Time to grow up and fish a jig 2024
thinkingredneck reply :
I've caught fish with worms, cranks, jerks, spoons and spinner baits. Mostly worms, I love fishing a worm. Never really tried a jig. I can tell from the tone of articles that jig fishing is considered the Holy Grail lure. That jig fishing is loved by most serious bass fishermen. So, I read the jig sticky thread, watched all of the videos on this site plus several others. Now I am planning to leave all of the other lures at home until I figure this jig thing out. Notice that I did not say MASTER it. So I bought some Arkie jigs in three sizes, in Black, Black and Blue, Blue Gill, and brown.(BPS kit) Got swim jigs in 1/4 oz and football in 1/4 oz (Strike king) Got black and blue , green pumpkin chunks, rage craw in falcon lake craw, pit boss in 4 colors, and menace in grey and white. Also, two colors of Uncle Josh pork trailer. MH rod with 65 lb braid. Got some Megabass scent. I figure I will start with black and blue Arkie in same cover where I catch with worms. Would you recommend that I use a worm or spinner to find fish or just go for it? (Eventually, I will go try Seibert Jigs and Northstar as I lose these)
CroakHunter reply :
Leave everything but a jig at home and throw it anywhere that looks fishy. It is a technique that can be amazing at times.
Steveo-1969 reply :
Hells Yeah!! Just tie one on and go to work!!!!!!!!
WRB reply :
I am not a fan of having a wide range of jig weights to learn with, pick 1 between 3/8-1/2 oz and learn how it feels at various depths and bottom structure.
Catching is bass is why we fish, so take your T-rig along. Fish both jig and T-rig to make sure you don't offer something you miss strikes with or the bass don't want at that time.
Tom
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
Good luck man. I'm like you don't really fish with Jig. I've caught a few fish here and there. I do have a lot of jigs I bought this year and wanna get more serious fish with it next year along with hair jig.
Jason Penn reply :
I get the impression from a lot of posts that fishing a jig is an almost impossible task!! If you can fish a t-rig, you'll be fine. I think maybe a lot of people that post replies on jig posts are just like me....they absolutely love fishing jigs, so they talk about it with more excitement and it may make it seem like it's more than it is.
I love fishing plastics also. The only reason a jig is more favored for me is less time rerigging after a catch.
thinkingredneck reply :
Well, I went out and thre a jig at around dark near some rip rap. Caught one on my 3rd cast. Just saw the line move. The Bass was about 2 lbs. Cool
Catt reply :
Don't let anyone tell you that a Texas Rig & a Jig-n-Craw should be fished differently or that that bites feels different.
There's 2 rods I keep rigged 24/7/365; Texas Rig & Jig-n-Craw ????
npl_texas reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 9:17 AM, Catt said:Don't let anyone tell you that a Texas Rig & a Jig-n-Craw should be fished differently or that that bites feels different.
There's 2 rods I keep rigged 24/7/365; Texas Rig & Jig-n-Craw ????
100% accurate
BrackishBassin reply :
I’ve wanted to get into jigs myself, but every time I fish one I spend all my time dredging up grass. So, I stick with the t-rigs.
slonezp reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 10:08 AM, BrackishBassin said:I’ve wanted to get into jigs myself, but every time I fish one I spend all my time dredging up grass. So, I stick with the t-rigs.
If grass is a problem switch to a jika rig. Nothing against a T-rig but I think a jig or jika rig offers a better opportunity for a bigger catch or, maybe better said, less opportunity for a smaller catch.
On 11/25/2017 at 2:09 AM, CroakHunter said:Leave everything but a jig at home and throw it anywhere that looks fishy. It is a technique that can be amazing at times.
For sure. Jigs get big bites
On 11/25/2017 at 4:14 AM, WRB said:I am not a fan of having a wide range of jig weights to learn with, pick 1 between 3/8-1/2 oz and learn how it feels at various depths and bottom structure.
