Do You Struggle? 2024
JT Bagwell reply :
I think it is pretty common knowledge that I am a jig guy.
I love fishing jigs.
I love the fact that I can skip and pitch them into areas that
most guys could only do while they were sleeping (ie dreaming).
Did I mention that I love fishing jigs (especially Siebert Outdoors jigs = shameless plug for a board sponsor)? lol
With all that being said, I read a lot of posts on here, Facebook, Twitter, etc
where anglers are talking about how much they struggle with fishing jigs.
So do you struggle with fishing jigs or are you a jig angler too?
If so, what is it that you feel is the reason you struggle with them?
toddwchandler reply :
In my case I am fairly new to jigs. I ordered some Evolution jigs off Fishhound that I just recently received. Here are my struggles with jigs:
1. Jig seems to be a fairly universal term used in bass fishing that can confuse a novice like me. With terms like lead head jig, football jig, and swim jig, how am I supposed to know the difference and know when to use which one?
2. How am I supposed to know the best technique to use when fishing a jig? Do I use a steady, slow retrieve or just bounce it along the bottom?
3. After receiving my Evolution jigs, I carefully tied one on and added a matching trailer only to promptly get it hung up on the bottom and breaking it off a few minutes later.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
To me, strike detection is harder with a jig than a T-rig even if the weight is pegged.
loodkop reply :
I have been using jigs for the last 2 years and am gaining confidence in their ability to produce nice bass. My main struggle is that I hate losing jigs and will often fall back on a Texas rig in an effort to save some money. Losing 5 jigs in 6 casts turns me off rather fast.
WRB reply :
Catt posted a thread on this subject recently. The incredible jig, it can catch nearly every type of predator fish but not all the time.
You can try to force feed bass jigs, but when they don't want it, they will not strike it! It's knowing when to hold em or fold em!
I doubt anyone has spent more time on the water jig fishing than I have..about 6 decades, longer than most bass anglers have lived. Rarely do I bass fish and not try jigs, just keeping the bass honest.
Strike detection can be difficult and the majority of bass jig anglers miss more strikes than they detect. I hear it now...not me!!! Guess what, that includes you and me! We all detect the very aggressive active bass strike, we all miss some some strikes that we simply can't detect. The frustrating part of missed jig strikes is bass over 8 lbs with big mouths that reject the jig before we know they bit it. Fish long enough and you will detect that big bass strike and that is what jig fishing is all about.
Tom
Bluebasser86 reply :
I'm a jig guy no doubt. With that being said I struggled more to learn how to fish a jig than probably any other technique I've ever tried to learn.
Lipsinker reply :
I am a novice bass fisher, and I have had trouble adjusting to jigs as well. I can't seem to get my jig in the water without making too much commotion.
- Is it mandatory to be able to pitch to fish jigs effectively? (I still use only a spinning reel and have trouble pitching with it).
-I have caught 3 fish on swim jigs, but none on a standard jig. I fish the standard jigs pretty much the same way I do T-rigged worms/brush hogs/grubs/etc, but with no success. Am I fishing too fast, too slow?
jimmykm21 reply :
On 8/13/2013 at 11:13 AM, toddwchandler said:In my case I am fairly new to jigs. I ordered some Evolution jigs off Fishhound that I just recently received. Here are my struggles with jigs:
1. Jig seems to be a fairly universal term used in bass fishing that can confuse a novice like me. With terms like lead head jig, football jig, and swim jig, how am I supposed to know the difference and know when to use which one?
2. How am I supposed to know the best technique to use when fishing a jig? Do I use a steady, slow retrieve or just bounce it along the bottom?
3. After receiving my Evolution jigs, I carefully tied one on and added a matching trailer only to promptly get it hung up on the bottom and breaking it off a few minutes later.
I'm with you man , I have an assortment of all you mentioned ,I bought a rod and reel just for jig fishing but it's hard and frustrating to get good at it.
I'm pretty much convinced that it's almost impossible to learn how to jig fish on your own.
I had the pleasure of fishing a little while ago on someone else's boat and watched him work a jig almost exclusively the whole time .
I knew after by watching him how little I knew about jig fishing,
prjavelin reply :
I dont know anything about jig fishing other than you hop them in the bottom and you pitch or flip them. I dont know how to pitch and while Ive tried it a bunch of times i cant do it. I can flip but I dont thing thats the best way to cast em, considering I have to be relatively close to the targets.
