action and look."
Swing Head Gear
When fishing the swing head, Stracner uses beefy gear and heavy line. This helps him fish it correctly, and the stouter gear aids in hooking, and landing fish caught on a swing head jig.
"I like a 7-foot, 2-inch heavy Team Lew's Signature Series Mark Rose jig, and worm rod because it has the right amount of power," he said. "This is not a light line deal for me, and I never use less than 15-pound test; typically, it's 20-pound fluorocarbon because you are banging it into rocks the entire time and need your line to withstand those rough areas on the bottom. I like a faster reel like a 7.5:1 Lew's HyperMag because often, the fish will grab the bait and run towards you or to the side, and you need to wind it quick to pull up the slack and set the hook."
Because many fish bite the bait and get moving, Stracner says the hookset is critical. "Most of the time, they bite it and move fast," he shared. "I'll reel up the slack as quick as I can and set as soon as it's tight. Some use a swinging hookset, but I set hard to drive the hook."
Fishing a swing head is versatile because it shines in all seasons, and each major bass species are willing to eat something moving along the bottom. It is so good that you can fish whatever bait you'd like and fish it in several ways. If you are looking for a new way to switch up your rigging methods when using soft plastics, adding a swing head jig to your arsenal is a must.
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