How Long Do Jigs Last You

[Hooligan]

I go through jigs like mad fishing in rock, but that's usually because rocks eat them. In wood, I think I've only lost two this year, and that's because I was stupid about it. Down south, I'll go through a dozen jigs in a tournament sometimes. Just because it's easier to break it off and retie- takes less time than to try to save it with a plug-knocker.

[cheezylotus]

I wish more jig makers used powder coated heads. The cheaper ones I've tended to buy from Wally world are painted and banging them off rocks wears through the paint pretty quickly leaving a bare lead head.

yea ive got like 30 jigs in a shoebox that need repainted.

[Bankbeater]

This year I have probably lost 6 or 7 jigs so far. None of them were close to being worn out.

[cadman]

I usually lose them before they get worn out as well. As far as wire goes to tie skirts, lots of guys use copper wire or you can get the wire from a craft store or Hobby lobby. If you want to tie with thread you can do that as well. Get some Coats and Clark upholstery thread. It will never break when you tie with that.

[WRB]

Fishing from a boat in deep rocky structure lakes I feel good if a jig last 2 or 3 trips or occasionally a week. Sometimes I will lose 2 or 3 jigs a day depending on the type of rocky structure I am fishing, especially at night. Some big bass will freight train you and drag the line across the rocks, cutting the line or into a tree and you can't always worked them back out. To me if you are not losing a few jigs, you are not fishing the right type structure or cover or the bass are young adult size bass. Big bass over 6 lbs are very strong fish and will get you into trouble occasionally and win the battle. Sometimes the line get nicked by a sharp rock and you lose the jig.

The only reason a jig needs a painted head or powder coated head is to sell it, don't worry about chipped heads, worry about dull hooks.

Tom

PS ; I use Monel buss wire to tie living rubber skirts, doesn't rust in salt water.

[merc1997]

Fishing from a boat in deep rocky structure lakes I feel good if a jig last 2 or 3 trips or occasionally a week. Sometimes I will lose 2 or 3 jigs a day depending on the type of rocky structure I am fishing, especially at night. Some big bass will freight train you and drag the line across the rocks, cutting the line or into a tree and you can't always worked them back out. To me if you are not losing a few jigs, you are not fishing the right type structure or cover or the bass are young adult size bass. Big bass over 6 lbs are very strong fish and will get you into trouble occasionally and win the battle. Sometimes the line get nicked by a sharp rock and you lose the jig.

The only reason a jig needs a painted head or powder coated head is to sell it, don't worry about chipped heads, worry about dull hooks.

Tom

PS ; I use Monel buss wire to tie living rubber skirts, doesn't rust in salt water.

tom

here are a couple of bass that came from this past week that did not get away with my jig.

bo

[Blue Streak]

I use Siebert jigs and if I don't lose them in rocks they last for a very long time. I have never had a skirt fall of one. Probably the best hand made bait I have ever used.

[WRB]

When I lose a jig it's usually not from hanging it in rocks or wood during a retrieve, it's from line abrasion that has gone undetected between casts. I check the line often, but not every cast, because when I am fishing it's usually for several hours each trip making about 20 to 25 cast per hour or about 150 cast each outing. If I catch 5 bass a trip on jigs it's a good day, that is averaging a bass about every 30 casts, the average size bass nearly 6 lbs. I catch about the same number of bass under 3 lbs as I do over 10 lbs; about 10 a year on jigs. Everyone has good days and bad days where you catch a lot of bass or get blanked, when jig fishing.

I am usually fishing with 14 lb FC line, it's the heavest I can get away with during the day and still get bit. The problem with FC line is poor knot strength and abrasion resistance compared to premium mono. The advantage is less drag in the water and it sinks, reducing slack line. Where mono and braid tends to float and stays off structure elements, FC line tends to drag across the same elements and both weak knots and abraided line results in lost jigs. I feel the line near the jig, up about 18" and check the hook point with my thumb nail if I think line or jig needs it or after each bass I catch.

As far as skirt damage, I fish hair jigs most of the time and hair is very durable, but also takes a beating, I lose jigs them faster then wearing them out.

