Bass jigs...only

[SoFlaBassAddict]

So this year has been great for me.  I'm catching fish on nearly every lure that I've used, except a jig.  I've finally did what I should have done long ago.  I've pulled off my go to t-rig from worm rod and tied on a jig.  A jig is not coming off of that rod until I feel more comfortable using the things.  Right now I've got a 3/8 Evo jig with a Rage baby craw as the trailer.  My only complaint is that in most areas of the lake I've got thick heavy grass and I seem to be gathering a lot of this gunk on the jig.  I know that this will stop me from feeling bites eventually.  I'm assuming in this case I should switch to one of the grass style jigs, but my knowledge on jigs is very, very minimal.  If you guys have some suggestions of a decent jig, something that you wouldn't mind losing once in a while, let me know.

Hopefully in a few months I'll actually catch a fish or two on these silly things.

[fishfordollars]

Years ago i would always have a jig on, but never had the confidence to stick with them. Always put it down after a few cast to go back to something else.

Leave everything at home and take the jigs and whatever trailer you like to the lake. When you have no other choice you will learn to fish it. That's the way I learned.

[Catt]

Getting a jig through grass cleanly is one part jig & one part operator

As a newbie start out with just one style of jig applicable to most situations and that style would be an Arkie Head. A good Arkie Head is the Renegade Jig sold at Wal/Mart, they are very well made and inexpensive.

As a newbie start out with just two weights which is applicable to any water depth short of 30' and those weights would be 1/4 & 3/8 oz.

As a newbie start out with just one color and that would be the #1 most productive jig color in America Black-N-Blue.

As a newbie start out with two styles of trailer one being a craw worm of your choice and a chunk type like those made by Zoom.

Instead of concentrating on the wide menagerie of jigs concentrate instead on locations and feeling the bite. Once you have established these two then and only then move on to refining your own personal repertoire of complication.

[Gangley]

......your own personal repertoire of complication.

Thats the honest truth when speaking of jigs.  Keep it simple at first, make sure you got the basic grasp of what a jig bite feels like, and how to work it in multiple situation.  If you choose to attempt an in-depth study of jigs before you know what you are doing, it can quickly become an overwhelming task in managing futility. 

Best of luck to you, and remember to keep it simple as long as you can.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Appreciate it guys.  As I continue to try and become a better and more proficient angler, I really feel that this is something that I need to spend a lot of time learning.  I'm sure theres going to be a lot of frustrating days ahead of trying to really settle down and learn how to use a jig.  In a magical world, I'd go out and start using it and just pulling up fish after fish.  Unfortunately theres the whole reality thing that stands in the way of that.

Thanks a bunch for the suggestions Catt.  As much as I hate going to Wal Mart, getting a hold of a jig thats cost effective to learn with makes it far easier.

Hopefully with me finally making the switch over to the superlines it will get a bit easier to detect strikes and whatnot.  I'm still amazed how different everything feels with braid/fluoro.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Mother bleepin success!

Finally, a real deal fish on a jig.  No tossing it into a bed, no cheating, etc etc.  Tossed it to a small point right on the bank, felt no bite, just mushiness.  Set the hook and landed one about a pound and some change.  It wasn't big, but I don't care.  I'm hoping this means that I did something right and theres more fish to come.

[kikstand454]

hellz yea!

i recently have started down the road to jig success myself. now its all i think about. lol. im wondering if i can talk myself into throwing a jig this summer instead of a c-rig.... lol.

[Dan:]

My advice would be to use a jig with the most compact head you can find. I like jigs with recessed line ties. They tend to grab less grass. Also, it might be worthwhile to smother/spray it with a scent. Most are oil based so they help stuff slide through grass better.

[Catt]

A Jig-N-Craw/Chunk is one of the most simplest lures and one most over complicated by anglers.

[River Rat316]

Mother bleepin success!

Finally, a real deal fish on a jig. No tossing it into a bed, no cheating, etc etc. Tossed it to a small point right on the bank, felt no bite, just mushiness. Set the hook and landed one about a pound and some change. It wasn't big, but I don't care. I'm hoping this means that I did something right and theres more fish to come.

haha I felt the same way when I caught my first jig fish, now I have at least 2 rods in the boat with jigs tied on, sometimes 3. Thats not counting swim jigs cause I classify those different. It only gets better from here on out!

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Mother bleepin success!

Finally, a real deal fish on a jig. No tossing it into a bed, no cheating, etc etc. Tossed it to a small point right on the bank, felt no bite, just mushiness. Set the hook and landed one about a pound and some change. It wasn't big, but I don't care. I'm hoping this means that I did something right and theres more fish to come.

haha I felt the same way when I caught my first jig fish, now I have at least 2 rods in the boat with jigs tied on, sometimes 3. Thats not counting swim jigs cause I classify those different. It only gets better from here on out!

I've never counted swim jigs either.  I've caught plenty of fish on those.  But thats not the typical bounce, drag, hop along the bottom type of fishing.  Tried again today with no real luck.  But the high winds down here are making fishing difficult period.

