Jigs

[weknowhowtolive]

Alrighty I just got back from a trip to Texas which I take about once or twice a year and its really my only chance to fish. I dont get to bass fish nearly as much as I'd like to but I've learned a lot the handful of times I've gone and applied my other fishing knowledge to it to figure out what works and what doesnt, presentation, when to use what etc.

So far I've caught a decent amount of fish on frogs in the spring and summer, along with a decent amount on spinners and buzz baits. I've caught a lot on crankbaits, and of course I've caught a ton on stick baits which i've learned to present in a lot of different ways.

But while I've tried them in just about every season, fast and slow, different cover, different times, different weather, different color...I've never even gotten a strike with a jig...and I dont know what I'm doing wrong!!!!

Its gotten to the point where the jig box just stays in my tackle bag and doesnt get touched because its just frustrating. But I really WANT to catch fish on them. What can I do?

[roadwarrior]

Fish jigs exclusively for awhile.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1189609782

8-)

[Clark Stewart]

I'm right there with you. Last year was the only time I ever fished a jig - smith lake alabama and caught one fish in two bites. I know they're supposed to be great but all the places I fish are too mucky on the bottom, and I have zero confidence in them. May need to try roads advice

[kikstand454]

that must be the answer cause i cant even catch a cold on a jig. i KNOW they are fish killers... i just cant seem to be in the right place at the right time i guess.

ive only had three bites on a jig and all of them got off. (good fish too!!)

i think im going to set down the t-rig this summer and throw a jig alot more.

[Dave P]

I once caught a huge snapping turtle on a jig...and that has been IT!

[K_Mac]

I love jigs. All kinds of jigs. I almost always have a skirted jig/trailer, a non-skirted jig/spider grub, and a shakeyhead jig/worm ready to go. I may have a darter jig/grub and/or a wacky jig/Senko/Senko knock-off ready as well. Weight, color, and plastic will vary a bit, but the jig is a constant.

When I first caught the bass fishing fever back in the day, I spent one whole summer fishing a jig and pig. Earlier that spring I spent a week at Lake of the Ozarks in Mo, and we just killed em. It almost killed me since we were fishing all day and most of the night... I've been hooked ever since.

There are some great articles on jig fishing on this site. Read them all, and find what works for you. One good day when the jig bite is on, and you too will be a jig fisherman. ;)Good luck. 8-)

[J Francho]

I bet you have gotten strikes on a jig, but you haven't learned to detect them.

Lotsa articles up here on jig fishing. Biggest tips would be to watch your line, weigh and time your jig's fall, anything weird, set the hook hard.

Some jig fish:

[weknowhowtolive]

Just read that post by Joe. S. WOW! Next time I go out I'll have a much better idea of what to do. Thanks!

[J. M. Richardson]

It took me about 20 hours of fishing a jig before i figured it out (kind of). My best technique is either hopping a regular round headed jig (black and blue with a pumpkin or black/blue trailer) along the bottom, pulling it about a foot each hop.

If you good with a spinnerbait try swim jigs. Don't bounce 'em, just reel em in at a medium pace, much like a spinner. Tip your swim jig with a curl tail grub.

Try that out and see if it works for you.

[skunked_again]

Just read that post by Joe. S. WOW! Next time I go out I'll have a much better idea of what to do. Thanks!

that post should be printed, read, and signed by all new forum members.

[Hammer 4]

Gotta love fishin jigs..

[southtexasbassin]

I like to flip and pitch a jig in cover.  Black and blue with a rattle and a black and blue craw.  1/2 or 3/8  for most situations.  I can say that the bass I catch with jigs are always HOGS!!!  My suggestion is that you go fisihing with nothing but jigs until you catch something. 

[Hook Set]

Picked up my first jig last spring, STILL learning it!

Sometimes they hammer it, other times you have to "be one with the jig". No telling how many times a bass has picked mine up and dropped it. My fishing partner told me if it feels funny at all,  set the hook.

[bigfruits]

id suggest a small finesse jig (bitsy bug, eakins) with a 3" craw trailer in a green pumpkin type color to build confidence.

maybe youre fishing them too fast? if hopping isnt getting you bit, try dragging a few inches, pause, shake in place....

drop the jig into clear shallow water where you can see it and pay attention to how your rod movements affect it.

[RandySBreth]

I like the finesse jig advice. You'll catch everything on them. I've caught Crappie on an Eakins before, that's just plain funny.

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

I prefer size. GMAN tied some black Mop jigs

for me: 3/4 oz football head, 5/0 EWG hooks,

stand up profile. The trailer I use is the Rage

Tail Lobster dipped in JJ's or slathered in MegaStrike.

This presentation makes a statement:

Little fish stay away!

http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/index.php/g-mop-jig

8-)

[Primus]

id suggest a small finesse jig (bitsy bug, eakins) with a 3" craw trailer in a green pumpkin type color to build confidence.

maybe youre fishing them too fast? if hopping isnt getting you bit, try dragging a few inches, pause, shake in place....

drop the jig into clear shallow water where you can see it and pay attention to how your rod movements affect it.

X3 on a finesse jig and as Roadwarrior pointed out fish with a jig and stick with it.

[Siebert Outdoors]

That post Joe S made years ago is probably one of the best I've read.  Its very informative and accurate.

[K_Mac]

Hook Set mentioned, "being one with the jig." This is a very Zen-like way of putting it, but it is exactly what I am tyring to do when working a jig. This idea of keeping contact with the jig to know what it is doing is hard to explain. It takes concentration and practice, and some people never get it. I've explained to my son-in-law how to watch his line and feel what's going on at least a dozen times. I showed him how hundreds of times. He just doesn't quite get it. I have a buddy the same way. For those of us who have taken the time and made the effort, "being one with the jig" is a very cool thing. 8-)

[Dwight Hottle]

Well said K_Mac.

[roadwarrior]

It's magical...Really!

Once your "get it" you've "got it", but it is

hard to explain: Being one with the jig.

8-)

[Big Bass Chaser]

I love fishing skirted football head jigs w/ trailer, 1/4oz up to 1oz BECAUSE I tend to fish very rocky lakes where crayfish are the #2 forage. I, like roadwarrior favor bigger jigs, usually fishing 3/4 oz with a RI Sweet Beaver or Berkeley Chigger Craw for a trailer. It's definitely reduced the amount of bites I get, but increased the size.

My technique depends on the bottom.  If it's big chunk rock I like to do the smallest hops possible between pauses while hoping to find a nice big rockface to present the jig like it's on a table.  For gravel to small chunk, I drag the jig a foot or two at a time between pauses.  For very vertical rockwalls, big hops hoping to bang the jig head into the wall on the way up or down.

[bear7625]

I learned from fishing walleyes with a jig and minnow. Most 1st time jig fishermen don't know what to expect. If it feels different, set the hook!

Roadwarrior is right. It's magical....really! 8-)

[weknowhowtolive]

I feel like im pretty good at being in contact with watching my baits and line, I catch a lot of my fish with Senkos on a slack or loose line while its falling and have never had a problem noticing a "change" in line tension or anything and I'll set the hook on just aobut anything  ;D

One question I have which is sort of silly is, what do you mean when you say "shake in place" ? Rod side to side? It feels to me like any tension on the line unless I'm directly above the bait is going to drag the bait towards me if i move it...but maybe I'm just not understanding what you guys mean by "shake it in place"

[Josh Bassman]

I like to keep my jigs moving: draging, hopping or big hard pops with a heavy jig. I fish open water lakes with big rocks most of the time.

I'll move slower with a shaky head and try to twitch it in place by shaking my hand like I'm very nervous... Works the best with a little slack in the line.