Question concerning Jigs 2024
airborne_angler reply :
Ive seen the mass quanity of companies that make thier own jigs. Ive seen prices ranging from reasonable to Ridiculous(per jig)
Ive never thrown Jigs so I wanted to make a purchase.
Would the simple Arkie Jigs for $1.39 from Walmart work as good(if not better) than these Jigs that go for $4.00 per piece?
I mean a jig is a jig...Right?
If I were to take a seasoned pro who has fished Jigs exclusively,say Denny Brauer,and gave him both the Walmart ARKIE Jig and a Custom Jig,do you think he could do as well on one as the other?
Does anyone take a chance at NOT catching fish because they use a cheaper priced jig?
Revo_Carrot Stix reply :
AA
I hear what you're saying. I've tried a few and I have lost a bunch. The cheaper jigs from retail stores are fine to start off with, but you'll start to recognize the difference with the light wire hooks and few strand skirts. I have had good luck with custom made jigs I've bought on an auction site. I buy 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 oz by the dozen for less than $2/jig and these jigs are heavy wire Mustad/Gammy's hooks, quality skirts, rattles, and paint which would usually be $4-5/jig in a store.
Catt reply :
If I were just starting out learning to fish a jig I would use the Arkie Jigs from Walmart in 2 or 3 simple colors. I have caught a ton of bass on these jigs & would not feel at a disadvantage using them again.
SeanW reply :
There are a ton of great jigs for less the $3. I rarely lose my jigs. Usually if ya get over it you can wiggle it out. Search for California Reservoir Lures or Rodstrainer jigs. Both are real good jigs and are reasonably priced. PM me your addy and Ill send ya some jigs, I own over 2000 jigs. Just tell me colors you like.
Nibbles reply :
QuoteThere are a ton of great jigs for less the $3. I rarely lose my jigs. Usually if ya get over it you can wiggle it out. Search for California Reservoir Lures or Rodstrainer jigs. Both are real good jigs and are reasonably priced. PM me your addy and Ill send ya some jigs, I own over 2000 jigs. Just tell me colors you like.
Heck, I'll take some free jigs. ;D
Hamby reply :
Try a few head to head...that's really all you can do to see which you like best beyond taking into consideration other opinions.
Make sure you buy some different types of trailers too.
grimlin reply :
Arkie jigs do not have the greatest or sharpest hooks on them.The hooks bend pretty easily too.You snag these and 70% of the time you'll get it back with a bent hook....unless you are like me and manage to wedge the entire jig under a rock and lose it that way. ;D
I use the arkie jig heads and cut the hooks and line eye tie off of them for another type of usage. :-X
airborne_angler reply :
PM sent to SeanW
backwater4 reply :
All jigs are not created equal. I'm not saying spend $4 a pop, but....
Semi custom or custom jigs have:
More skirt material
Better hooks
Better paint
Custom colors
Wire or thread tied (bands are fine, but tend to dry rot over time)
Just my .02 though.
Catt reply :
QuoteAll jigs are not created equal. I'm not saying spend $4 a pop, but....Semi custom or custom jigs have:
More skirt material
Better hooks
Better paint
Custom colors
Wire or thread tied (bands are fine, but tend to dry rot over time)
Just my .02 though.
And the bass care why ?
backwater4 reply :
They probably don't. I just like to have certain colors, head styles, even hook sizes for different lakes or conditions. A custom jig allows me to have a specific jig for specific applications. If your just going down the band flipping, there's no reason any jig wouldn't work and just starting out there's no reason to get crazy. Over the years I just started to break situations down and modify or make or get baits made to fit those situations. Plus they look pretty. 
Catt reply :
Jigs are one of the simplest lures made & yet the most over complicated by anglers
backwater4 reply :
Very true.
aceman387 reply :
I mainly finesse fish with light spinning outfits and the only jigs i buy are the bitsy bug jigs in various weights, they are cheap and they catch a lot of fish.
Catt reply :
airborne_angler, start with an inexpensive jig like the Arkie Jigs from Wal-Mart, BPS Uncle Buck's Jig, or any bargain bind jigs. As your level of confidence grows then add your own personal repertoire of complication.
River Rat316 reply :
QuoteQuoteAll jigs are not created equal. I'm not saying spend $4 a pop, but....Semi custom or custom jigs have:
More skirt material
Better hooks
Better paint
Custom colors
Wire or thread tied (bands are fine, but tend to dry rot over time)
Just my .02 though.
