Are Traditional Jigs A Thing Of The Past?

[mikey5string]

I have actually gotten away from traditional jigs this season.

Instead of football jigs, I would be more inclined to use that 1/2 oz megastrike shake2 head, they keep the baits standing up so well, better than any I have seen. IMO the bait is more visible, looks to be either feeding on the bottom or in a defensive posture & the hook is positioned for a good hook set. You can add a skirt to the "keeper" on the hook shank for a larger profile bait and changing plastics and skirts is easy without re-tying.

If I am punching grass, I like a pegged texas rig with or without a skirt for the same reason of quick changing of the plastic and skirt combo. I have also played around with the weight on bottom rig, I think its called a "warhead". It works great at punching heavy mats but I havent built up my confidence with it yet.

A swim jig is about the only traditional jig I use anymore although a texas rig could work as one. Although, the profile of a swim jig head is hard to replicate with a separate weight.

Does anyone else not use traditional jigs? What does a "flipping" jig offer that a pegged t-rig doesnt? Same question for the football/shakey head. I love jigs and have a bunch of them, they just havent gotten wet in a while.

Curious to see what others think.

[mikey5string]

This is what I use where I might have used a football jig in the past. Havent found a good shakey head jig over 1/2oz so for anything heavier I still use a traditional football jig as I can find them in bigger sizes.

[WRB]

Standup jig heads are not new, the jig I made back in '71 is a standup head, see Horizontal jigging post. Garry Garlands spider jig that dates back to the late 70's was a stand up Do-It molds offers a few standup designs.

Attaching a soft plastic trailer to a spring or post isn't new, there is a picture of a wire keeper that pre dates springs in the '95 In-fisherman articleI referenced in the horizontal jiggling article. What may be fairly new is the shaky heads popularity.

By traditional you may be referring to the Arkie jig.that is designed to be fished in heavy cover. Punch rigs have come a long way in a short time period and still developing.

Looking at the Mega Strike 2 shaky head; it's a round head with an added standup pad, molded post to hold the soft plastic. Limitations; a jig is only as good as it's hook, my guess it's a Mustad round bend, medium wire 3/0 maybe 4/0. This hook is OK, but may open up under pressure of a big bass or when snagged. If a jig hook bends open, it's should scraped.

Another problem with a molded keeper post is holding the soft plastic in place, you may need to super glue it on.

Punch rigs work good when fished verticle and if the weight doesn't leverage the hook put of the basses mouth. One reason there are so many punch rig designs is over coming fishing cover degrading them and bass destroying the rig. Jigs are very durable. The advantage is you can use whatever hook you prefer without making your own jigs.

Interesting topic and I agree a good casting jig design should keep the hook upright.

Tom

[mikey5string]

thanks for the reply.

When I say "Traditional jig" I mean the molded head, skirt, weed guard type jig like football, flipping, grass, wood & casting jigs. A shakey head is a kind of jig but I dont consider it a "traditional" bass jig per se.

I dont think that, or a pegged T-rig is anything new, just see it more and more where I used to see "out of the package" jigs. The megastrike is my favorite shakey head but I dont mean that specific one has to be used, Im sure there are ranges of hooks quality in all jigs.

I guess I think that all things being equal. i think a shakey head is a better option than a football jig. Thinking about it, I suppose a jig is jut as customizable "on the spot" as you can change skirts and trailers without re-tying. I do like the way the plastic attaches to a shakey head over a jig. I never liked threading plastic on a hook. I have no problems with baits staying put on the screw keeper without superglue. Although it is kind of a pain screwing plastics on to them at first. Ideally, I would like it to have a worm hook type keeper, those always work best for me.

I guess a pegged texas rig would be as good as the sum of its parts. If you use quality components, it shouldnt get torn up anymore than a jig would. I can see how the weight could be used to throw the hook but wouldnt that be true on a jig too?

[WRB]

A look at a site like Tacjkewarehouse specialty products should help to learn what's available with punch rigs.

A look at jigs is also an amazing assortment jig types, very hard to stereotype what a traditional jig is. Football heads were popular out west for decades, only about 10 years nationally, when longer 60 degree style hooks came out that accommodated a fiber weed guard. The Arkie head was one of the first fiber weed guard jig and popular flippin jig..

Tom

[mikey5string]

this is the kind of jig I am referring to when I say "traditional" bass jig. Not this exact jig but this style, maybe a different shaped head (arkie,football etc) or different skirt but the same general idea.

The other, more specialized options, like punching weights/hooks and heavy stand up "shakey heads" seem to do the things that jigs were meant to do better.

[WRB]

this is the kind of jig I am referring to when I say "traditional" bass jig. Not this exact jig but this style, maybe a different shaped head (arkie,football etc) or different skirt but the same general idea.

