Jika Rig (Jig Rig)

[Tkramer22]

Have any of you guys tried out the Jika rig? Ive been reading about it lately and im curious to know how its worked for everybody. If so, how have you been using it and with what supplies?

[Felix77]

Discovered it over the winter. Bought some weights and wacky hooks. Can't wait to try it myself!

[Mud River Matt]

Felix, you said you bought some wacky hooks??? I was thought you used a wide gap hook with the Jika Rig???? I may be wrong but thats what I thought, I tried to use it yesterday, but I didnt have any split ring pliers with me and I couldnt get the stupid split ring on my hook or my weight so I wasnt able to use it....lol

[Felix77]

You are correct. I got it confused with the neko rig. I also got stuff for the Jika. EWG hooks, split rings and bell sinkers to make my own.

Lol

[Will Wetline]

I used the Jika Rig a bit last year and it does work.

 

Being a tackle tinkerer, I make my own using two #2 split rings. It looks very similar to the screenshot I lifted from the Japanese video below:

 

 

For those of you who own the Do-It Drop Shot Sinker Mold, simply turn the specialized fitting end for end in the mold so you have the loop sticking out rather than the pinched-down end. Whether you're making ds weights or Jika Rig weights you'll find this fitting much easier to position if you use fine point tweezers.

 

Back to the effectiveness of the Jika Rig, it appealed to me initially because it gives your bait a degree of articulation that you don't get with a soft plastic pegged to the bottom on a jig head or T-rigged. On the other hand, you get pretty much the same mobility with a real short dropshot set up.

 

Hey, try 'em all. It's good to be versatile.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

I use this a lot with a white fluke. Works great especially for bedding fish

[MemphisFF]

How did u work this rig did you jus drag it or do you jig it or maybe a combo of both I plan on tryin this rig also..

[aavery2]

Have any of you guys tried out the Jika rig? Ive been reading about it lately and im curious to know how its worked for everybody. If so, how have you been using it and with what supplies?

I made some of these myself a year or so ago.  I have had good sucsess with this rig.  One thing I have noticed is that I have better luck using heavier weights than those that are made by the tackle companys.

 

 

 

[WRB]

Owner makes a good off the shelf Jig Rig, and they have vdeio on their site with how to use it.

Tom

[.ghoti.]

Aavery2, that is interesting. I made a bunch last year. 2/0 - 1/16oz, 3/0 - 1/8oz, and 4/0 - 1/4oz. Didn't even think about building anything heavier. Now I'm gonna have to try. Hat's off to you for the tip.

I did well with my home-made versions, except when using a worm. For me, the worm/jika combo was no good. Short, compact baits seemed to be the ticket; craws, roosters, monkeys, hula grubs, Ikas, etc. But, the real surprise was a tube, on the lightest rig. That was good all year.

[J Francho]

The Jika rig has all but replaced the Texas Rig for fishing craws and creatures in moderate milfoil.  The swinging weight leads the bait down through the weed canopy to the open water below more effectively than a traditional Texas rig, or even a jig.  If you make your own, I highly recommend you use a pencil style weight.  I find you can step back a size or two under what you'd normally use with a T-rig.

[clayton86]

I used home made ones last year briefly when on leave and had good success with white super flukes. I just cast to ledges and kept a semi slack line and dragged it occasionally usually got hit on the pause or weight on the semi slack line

[Felix77]

I have been using these all season with good success.  My favorite bait is the 6 inch Roboworm.

 

[Sam]

Yes. Nailed one on my first cast and put it away.

 

Made a few myself and then found them at BPS and at Janns Netcraft.

 

They are not called JIKA rigs at BPS. Since I am at my office I can't get to them to note the package but if you look at the hook section you should be able to find them. I also think Tackle Warehouse has them now.

 

Glenn spoke with the inventor at this year's ICAST and Glenn was impressed.

 

Does it work?  No idea. One fish on one cast is not the end result.

 

I think it would work if the bottom is not a lot of slop and is a hard bottom.

 

I already have my baits ready for the JIKA Rig and will try it on the Pamunkey River on September 28th to see how it works.

[Felix77]

Sam I think BassPro calls them the ZEKA or ZIKA rig.  

 

I have been using my own all season (from the bank and as a BOBA) and they definitely do work.  You are right about the mucky bottom situations ... I switch to a drop shot in those conditions.

 

I am a big finesse worm guy and this is another one of my favorite techniques when needing to keep something finesse on the bottom.  Try it with a floating worm and you have a deadly combination.  LOL

 

I have seen the BassPro ones and I prefer making them myself.  Comes out to less than $1.50 each using quality components.  

[Fishes in trees]

I bought several of the BPS version of this rig.  Before I even got them wet, it occurred to me that I could make a better one myself.  So I did.  I used a variety of old sinkers I had laying around.  I experimented with different kinds of wire before I settled on using 50 lb Fluorocarbon leader material to hang the weights on.  Mine turn out a little longer than the factory styles, maybe an inch or more longer.   Most of my creations so far are around a half ounce, + or - a few grams.

 

The tackle stores and BPS and Cabelas here in KC are pretty limited in tackle making gear.  I was having trouble finding sleeves to crimp the fluorocarbon.  Finally ended up a Michaels, a crafting store that had a jewelry making section.   They have all kinds of fine wire crimping sleeves, generally at reasonable prices it seemed to me.

 

The only other variation that I do that is different from the others I have seen is that I am using a regular gap Gamakatsu hooks rather than the wide gap ones I commonly see.

 

I get to go fishing maybe once per week, I missed a couple of weeks this summer.   Mid July through August I caught 17 keepers ( 15" & up) and probably another 50 or so slot fish (12" to 15").   All the keepers were 10' to16' deep, on a shelf or within a foot or so of the deep edge of the weed line, close to but not below the thermocline.

 

For the most part for where I fish (medium sized, pressured MO conservation lakes), this rig has replaced the TX rig.

[ww2farmer]

The Jika rig has all but replaced the Texas Rig for fishing craws and creatures in moderate milfoil. 

Maybe for you, but not for me.  In fact, I am totally un-impressed with it. So I don't bother. I do well enough with out it.

[J Francho]

Maybe for you, but not for me.  In fact, I am totally un-impressed with it. So I don't bother. I do well enough with out it.

 

As it's gotten a little colder, the T-rig is coming back into play.  Something about the fall with a sliding sinker seems to be enticing them better.

[Catt]

The Texas Rig hasn't went out of play in over 50 yrs & never will.

[JB Spilker]

I made some of these myself a year or so ago.  I have had good sucsess with this rig.  One thing I have noticed is that I have better luck using heavier weights than those that are made by the tackle companys.

 

 

 

 

 

Where do you get these! I love the looks of them. I'm like the idea of the colored weights and the extra o-ring

[JB Spilker]

Here is another decent video on how to set up a jika rig and what it looks like in the water on youtube: 

[aavery2]

Where do you get these! I love the looks of them. I'm like the idea of the colored weights and the extra o-ring

The hooks are a stock Gammy with a welded steel ring I forgot the part number, but I am sure they arev still available.  The weights I had poured for me with a crane swivel inthem and I just powder coated and baked them. Use a good splitring to join them and you are done.  My advice is just buy the BPS version because the rest is just for looks anyway.:-)

[toddwchandler]

I tried it last year with some success.  I actually rigged up some Zoom lizards on it last spring and had some pretty good success.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

He may have one in his library. This is 2 yrs old.

[War Eagle 44]

Owner makes a good off the shelf Jig Rig, and they have vdeio on their site with how to use it.

Tom

 

X2