MIbassin reply :
Never caught a fish in a jig.. Have tried for hours in prime locations with nithing
SirSnookalot reply :
No doubt in my mind nothing beats a jig. Learning how to fish them in the surf greatly improved my bass jigging, there really isn't much difference. Whether I use a traditional bass style jig, flats jig, bucktail or flairhawk, trailer or no trailer, I can work them off the bottom or swim them with an erratic motion, they catch fish.
Bankbeater reply :
I love fishing jigs, but when I started using them I didn't have a clue. I read all the articles here on BR, and looked up other articles on the internet. Seven months later I finally caught one on a black jig with a black trailer.
Catt reply :
I struggle with jigs 
When I pull up on structure & look down @ the Texas rig & jig on my deck I sruggle deciding which one to pick up.
If y'all really want to learn how to feel the bite go out @ night during a new moon!
Jolly Green reply :
I've done OK with jigs, but they aren't my go-to by any means. I too found some of the info on this site and others to be confusing or even contradictory. (How does one hop it AND maintain contact with the bottom?) My kids have each caught fish on 1/4 oz. Strike King Bitsy Bugs, so it's not impossible. We have had the most success where the bottom composition is mostly rocky, especially transition areas from weeds to gravel to rip-rap. We also get hung up and broken off the most in these same areas, and I tend to pretty quickly switch baits at such times, so jigs really haven't gotten a fair shake from me probably; other lures just plain work better for me.
flyfisher reply :
I am learning to fish jigs and have a few plano boxes full of them just ot give me extra motivation 
While i have been no means super succesfull the few fish i catch seem to be larger than other techniques. So to me, it is a big fish bait that may be slow action wise but a few decent fish can make the wait a little longer.
I still have a lot to learn and every trip out i have a jig tied on and try it in al lthe usual spots. One thig that has helped me a lot is going out and working on what everything feels like. I take one of the seibert brush head jigs and toss it in the laydowns and stick ups and go super slow trying to feel every limb and when it gets hung a little, how to get it back out again. While i have caught a few fish doing this, what it has done is helped me to stay in contact with the jig and tell the difference between somethign that is stationary and a fish. I do the same thing in the grass and in ledges. It still amazes me how much of the bottom contour you can figure out just by dragging a jig super slow through an area.
One place i do pretty well with jigs is the smaller versions for smallies. Seems like no matter the time of year they flat out produce.
toddwchandler reply :
So could one of you guys who are highly knowledgeable about jigs give us novices a breakdown of the various kinds of jigs? As I stated in my earlier post, I have a lot of confusion with regard to the difference between a swim jig, a football head jig, a leadhead jig, etc? Can somebody just give a clear and concise breakdown of the various types of jigs, how to fish them, and in what conditions to use them?
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 8/13/2013 at 8:44 PM, toddwchandler said:So could one of you guys who are highly knowledgeable about jigs give us novices a breakdown of the various kinds of jigs? As I stated in my earlier post, I have a lot of confusion with regard to the difference between a swim jig, a football head jig, a leadhead jig, etc? Can somebody just give a clear and concise breakdown of the various types of jigs, how to fish them, and in what conditions to use them?
http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12403-jig-fishing-questions/
PABASS reply :
I enjoy fishing jigs, starting learning to use jigs a few years ago. I read, watched many videos including Gene's on Jigs and went to a local pond and learned how to use them. They key here is time on the water and really when learning any new technique for me I need to know that I will catch bass to build my confidence level. This pond I would normally catch a few fish, when I tried the jig for the first time I think I caught 12 in two hours which for this pond is my record, this gave me confidence that I needed. Rarely I find do bass eat how I want them to and most times a jig works, once a bass is hooked I have never lost one. A jig basically imitates two food items, mainly crayfish and sometimes bait fish but I believe bluegill specifically, swim jigs are another story. For me imitating a crayfish is easy because I grew up in streams with these awesome animals so I have a decent understanding of how they swim and move in the water and this is what I imitate when I jig fish, warmer waters I may hop it more(no more then two hops at a time and not huge vertical hops), cooler waters I may drag it more but I start fast and slow it down and let the fish tell me how they want it. Some action of a jig imitates a bluegill especially color choices, but really your making a jig look like a crayfish so imitate one.
Swim Jigs are new to me caught my first fish with one this year, they are just that you swim them slow or fast your mainly imitating a bait-fish. If you look at a swim jig its more point shape head, more fish looking, the skirts are normally shorter and you typically use a trailer with lot of action, I know most guys here use a swimbait as a trailer but I caught my fish using a rage craw..
Some jig heads are better suited for weeds, some for rock such as a Football jigs the head design keeps them from snagging. The head design is what determines the use, not always but they are the baseline choices.
