LEARNING JIGS

[Troll God]

I am trying to learn to fish jigs. What would you guys recomend the best and easiest retrieve would be to really get farmiliar with a jigs and still catch fish. How heavy should I start with and what does the bite really feel like. Is it similar to a worm bite? I have been trying to learn them but am really frustrated with it right now.

[senko_77]

My favorite size is 1/4oz and 5/16oz.  My favorite jig is hands down the Eakins Jig and the Tru-Tungsten jig.  

Lately I have been getting all my jig bites by dragging it like you would a carolina rig.

I find that the jig bite varies at different lakes.  At some, the fish will absolutely CRUSH it.  In others, its a soft nudge or a soggy feeling, or I just see my line moving in the opposite direction.

I've found that most big fish's bite is alot softer

[JT Bagwell]

Check this out.........

http://bassresource.com/fishing/Bagwell/bagwells_bass_tactics_12.html

JT Bagwell

[skillet]

 I've found that what senko77 said even applies between different ponds and small lakes that I fish (some crush, some tap and with some all of a sudden you feel nothing :-/). I tend to stay on the smaller side with jigs 1/4 mostly, some 5/16 and 3/16. IMO Strike King 3X chunks make pretty good trailers. If you've ever watched a crawfish in clearer water moving around, I try to copy that exactly. When you learn what you are feeling (and watch your line constantly) you can tell when your line is pulling the jig over a limb, branch, root or something. When I get it to that point, I've even danced the jig between the obstruction and the bottom. I caught my personal best doing this ;D! Hope this long winded reply helps some...

                                                         As Ever,

                                                          Skillet

[Troll God]

Thanks for the info guys. I've been trying to learn to fish with jigs and getting really frustrated with it. I haven't been catchin' em like I usually do since I started fishing with it and I am constantly losing them to hang ups.

[HPBB]

Jig are funny, some guys love them other hate them or have to use them. I fished them years ago without much luck. I started fishing tournaments 7 years ago and noticed that most of the big fish came from a guy using a jig. I made my self learn how to use a jig. I would take nothing out in the boat with me but a jig. I have found out that (like other mentioned) I prefer to use a lighter jig, 1/8 or 1/4 oz. I feel that using the heavy ones (1/2 and 3/4oz) just don't feel right for me.

I love jigs now. Infact in my club I am known for catching fish on jigs. I have one tied up all times, sometime several.

make it simple. start out with one color. I like blue/black, try a few different brands to you find one you like. Once you find a brand you like, then branch out to other colors and sizes. try different trailers.

You will lose some jigs. Heavy line and heavy rods help bring them out, but when you cast into cover you are going to lose a few. My buddies call it "expensive water", but if your afraid to lose a lure or 10, then jig fishing might not be for you.

my best retrieve is flipping/pitching or casting a jig to wood cover and slowly craw the jig over the limbs. make several cast to the same cover from different angles.

My jig of choice is a Bass Stalker 1/8 oz black/blue with a Zoom Big salty chunk black/blue flake,    

Rod: St Croix 7'10" flippin stick (Avid/AC710H, heavy power, fast action)

Reel:Team Daiwa-S 103HSDL)

line: 50# spiderwire with a 25# Yozuri Hybrid leadrer

Take your time and learn the jig. You will catch some of the biggest fish on a jig, they are a big fish bait.

[jomatty]

get a 3/8 oz black n blue jig and keep it wet.  that was the biggest thing for me learning to fish jigs.  when i started learning i never got bit and didnt give them enough of a chance.  you wont get the constant action you will with senkos or something similar but you will catch more quality fish.

get some single tailed grubs and some chunk style trailers.  work it much like you would a plastic worm will small hops and drags.  pay special attention to how heavy the jig feels and what the bottom feels like.  

most importantly, stay with it.  fish only a jig for a few outings.  once you catch a few your confidence will go up and like always thats a big part of it.

matt

[Bass Bass Bass]

Not much you can add after those responses!!!  I use the BPS 1/2 ounce Enticer jigs in Black and Blue, they are cheaper than most (if you don't get your jig stuck then you are not fishing it properly) and produce just the same for me.  Also you might want to trim the skirt back from your trailer just a tad in order to enhance your presentation.  

Do yourself a favor and stick with the jig, as someone mentioned earlier it probably is the best "big fish" bait....IMO.  

Good Luck

[foul hooked]

Like Senko77 says, fish it like a crig.

Slowly retrieve until you pull up against some resistance ( stick, rock, depression, etc.) then try to work the bait in small nudges through whatever cover your up against. This is when most of your strikes will happen, fish are holding on the cover.

I fish as small a jig as I can, but you still have to feel bottom. Wind will generally dictate what size I use.

Watch your line like a hawk.

[Redtail]

JT - Outstanding Article!

[mudcatwilly]

Three jigs I love:

1.  Rodstrainer

2.  Lunker Lures Rattlin' Jig

3.  TNT Wadda Jig (Local to California Delta area, available by telephone order only, but these kill in the delta, look 'em up)

Trailers:

1.  Net Bait Paca Chunk Craw

2.  Zoom baby brush hog (cut in half)

3.  Yamamoto twin tail grub

Colors:

1.  Brown/Orange - clear water

2.  Black/Blue - Anywhere, but especially murky water

3.  Brown/Olive - clear water

4.  Black/Red -  CA Delta especially, but any murky water

It's all pretty much personal preference and whatever you have confidence in, but I stick with what has worked for me.  I love to drag the bait and feel every bump on the bottom, snapping the rod tip up every so often.  I also like heavier jigs (3/8 up to 3/4 oz).  To slow the rate of fall, I'll go with a heavier mono line and larger trailers.  I want a trailer that floats, one, to slow the fall, and two, I want the "pinchers" to rise up to look like the crawdad is in a defensive position.  My $0.02.