And the bass care why ?
I should probably stay out of this but I'm not gonna
more skirt material: Changes the profile of the jig, could be a good thing or a bad thing Could help, could hurt, depends on the situation
Better hooks: The fish will actually like that cheap jig better, cause the big girls will take that cheap eagle claw and bend it around like a pretzel, and get loose. You have to absolutely be kidding me, that a jig with a cheap #ss eagle claw hook is going to perform any where near as well as a good jig with an Owner or Gammie hook, even Mustad for that matter.
Better Paint: Probably a total confidence thing, I personally like a painted head, and I know most do, I know the arkies come painted, but it don't last long where you normally fish a jig
Custom Colors: ...... only one thing here... color only matters when it matters
wire or thread tied skirt: More flair= more bites, lee messing around adjusting the skirt, the ability to slap weeds free on top of the water without losing the skirt. In general less messing with the jig, and more fishing.... but hey the fish don't like when you are fishing, so they probably like hand tied jigs less
I am not saying don't start out cheap, I think I started with the arkies at Walmart, I know I did on the hair jig side. but once you get the hang of it, you can venture out, or stick with the arkies, its your choice. But to say that one of the Arkies from Wally world will perform just like a custom jig, is a flat out lie imho
airborne_angler reply :
Lets think about this "Arkie" jigs thing. If I recall correctly,Arkie Jigs are the Original Bass jig. Just like Creme was the first Plastic worm.
Arkie Jigs have been catching toads for decades. When B.A.S.S. had its first Tourney and people were throwing Jigs,what brand do you think they were throwing? Most likely a standard Arkie,Because thats all that was probably available.How many old timers have caught double digit fish on Standard Arkie Jigs...Id like to see a show of hands please.
There was an article in Bassmaster Magazine a few years back where a guy caught I believe an 18# fish on a white Jig. I specifically remember it mentioning it was an ARKIE jig.
Now that customs are in the mix,you have better options,better equipment,which does make it better,but Theres stilll nothing wrong with a plain old Arkie.
Paint finish,Think the fish care if the jig head has a few chips in the paint?
Its almost like Comparing a Model T to a Hummer. The model T was built for transportation, no creature comforts like the Hummer. If your Hummer broke down while traveling across country,you could just as easily hop into a Model T and finish the trip.Albiet,not as comfortable or fast,but it would serve its purpose,which in the long run is to get from point a to point b.
A custom built jig has all the bells and whistles,but an Arkie,plain and old a design that it has, will still catch fish.Its really the fisherman that puts the action into the bait that catches the fish.
River Rat316 reply :
Arkie, is a brand name and also a head style, I have 2 different arkie molds, it just denotes a jig with a 60 degree line tie with a wide flat base that is meant to bounce off hard cover like wood. So when a arkie jig is named its not necessarily mentioning the brand.
Just a little clarification
Vboards1 reply :
QuoteArkie, is a brand name and also a head style, I have 2 different arkie molds, it just denotes a jig with a 60 degree line tie with a wide flat base that is meant to bounce off hard cover like wood. So when a arkie jig is named its not necessarily mentioning the brand.Just a little clarification
You tell em ;D ;D
Catt reply :
I think Mr. airborne_angler motioned Arkie brand jigs sold at Wal-Mart which are Arkie head style jigs; they are also sold up the name brand Renegade.
No one said Arkies from Wally world would out perform a custom jig, what was said is the bass do not care one way or another what jig you are throwing. Every thing mentioned about custom jigs matters to the angler only!
I've yet to see any bass bend the hook on an Arkie jig around like a pretzel, will they bend when hung on a stump absolutely but so will most jig hooks.
Jigfishn10 reply :
My 2 cents for what it's worth:
Football head jigs with a line tie @ 90 degree are great around rocks and stink in the salad.
Arkie heads, as explained above, have a 60 degree line tie and are great around rocks & stumps, but are not so great in weeds. I use them in the weeds, but I think a grass jig with a more bullet type head with a 30 degree line will make your day in the salad more enjoyable.
I make my own jigs and to be honest, I don't care about a head color. Black works for me.
