Jig Sizes

[*Hootie]

Just last year got into jig fishing and was just wondering what size jig do you use MOST.

What determines your choice. I fish a lake that has lots of laydowns. No weeds, or rocks to speak of. Always murky,{ can't see a white spinnerbait more than 10 inches deep}. Most of my fishing is done in 2 to 5 ft. of water. No water on the lake deeper than 12 ft. Sorry if this question is to vague.

 

Hootie

 

P.S. this is a very good bass lake. Been fishing it for years. About 160 acres

[Hi Salenity]

I'd use 1/2- 5/8 if it was me.

 

If everything is just a mud bottom Ware are the fish? Are they all in the trees?

[Jigfishn10]

In those conditions for me, would be a 1/4 oz arkie with a rattle early and very late in the season. As the season progresses I'd start to increase weight to 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz depending how the fish want the ROF.

[jhoffman]

My most used is a half ounce. But.. theres also times when I want it to fall so fast its a reaction strike more than a hunger strike. I also fish some lakes which will hit 80ft deep

[*Hootie]

A lot is hard bottom. What I meant by no rocks is no chunk rocks. Also, most of the bass are in the fallen down trees. Have caught them up to 6#.

Hootie

[Teal]

I use 3/8 and 1/2 the most. I like the 3/8 because i can skip it pretty good under docks. And our water is super clear on the east end of the lake that i fish the most.

However when my local water are stained or muddy. Id start with 1/2 oz. Murkey water and low visability im almost always going with a DARK jig. Blue/black, Okeechobee patterns, Black, black and red, a drak green pumkin and dark accents like blue or purple.

Same rules apply, match the forage. And use trailers that give off good action once the water warms up, because you want the fish to be able to track that vibration and water movement.

the west end of my local lake has water and AlOT of wood cover like you discribed, i tend to get well down there by swimming a jig or using a chatterbait.

[mnbassman23]

I'd be throwing 3/8 and 1/2oz jigs 95% of the time. Have a few 1/4 and 3/4 laying around for when the fish  want something slow or to get a reaction strike. There will be days when this is the case, as I'm sure you know. 

 

With a lake that small I would go around the lake initially with a 3/8 or 1/2 oz jig and then depending on how I did, either downsize or upsize the weight to try and get the ones that didn't bite. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I like to use a 5/16th oz Booyah Baby Boo and bulk it up with a Yammy Flappin Hog, all said and done over a half ounce.

 

The jig is strong and I like how the head comes through tree limbs/laydowns.

[WRB]

Is this a natural lake or man made impoundment?

Natural lakes are usually bowl shaped with little structure features, unless the lake is located in the Canadian Shield region or othe areas with mountains.

Man made impoundments nearly always have some deep water structure elements away from the shoreline.

The bass located near shore are using wood for cover; lay downs, standing trees or stumps and docks in a natural lake. I would look very hard for any hard bottom areas with rocks or some weed cover.

Slowing down the jigs fall in shallow water is the key in shallow water with soft mud or muck bottoms. You can do this but controlling the fall with your rod if you are close to the bass, like flipping. If you are casting a jig the only way to slow the fall is using a combination of heavy line, larger trailers and lighter jig weight. There are slow fall zero gravity jigs that also work in shallow water.

Tom

[*Hootie]

Man made. The 12ft. water I spoke of is the creek channel.

Hootie

[ClackerBuzz]

i also fish under 12ft. i used to throw a 3/8oz religiously.  then i read how much success guys on here have with 1/4oz.  the slightly lighter weight gets you a ton more hits. it helps you learn key spots where fish are holding and time of season. after you've learned a few things and get tired of all the 1/4oz bites consider bumping to 3/8-1/2oz. my general rule seems to be: heavier weight=less bites but much better quality fish. lighter weight =more bites but smaller fish. (this also applies to many lures for me: drop shotting, senko's, t-rigs etc). i don't like 5" senkos anymore b/c they catch dinks all day.  whereas 6" keep the dinks away and pigs on the end of the hook.

i'm fishing water under 100 acres with very stable environemnts.  if i was fishing large bodies of water like lake erie, 3/8oz would be my low weight b/c the environment is less stable and can handle heavier lures.

Edited February 1, 2013 by ClackerBuzz

[WRB]

Man made. The 12ft. water I spoke of is the creek channel.

Hootie

OK, small man made reservoir will have a dam, probably earthen with rock reinforcement.

The lake bed may have been striped of any standing timber/trees, hopefully they left the stumps, be great if some trees are there. The original creek bed will have some rocky area where the channel bends, inside bends get more current errosion. Every lake starts to age and continues until it's filled with silt, unless the silt is removed naturally or by maintenance. The upper end opposite of the dam is the area that silts in first, so the creek bed is more than likely gone in that area. Near the dam the channel is more prominate and any rocks left over from dam construction get piled up by the dam, when the construction is completed.

The dam area is where you should spend most of your time jig fishing. The face of the dam and surrounding area and if possible survey as much of the creek channel as possible and mark on a map every hard spot or rock you find.

The spawn, fry and young of the year fish need cover to survive, it's the nursery for the lake and the area the bass will spawn, find that area. Now the water is cold, however as the water warms into the mid 50's the bass will move close to the spawning area and hold where ever there is a depth break of a few feet and stay near any structure element like rocks, tree or stump.

We have the dam area, the creek channel, any structure elements to jig fish for a few months, down to a depth of 12 feet or so.

A good jig for this type of water is a Charlie Brewer Slider head, 3/8 oz or a simple ball head 1/4 oz, both with 4" single or double tail grubs, no weed guards needed.