The other, more specialized options, like punching weights/hooks and heavy stand up "shakey heads" seem to do the things that jigs were meant to do better.

Classic Arkie jig, compact with heavy hook and fiber weed guard. Good for vertical presentations like flipping or pitching into heavy cover. The weed guard is usually modified by anglers; fanned out and cut flush to the hook point. I call this type of weed guard a fish guard, it prevents both from snagging the hook point.

Did you take a look at Horizontal Jigging post?

Tom

[BrianinMD]

I use, and most people I fish with, use the "traditional" jig you are referring to. Still very popular, we just have a lot of different options now. Key is finding what works for you.

[Quillback]

Football jigs are alive and well here in the Ozarks. They work well when dragged across rocky, gravelly points, or rocky, gravelly flats. There was a great FB jig bite early this summer on Table Rock, 20-30 bass days were the norm. Should be another good FB jig bite later in October.

I also drag 3/4 oz black/blue FB jigs at night, great big bass bait. Of course in weedy, mud bottom lakes, dragging a FB jig probably won't be a good technique.

[Alpster]

In heavy cover or thick grass, standup jigs are a snagging problem, so I use football and "Arkie" style jigs. Sliderhead jigs are effective in the thick stuff also. JMHO

Ronnie

[mikey5string]

in heavy cover, aren't pegged t-tigs or "warhead" rigs better? The set up of both allows the bait to fall vertically more effectively doesnt it? Also they seem to get hung up in the grass less on the retrieve. The "warhead" rig has to be the best punching presentation there is. I really need to use it more...maybe next summer.

I agree about shakey heads being tough to fish in grass, I would chose a t-rig here. In heavy vegetation, the bottom is often covered in a layer of dense undergrowth. I have literally seen my jig disappear in the green stuff about 5" from the bottom.

I did read the horizontal jigging post. It was a good post, I went out and tried to use a football jig exclusively for a period. The lake I fish is a deep reservoir with heavy weeds in spots and sharp rocky drops in others. There is hump in 20-30fow with a couple brush piles on it where football jigs are supposed to be great.

Thing is, I check out my jigs (and most of my baits) in the shallow, clear water near the boat ramp at the lake. I have found that shakey heads just look better than my football jigs. The bait stands up straighter and doesnt tip, the hook is at a better angle, the screw keeper with the plastic texas rigged is a better weedless option IMO and it doesnt get in the way of hook sets like a weed guard can.

Seems like the standard football, arkie, grass, punching jig may eventually be phased out by more specialized gear. I dont know, just thinking about it the other day after looking at my box full of jigs that I never use....but I use the presentation all the time.

I really love jigs. The craftsmanship and artistry of a really well made jig get me every time. I dont care if I never use them, I still buy them and still will. Need to try the Northstars or another hand tied custom jig. I really love the action of the mop jigs but havent had much luck with them yet. Again, I havent fished them as much as I could because they get hung up more than other techniques.

OK. Done rambling. glad to see jigs are still alive and well.

[J Francho]

You are looking at your bait at rest. 90% of the time, a "traditional" jig gets bit on the fall.

[merc1997]

if i have anything to do with it, what i call traditional jigs (center based weedguard)will be a thing of the past. we have been fishing for eons with jigs that are known to not hook well. if not, then why is it constantly written if fishing with a weedless jig and not around heavy cover to cut down the weedguard so it will hook better. the science of hooking is in the process of being updated.

bo

[J Francho]

Shortening a weed guard only makes it stiffer.

[Dwight Hottle]

if i have anything to do with it, what i call traditional jigs (center based weedguard)will be a thing of the past. we have been fishing for eons with jigs that are known to not hook well. if not, then why is it constantly written if fishing with a weedless jig and not around heavy cover to cut down the weedguard so it will hook better. the science of hooking is in the process of being updated.

bo

Instead of cutting down the weedguard by shortening it I thin it out by cutting as many strands of the weed guard as I need. Just use a pair of scissors and cut off some strands at the base where they exit the lead head.

[iceintheveins]

Traditional jigs will never die, they just are too important a part in the arsenal of most serious bass anglers.

[merc1997]

trimming or thinning the weedguard still does not fix the problem. if you were fishing in heavy timber or vegetation, how good would your jig be now?? pretty worthless, now it hangs on everything. a good jig should be very snagproof and yet hook accurately everytime whether casting, pitching or flipping. all jigs with a center based weedguard are never going to fit the criteria of being a "good Jig". the center based weedguard will always tend to force the hook over flat, resulting in misses, hooking all over the mouth, and lost fish because of flat hooking angles. there is a better jig on the horizon.

bo

[River Rat316]

Once again if fish had wooden dowels for lips like your test bed than a center weedguard wouldn't work, but the real world is a little different than your test. I have a phenomenal hook up ratio with these jigs you say don't work, I have way more confidence in a jig than a t-rig plastic or just about anything I can think of as far as hook up ratios go. And I agree with J francho 90% of my bites on a jig happen on the fall or immediately after it hits the bottom, so for a flipping style jig stand up heads have little to do with my jig choice. If dragging a jig a football head leaves the trailer up ina defensive position if you have ever watched a football head actually being drug across a sand or gravel bottom you would realize there is no need for a flat head jig, they tip up as they are being drug, and if you keep slight tension on the line they will stay tipped up at rest.

