Why Is There Such A Hoopla About Fishing A Jig 2024
airborne_angler reply :
Is fishing a jig really all that complex? I think people(myself included) over analyze it. I have yet to boat a fish on a jig but next week I'm gonna leave everything behind and try to learn what jig fishing is all about. Anything I need to pay particular attention to as I attempt to learn these baits?
J Francho reply :
Pay attention to what it feels like when you're not getting bit. If it starts to feel different from that, SET THE HOOK!
Lrbergin reply :
I personally don't think it is that complex. I would say some people might have a hard time initially because it just "feels" a little different then the soft plastics they are used to and there is a learning curve. Just takes some time to get familiar with the bait and build confidence in it. The reward is worth it though as jigs produce quality fish.
craww reply :
Keep an eye on your line at all times. Try to get a idea of what it feels like to move or lift the jig. Stick with it, soon it'll become a very, very valueable tool your arsenal.
Vinny Chase reply :
The bite is usually pretty aggressive, so either you will feel a "THUNK" or if they just pick it up, make sure to watch your line to see if it is moving.
smalljaw67 reply :
I often say that a jig is the easiest lure to fish yet the hardest to learn. A big problem is confidence, you know they catch fish but until you get one the cofidence is a little shaky and when it gets like that you tend to only use it for a few casts and then put it aside. This is a lure that will also show you the difference between a waqlmart special rod and a good graphite stick. If you truly want to learn the jig and catch fish on it then you need to get some small jigs like Booyah baby boo jigs or strike king bitsy bug jigs along with normal 1/4oz, 3/8oz and 1/2oz jigs as you will have a jig for just about every situation. The best part about fishing a jig isn't shown on T.V. or even in magazines, what we see is anglers flipping and picthing and moving along at a fast pace but the jig is great in that you can keep it in the strike zone right next to a piece of cover and do very little and it is still appealing to the fish. The next time you are out I suggest a 1/4oz jig with a rage chunk trailer and target laydowns or the edge of a lilypad field or holes in weedbeds but somewhere you can feel the jig without having to decipher what is grass and what is a bite. Once you catch a fish make note of the cover and how deep the fish was and by hitting different spots with similar cover and depth you should be able to pattern the fish. After a day of that it will give you a basic understanding of how to use the jig and where it will work, and another thing you will learn is that a jig for the most part isn't a numbers bait but a big fish bait, in a days time you may find you catch less fish but you'll notice an uptick in the average size of the fish you catch. Good luck and don't give up, you will see why so many fish a jig.
roadwarrior reply :
On 5/18/2012 at 2:07 AM, J Francho said:Pay attention to what it feels like when you're not getting bit. If it starts to feel different from that, SET THE HOOK!
I think it is complex. My strong suit is soft plastics, but it took me 2 years
to learn how to fish a jig. Today, I fish a jig even when I KNOW a soft
plastic would be a better choice!
I recommend fishing NOTHING but a jig on selected outings in order
Bluebasser86 reply :
They are a difficult lure to learn. They are very simple once you get them down but tough to learn. I'm still learning them after fishing them for years. They are about my favorite way to fish now though. I had to go out with nothing but a jig and make myself learn before youtube was big so I was just reading up what I could and running blind. The lakes around here get lots of pressure so the bite is pretty soft a lot of the time so you really have to weigh your bait every time you lift it. Some of the biggest fish I've caught on a jig it just felt a little bit lighter or heavier than it should so I set the hook. Worse case senerio you set the hook into a tree something and lose a few bucks if you break off your jig.
Big-O reply :
On 5/18/2012 at 2:01 AM, airborne_angler said:Is fishing a jig really all that complex? I think people(myself included) over analyze it. I have yet to boat a fish on a jig but next week I'm gonna leave everything behind and try to learn what jig fishing is all about. Anything I need to pay particular attention to as I attempt to learn these baits?
Make sure it's on the bottom, make sure when you move the jig it's on the bottom or stays within 1 or 2 " from the bottom, be the bait or emulate a Crayfish slowly crawling on the bottom.
Not to say that swimming a jig isn't effective some time but many of those fish can be caught on other baits such as spinnerbaits, cranks or swimmers. As you slowly search out any given area with a bottom bumper, you'll feel the variety of structure types that are there. Then when you get bit, you'll realize where and what the fish are holding on.
Does this sound like the same technique you use when slowly fishing a worm... It should because it's is the same basic presentation. Fish eat jigs with regularity because they eat Crayfish regularly. Think of what excites a Cat to pounce... Movement gets his attention and most of the time it's on the pause that the Cat pounces. Keep it simple and you'll be successful.