Now in my tackle box I have more jigs and trailers than any other lure combined they are a must learned technique in my opinion.
WRB reply :
I have posted several threads on this subject and don't know how to recover them on this site using the search tool.On 8/13/2013 at 8:44 PM, toddwchandler said:So could one of you guys who are highly knowledgeable about jigs give us novices a breakdown of the various kinds of jigs? As I stated in my earlier post, I have a lot of confusion with regard to the difference between a swim jig, a football head jig, a leadhead jig, etc? Can somebody just give a clear and concise breakdown of the various types of jigs, how to fish them, and in what conditions to use them?
You can swim any jig by retrieving it through the water column instead of slowly along the bottom.
There are hundreds of jig head shapes, all trying to improve some design feature to enhance the jig performance. Knowone has the panacea jig design for all presentations.
Common mistakes are;
1. Using jigs that are too heavy.
2. Using jigs with the wrong style hook, size and dull points.
3. Fishing jigs in the wrong place at the wrong time. Location is critical to bass fishing success.
4. Fishing jigs with too light of tackle.
5. Trying to fish jigs up hill from shore.
6. Relying of the rod to feel strikes.
7. Not setting the hook fast enough.
8. Failing to concentrate on what the jig is doing or feels like.
Tom
J Francho reply :
I struggled with the weedless "bass" variety for years. I'd used bucktails, hair jigs, and grubs on ball heads for years, but that was more like cast and reel in type fishing, or letting current sweep the bait, ticking along the bottom. It wasn't until I saw an older man meticulously pick apart a weed flat that I got it. He used short casts - pitches, and an occasional flip cast, and simply tore up the fish with his graceful, quiet approach. I still can't work a jig like he did, but I'll die trying.
Catt reply :
J Franco that's what I call "Finesse" fishing
J Francho reply :
I liken it to finesse as well. Not as in finesse gear, but as in finesse through the weeds, quiet, soft presentations. Once hooked, there's no finesse,but mayhem, lol.
There are other times, when I'm using a heavy, heavy jig, and crashing through there. But, often it is the former.
Primus reply :
On 8/13/2013 at 10:13 PM, WRB said:I have posted several threads on this subject and don't know how to recover them on this site using the search tool.
You can swim any jig by retrieving it through the water column instead of slowly along the bottom.
There are hundreds of jig head shapes, all trying to improve some design feature to enhance the jig performance. Knowone has the panacea jig design for all presentations.
Common mistakes are;
1. Using jigs that are too heavy.
2. Using jigs with the wrong style hook, size and dull points.
3. Fishing jigs in the wrong place at the wrong time. Location is critical to bass fishing success.
4. Fishing jigs with too light of tackle.
5. Trying to fish jigs up hill from shore.
6. Relying of the rod to feel strikes.
7. Not setting the hook fast enough.
8. Failing to concentrate on what the jig is doing or feels like.
Tom
Sometimes it's the opposite of number 1, there are times that I have been successful fishing heavy jigs on outside weedlines to get a reaction strike by bass that will ignore a lighter jig. I tend to do this in clear water lakes during the summer. That said good post.
Catt reply :
I rarely throw anything under 3/8 oz
I rarely throw anything that aint Black-N-Blue!
flyfisher reply :
Swim jigs are an entirely differnet animal and i have had some really good success with them this year. I like to think of them as a silent spinnerbait and they come through cover very well.
Also depending on teh trailer it is really a skirted swim bait and it gives you the opportunity to let it fall into pockets as you reel through an area.
.ghoti. reply :
I'm certainly not a jig fishing expert, but I'll give you the following observations.
Jig fishing is a target game. Have a target, and be able to hit it. Pick an area apart, be it a weed bed, flat, hump, point, etc. Identify likely fish holding targets and hit them all. This is no time for long casts.
Jig fishing is a slow game. If you think you're working the jig slow enough, slow down. In most cases, less is indeed more. This is no time to be in a hurry. Running down the bank with your trolling motor on high is the best way I know to keep you skunked when jig fishing.
Jig fishing is a quiet game. Put the bait in the water with the smallest disturbance you can manage. Again, this is no place for long casts. Short, controlled entry casting is the thing. Turn your electronics off. Do not cycle your trolling motor on and off constantly. Drift if you can. Be stealthy.