I stick with 3/8 and vary the presentation with the trailer, always fishing with low stretch line
ChrisD46 reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 4:14 AM, WRB said:I am not a fan of having a wide range of jig weights to learn with, pick 1 between 3/8-1/2 oz and learn how it feels at various depths and bottom structure.
Catching is bass is why we fish, so take your T-rig along. Fish both jig and T-rig to make sure you don't offer something you miss strikes with or the bass don't want at that time.
Tom
+1 , a 1/4th oz. football jig is a little light - go with 3/8th or 1/2 oz. models instead to better maintain bottom contact .
Oregon Native reply :
If I only had one jig to choose it would be a 1/2 football. Green Pumpkin with some brown and a little barbwire brown on top......oh.....5/0 hook. Not the best around brush but works. Hardly a day would go by without this working.
Tight Lines
Catt reply :
Denny Brauer: tournaments entered 376-times in the money 216 - 2.9 million
Gary Klien: tournaments entered 434-times in the money 275 - 2.7 million
Weapon of choice 3/8-1/2 oz black-n-blue jig!
To be consistent at bass fishing we must put all the odds in our favor, that is in the things we can control.
I aint saying throw only black-n-blue, what I am saying is when ya wondering where to start...there it is!
scaleface reply :
I caught fish on jigs before texas rigs . Just fish it like you would a worm and you will catch fish .
Catt reply :
Reality Check ????
The Jig is one of the most productive lures for fishing heavy cover of any type known to anglers.
The Jig is one of the most productive lures for catching larger than average bass.
But despite its pure awesomeness the angler must keep in mind there will be days when the bass simply do not want a jig.
So to all the young anglers (not chronological but experientially) struggling when casting, flipping, pitching, or punching with the Awesome Jig keep in mind there will be times when the Jig aint gonna be that AWESOME.
IgotWood reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 4:14 AM, WRB said:I am not a fan of having a wide range of jig weights to learn with, pick 1 between 3/8-1/2 oz and learn how it feels at various depths and bottom structure.
Catching is bass is why we fish, so take your T-rig along. Fish both jig and T-rig to make sure you don't offer something you miss strikes with or the bass don't want at that time.
Tom
What he said! I mainly fish a range of depth that a 3/8 oz jig covers well. Bring one size, and maybe two colors. Keep things simple!! I am pretty new to jigs as well. It can be a very fun way to fish. For me, the hardest part of fishing a jig is being patient and letting the jig soak. I am a very fast fisherman. It's so hard for me to let the jig sit for more than a second or two. So that's my two cents. Keep it as simple as possible at first. Gain some confidence in the jig and trailers you chose. One of the coolest feeling I've experienced during my two year bass fishing tenure, is standing in my kayak flipping a jig into the gnarliest brush on the lake, feeling the bump, and laying into a hookset. Don't give up though. Sometimes they just don't want the jig.
thinkingredneck reply :
Reading through a lot of posts and articles. Starting with black blue Arkie 1/2oz jig with black and blue zoom super chunk. Fluro line on one rode and braid on the other. Like said, I need to eliminate variables for a while. Caught one while fishing at dark for an hour. I plan to expand variables later.
Lendiesel22 reply :
Early this year I made up 50 fantastic looking jigs with 3 different head styles from 1/4 to 1/2oz. Fished them all with various trailers in various cover and depth and caught a few fish but overall felt like i was around more fish than i was catching. I moved to a more compact presentation with a keitech and menace combo and it flipped the switch. The difference in bulk of the jig was costing me bites. The rivers I fish showed me that the go to colors in the right profile perform. The go to colors on the bulky jig was on the outside of what they eat size wise. Play around until your fish show you the way. Profile trumped all other factors in my case
scaleface reply :
I like contrasting colors . Black /blue , black/brown , black/chartreuse ... The Mr Twister twin tail is the first trailer I ever used and still use twin tails a lot . This is a homemade jig that I use to buy by the dozen . Theres only a few left .