[Shadcranker]

I had very little confidence in jigs until last year. What I did works, and here's what I suggest:

1. Start with a finesse type jig in 1/4 or 3/8 oz (Bitsy Bug or Eakins are good, or trim up a full sized jig and remove the rattles).

2. Use lighter line to match the small jig (12-14 lb).

3. Only carry two or three rods with different jigs and stick with them all day.

4. Fish areas that you know are holding fish (don't search with it; it's not good to cover water).

5. Pick a weather day that you think the fish will be feeding (low pressure, pre-front).

6. Use the most natural colors you can get away with (greens, browns, etc.) and match the trailer to the jig color. I like the Zoom Speed Craw or small Zoom Pro Chunk.

All of these will help you to gain confidence in the jig.

Once you master the feel of a strike, you can experiment with larger jigs.

[Tpayneful]

I hated jigs and never fished them.  Last spring I was fishing with a buddy and he was schooling me with 1/4 oz Black and Blue Stanley flip jig.  I was throwing a rubber worm and he was out catching me two to one.  His biggest was 3lbs off a log.  I went to Gander Mountain and bought the same jig and trailer.  He used a 2.5" craw chunk that is black with blue swirls in it.  The next weekend I only fished that jig.  I missed the first one but I caught two more in the first hour that I fished it.  Both fish were about 2lbs each while most fish that I had been catching on worms were in the 1lb range.  I fished the jig until mid-summer with great success.  Using the jig also caused me to learn how to pitch.  I pitched so much I my elbow hurt!  Most of the fish that I catch on the jig, bite it on the initial fall.  Most of the time I just see my line start moving to deeper water so I reel down and set the hook.  Sometimes you feel the tap but line movement is the key for me.  On some occasions I have had fish follow the bait all the way back and nail it as it comes out of the water!  I fish clear water and the black and blue works for me.  I fish it around docks, laydowns, brush piles and lily pads.  Make yourself fish it this spring.  Once you catch one on the jig you will have the confidence to use it all the time.

[Troll God]

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, ESP. YOU JT GREAT ARTICLE!

[mike bat]

the one tip that helped me so much was to use your rod tip to move the jig .... i know your scratching your head now .... so just dont let the jig free falll on a slack line .... also i like a flour line .... this keeps my line tight from rod tip to the jig .... use the tip of your rod to lower the bait and raise the bait ... then you will feel the taps .... untill i did this i didnt like jigs ,,,, now i love the jig .... you will get it ...  just keep tossin that jig ..... my favorite jig is the arkee jig .... and it costs like 1.50 .... this comes in handy ,,,, you will lose jigs ..... i try and buy 10 or so every time i go to the sportsmans .... ;D hope my rambling helped

[captaininsaneo]

the best luck ive had on a jig is fishing it as SLOW as possible.  short hops along the bottom or even just a really slow crawl.  A strike on a jig, from my experience, is very similar to a worm bite.  Usually you will feel a tap or two on the line and they will start to swim off to one side with it.  A crawfish imitation and blue/black with matching trailers are all you really need to get started, and dont be afraid of hanging up, it happens.

[jiangtao]

I started fishing jigs last Summer and one thing is for sure,everytime you feel a bite get ready to hold on!One thing that helped me was that I put a crawfish in my aquarium and watched what that little fart did all day long and watched how he swam when I would mess with him!

[Troll God]

also i like a flour line .... this keeps my line tight from rod tip to the jig

??? flour line??? thanks

[New 2 Bass]

I think it's fluorocarbon line.

[mike bat]

yes i ment fluorocarbon .... i have 2 rigs this year for jigging ..... one i will try the p-line halo  15lb ... and the other will have p-line cxx 15lb ... i know some guys like a 20lb when jigging and even braid ,,, just me but i like a 15lb .....

[JT Bagwell]

JT - Outstanding Article!

Thank you very much.

JT Bagwell

[Catt]

JT article is outstanding

Feeling the bite is the hardest part to master when fishing a jig

Learn to weigh your bait. Explanation: if you can go to a swimming pool, pond, or creek any where with clear water where you can see your bait on the bottom in 5 to 10 of water. First pitch your bait about 10 to 15 yards on the ground, close your eyes a shake or hop the bait. Feel what the bait feels like in no water (I mean really learn it). Then pitch it out in the water and do the same thing. I can feel a Texas rigged worm with a ¼ ounce sinker hit bottom in 15 to 18 foot of water. If you can't you need practice!

Now you are probably asking yourself what does this have to do with feeling a fish bite. Well if your bait feels any different that this, drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook!

[Troll God]

Hey Mike, what kind of knot are tying with the flour? Every time I get hung line line breaks at the knot even on things I think I should be able to pull free of. I am using 20 lbs. vanish.

[Tpayneful]

I attended a Mike Iconelli seminar and he talked about flourocarbon.  He stated that you "had to use an inproved clinch knot with flourocarbon".  He repeated it multiple times.  Some pros mention that you "do not use a palomar knot with flourocarbon....it will break at the knot".  The palomar knot abraids the flourocarbon.  The improved clinch knot is a modified fisherman's knot.

[mike bat]

well all i use is a polamar and a knot close to the inproved clinch .... really its just the clinch knot i believe .... all tho i havent had any trouble useing the polamar yet .... but i believe ike uses alot of lite flour 4-8lb  ... and i like a 15-20lb test so this may be why i havent had any trouble  ..... i tend not to use a lite flour due to the shock factor .... ive read lite flours can break during a hook set because of the shock .....  how ever i love a heavy flour ,,, i just havent had any troubles with the heavyer flour lines ( 15-20lb )