This last bit is just me, but I use the lightest jig I can get away with. I rarely use a jig over 1/4oz. I find it easier to make a quiet entry into the water with lighter jigs. Since I tried down-sizing my jigs, I've caught a lot more jig fish. And, the rate of fall is easier to adjust with a light jig. When I want a fast drop I use the tail of a worm as a trailer; just enough of the body to keep it on the hook, with the curly tail close behind. Or simply use no trailer at all. To really slow the drop rate, I use half of a Rage Lobster. This is the first thing I experiment with; trying to find the best rate of fall for that day. The next thing to experiment with is retrieve; dragging, hopping, slow swimming, etc. I'll experiment with color later, if necessary.
senile1 reply :
I like the topic, JT.
The learning curve for picking up the "feel" of the jig may be steeper than other lures, but I wouldn't say it was a struggle for me. It did take some time to become proficient, but that was my expectation. If you are new to jigs, go to a location where you know you are likely to catch a few fish no matter what. Expect to spend some time learning how they feel traveling over different obstacles and how they feel when bit and don't be in a hurry. Learn the differences and catch some fish to build your confidence. Then step it up from there learning to pitch and flip into thick cover, holes in lily pads, brush, etc. I also think that swimming a jig is easier to learn than working one slowly as one can usually feel when a faster moving bait is bit. However, for me, fishing a jig slowly and picking apart cover is the meat and potatoes of jig fishing and I think there will always be room for improvement.
MarkH024 reply :
My strongest jig is swim jig style. My weakest jig is a football jig. I have a hard time with "slow" fishing overall, therefore making jig fishing a challenge at times for me. I do love to jig fish, and I need to do so more often because they do produce quality fish. I prefer 3/8oz as my all around, but will get into the 1/2 or 3/4oz occasionally.
I mainly will throw jigs on a 7' MH/F action rod. Some guys like big stout rods and some like a little more give. To elaborate more, what is your preferred rod size and action. Leave brands out of it so this doesn't turn into a turd fest.
Catt reply :
One mistake I see is that anglers make is they have abandoned casting a jig & working it like a Texas rig.
Y'all should try it
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Catt reply :
K.I.S.S.
Of all the lures in an anglers arsenal the jig is one of the simplest and yet one of the most completed by anglers.
Denny Brauer and Gary Klien are two of the top jig fishermen on planet earth; their jig box is simple with both selecting blue/blue #1 and a 3/8 oz #1.
I would select 1 manufactute and stick with it for now and later add your own personal repertoire of confusion.
derekxec reply :
im a bit weird about jig fishing...for bass its tooo slow for me i hate using jigs bass fishing now if im snook fishing i can cast a jig out and reel it so slow that it takes forever to get back in lol....not sure why but always like this
Mccallister25 reply :
When I first started learning to use a jig, I faced a pretty big learning curve. Now, I absolutely love them. I have one tied on evety time I go out. Id def. say Im a jig fisherman.
Mccallister25 reply :
When I first started learning to use a jig, I faced a pretty big learning curve. Now, I absolutely love them. I have one tied on evety time I go out. Id def. say Im a jig fisherman.
PABASS reply :
In my very short observation with jig fishing black & blue seems to work better in stained to muddy water. In some of the clearer waters I have fished browns and greens produced more fish. In clear water do you still use a black & blue jig and or when do you choose to go with more natural colors?
aquaholic reply :
On 8/13/2013 at 10:13 PM, WRB said:I have posted several threads on this subject and don't know how to recover them on this site using the search tool.
You can swim any jig by retrieving it through the water column instead of slowly along the bottom.
There are hundreds of jig head shapes, all trying to improve some design feature to enhance the jig performance. Knowone has the panacea jig design for all presentations.
Common mistakes are;
1. Using jigs that are too heavy.
2. Using jigs with the wrong style hook, size and dull points.
3. Fishing jigs in the wrong place at the wrong time. Location is critical to bass fishing success.
4. Fishing jigs with too light of tackle.
5. Trying to fish jigs up hill from shore.
6. Relying of the rod to feel strikes.
7. Not setting the hook fast enough.
8. Failing to concentrate on what the jig is doing or feels like.
Tom
can you explain a little more on this? Is jig fishing from shore a bad idea?
The Young Gun reply :
I fish hours on end with a jig around a lake loaded with largemouth about 200acres throwing every lay down and dock I see but I can't get bite. But ill go off the dock and take a cast and ill catch a tiny one...
I think it may be my line??
7'2" powell diesel rod
Black max reel
50lb pp braid
1/2oz big o siebert jig with rage craw trailer
But I do enjoy pitchin jigs a lot. I just wish I caught fish more often .
lmbfisherman reply :
Not sure why jig fishing from shore is a bad idea. Only thing I can think of is hang ups? I learned to fish jigs from shore first and caught fish. I'm no expert though, still learning the tricks of the trade. I kind of set aside the jigs this year as one of my goal was to learn to drop shot and fish crankbaits more. I have done number 1 with lots of success, still haven't built the confidence on crankbaits. This thread is making me want to jig fish all day this coming Saturday. I miss jig fishing! I will not say I'm an "expert jig" fisherman, but I will say I'm no beginner jig fisherman.