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Don't get what's so hard about this? Anywhere you would throw a T-rig you can throw a jig. From heavy cover to deep structure. Nothing to it man. Tie on a 1/2oz and get to work.
slonezp reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 10:52 PM, Catt said:But despite its pure awesomeness the angler must keep in mind there will be days when the bass simply do not want a jig.
Tell that to Denny. He won't put it down even if he's not catching them. He has a few zeros that prove that. Only time I saw him throw something other than a jig was on an episode of Zonas show. His first fish was a double digit bass and he threw that whatever that same bait was for the entire episode.
TnRiver46 reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 9:51 AM, npl_texas said:100% accurate
+1
On 11/25/2017 at 9:20 PM, Catt said:Denny Brauer: tournaments entered 376-times in the money 216 - 2.9 million
Gary Klien: tournaments entered 434-times in the money 275 - 2.7 million
Weapon of choice 3/8-1/2 oz black-n-blue jig!
To be consistent at bass fishing we must put all the odds in our favor, that is in the things we can control.
I aint saying throw only black-n-blue, what I am saying is when ya wondering where to start...there it is!
It doesn't matter what color the jig is........ as long as it's black and blue!!! It doesn't matter what color your worm is....... as long as it's purple!!!
Oklahoma Mike reply :
Biggest thing for anglers to learn in fishing jigs is detecting bites.
Learn to watch your line and set the hook at the slightest deviance. Line jumps, set the hook. Line moves sideways, set the hook. Line stops falling at 6’ but you’re in 15’ of water, set the hook.
As for feeling, over time you will begin to learn how bumping a rock or stump feels versus a bite... in the meantime, when you feel the slightest twitch, swing for the fences. You go to pick it up and feel any weight on it whatsoever, set the hook.
A bass will not always hit it and run. Sometimes the fish will inhale and hold it in the same spot, and you will not even recognize it as a bite. Even anglers with decades of experience in fishing jigs miss a lot of bites, so don’t hesitate to swing away.
Catt reply :
On 11/26/2017 at 8:52 AM, slonezp said:Tell that to Denny. He won't put it down even if he's not catching them. He has a few zeros that prove that. Only time I saw him throw something other than a jig was on an episode of Zonas show. His first fish was a double digit bass and he threw that whatever that same bait was for the entire episode.
According to Denny #2 choice Texas Rig
Pre-spawn flipping a tube (watched him win in Alabama).
Post spawn flipping the Rage Craw, Smokin’ Rooster, & Space Monkey
NHBull reply :
Starting with light wire hooks helped me gain confidence and improve my technique.
i also do best with braid and FC leader on a relatively fast reel
thinkingredneck reply :
Update: went a couple hours yesterday and caught a 4 lb.. used an old fashioned Uncle Josh Pork trailer. Black 1/2 oz jig, crawdad color trailer. In rip rap. Lost 3 jigs to hangups. Fishing from shore.
time to get more jigs ! The bite seems more subtle than on anTexas rig.
Paul Roberts reply :
Jigs are easy. Bass eat them. You'll become a jig lover, just like the rest of us.
Steveo-1969 reply :
On 11/26/2017 at 10:09 AM, Oklahoma Mike said:Biggest thing for anglers to learn in fishing jigs is detecting bites.
Learn to watch your line and set the hook at the slightest deviance. Line jumps, set the hook. Line moves sideways, set the hook. Line stops falling at 6’ but you’re in 15’ of water, set the hook.
As for feeling, over time you will begin to learn how bumping a rock or stump feels versus a bite... in the meantime, when you feel the slightest twitch, swing for the fences. You go to pick it up and feel any weight on it whatsoever, set the hook.
A bass will not always hit it and run. Sometimes the fish will inhale and hold it in the same spot, and you will not even recognize it as a bite. Even anglers with decades of experience in fishing jigs miss a lot of bites, so don’t hesitate to swing away.
Or the opposite. You pick it up and it feels like your jig is gone, it's not there any more. Set the hook!!!