I tie my skirts with rod builders thread and never use rubber collars (Catts tie wrap metahod is a great idea IMO). I think the rubber collars tend to dry out and stretch too much. I can not stand when I retrieve my jig back only to find the shirt down around the hook shank. I also like to play with the strand quantity. A sparser strand count will give you a faster rate of fall while more will slow it down.
I know you can adjust the ROF with a trailer, but I like to fish a single tail grub at times and a thicker skirt is sometimes the ticket for slowing the ROF for that trailer.
Again, JMHO
bilgerat reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteAll jigs are not created equal. I'm not saying spend $4 a pop, but....Semi custom or custom jigs have:
More skirt material
Better hooks
Better paint
Custom colors
Wire or thread tied (bands are fine, but tend to dry rot over time)
Just my .02 though.
And the bass care why ?
I should probably stay out of this but I'm not gonna
more skirt material: Changes the profile of the jig, could be a good thing or a bad thing Could help, could hurt, depends on the situation
Better hooks: The fish will actually like that cheap jig better, cause the big girls will take that cheap eagle claw and bend it around like a pretzel, and get loose. You have to absolutely be kidding me, that a jig with a cheap #ss eagle claw hook is going to perform any where near as well as a good jig with an Owner or Gammie hook, even Mustad for that matter.
Better Paint: Probably a total confidence thing, I personally like a painted head, and I know most do, I know the arkies come painted, but it don't last long where you normally fish a jig
Custom Colors: ...... only one thing here... color only matters when it matters
wire or thread tied skirt: More flair= more bites, lee messing around adjusting the skirt, the ability to slap weeds free on top of the water without losing the skirt. In general less messing with the jig, and more fishing.... but hey the fish don't like when you are fishing, so they probably like hand tied jigs less
I am not saying don't start out cheap, I think I started with the arkies at Walmart, I know I did on the hair jig side. but once you get the hang of it, you can venture out, or stick with the arkies, its your choice. But to say that one of the Arkies from Wally world will perform just like a custom jig, is a flat out lie imho
I'm not singling you out, I figured you would know. With the popularity of Strike King's Bitsy Bug and Bitsy Flip lightweight jigs (1/16, 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4) why don't more jig makers offer downsize styles in their lineups ? I think that's a segment of the market that's been neglected. In a lot of the shallow vegetation/algae choked waters I (and many other anglers) fish, often they're the only option for jigs.
SeanW reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteAll jigs are not created equal. I'm not saying spend $4 a pop, but....Semi custom or custom jigs have:
More skirt material
Better hooks
Better paint
Custom colors
Wire or thread tied (bands are fine, but tend to dry rot over time)
Just my .02 though.
And the bass care why ?
I should probably stay out of this but I'm not gonna
more skirt material: Changes the profile of the jig, could be a good thing or a bad thing Could help, could hurt, depends on the situation
Better hooks: The fish will actually like that cheap jig better, cause the big girls will take that cheap eagle claw and bend it around like a pretzel, and get loose. You have to absolutely be kidding me, that a jig with a cheap #ss eagle claw hook is going to perform any where near as well as a good jig with an Owner or Gammie hook, even Mustad for that matter.
Better Paint: Probably a total confidence thing, I personally like a painted head, and I know most do, I know the arkies come painted, but it don't last long where you normally fish a jig
Custom Colors: ...... only one thing here... color only matters when it matters
wire or thread tied skirt: More flair= more bites, lee messing around adjusting the skirt, the ability to slap weeds free on top of the water without losing the skirt. In general less messing with the jig, and more fishing.... but hey the fish don't like when you are fishing, so they probably like hand tied jigs less
I am not saying don't start out cheap, I think I started with the arkies at Walmart, I know I did on the hair jig side. but once you get the hang of it, you can venture out, or stick with the arkies, its your choice. But to say that one of the Arkies from Wally world will perform just like a custom jig, is a flat out lie imho
I'm not singling you out, I figured you would know. With the popularity of Strike King's Bitsy Bug and Bitsy Flip lightweight jigs (1/16, 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4) why don't more jig makers offer downsize styles in their lineups ? I think that's a segment of the market that's been neglected. In a lot of the shallow vegetation/algae choked waters I (and many other anglers) fish, often they're the only option for jigs.
If its choked with vegitation I prefer a 1oz jig so I can get it through the thick stuff. Not sure why Id want a 1/4 oz jig for thick stuff.