[Gone_Phishin]

This one is worth a look: http://www.allterraintackle.com/products/grassjig.html

[The Bassinator]

Im in the same boat I just started fishing jigs too and I have to say I love them.  Got a two and a pounder the other day and it really boosted my confidence.  Its those snags that are killing me though.  Seems like everytime I fish around wood I get a bite and Im snagged.  Luckily I go in after my lures! 

[River Rat316]

If you are fishing alot of wood try either these

Or these

The wide base of these jigs help them deflect off of wood meaning less hanups, also slow down, and feel your way around things, you will get more bites this way also.

They both can be found here http://www.northstarbaits.com/premierjigs.html

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Stuck a couple more fish using a jig.  So far using the jig only is very quickly building confidence in the lure for me.  Really appreciate the advice you all have given.  The fish I've caught on them definitely seem to be a better quality fish also.  I'm on probably a 3 pound average with them so far, and that's something I'd never complain about when using a new lure.

[Shad_Master]

Since I am always in the learning mode I have recently discoved, although I have become a jig fanatic in the last couple of years, I was working the jig too much.  Last weekend, the only way either I or my partner could get bit was to just let it sit on the bottom and jiggle it like a shakey head.  Also, this worked good when fishing in the grass, 'cause I wasn't stirring things up by trying to pull it out of the heavier cover.

[WVBassHunter]

I have to say this....

Mother bleeping success here as well!!!  BINGO!

LOL

I threw a jig for the first time next to a spill well at the local lake where I knew there was some bubba's.  I put a grub trailer on it...didn't have a chunk craw or anything close so it was a compromise.

I threw it about five times....a good 40 ft out and about a 16ft drop....so it was about what 20ft out from the boat.....anyway....

I felt this weird feeling even though my baitcast rod is an old Shakesphere Alpha it didn't feel normal...even on superline so I set and holy crap!  I had a fighter from the bottom!  I never felt this before and actually came close to falling out of the boat!  It took me probably 3 minutes to get it up from the bottom...1.5 to 2pounds!   So I think I did something right....twitch rod about 6 to 12inches up and follow down keeping tension on line to feel the bottom.  wait a second or three and repeat.

Anyway....great time today....just wish I had more time....battery started to lose amps.

Matt

[WVBassHunter]

Luckily I go in after my lures!

Thank God i'm not the only one out of the boat....everyone here thinks I lost my mind and says its only 5 to 10 bucks!  But I say different! 

[Catt]

I felt this weird feeling even though my baitcast rod is an old Shakesphere Alpha it didn't feel normal...even on superline so I set and holy crap!

The light is slow to come on but stay on it will

[Jigfishn10]

I have to say this....

Mother bleeping success here as well!!! BINGO!

LOL

I threw a jig for the first time next to a spill well at the local lake where I knew there was some bubba's. I put a grub trailer on it ...didn't have a chunk craw or anything close so it was a compromise.

Matt

There's nothing wrong with using a grub trailer, twin or single tail...Hula grubs and spider jigs are becoming a thing of the past, but I still like em...MHO

If your in a situation where the water is clear and you want to cast into grass and have to make a long cast, use the grub. A sunfish imitation works just as well as a crawfish.

SoFlaBassAddict, congrats on your success so far. I've been jig fishing for a while and still, to this day. I stay within Catt's advice to you. I keep it simple. I use 2 different jig styles (mostly the arky) and 3 different colors. 90% of all my BIG bass come on a jig or a spinnerbait...spinnerbait = glorified jig

Keep fishing them, you'll see how versatile they really are.

[David P]

I learned to fish a jig with a 1/2oz Football head jig with a pork trailer. Just drag it on the bottom, then pause, and drag again. You'll learn to feel the bottom, and learn what bites feel like.

  If you go the route of an Arky head or anything like that, you may have trouble feeling a 1/4oz and 3/8oz to start, if so, bump up to a 1/2oz or 3/4oz just so you can get a good feeling of what the bottom feels like.

[Fishohio]

A 3# average is good for any lure!(but I'm from Ohio) I usually pick up the Jig when I'm trying to upgrade acouple in the livewell.Seems like they do produce better quality fish! Good Job !

[BlackBassman]

Yeah im dwn here in S Florida as well over here in hollywood I to need to learn how to fish a jig. First thing first would this b a good setup? 7ft heavy action rod with 50lb braided line 6:3:1 baitcaster??

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I use a 6'9" MH Xfast for my worms and jigs. 30 lb braid and a 6.4:1 ratio.  I don't own any heavy rods because I rarely fish in grass that thick.  If you do a bunch of flipping and pitching into heavier cover, you should be fine.  Other than that, I couldn't tell you.

[Fish-r]

I, too, just caught my first jig fish. I thought it was going to be a very nice bass and turned out to be about a 3lb snakehead. I found a pond in a city park absolutely loaded with the things