Turkey sandwich reply :
It sounds like you're off to a really good start, listening to good advice and building confidence. Cheers! Like it's been repeated, fishing a jig most of the time is not that different than fishing a Texas Rig, just a different profile. I think this is probably the easiest and healthiest way to learn one if you're familiar with the other.
As you fish them more and more, you'll learn when to tweak trailers, profiles, size, etc, but the basic rules still hold. For any kind of brush or vegetation, an Arky head is the way to go. If you're dealing with small to medium sized rock bottoms, the football head is a better choice.
As for presentations, learning how to flip, pitch and roll cast accurately to visible stuff are all important skills to have. Also, basic presentations like dragging, stroking, and swinging in current are really important to master.
Swim jigs are slightly different in that most of the time you aren't going to be soaking them on the bottom. Swim jigs, (and I fish them far less frequently and with less confidence than the others mentioned) to me, are best thought of as a spinnerbait without the blades or thump. I'll throw them and think about working them horizontally through the water column more than vertically and generally retrieve them along the tops of submerging vegetation, along break lines, etc not much differently than a spinnerbait or lipless crank.
Hopefully this is some good, useful information. Keep up the good work. Jig fishing rocks!
Dorado reply :
As an active shore fisherman, I snag a football jig just about every time I fish with one. It happens to me 9 out of 10 times it seems. Texas rig - none! if I was fishing with my kayak, could be a different story, but fishing from shore, a jig just gets donated more than catch fish for me. Any other shore fishermen share the same experience?
Spy reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 7:03 AM, Dorado said:As an active shore fisherman, I snag a football jig just about every time I fish with one. It happens to me 9 out of 10 times it seems. Texas rig - none! if I was fishing with my kayak, could be a different story, but fishing from shore, a jig just gets donated more than catch fish for me. Any other shore fishermen share the same experience?
And here I thought it was just me! Lost four more over the long weekend and decided that I won't toss another till I have a outfit specifically tailored for the task rather than one of my MH rigs.
That's the the problem with shore fishing, you can only tote so much and in thick cover it becomes a nightmare! I generally carry two rods but looks like threes a charm if I want in on the jig game.
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 7:03 AM, Dorado said:As an active shore fisherman, I snag a football jig just about every time I fish with one. It happens to me 9 out of 10 times it seems. Texas rig - none! if I was fishing with my kayak, could be a different story, but fishing from shore, a jig just gets donated more than catch fish for me. Any other shore fishermen share the same experience?
That could be a reason why I don't throw jig a lot since I'm a bank-beater even on kayak or boat. Another reason I remembered loosing a pretty good size fish after first jump. I blame my hookset where I used to with fishing drop shot.
GoneFishingLTN reply :
On 11/26/2017 at 8:52 AM, slonezp said:Tell that to Denny. He won't put it down even if he's not catching them. He has a few zeros that prove that. Only time I saw him throw something other than a jig was on an episode of Zonas show. His first fish was a double digit bass and he threw that whatever that same bait was for the entire episode.
Where can this be found I looked and no luck
r83srock reply :
On 11/25/2017 at 10:52 PM, Catt said:Reality Check ????
The Jig is one of the most productive lures for fishing heavy cover of any type known to anglers.
The Jig is one of the most productive lures for catching larger than average bass.
But despite its pure awesomeness the angler must keep in mind there will be days when the bass simply do not want a jig.
So to all the young anglers (not chronological but experientially) struggling when casting, flipping, pitching, or punching with the Awesome Jig keep in mind there will be times when the Jig aint gonna be that AWESOME.