And the Hoopla is all about the Hooping and Hollaring you'll be doing when you start Slamming steel to those hungry fish 
Hope that helps!
www.ragetail.com
airborne_angler reply :
Love your enthusiasm Big O...
iceintheveins reply :
Jigs do feel different going through grass, weeds, and other cover than soft plastic baits. Familiarize yourself with the way this feels, and then you can distinguish what these feel like and will be better able to know what a bite feels like.
Usually the bite is either a tap or the line will twitch. Jigs work better for bigger fish IMO and are a great choice in dingier water or for working heavy brush, rocks, or timber. The slower the fall most of the time, the better. But again, that's not always true.
Fluorocarbon will help detect light hits as well, and as the others have said, a good graphite rod helps. But if your ever in doubt, a hookset is free. And once in a while it pays off with an extra fish you might not have otherwise caught.
hatrix reply :
This might seem obvious but... Hold your line and use that to detect bites. I keep my index finger under the level wind. I am sure having a great rod helps but regardless of that for me it's pretty much what the line tells me.
Nitrofreak reply :
I don't think there will be an answer better than Big-O's, one thing I will add however is patience, and lots of it !!
There are so many times a jig will work and others won't, cold fronts come to mind when the fishing is slow, and the presentation needs to be slow as well, the jig is an all year round bait for all depths of water, and works in almost any condition.
I would suggest starting with the bitsy strike king jig around older boat docks and other types of cover, these are great lures that can be skipped under and around various areas and can really be very effective while learning to fish a jig.
Don't forget to add some JJ's to the trailer, even though the jig itself is very effective, that little extra will go a long way while trying to build confidence with the jig.
Good luck and be safe !!!
Jnichols76 reply :
I recently started fishing jigs also and have caught less numbers but bigger size. I'm not familiar with lakes in AZ but imagine deep, clear, and rocks with light cover. I would suggest a small football head jig (1/4 or 3/8) in brown, green, or bluegill color. I'm still experimenting with trailers but I would start with a zoom little critter craw for finesse or a zoom creepy crawler for a little more action - both in brown or green variants. Keep the retrieve simple and on the bottom - I prefer to just slowly drag it and keep contact to feel the bait. I would suggest a 7'+ MH rod and the more sensitive the better. A 7:1 reel and 12 lb fluorocarbon works for me along with patience. Hope this helps and good luck.
Al Wolbach reply :
I will keep my advice simple, fluorocarbon line. It will make a difference, especially with the lighter jigs.............................Al
Fishing Cowgirl reply :
On 5/18/2012 at 3:00 AM, Vinny Chase said:The bite is usually pretty aggressive, so either you will feel a "THUNK" or if they just pick it up, make sure to watch your line to see if it is moving.
Exactly! I concentrated on fishing a jig last year and I have to say that 90% of what I'm catching comes from the jig. I do like to use cranks, soft plastics weighted and un-weighted, but the Jig is starting to be my go to bait. But a top water strike is always exciting to me.
Last night I had them either pound it as it hit the water, or when I would hop or swim it. Only one ran off with it and I didn't feel him grab it. Just saw the line moving before I could turn the handle. i'm still learning but my bigger fish are coming off the jig.
steelslinger86 reply :
Jigs are probably my favorite lure to fish. I mostly use lighter jigs, 1/4oz. or 3/16oz., I only up the size if I am having trouble maintaining contact with my jig, due to wind. At that time, I only go as big as necessary. Jigs are easy to learn, but hard to master, and I think that is mainly due to their versatility. Someone may think they have it all mastered because they can use it with some success in a certain presentation, but if you are only using a jig for one presentation, and not the others, you may be missing out on the better bite. There are also a lot of different components of a jig. First, is color and size. If I am fishing a lake with shad present, I am likely to fish a white jig. I know it may sound crazy to some, fishing a bait that mainly mimics a crawfish, in a shad color pattern, but trust me it works. Other than that, I fish black/blue in spring, and after that, mainly natural colors like combos of browns and greens. Then you have head design. This mainly relates to the jigs efficiency at giving you the results you want in the presentation for which you are using it. I mainly use jigs with a bullet or more streamlined head, because I want it to come through cover easily with less snags. Next is, skirt material. Silicone is most common, because it is available in more colors. But, rubber has a more fluid lifelike appearance, with its limitation being that is available in less colors. Also, you have hair jigs, which can play a role in certain applications. Then, comes the question, rattles, or no rattles? There are also other variables, such as hook size, weed guard style, and eyelet angle. And, those are just features of the jig, then you have to decide on a trailer, if you are gonna use one. I personally don't fish a jig without one, and my trailer of choice is a zoom super chunk. I would recommend investing some time fishing a jig, and once you start to have success, you can start to notice patterns and come to form your own opinions on all of the options. If you are getting bites on a jig, and coming up empty after the hook set, most likely you are not feeling the actual bite, but rather the fish blowing the jig out after he already had it in his mouth. Good luck, hope some of this info. helps you out.
