By David A. Brown

Football heads and swimbaits — both common bass tools, but they’re typically stated as separate techniques. However, for bass fishing legend Shaw Grigsby the two make one dynamite duo.

Specifically, the pro from Gainesville, Fla. pairs a Strike King Rage Swimmer swimbait with a Strike King Tour Grade Football Shaky Head. He may use an 1/8-, 1/4- or 3/8-ounce model depending on water depth; but regardless of the size needed for a given scenario, Grigsby knows he can count on a few key benefits.

“That football head allows you to fish your bait really slow, so you can get down in the bottom and dig up those shell bars, ticking the bottom and creating a commotion, but still have that swimming shad looking body,” Grigsby said. “But the football head design prevents your bait from rolling over. It holds your bait stable and keeps that hook upright so you pin almost every one of them in the top of the mouth — and it doesn’t get hung that much.”

Bottom line: Grigsby’s rig presents the ideal package for slow rolling a swimbait along the bottom with maximum contact and minimal snagging risk.

Another benefit: Line size diversity. No longer are you limited to stout line with swimbaits. So when shallow water, clear conditions or any tough-bite scenario calls for a lighter approach, Grigsby’s deal opens the door to opportunity.

“This is a great way to fish with an exposed hook on lighter line,”Grigsby said. “A lot of times, we want to use light line, yet the weighted hooks that we’d normally put in a swimbait are generally pretty heavy hooks; so you can’t really get a bigger hook to penetrate on lighter line.

“This a great way to use 10-, 12- or 15-pound line and be able to have great success.”

 

 

WHEN & WHERE

Spring prespawners feeding up for their upcoming reproductive session are prime targets for Grigsby’s football head/swimbait technique. Fall fish also dig this presentation, especially when their chasing shad in the backs of pockets. Come summertime, Grigsby’s definitely going to show this to fish lounging on the ledges and drops.

“This also excels greatly in smallmouth waters; they choke this thing,” he said. “They’re notorious for just slamming and running, but this gets them because of the exposed hook.

LOW AND SLOW

Now, if fishing swimbaits on football heads sounds novel, Grigsby points out that the bigger fish tend to come on slower swimbait presentations. His technique lines up well with a proven strategy — he just has a unique delivery method.

“It’s not (only) a speed thing; it’s an injured baitfish look,” Grigsby said. “That football head allows you to make some really slow presentations and catch some really big fish.”

 

TACKLE FOR THE TASK

Noting that he’ll try to match his swimbait size to local forage with Strike King’s 2.75-, 3.25-, 3.75-, or 4.75-inch Rage Swimmer, Grigsby said he likes a 7:1 reel for this presentation. And that’s not because he’s burning the bait; rather, it’s a more measured retrieve with occasional spurts for effect.

Grigsby typically spools with 12- or 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon. For shallower scenarios, he’d go with a one of the smaller heads, or bump up his line size for more resistance and slower fall.

In closing, Grisby advises against confusing this presentation with traditional football jigs and/or swimbait rigging. Blending these two worlds yields and incredibly productive presentation; but one requiring a different mindset.

“Don’t really horse them because the shaky head has a smaller hook and it penetrates really easy,” Grigsby said of the proper bite response. “I usually throw this bait on a long rod with a medium to medium-heavy action. I don’t want anything that’s too stiff; I just want a rod that can load up and then you just pull into them and take your time fighting them.”