Lots of great advice. I learned to fish a plastic worm years ago, its my dads all time favorite bait. My uncle who has become a very successful tournament fisherman taught us both how to fish a jig. I learned early on that fishing a jig different than fishing a worm, but not that much different. You can use your worm tackle, but when the bite happens, often times it can be a slightly different feel. You typically catch larger bass with it, and those fish will often times bite without you knowing it, so paying attention to subtle changes in the bait is huge. I totally agree with picking a couple weights and colors. The Arkie style jigs you purchased are what I learned with, and they are really all you need. I would stay with those baits and learn them well. Fish it where you would a worm and you will get good results in time. Swim it, hop it, drag it, let it sit, fish it like a frog on top of slop, there’s no limit.
slonezp reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 10:29 AM, GoneFishingLTN said:Where can this be found I looked and no luck
Zona and Brauer were on Falcon Lake. Guess I was wrong. It was on a black and blue jig
Catt reply :
Denny Brauer won the 1998 Bassmaster Classic at High Rock Lake, N.C. flipping a Texas Rigged tube bait.
Turkey sandwich reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 7:03 AM, Dorado said:As an active shore fisherman, I snag a football jig just about every time I fish with one. It happens to me 9 out of 10 times it seems. Texas rig - none! if I was fishing with my kayak, could be a different story, but fishing from shore, a jig just gets donated more than catch fish for me. Any other shore fishermen share the same experience?
This is super common early on, but it's easy to fix so long as you just put in a little time.
- Know your tools and when to use them. Football heads are great in pebbles to medium sized rock. Once we start talking boulders or rip rap, it might be time to swap them out for a drop shot. I will rarely fish them in wood unless I'm just way too lazy to tie on an Arkie jig. Similarly, Arkie heads fish great in most cover, but also have limitations around certain kinds of rock. Accept that fishing in cover may mean lost tackle (especially from shore where you can't troll or paddle over to free yourself), but using the right jig will minimize this.
- From shore especially, learn using the lightest jig you can while still allowing you to feel the bottom. It'll give you a slower rate of fall, allow you to cast without dropping a bomb on the water, and give you more forgiveness when you're learning to to feel your way through cover/snags. Small jigs like Bitsy Bugs have caught me both, smallmouth and largemouth over 19".
- As you're working the jig, try to visualize it moving through the cover as opposed to blindly reeling or dragging. Think about every movement having a purpose. I've also heard BASS Elites refer to this as trying to sneak the lure through the cover so that fish won't notice it, and think it's a good way to visualize it. In most instances, if you're moving the jig slowly with your rod and not your reel while emphasizing feeling everything on a tight/semi-tight line, you'll find that you're snagging a lot less.
- Lastly, consider the immediate offshore structure when you're fishing a jig and realize that you're always going to be pulling it "up hill". If you're fishing steep banks with rip-rap or other super snaggy snags keep in mind that you're dragging a piece of lead up hill through it and that most bottom contact baits may not be the most ideal for that scenario and you may be better served fishing a crankbait.
Once you get the basics down, you'll be shocked what kinds of crazy water you can work a jig through without snagging.
scaleface reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 1:17 PM, Catt said:Denny Brauer won the 1998 Bassmaster Classic at High Rock Lake, N.C. flipping a Texas Rigged tube bait.
He also won a BASS event on a crankbait.
Dorado reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 3:16 PM, Turkey sandwich said:
- As you're working the jig, try to visualize it moving through the cover as opposed to blindly reeling or dragging. Think about every movement having a purpose. I've also heard BASS Elites refer to this as trying to sneak the lure through the cover so that fish won't notice it, and think it's a good way to visualize it. In most instances, if you're moving the jig slowly with your rod and not your reel while emphasizing feeling everything on a tight/semi-tight line, you'll find that you're snagging a lot less.
Good response. I think I do fish a jig from shore with too much slack. When I move my rod to move the jig I'm using a side sweeping action. pause. then two quick short pops. repeat cadence.
I think I'm fishing too fast and not reeling up that slack line fast enough. Also throwing a 3/8 oz from shore which might be too heavy. Dumb question..but should I be slowly lifting my rod UP as opposed to that side sweep? Would I snag less?