MarkH024 reply :
On 8/14/2013 at 1:13 AM, The Young Gun said:I fish hours on end with a jig around a lake loaded with largemouth about 200acres throwing every lay down and dock I see but I can't get bite. But ill go off the dock and take a cast and ill catch a tiny one...
I think it may be my line??
7'2" powell diesel rod
Black max reel
50lb pp braid
1/2oz big o siebert jig with rage craw trailer
But I do enjoy pitchin jigs a lot. I just wish I caught fish more often .
No it's not your line. You should be just fine using braid as that is what I use. If i'm in some heavy rock, I'll put a fluoro leader on. You can color your braid with black sharpie if you're worried about visibility but to be honest, the tantalizing craw arms and skirts puffed out in the water are far more distracting than a line. Keep at it. One day it will just click for you. You may want to try a lighter weight to produce a slower fall rate. That would be a good start.
The Young Gun reply :
How do I know when to throw a 1/2oz compared to a 3/8th? I rarely fish any water over 6 feet deep. But I also have only tried jigs pitching to shore cover.
MarkH024 reply :
On 8/14/2013 at 1:17 AM, The Young Gun said:How do I know when to throw a 1/2oz compared to a 3/8th? I rarely fish any water over 6 feet deep. But I also have only tried jigs pitching to shore cover.
If you're in 6 fow or less...you should be in the 1/4oz to 3/8 range in my opinion. I think if you produce a slower falling jig, you're going to get more luck. Just my $.02
PABASS reply :
Two thoughts come to mind with this statement " Trying to fish jigs up hill from shore" one would be fish position and two would be snags but from reading many of WRB's posts I believe its more about fish positioning. Bass are more likely to be looking into the shallow water from the deep then from the shallow end to the deep, the deep is the escape route, whether its competing with other fish for food or it feels threaten.
Lipsinker reply :
On 8/13/2013 at 11:34 PM, .ghoti. said:I'm certainly not a jig fishing expert, but I'll give you the following observations.
Jig fishing is a target game. Have a target, and be able to hit it. Pick an area apart, be it a weed bed, flat, hump, point, etc. Identify likely fish holding targets and hit them all. This is no time for long casts.
Jig fishing is a slow game. If you think you're working the jig slow enough, slow down. In most cases, less is indeed more. This is no time to be in a hurry. Running down the bank with your trolling motor on high is the best way I know to keep you skunked when jig fishing.
Jig fishing is a quiet game. Put the bait in the water with the smallest disturbance you can manage. Again, this is no place for long casts. Short, controlled entry casting is the thing. Turn your electronics off. Do not cycle your trolling motor on and off constantly. Drift if you can. Be stealthy.
This last bit is just me, but I use the lightest jig I can get away with. I rarely use a jig over 1/4oz. I find it easier to make a quiet entry into the water with lighter jigs. Since I tried down-sizing my jigs, I've caught a lot more jig fish. And, the rate of fall is easier to adjust with a light jig. When I want a fast drop I use the tail of a worm as a trailer; just enough of the body to keep it on the hook, with the curly tail close behind. Or simply use no trailer at all. To really slow the drop rate, I use half of a Rage Lobster. This is the first thing I experiment with; trying to find the best rate of fall for that day. The next thing to experiment with is retrieve; dragging, hopping, slow swimming, etc. I'll experiment with color later, if necessary.
Thanks I'm going to try down sizing, especially when I'm on a river. As a novice Bass fisherman, I think I often make the mistake of assuming that huger tackle automatically will land me the bigger fish.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 8/14/2013 at 12:25 AM, derekxec said:im a bit weird about jig fishing...for bass its tooo slow for me i hate using jigs bass fishing now if im snook fishing i can cast a jig out and reel it so slow that it takes forever to get back in lol....not sure why but always like this
Feel exactly the same way, I totally understand.
bigbasshunter reply :
Exactly what Catt posted, "K.I.S.S"
Not saying anyone is stupid
Loop_Dad reply :
I fish jigs in winter months on my local lakes when they are closed for boating. They work for me. Sometimes I only bring a box which only have a few jigs in it. For some reason, I don't use much during warmer months.