Colors for murky water should be dark with high contrast. Black jig heads with black/chartreuse and black/ blue neon soft plastics. Line size isn't an issue with dingy water, but is important to be able to cast the jig effectively; I would use 10 to 12 lb mono or FC line on a medium/ heavy worn/ jig rod, 6 1/2' to 7' or similar spinning outfit with 8- 10 lb mono.

Position your boat about 30' off shore and make 360 degree fan cast to cover as much water & bottom area as possible, then move about 100' and repeat until you know the bottom area. If possible move up the creek channel until you loose definition.

You will catch bass on jigs doing this.

Good luck.

Tom

[Jig Meister]

Well, I skimmed the thread and saw the answers so here is mine, hope it helps.

 

I fish mostly Jigs, if it isn't a jig it is a spinner or top water (popper/walker).

 

Here is my thought process...

 

I use 7' MH/F w/ 6.4:1 Reels, 12#  FC

 

If I want to fish on the bottom I will either go with a Football or a Brush jig. If there are rocks/hard bottom, Football. If there is a muddy bottom, Brush jig.

If I want to fish a swim jig I will either go with a Seibert Outdoors 'blind eye' head or a bullet head. If there is grass/weeds I will go Bullet, otherwise I will use the Blind eye.

 

Color comes down to either Black/Blue skirt w/ Black/blue trailer (chuck or twin tail grub), or some variation of Green (watermelon/red/purp, pumpkin/red/prup, blue gill) 

 

Not sure what colors work best in your location....but just use those.

 

Also I will use 1/2 oz for all jigs except swim jigs which I will go 3/8 oz. If I want to go smaller I will through a shaky head (1/8-3/16 oz) 

 

 

Most used jig is a Black/Blue jig with a Black or Blue chunk/craw/dbl twister tail, Football and the skirt is "finesse" cut 50/50 of the time.

[*Hootie]

Lots of good info. I can't wait to get started. The lake is a county park lake. It opens March 15.

Hootie

[skeetercraig]

i would throw a 1/2 ounce bladed jig in black and blue (chatter bait style) if it were me cover more water get more bites  , just a thought

[keith71]

In that shallow of water with fairly light line 12-15 I think you have to go with 1/4 oz. If the water is as murky as you say I would use one with rattles also. Put a bulky trailer so it pushes water and has a slow fall. My biggest bass came on a light weight jig(Black red flake) in ten feet of water with less than a foot of visability.

[Jigfishn10]

Well, I skimmed the thread and saw the answers so here is mine, hope it helps.

 

I fish mostly Jigs, if it isn't a jig it is a spinner or top water (popper/walker).

 

Here is my thought process...

 

I use 7' MH/F w/ 6.4:1 Reels, 12#  FC

 

If I want to fish on the bottom I will either go with a Football or a Brush jig. If there are rocks/hard bottom, Football. If there is a muddy bottom, Brush jig.

If I want to fish a swim jig I will either go with a Seibert Outdoors 'blind eye' head or a bullet head. If there is grass/weeds I will go Bullet, otherwise I will use the Blind eye.

 

Color comes down to either Black/Blue skirt w/ Black/blue trailer (chuck or twin tail grub), or some variation of Green (watermelon/red/purp, pumpkin/red/prup, blue gill) 

 

Not sure what colors work best in your location....but just use those.

 

Also I will use 1/2 oz for all jigs except swim jigs which I will go 3/8 oz. If I want to go smaller I will through a shaky head (1/8-3/16 oz) 

 

 

Most used jig is a Black/Blue jig with a Black or Blue chunk/craw/dbl twister tail, Football and the skirt is "finesse" cut 50/50 of the time.

 

LMAO...I think I got cloned!...LOL...For the most part I do the same thing...Jig, Spinnerbait, Dog Walker...I throw in tubes, grubs and I hate to admit this, but inline spinners when the bite gets down right tough!...LOL

 

Great post Jig!

[War Eagle 44]

I use 3/8 most in jigs. It just seems to fish most cover well, especially wood IMHO.

[skeletor6]

3/8 is my most common. I actually prefer to go down to 1/4oz if the 3/8 is not working for me. I have more confidence with the smaller jig heads, but then again, I am not catching large fish.

[Jig Meister]

LMAO...I think I got cloned!...LOL...For the most part I do the same thing...Jig, Spinnerbait, Dog Walker...I throw in tubes, grubs and I hate to admit this, but inline spinners when the bite gets down right tough!...LOL

 

Great post Jig!

 

 

I like to keep it simple, I fish a lot of soft plastics, they just happen to always be on a shaky head (jig), or wacky head (jig), but sometimes I will go t-rig or weightless

 

 

I think head style is more important that weight when it comes to fishing a certain area. if you use a Bullet on a muddy flat and the bait just sits there dead you might not get bite. But if you use a Brush style that will stand the bait up to be seen more you will have a better chance. Just what I have noticed.

[Jigfishn10]

I like to keep it simple, I fish a lot of soft plastics, they just happen to always be on a shaky head (jig), or wacky head (jig), but sometimes I will go t-rig or weightless

 

 

I think head style is more important that weight when it comes to fishing a certain area. if you use a Bullet on a muddy flat and the bait just sits there dead you might not get bite. But if you use a Brush style that will stand the bait up to be seen more you will have a better chance. Just what I have noticed.

 

Nice! I tried to "Like This" to your post, but I got an error message saying I "reached my quota for positive votes for the day". I've never seen that, but I'll getcha later bud!

 

Man, it's hard to be nice nowadays!...LOL