GoneFishingLTN reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 12:12 PM, slonezp said:Zona and Brauer were on Falcon Lake. Guess I was wrong. It was on a black and blue jig
Sorry I’m not good at finding this apparently but where is the full video? Thank you for helping
slonezp reply :
On 11/29/2017 at 2:06 AM, GoneFishingLTN said:Sorry I’m not good at finding this apparently but where is the full video? Thank you for helping
Looks like you have to pay for it
https://markzona.com/zafs-zonas-awesome-fishing-show/
Turkey sandwich reply :
On 11/28/2017 at 11:27 PM, Dorado said:Good response. I think I do fish a jig from shore with too much slack. When I move my rod to move the jig I'm using a side sweeping action. pause. then two quick short pops. repeat cadence.
I think I'm fishing too fast and not reeling up that slack line fast enough. Also throwing a 3/8 oz from shore which might be too heavy. Dumb question..but should I be slowly lifting my rod UP as opposed to that side sweep? Would I snag less?
None of what you're bringing up is dumb, at all.
Generally, when I'm fishing something slowly my rod tip is up and I'm dragging it towards me, more or less in a straight line, unless I'm deliberately trying to move my jig/T-rig/etc around something or to move my presentation to a specific place. Generally, this doesn't change much if I'm in a boat, standing on a kayak, on shore, or wading. By learning to feel and crawl the jig this way, you're going to learn to feel the snags and work over them as opposed to setting the hook into them. This also ties into the line tension thing. There's always a place for letting a jig fall on a slack line, and that's an important thing to learn, too. However, I think it's a lot easier (at first, at least) to learn how to feel with a semi slack line because you aren't moving the bait quickly or allowing it to fall out of control and wrap brush/trees or settle into weird crevasses as easily. This will also teach you how to feel different types of bottoms, different types of cover, and the absence of weight (generally this is the soft bite that a lot of us miss).
A sweeping presentation still has it's place, but I think around heavy cover, it's much more prone to hanging up because you're driving the bait horizontally into things instead of lifting it over and through them.
As for speed/reeling - you should get in the habit of moving the bait with the rod and not the reel for just about all of your bottom presentations. The reel only collects the line you're recovered after moving the bait with the rod. It won't take long until you can do this confidently super fast (often calls for a heavier jig) or super slow.
If you're learning this with casting gear, I think 3/8oz is a pretty good starting point.
Catt reply :
To add to @Turkey sandwich
Fishing a worm/jig requires keeping a certain amount of tension on your line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in your line. To the average angler this makes no sense at all but the worm/jig angler it makes total sense.
Most anglers try forcing a jig through grass which is all wrong, you gotta finesse the jig through grass!
When you feel the jig starting to load up in the grass...stop. Release pressure, pull up until you feel heaviness again but apply slightly more pressure, then release, continue until the jig breaks free. You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head, you're just applying more pressure.
Dorado reply :
On 11/29/2017 at 3:39 PM, Turkey sandwich said:
A sweeping presentation still has it's place, but I think around heavy cover, it's much more prone to hanging up because you're driving the bait horizontally into things instead of lifting it over and through them.
As for speed/reeling - you should get in the habit of moving the bait with the rod and not the reel for just about all of your bottom presentations. The reel only collects the line you're recovered after moving the bait with the rod. It won't take long until you can do this confidently super fast (often calls for a heavier jig) or super slow.
Your responses have been enlightening and restored my faith in putting in more time with the jig. Love this site!
Turkey sandwich reply :
On 11/29/2017 at 11:34 PM, Dorado said:Your responses have been enlightening and restored my faith in putting in more time with the jig. Love this site!
no problem, man. Embrace the. jig!
Lincoln reply :
I just thought I would take the time to say that this thread caused me to go out and catch my very first jig fish yesterday. It wasn’t much but I caught it dragging a brown football head with a green pumpkin menace after I had located some active fish with a jerkbait
WRB reply :
Fishing a jig uphill in snag prone structure or cover isn't easy for anyone because the line tends to go inbetween rocks and wedges in tree or brush branches, the jig follows the line and gets hung up.
You have a few choices, use a lighter jig with a head design to reduce snags and don't try to force the jig loose by pulling harder. Try casting at a angle so the jig comes more across or side hill instead of directly uphill. When you feel the line or jig starting to snag stop and try holding the rod high shaking the rod tip into slightly slack line to jiggle it loose. Anyone who claims they don't snag jigs working them uphill must be fishing in a swimming pool.