I would like to stick with one size of jig (1/2 oz) and mostly same design of jig (Archy). I mostly use the same trailer (twin tail grub). I like to always use the same rod, same reel and same line. By keeping things always the same, I get better feel of what my jig is doing down there deep, like hitting rocks or bites. If I switch around things, I lose that sense and I have to re-learn.
Hope this makes sense.
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
ive been jig fishing a lot more these past few years and I can say there my favorite to throw.. at night they are killer!!!
ColdSVT reply :
I struggle to put jigs down when I know should be using something else lol
Dingah reply :
Just started this year, caught about 15 fish, all of those fish either thumped it hard and ran, or just barely whacked it, so my biggest struggle is determining a bite? i know when i have one when it hits hard or i feel weight at the end of my line but there are sometimes where im left clueless to if i had a bite or it was a rock or a log, and most of the time i cant tell at all.
So what my question is is what does a bite feel like?
-Tully
WRB reply :
It is very difficult to cast and retrieve a jig from one position standing on the bank due to the fact you are always retrieving the jig up hill from deeper to shallower water. The seasonal period when bass are close to the bank where a shore angler can cast to a shallow water bass with a jig without spooking the fish is during the spawn or spring. It can be done, the question is why use a jig when shore fishing?
I realize some anglers are shore bond, no boat or boats are not allowed.
When I shore fish my jigs stay home and I use a T-rigged worm, grub, plastic craw or creature. I do this because a T-rig can use a wider variety of hook styles and sizes, easier to carry, less trouble with snags and versitile by pegging a glass bead for a instant slip shot rig. I can use different weight and bigger worms.
Another point to clarify is the pace to fish jigs, it's not always slooooow, sometimes a faster pace is better than saturating a piece of cover with lots of casts, I hate to that! I would rather make a long casts and cover more water, structure and potential bass, then make short precise cast to targets. I will make several casts on a piece of structure and fish it thoroughly from several different angles and depths from a distance, often well over 90'. I can't remember the last time a bass bite a dead stocked jig! 99% of jig strikes happen when the jig is moving through the water or stopped for a brief moment with the skirt breathing, the trailer moving, unless you are bed fishing.
The thought process that active bass are loners holding on a specific piece of cover or structure isn't true. . Bass, especially active feeders, move around when hunting and rarely feed alone! Inactive bass tend to be loners and very difficult to catch. When I catch bass on jigs, it's usually several on one small area.
My advice; look for groups of active bass and forget the notion of targeting single random bass. When you catch a good size bass, there should be more close by, don't leave active fish to look for another lone bass.
Tom
Brent Bartman reply :
The key I have learned with only jig fishing for two years now is practice. I pitch and flip in my yard every night. And I fish 2-3 days a week uaully two evenings and one full weekend day. My skills are still improving I master one skill and then learn the other arm. I'm no pro but I can put the jig where I want evey time- almost also I've learned the importance of pitching or flipping a log wait 3 seconds bounce it an wait 3 more seconds then I slowly reel it in swimming the jig and stopping on every log/ rock I hit. The slower the better it seems. And I increased my numbers just by swimming the jig back to the boat I have probably caught 100 lbs or better of fish in that past year and a half after I started swimming just on the swim back . With the guys who have never felt the bite or caught a fish on the jig once you do it you never forget it. Once you feel the bite you start adapting to it. It seems most my fish are caught with no bump or tick just nothing. Like ill flip up and my line won't fall or won't move like I expect And for the price of jigs I love using cheap jigs. If you loose them who cars I usually go with the BPS kits and buy better trailers. The yum money craw is my favorite trailer I bite it down and that seems to be my best. I like the pricey jog but losing 30 bucks in 5 jigs sucks I'd flratherloose thirty or 20 jigs that's jut my $0.02
Catt reply :
During an interview Denny Brauer was asked what a jig bite felt like?
His answer "I don't know but I know what it don't feel, I set hook on everything, grass, limbs, rocks. When in doubt set hook, people think I'm crazy but I'll not miss a fish cause I didn't set hook."
J Francho reply :
Those mushy, pressure bites in early spring are the toughest. I can't imagine how many fish I missed when I first learned this. If it doesn't feel like a jig anymore, set it!
---=Martin=--- reply :
Well since i read they catch big bass i started fishing them few weeks ago... since then i spend $70 on jigs in Bass Pro, which I promptly gave to my brother after getting my first batch of Siebert Outdoors jigs and realizing they are superior in construction.
i've since lost 3 or 4 of my nice jigs by hangups on rocks and wood... few days ago i snagged on a HUGE log in the canal, having 50 lbs braid on i pulled slowly and brought what looked like 100 lbs of wood from 6-7 feet deep water and then the line broke. that's frustrating.
also i'm not having much luck so far, it's super slow in FL now and i don't know if i should blame my super noob jig skills or the nasty heat on the fact that i'm not catching squat. so yea, i'm struggling bad!