I don't have any one lure that has caught more than 100 bass, other then a few hard baits like crankbaits and surface lures and those have had the hooks replaced a few times, can't replace a jig hook!

It's OK to lose jigs occasionally, you can turn off a good jig bite trying to recover a snagged jig, a good jig design shouldn't get snagged often in the first place. The best design jigs can find it's way into a sharp rocky crevice where you can't work it free.

Tom

[merc1997]

tom

since it seems from your statement that you tend to just pull a hung jig until the line breaks, instead of trying to retrieve it, i have a question. how do you think it affects the fish in the area when you lines snaps when it breaks??? just thought it a good question to throw out. from my own experience, i have seen way too many times a good bite leave an area when breaking a line on a lure that is hung. just from my own experience i have found that i tend to spook the bass less by going in and dealing with the hung lure. a lure retriever slipped down your line ssems to be less intrusive to them. sound like a whole new thread to discuss.

bo

[WRB]

To get a hung jig out of rocks, it usually takes moving the bait to get a different angle and I do that most of the time. Lightly shaking the jig loose is the best option. If I have caught a big bass already, moving the boat nearer to the bass is rarely a good idea when fishing rocky structure with little or no cover, unless the bass are in water over 20 deep. I would rather break off the jig, then get on top of the bass. I don't use a lure retriever for jigs in rocks, maybe if trying to knock it off a tree branch, but rare where I fish.

Another factor is releasing big bass during a bite, that can also shut down a bite. I use a "stay alive" 10' weighted stringer clip the bass onto, hate to put big bass in a livewell. When the bite shuts off and I am ready to leave the area, then I release the bass. I release small bass instantly and usually leave the area if small bass are active. Big bass and small bass rarely mix, unless they are feeding on shad or spawning.

Remember I am fishing 14 lb or less FC line that breaks fairly easy and doesn't disturb the structure, you can pull out a water logged piece of wood or piece of junk on occasion and that isn't good. With braid or 20 lb FC it takes a lot pressure to break off and I fish the heavier line at night, because I don't like to re tie at night and tend to fish more shoreline cover areas. At night it's sometimes hard to judge distance and I have missed the shoreline and cast 10' up into a tree, you don't always make accurate casts.

Tom

[merc1997]

tom

fishing at night is when you use florescent line and a black light. you can track your cast and not miss your target by ten feet. plus, you can see even the most subtle of strikes, even better than daytime. and not liking to retie at night sounds like all of my retired fishing buddies, hahaha. i have a knot that will hold up with florcarbon line. i have taught it to several that like fishing with fc, and it has resolved their broken line issues. works equally as well with mono and braid.

bo

bo

[WRB]

With black light I can watch my jig sale into trees and I will know where it is! I still have poor depth perception at night. This could be another good topic; black lights.

We could start a FC knot thread, that has been done a few times. There is a reson so many FC knots are on the Internet!

Nice bass Bo, they both look like 8 to 8 1/2 lbs, very big NLMB!

Tom

PS; I use Zorro black lights.

[merc1997]

tom

i have to laugh just a bit about being up in the trees. black lights and knots sound like some good subjects. i would start a thread if i could figure out how to do it on here.

bo

[SirSnookalot]

Jigs sometimes last for days or maybe a cast or 2, depending on where I'm fishing and what I'm catching. I don't bass fish at night, but I do start my fishing day at about 4 AM. When I'm fishing the inlet or a spillway it's pretty easy to cast over the expanse of water and get hooked on the other side, not to mention all the rocks on the bottom if you aren't careful. I can break off a 30 or 40# leader with some effort, all I've lost is $3.00 jig.

I carry a small flashlight to retie, when I see these people camped out with bright lanterns I gotta leave, it's too bright for me, lol, those are bait fisherman and I don't like being around them even in the daytime. I just won't do any bass fishing at night, blacklight or not, too many gators and snakes around.

[WRB]

Started a new thread for FC line under Rods, reels, line and knots forum.

Tom

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

Last weekend I lost a lot, but the low point was three on three casts.

The Tennessee River rocks love jigs!