Tom
PS, rocks don't move.
Catt reply :
On 11/30/2017 at 9:06 AM, WRB said:
I always fish uphill!
If ya aint occasionally loosing a jig ya throwing where the bass aint!
thinkingredneck reply :
Thanks. So far I seem to lose a jig or two every time I use them. But they are working for me. I really do think the average fish is bigger than I otherwise catch.
Turtle135 reply :
One trick I showed a couple of anglers this past season was to have them take their hand off the reel handle when moving the jig (move the jig with the rod tip only and do not reel at the same time you are moving the jig). For me this helps in finessing the jig through cover without snagging and also results in more bites.
Jig head styles do make a big difference. The jig head on the left below gets into a whole lot less trouble than the jig head on the right (built on the same hook and the same weight).
Catt reply :
When it comes to jigs everyone has their own personal repertoire of confusion!
What I look for in a jig is a smooth transition from the line to the eye & around the belly, which requires the eye (either one) to be slightly rolled forward. The reasoning is I want my jig to follow the line up to the cover & then slide over or through the cover smoothly.
Possible the best head design is Lunker Lures Rattleback
Todd2 reply :
When I get on the water, I get mental block sometimes. It's like I read articles about various lures and have too many different things I want to try. I'll fly through several rods trying different things and usually end up going back to the jig.
Slowing down...dragging and hopping the jig along the bottom is my therapy AND as mentioned..jigs catch big fish.
N Florida Mike reply :
One of my goals this year is to become at least moderately proficient with a jig. A friend from s carolina gave me one but I just cant get bit on it. All I do is dredge up grass every time. Never have gotten one bite on it. So I bought another one-same story. And the lake I fish most has plenty of bass in it . Slay them consistently w/Almost anything t-rigged.
So , needless to say , a jig is not a confidence bait for me.
One question. Why does the weight have to be so heavy on a jig ?It seems like it would work better the lighter it is , except if you were fishing deep water.
In my home lake, bass just love a slow falling bait , with a suttle approach. With a 3/8 jig and up , they make a big plunk when they land , which to me would scare fish off , then they sink way to fast. If I move them at all, they immediately get covered with grass , algae, whatever's on or near the bottom.And that's with fishing the clearer spots!
With t-rigged rigs , I catch 3 times as many fish with either a bb shot or no weight. The more weight, the less fish.
Don't mean to hijack the thread , but what am I missing here ?
Not being contentious- you can't argue with other people's success, but for me- no success.
Catt reply :
@N Florida Mike
When fishing "grass" with a jig try staying as vertical as possible!
Flipping, pitching, & punching will result in less grass on your jig.
As for weights ya want enough to stay in contact with the bottom.
I generally throw 1/4-3/8 oz in sparse grass out to 20' deep.
N Florida Mike reply :
On 1/28/2018 at 12:01 AM, Catt said:@N Florida Mike
When fishing "grass" with a jig try staying as vertical as possible!
Flipping, pitching, & punching will result in less grass on your jig.
As for weights ya want enough to stay in contact with the bottom.
I generally throw 1/4-3/8 oz in sparse grass out to 20' deep.
Ok that makes more sense. Pitching might work on my shallow lake. It's 5 feet avg. And pretty clear, so getting too close will spook them. Deepest hole is 8 feet , and it's fairly clear of weeds there but has a grass edge on one side so...maybe There.
I also have some good laydowns I can pitch into.
Catt, do you ever jig fish after dark? Seems like it would work better then on a shallow, clear lake.
Catt reply :
@N Florida Mike I fish a shallow water marsh 2' average with 6' maybe, it's extremely clear. It has a lot of various types of grass & staying within pitching distance don't spook em.
I do throw jigs a lot at night but not in this marsh cause it closed.
related Fishing Tackle topic
previous topic
next topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.