---=Martin=--- reply :
On 8/15/2013 at 12:52 AM, J Francho said:Those mushy, pressure bites in early spring are the toughest. I can't imagine how many fish I missed when I first learned this. If it doesn't feel like a jig anymore, set it!
oh man when i fish jigs it happens on almost every cast that it stops feeling like a jig or there is much less resistance... i guess i'm missing a lot of bites ha?
WRB reply :
6. Relaying on the rod to feel strikes.
I thought this would create some discussion because most bass anglers rely too much on the rod to feel strikes. We pay premium $$$ for super sensitive rods. I believe in using high quality light weight and strong jig rods and have been doing that for 40 years, since graphite rods came on the market. A 40 year old rod doesn't compare to today's state of the art rods, yet we managed to detect jig strikes back then using the same technique I use today. The bass haven't changed how they strike a jig; engulf it, crunch it and reject it. If for some reason the bass decides the jig is real food and continues eating it, we all can detect that strike because the line is moving and we feel that movement with the rod. The truth is the most expensive sensitive rod can't detect slight line movement. For this reason you should run the line over the tip of your index finger so you can detect the slightest differences in line movement or tension far better than any rod ever made.
With time on the water you develop a sense of feel and know without seeing or feeling the rod move a jig strike and set the hook into nothing that turns into a bass. If you rely solely on the rod, you will ever develop that intuitive feel needed to become a good jig angler.
Tom
WRB reply :
Bo's Nu Jig isn't a sponsored product on this site.
I did look at this design and like it, FYI, TW offers this jig with a Owner hook.
Both both site sponsors NorthStar and Siebert offer high quality jigs in several head designs that are very competitive priced ith excellent hooks and materials. Bottom line we have excellent jigs to choose from today.
Tom
SirSnookalot reply :
I don't think it's a matter of struggle in using them, it's fish cooperation. Right now in my part of Florida the best way to catch bass is with a stick of dynamite. Not catching them on jig now isn't any one's fault, except the fish's lack of interest, not that you can't get lucky every now and then. Moving the calendar up a few months a jig will be a great producer, it's pretty hard to fish them wrong. I don't normally fish them for bass too slow for me, but I spent about 2 months solid last winter using them for a change of pass, I did exceptionally well. I actually found it to be about easiest way to catch bass.
ReggieT reply :
On 8/13/2013 at 1:19 PM, Bluebasser86 said:I'm a jig guy no doubt. With that being said I struggled more to learn how to fish a jig than probably any other technique I've ever tried to learn.
Hmm...I struggle more with plastic worms than anything...guess we all have our "fishing nemesis."
sarcazmo reply :
On 8/15/2013 at 12:28 PM, WRB said:Bo's Nu Jig isn't a sponsored product on this site.
I did look at this design and like it, FYI, TW offers this jig with a Owner hook.
Both both site sponsors NorthStar and Siebert offer high quality jigs in several head designs that are very competitive priced ith excellent hooks and materials. Bottom line we have excellent jigs to choose from today.
Tom
Not a sponsor but a darn fine product.
I have plano boxes full of Northstar and Siebert as well dont you worry. 
J Francho reply :
On 8/15/2013 at 5:26 AM, mvorbrodt said:oh man when i fish jigs it happens on almost every cast that it stops feeling like a jig or there is much less resistance... i guess i'm missing a lot of bites ha?
Only way to find out is to set the hook.
---=Martin=--- reply :
On 8/14/2013 at 11:57 AM, WRB said:It is very difficult to cast and retrieve a jig from one position standing on the bank due to the fact you are always retrieving the jig up hill from deeper to shallower water. The seasonal period when bass are close to the bank where a shore angler can cast to a shallow water bass with a jig without spooking the fish is during the spawn or spring. It can be done, the question is why use a jig when shore fishing?
I realize some anglers are shore bond, no boat or boats are not allowed.
When I shore fish my jigs stay home and I use a T-rigged worm, grub, plastic craw or creature. I do this because a T-rig can use a wider variety of hook styles and sizes, easier to carry, less trouble with snags and versitile by pegging a glass bead for a instant slip shot rig. I can use different weight and bigger worms.