[WRB]

Before you condemn Bo''s design, give it a try, the proof is in the fishing and catching.

With any lure the initial time the lure passes through the basses strike zone results In a high percent strike rate, if the bass are active. Here is an important %; bass are only active about 10-20 of the time during a 24 hour period, 2 1/2 to 5 hours out of 24 and bass due eat 24-7. A very active bass is easy to catch compared to inactive bass.

I don't use a fiber weed guard for a good reason, missed strikes from big bass. If fiber weed guards worked I wouldn't have had the need to develop my own jig and use a piece of soft plastic worm to protect the hook point. I was missing strikes and loosing big bass and that drove me to make changes and the changes worked very well.

If the bass doesn't eat the jig on the fall and I mean engulf it, crunch it to kill and keep the jig in it's to continue to eat the jig, you or I can't react fast enough to get a hook set.

Bass are bass, but NLMB, SMB and Spotted bass eat a jig differently then FLMB. FLMB tend to be less aggressive when striking lures in general and they are bigger bass with huge mouths. Like all bass FLMB eat crawdads and will eat jigs. Few anglers fish giant FLMB with jigs, preferring live bait or swimaits, but jigs can be deadly. What design you use should allow the jig to be fished without snagging into cover or structure and have a premium hook.

Not bragging , well maybe just little, my top 5 jig bass are: 17.4, 18.6, lake Casitas and 17.4, 17.6, 19.3 lake Castiac, all caught on the same jig in the Horizontal jigging thread using that presentation. 2 of those 5 bass bit the jig on the fall or first movement, 3 bit after moving the jig several times and for that reason I keep my concentration on retrieving jigs. If I believed your 90% strikes happen on the fall, why waste time retrieving a jig? The reson should be obvious! I also make several casts at different angles to the same structure area, the angle the jig approaches the bass can be very important or sometimes the bass was spooked with the first cast and returns, see's the jig and strikes it. If make 1 cast and moved on, you miss that fish, regardless of the lure you are fishing.

Tom

[J Francho]

Before you condemn Bo''s design, give it a try, the proof is in the fishing and catching.

No need to condemn it or try his jig. Been splitting the weed guard into a "V" for years. In my opinion, it's only advantage is in softball size, round lake rocks, where the conventional jig gets caught in the spaces.

If I believed your 90% strikes happen on the fall, why waste time retrieving a jig? The reson should be obvious!

It is obvious. It's why I use a "lift and drop" retrieve.

I also make several casts at different angles to the same structure area, the angle the jig approaches the bass can be very important or sometimes the bass was spooked with the first cast and returns, see's the jig and strikes it. If make 1 cast and moved on, you miss that fish, regardless of the lure you are fishing.

I also believe this to be hugely important, and one of the details that separates great anglers from successful ones. And it goes for just about any bait.

[mikey5string]

Traditional jigs will never die, they just are too important a part in the arsenal of most serious bass anglers.

I don't think the technique of jigging will ever die I think that more specialized and customizable terminal tackle will replace the traditional bass jigs.

Concerning football jigs, a shakey head keeps the bait standing up better than a football jig. There is no need to work the bait to make it stand up, it just does. You can still drag or hop it as well. The advantage for me is the way plastics attach. A screw keeper or worm hook style keeps the plastic off the hook shank and the ability to Texas rig the bait with the point just in the skin is much more weedless than a weed guard and doesn't get in the way off hook sets.

I am sure a lot of guys here are great jig fishermen and have no problems with the design or hook sets. I like jigs and think they are one of the most productive baits ever. As the bass tackle industry innovates and produces more and more specialized terminal tackle and options, the traditional bass jig could become less common.

Not saying I want that to happen necessarily or that it should just what I see. The point was to start a discussion and I think it's accomplished that.

Thanks

[J Francho]

A standup jig with worm on and a flipping jig ate two COMPLETELY different things. Just look at the myriad of head styles of "traditional" bass jigs and you can see that there is still quite a bit of development.

For the record, that Shake2 is not a shaky head, it's a standup. A real shaky head is an evolution of the jig worm, a very old school presentation.

[River Rat316]

Before you condemn Bo''s design, give it a try, the proof is in the fishing and catching.

