Turning a Tough Day Around with a Simple Swimbait Rig | Chicago River Bass Fishing

Hey anglers! The day started rough—I couldn’t buy a bite early on. I managed to catch a few bass with a swim jig, but things didn’t really pick up until I switched to a simple yet effective rig: a 1/8 ounce ball head jig paired with a 3.5-inch brown/copper paddle tail swimbait. This change made all the difference, and I started landing fish in the late morning.

In this video, I’ll walk you through how I turned a slow day on the Chicago River into a successful one by simplifying my approach. Whether you’re kayak fishing or casting from the shore, these fishing tips and techniques will help you make the most of your time on the water.

00:00 Intro
00:55 My setup for the day
01:53 First stop
02:44 Trying a chattterbait
03:20 Tying on a white swimjig
04:20 First largemouth bass of the day
05:36 Switching to a swimbait
08:31 Still trying to find where the bass are
10:52 Few more catches to round out the day
13:22 Outro

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GEAR
6’10” Medium Fast Shimano Expride B Casting Rod
w/Shimano Metanium DC 150XHG
7’0″ Medium Fast St. Croix Bass X Casting Rod
w/Shimano SLX MGL 150HG Reel
7’0″ Medium Fast St. Croix Avid Series Spinning Rod
w/Shimano Vanford 2000
7’2″ Medium/Heavy Fast Shimano Zodius Casting Rod
w/Shimano Scorpion DC 150HG
7’2″ Medium/Heavy Fast Shimano Expride B Casting Rod
w/Shimano Metanium MGL 150HG

KAYAK/OTHER
Old Town Sportsman Autopilot 120
Hummingbird Helix 7 G4N MSI
Wilderness Systems Heavy Duty Kayak Cart
Yakima EasyRider Trailer
Yakima TopWater Rod Box

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