Another point to clarify is the pace to fish jigs, it's not always slooooow, sometimes a faster pace is better than saturating a piece of cover with lots of casts, I hate to that! I would rather make a long casts and cover more water, structure and potential bass, then make short precise cast to targets. I will make several casts on a piece of structure and fish it thoroughly from several different angles and depths from a distance, often well over 90'. I can't remember the last time a bass bite a dead stocked jig! 99% of jig strikes happen when the jig is moving through the water or stopped for a brief moment with the skirt breathing, the trailer moving, unless you are bed fishing.
The thought process that active bass are loners holding on a specific piece of cover or structure isn't true. . Bass, especially active feeders, move around when hunting and rarely feed alone! Inactive bass tend to be loners and very difficult to catch. When I catch bass on jigs, it's usually several on one small area.
My advice; look for groups of active bass and forget the notion of targeting single random bass. When you catch a good size bass, there should be more close by, don't leave active fish to look for another lone bass.
Tom
most of the canals i fish i can cast all the way across. i usually have the best luck casting on the grass across and making a soft/quiet entrance (it works wonders with frogs and snakeheads). i've been doing the same thing with jigs the other day (really confused neighbor's dog LOL) throwing it on a nicely mowed grass, slowly reeling it to the edge and then gentle hop into the water (i mean you should have see that confused poor old dog LOL); sometimes it would land on the vegetation so i would pull gently and it sinks, and sometimes it goes straight down (most of our canals are just a vertical drop 6-10ft deep). so going "uphill" is not really an issue for me; btw all the bites i had so far happened within 2-3ft of the bank's edge...
cadman reply :
I used to be a die hard crankbait guy about 3 years ago and got a lot of fish fishing them. Then I fished with one of my customers and all he fished was jigs. Well anyway, to make a long story short, he kicked my butt fishing jigs. He outfished me 2 to one every time and with bigger fish. So I finally took his advice and started to fish jigs. My numbers the first year doubled and the quality of fish also increased. From that time on I rarely throw anything else. My three rods in this order are jig rod, wacky worm and a trap or a husky jerk. The first two always produce fish. Now as far as jig fishing goes, since I fish from a boat, I will say that fishing from shore is harder as you will get more snags, lose more jigs and possibly lose fish as you cannot maneuver around easily. With that being the main problem you will catch fish from shore. Jig fishing like mentioned is a very slow process. I literally had to retrain myself when I started jig fishing, because throwing cranks for so long, my reel speed was way too fast. The key to jig fishing is you have to fish them slow, and I mean slow. Cast the jig out wait about 10 seconds so the jigs hits bottom. Wait for a bass to pick it up, if you feel nothing, raise you rod tip up to 12 o'clock position and drag your jig. Lower rod and wait another 10 seconds, see if you feel any taps or any movement. If you do wait for the fish to swim off with it and then set the hook. Now the best way I learned this method was by casting out and closing my eyes. This may sound stupid, but this forces you to concentrate and feel with your hands (since you cannot see and get distracted), line movement, fish bites if any and weeds. Do this until you finally can feel the line movement through the rod guides with your hands. You will feel pick-ups and line twitch because you are focusing with your mind on what you feel not what you see. Once you get to the point of slowing down and start concentrating better, open your eyes and focus on your line. Now you can watch line movement and still be able to feel the taps as you have conditioned yourself to do this. I guarantee if you do this you will catch more fish. Don't give up as this will take awhile . I say about a month or so to get your mind, hands and eyes in sync with each other. I am not an expert, but I would never go back to throwing cranks all day long. I've gotten too many bigger fish from throwing jigs. I use 10 -12 pound mono, mh 6'6'" rod with a baicasting reel. Nothing fancy.
One last thing, is I only fish finesse jigs. This means 1/8 - 1/4 oz jig max with a trailer. I throw nothing heavier and I mainly fish 10 FOW or less. An 1/8 oz jig with a trailer sinks pretty fast in my opinion, but maybe I finally got used to the slowness of fishing jigs, and I'm glad I did.
Downeaster2010 reply :
I have been fishing jigs for more than 30 years for bass. Like many others early on I was reluctant to
throw a jig in heavy cover for fear of losing it. I solved that problem when I bought molds and started
to pour off my own, and learning how to tie the skirts on. Mixing colors of skirts to the time of year
whether it be spring or fall. I keep up to 50 jigs on the boat at all time. Now jigs are an acceptable
loss. Just tie another one on. The same thing with Senko's. I bought a mold last year pour my own
mixing colors etc. It much more affordable to create your own. I also love aT-Rig worm, and rarely
fish a crank bait.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 8/15/2013 at 3:43 PM, ReggieT said:Hmm...I struggle more with plastic worms than anything...guess we all have our "fishing nemesis."
I don't struggle with jigs anymore, I struggle with the fish that keep eating them! 
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