With any lure the initial time the lure passes through the basses strike zone results In a high percent strike rate, if the bass are active. Here is an important %; bass are only active about 10-20 of the time during a 24 hour period, 2 1/2 to 5 hours out of 24 and bass due eat 24-7. A very active bass is easy to catch compared to inactive bass.

I don't use a fiber weed guard for a good reason, missed strikes from big bass. If fiber weed guards worked I wouldn't have had the need to develop my own jig and use a piece of soft plastic worm to protect the hook point. I was missing strikes and loosing big bass and that drove me to make changes and the changes worked very well.

If the bass doesn't eat the jig on the fall and I mean engulf it, crunch it to kill and keep the jig in it's to continue to eat the jig, you or I can't react fast enough to get a hook set.

Bass are bass, but NLMB, SMB and Spotted bass eat a jig differently then FLMB. FLMB tend to be less aggressive when striking lures in general and they are bigger bass with huge mouths. Like all bass FLMB eat crawdads and will eat jigs. Few anglers fish giant FLMB with jigs, preferring live bait or swimaits, but jigs can be deadly. What design you use should allow the jig to be fished without snagging into cover or structure and have a premium hook.

Not bragging , well maybe just little, my top 5 jig bass are: 17.4, 18.6, lake Casitas and 17.4, 17.6, 19.3 lake Castiac, all caught on the same jig in the Horizontal jigging thread using that presentation. 2 of those 5 bass bit the jig on the fall or first movement, 3 bit after moving the jig several times and for that reason I keep my concentration on retrieving jigs. If I believed your 90% strikes happen on the fall, why waste time retrieving a jig? The reson should be obvious! I also make several casts at different angles to the same structure area, the angle the jig approaches the bass can be very important or sometimes the bass was spooked with the first cast and returns, see's the jig and strikes it. If make 1 cast and moved on, you miss that fish, regardless of the lure you are fishing.

Tom

You are taking alot for granted in your post, I am not some noob to jig fishing, and I can say without a doubt your jig wouldn't work in a natural MN weed choked lake. I am not discounting Bo's jig, just his BS marketing ploys, I have been in this game long enough to know when I am fed a line of BS and his is BS. There is obviously going to be an evolution in jigs, there is with just about everything, but to sit there and tell people that the conventional jig is a POS because you developed something else is complete and total BS, the conventional jig that is a POS has caught millions of fish for many years, and won more tourneys than any other bait, can it be improved? Yep, everything can, we are constantly working on improvements and so are other manufacturers. Bo's design may be an improvement, it may not, I can see advantages but I can also see disadvantages, what is not an advantage is tearing down other companies products in marketing, if you think you have created a better mouse trap tell people why, and leave it at that. The consumer will decide.

[WRB]

You are taking alot for granted in your post, I am not some noob to jig fishing, and I can say without a doubt your jig wouldn't work in a natural MN weed choked lake. I am not discounting Bo's jig, just his BS marketing ploys, I have been in this game long enough to know when I am fed a line of BS and his is BS. There is obviously going to be an evolution in jigs, there is with just about everything, but to sit there and tell people that the conventional jig is a POS because you developed something else is complete and total BS, the conventional jig that is a POS has caught millions of fish for many years, and won more tourneys than any other bait, can it be improved? Yep, everything can, we are constantly working on improvements and so are other manufacturers. Bo's design may be an improvement, it may not, I can see advantages but I can also see disadvantages, what is not an advantage is tearing down other companies products in marketing, if you think you have created a better mouse trap tell people why, and leave it at that. The consumer will decide.

I didn't take anything for granted in my post. I also said my jig was a poor choice for weed cover. I have fished Minnisota and your neighbor Canada and there are locations where my jig worked good; steep rocky ares and reefs. The Scaramento delta area has the heavestist cover I have ever fished and there I use a local jig called a Wadda jig, the delta is a testing ground for heavy cover jigs and the area where flipping and punch rigs got started.

Time will tell if Bo's jig catches on or not.

Tom

PS; the jig in your avatar looks a lot like a Do-It brush jig with Owner 5304 hook.

[OkobojiEagle]

hmmm... I drag jigs through rock and sparse weed cover. Bo sent me a couple of his 20 year old prototype jigs (with the gold hooks) last year and I'm still dragging those same two jigs after nearly 1 1/2 seasons of fishing NW Iowa lakes (pretty similar to MN. lakes I suspect). They catch fish and they DON'T hang up, what more do I expect of a jig.

John... the novelty of Bo's weed guard isn't a fanned split-V shape, but two single fibers separated where they attach to the lead head. As Tom, I'm not a lover of weed guards either, but when cover requires one Bo's jig does work as advertised.

I don't care if fishermen use Bo's jig or not, but criticizing before using it seems presumptuous.

oe