River Rat316 reply :
QuoteI'm not singling you out, I figured you would know. With the popularity of Strike King's Bitsy Bug and Bitsy Flip lightweight jigs (1/16, 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4) why don't more jig makers offer downsize styles in their lineups ? I think that's a segment of the market that's been neglected. In a lot of the shallow vegetation/algae choked waters I (and many other anglers) fish, often they're the only option for jigs.
My finesse jigs go down to an 1/8th they include 3/16 and 1/4 oz. I don't know that I have ever had a request for a 1/16oz weedless skirted jig. I personally wouldn't use them and that's where a lot of my products originate from. If there was a bigger market for them, their would be more options
BassThumb reply :
QuoteI mean a jig is a jig...Right?
If I were to take a seasoned pro who has fished Jigs exclusively,say Denny Brauer,and gave him both the Walmart ARKIE Jig and a Custom Jig,do you think he could do as well on one as the other?
Does anyone take a chance at NOT catching fish because they use a cheaper priced jig?
I think Brauer would miss a fish or two that day if he were using any jig with the cheap Eagle Claw cutting point hooks vs. a sharp Gammy or Mustad needle point hook. Otherwise I don't think it would make much of a difference whether the jig had quality paint or whether it were wire-tied or rubberbanded, aside from a slight different in drop speed due to the difference in bulkiness.
There's really no need to overcomplicate the process of choosing a jig, but one thing that any jig worth buying MUST have, at least in my opinion, is a sharp hook, preferably a needle point hook. This sets the baseline at about $2.50 and up. I personally feels jigs are one of the most expendable lures, about as expendable as a half pack of GYCB Senkos. They get banged up, taken by toothy fish, lost on snags, or eventually tossed in the trash or given away once they've put in their time.
If you're looking for value, you'll be hard pressed to beat the Northstar Bait's Pro Series jigs at $2.60. That's RiverRat316's company.
tyrius. reply :
QuoteI mean a jig is a jig...Right?
The different types of jigs and different sizes do make a difference.
But, if you're just starting out don't sweat the small stuff and buy some cheap jigs and try it out. You'll be just fine fishing the cheap Wal-Mart jigs and you'll likely never lose a fish due to a bent hook. If you begin to like jigs then I'd recommend purchasing from a custom maker and not because of the "custom" cachet but because you can get a high quality jig for a reasonable price. GMAN's jigs are top notch and cheap. You just need to buy enough to make shipping worth it.
roadwarrior reply :
Great value, high quality jig:
Pro Series: http://www.northstarbaits.com/Projigs.html
I think everyone should try Bobby's EVO II:
http://www.megastrikefishingproducts.com/shop/Purple-and-Blue-2-Per-Pack.html
I also fish a custom 3/4 oz GMAN Mop Jig with TroKar hooks.
I think design, high quality hooks and outstanding craftsmanship
makes a huge difference for the successful jig fisherman.
A second point is equipment and line. I suggest making your
jig rod your biggest purchase. This is the most important component
for this specific application. This is also a technique that can
be improved significantly using braided line.
8-)
bweave09 reply :
Buy some heads and some skirt material and tie your own...that's what I did and it kinda forced me to dive in head first because I really wanted to catch a fish on something I made. It is inexpensive and you can make some cool stuff. Now that I have some confidence in jigs, I am ready to buy some jigs with skirts better looking than I would care to try. NC Bass & Saltwater Expo this weekend...Hello Dave's Tournament Tackle! I am also very interested in Northstar. This is just a thought, but it worked for me.
Nick reply :
All you jig guys: never use a 1/8 or smaller bass jig. They don't work in clear, cold water. ;D
Raul reply :
QuoteAll you jig guys: never use a 1/8 or smaller bass jig. They don't work in clear, cold water. ;D
About 10-12 years ago Stanley Jigs manufactured a finesse jig, very cool bait, it was a small, compact jighead available in 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 oz weight, it had a weedguard a a smal craw as trailer ( already pre rigged ), I found those while roaming around Academy, purchased a bunch, man, those were dynomite ! , I still have a few left, a couple of years ago I looked for them again and they told me they were discontinued. I 've been plaining on making them but I haven 't had time to place an order at TW worth the cost of shipping internationally.
sek basser reply :
When I switched to jigs with a 60 degree flat eye hook my hookup percentages got way better.
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