logan9209 reply :
So am I to understand that jigs aren't just for pitching and flipping (excluding swim jigs of course)?
steelslinger86 reply :
Nope, Next time you find some bass holding deep on a dropoff, tie on a football head jig and hop it down the decline. I have caught some nice bass in deep water fishing a jig and relating to the structure of the bottom. Jigs are a versatile tool, take advantage of it.
SirSnookalot reply :
Never thought there was a hoopla about jig fishing, maybe it's become popular for bass as of late but jigs have been a mainstay for about any gamefish in any venue for decades. There are a countless of variety jigs, all the way from a light crappie jig to offshore trolling jigs for billfish. If I were to own but 1 lure, it would be a bucktail jig, can catch just about anything on it in any body of water.
Sam reply :
Airborne, here are a few suggestions to consider when fishing a jig:
1. Dye the tail of "pig" in chartreuse JJs Magic or Spike-It.
2. Use a Rage Craw or any other "pig" that will give the jig some bulk and help it look like a crawfish.
3. 3/8 ounce jig is a good size to throw.
4. Be sure to have a rod that can handle a 3/8 ounce and larger bait, like a Medium Heavy stick.
5. Use flourocarbon line. 15 to 17 pound test is always a good test to use when fishing jigs. Tough line if you are throwing it into a lot of grass and slop.
6. You can sweep your rod to the left or right as you move the jig on the bottom.
7. You can hop the jig up and down by lifting the rod's tip into the air and then reeling in the slack.
8. Your goal is to have the bottom jig mimic a crawfish.
9. Peanut Butter & Jelly and Black and Blue colors are good starters.
10. Have the "pig" match the jig's color scheme but with yellow claws or appendenages.
11. Be ready for a strike as the jig falls to the bottom.
12. As the guys said above, know the feel of the bait. If the feel is different, set the hook.
13. Watch your line at all times.
14. Keep a finger on the line coming off the baitcaster to have a direct contact to the bait, if possible. Some guys don't do this but I try to do this when possible, especially when hopping the jig on the bottom.
15. If you "swim" the jig try to make it look like a bluegill.
16. Get Denny Brauer's DVD, Jig Secrets to Hugh Catches! if you can find it. Excellent and you will learn from the master of jig fishing. Strike King produced the DVD. Check out Amazon and Denny's weg site to try to locate the production.
17. Bassmaster University has a DVD called Jigs and you may be able to secure a copy of that one, too.
18. Remember there are no "wrong" ways to fish a jig. Just some ways are better under certain conditions and on specific bodies of water.
19. When setting the hook OVER YOUR HEAD, cross the bass' eyes!!!
Don't get frustrated. Sometimes the jig bite is on and sometimes it is off. You have to try your luck and the bass will tell you what they want and how to present it.
Always have a few backups as you will lose some jigs.
Good luck and come back to this section of the forum and let us know how you do.
Sam reply :
Logan, you can throw a jig in places where you can throw a Carolina Rig.
It is a lot easier.
Only problem is that the rocks, stumps and other structure can steal your jigs so have a bunch ready to throw and do not get upset as you lose them.
tholmes reply :
On 6/1/2012 at 3:45 PM, Sam said:Logan, you can throw a jig in places where you can throw a Carolina Rig.
It is a lot easier.
Only problem is that the rocks, stumps and other structure can steal your jigs so have a bunch ready to throw and do not get upset as you lose them.
My grandad used to tell me "If you're not losin' a few jigs, you'not fishing them in the right places".
Tom
logan9209 reply :
Sam and Tom, I am no stranger to losing lures. I have a tendency to cast to places that most people would be afraid to cast to. There's this one spot that held my 8lb bass this past winter (if you call it winter). On the other side from it is a great spot to fish from, but there's a few branches in the way. So, I cast over the branches and move my rod to the right to control the line in order to minimize or eliminate any hang ups. I've pulled bass out of that pocket a lot doing that. When you're bank fishing, imo, you should be willing to take chances that you wouldn't normally worry about on a boat. And even more willing to fish spots that most people wouldn't. That usually means losing a few more lures. But I've also learned how to get most of them back when they're hung up. I will say this: my lake is about $50-$80 richer since I started fishing for bass. 
Texas-Rigged reply :
Just imagine you have a T-Rigged bait tied on....Treat that Jig like your worm fishing.
Kyle Mahaffey reply :
I really haven't fished a jig yet, but always wanted too. With all this information I will try it when I go out next.
XPainInthebassX reply :
I have to say that I was one of those people who was going forum to forum trying to figure out Jig fishing. I remember how frustrating it was reading and seeing pro's on TV talking about how good a jig is and still coming up empty. I still have a ton to learn but the jig has become my favorite bait. The main thing is finding a jig that you like and getting a feel for the jig bite. It is different. All this talk about line watching is not BS is it so true. Most of the time on a jig bite your line will actually jump. Another tip is you cannot be easy with your hook sets. I say start out with either green pumpkin or brown and throw a rage craw on the back and you are ready to go. When the jig bite is on, I don't pick up another lure. Something about that "tap tap" and the line jump that is just awesome and addicting.
logan9209 reply :
XPaininthebassX, I have problems like that with every hard plastic lure except Zara Spook. I'm not going to give up on them though because I know that the reward is well worth the effort to learn.
Texas-Rigged, I had wondered about that. I did it one time back in prespawn with a half ounce black jig w/red flakes with a zoom chunk trailer w/ matched color. I hope the OP was helped by this post because I know it helped me a bunch.
steelslinger86 reply :
There is definately something about that thump, when the jig bite is on. Once you start to catch em on a jig it is addicting. For me, it is kind of like vertical jigging for crappie. Not the same presentation, but it's that connection between you and your jig, and then feeling that thump. Man, I love it. I had a nice fish burn me bad the other day. I was pitching to some nice brush, and as soon as it hit the water, there was the thump, but as I set the hook, he took off like a torpedo straight back at me, I couldnt crank line fast enough, even with a 7:1:1 ratio reel. As soon as I had the slack picked up, I tried to set again, but he was gone. The one that got away, the story of a fisherman's life, lol.
Kyle Mahaffey reply :
On 6/3/2012 at 11:44 AM, steelslinger86 said:There is definately something about that thump, when the jig bite is on. Once you start to catch em on a jig it is addicting. For me, it is kind of like vertical jigging for crappie. Not the same presentation, but it's that connection between you and your jig, and then feeling that thump. Man, I love it. I had a nice fish burn me bad the other day. I was pitching to some nice brush, and as soon as it hit the water, there was the thump, but as I set the hook, he took off like a torpedo straight back at me, I couldnt crank line fast enough, even with a 7:1:1 ratio reel. As soon as I had the slack picked up, I tried to set again, but he was gone. The one that got away, the story of a fisherman's life, lol.
Maybe next time a fish comes back to you, jump in and punch him in the face. Just saying.
Primus reply :
On 6/1/2012 at 1:08 PM, steelslinger86 said:Nope, Next time you find some bass holding deep on a dropoff, tie on a football head jig and hop it down the decline. I have caught some nice bass in deep water fishing a jig and relating to the structure of the bottom. Jigs are a versatile tool, take advantage of it.
If I'm fishing an area where I'm confident that the fish are there I sometimes will pause the jig and rock the head back and forth and then scoot ahead a few inches, I've had some vicious strikes from seemingly inactive bass doing that especially when the water temp is under 50 in the fall. Sometimes it takes app 1 minute per cast so be patient.
MrSwimJig reply :
Fishing a jig requires a lot of patients. I learned by eating a peanut in between moving the jig. Crack the shell eat the peanut move the jig ever so slightly and repeat. Taught me the patients I did not have for a long time.
Kyle Mahaffey reply :
Just started using a jig. Had a Zoom Fat Albert Grub on it as well. I was swimming it but with a couple of pauses here and there. On the 2nd pause nothing. But when I hopped it before I begain to swim it, It felt like an explosion happened. I set the hook and caught a nice 3.5 pounder. FIrst time I caught a bass with a jig. I might just have converted from a soft plastic person to a jig person. That was fun.
JaxBasser reply :
First time I've ever really used Jigs was this year and I've already caught 2 fish that were close to 7lbs on them (one on a swimjig and one on a flippin jig). They are quickly becoming a favorite and high confidence bait for me.
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