Jigs...Tap Tap?

[Bass Junkie]

  I've really started throwin' jigs, and am in love with their versatility, action, weedless abilities, everything. However, I'm about to DIE!! I can't find "the" bite. All the fish I have caught on these have been on the initial drop. I have confidence I'm workin' it right, but for some reason I cannot detect any strikes. I know there are fish where I'm fishing, I just can't feel the bite, and its startin' to hamper my willingness and confidence to throw these. So, does the bite feel like a worm bite, a tap tap, or more of a hollow swimbait bite, a thunk? I know it varies depending on the manner of strike and fish size and all that, but where is a good place to start? I feel I'm giving it all the time my confidence will allow without getting burnt out on it and putting it down for a week or more. Do I need to give it more time? I'm mainly throwing my jigs in 3-6ish feet of water around brush, laydowns, and rocks. I'm using a 7' Medium St. Croix Mojo with 12lb Berkley Trilene XT. 

[Catt]

The most difficult part of jig fishing is feeling the bite, many will tell you it aint like the bite you get with a Texas Rig but it is so get that notion out of your head. But like a Texas Rig those bumps, thumps, tics, & taps are the easy ones of detect its the ones where the bass inhales your jig without any tell- tale line movement. I say now is the time to bring forth all the expertise on feeling subtle bites stored away in your brain from Texas rigs, Wacky rigs, Drop shots and so on.

You will also hear "bass don't hold a jig long", don't be surprised when a 2 lb bass inhales your 1 oz jig with out any tell- tale line movement and proceeds to sit there until you apply to much pressure at which time they spit it.

The art of feeling a worm/jig bite is a fine combination of watching your line and feeling for unnatural sensations of what your bait shouldn't't feel like. Some times you will feel that classic Tap, some times you'll only see line movement, some times your line will simply go slack, but some times there will only be a feeling of heaviness that is almost like your line will not move. The bites where the bass moves after inhaling you bait are the easy ones to feel because there is line movement, the bites where the bass simply inhales your bait and just sits there are the hardest to feel. Feeling a worm/jig bite requires keeping a certain amount of tension on your line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in your line. To the average angler this makes no sense at all but the worm/jig angler it makes total sense.

Maintain contact with your lure at all times, allow the lure to free-fall unrestricted, but without letting slack form in the line; follow your lures down with your rod tip.

Pay close attention to the depth you're fishing, any sudden change in the amount of line you're using could mean you've been bit. For instance, if you're fishing 6 feet of water and the lure suddenly stops at the 3 depth, it's possible a bass has taken the bait. If you're fishing 3 feet of water and 6 feet of line sinks beneath the mat, chances are good a bass is traveling with the bait. This is extremely true on the initial drop and no line movement maybe noticed.

[grimboy]

I just started jig fishing myself about 3 months ago,from my experience the bit can be anything from a tic to a tap tap.The majority of the the bite the line will twitch or move,and sometimes the jig gets heavier or lighter like nothings there at all.So set the hook what do have to lose.

[K_Mac]

Excellent post Catt. I have have tried to explain, and demonstrate the idea keeping contact with your bait by keeping a certain amount of tension on a slack line many times. Some get it, some never will.

Bass Junkie there are some jig related variables that you can look at. The first is weight. I use 1/2 oz most of the time, but sometimes a 1/4 or 3/8 will work better; other times 3/4 or 1 oz is preferred. Rate of fall can be very important. Second is size of the jig and trailer. A mop jig or finesse jig can be the same weight, but there is a big difference in their profile. A small chunk or a full size craw can make a can make a real difference from day to day. Third is color. The importance of color is very subjective. I think it matters, and I use 3 basic color groups: Black/Blue, Brown/orange, Green/red.

Hang in there. Mastering jigs will make you a much more versatile fisherman IMHO. Good luck. 8-)

[Big Tom]

What Catt said.  Awesome post.

[roadwarrior]

Great post Catt!

This is another "favorite":

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

8-)

[Redhed]

as a major worm/lizard t rig fisherman i have noticed that if you keep your rod at a 10,11, or even 12 o clock position after your bait has hit the ground really helps with the sensativity. the line keeps good contact with the rod an in return you get more feeling out of your lure.. detecting bite on the initial fall is still somewhat hard for me at times.

[bear7625]

Awesome post Catt! The jig bite is hard to explain and the most frustrating thing for a new angler to learn. I grew up fishing jigs and still remember the times when I wanted to throw my rod in the lake. ;D

[chromedog]

Being a live bait fisherman the majority of my life, I had the worst time understanding what a hit was when throwing jigs, creature baits, tx rigged worms etc..

I went to all artificial about 4 years ago I got 2 pieces of advice, and it made me understand....Know what your lure feels like without a fish on it, and when in doubt, set the hook, hook sets are free.  Hope that may shed some light, good luck!

[legendaryyaj]

Know what your lure feels like without a fish on it, and when in doubt, set the hook, hook sets are free. Hope that may shed some light, good luck!

Gotta agree. I cant count how man times Ive set on a branch thinking it was a fish because of its ticks and tugs. It even fights when reeling in.

Just set it when you are in doubt. I just started jig fishing as well and it really is about line watching most of the time. I recently switched my setup to run Hi-Vis Yellow braid with a FC leader to aide in line watching.

[Chaz Hickcox]

My problem is that I end up setting the hook on a lot of wood.  I switched to pitchin hawgs t-rigged because they don't snag as much, but I would like to be able to figure out the jig.  Now I have been looking for more line than depth, less line than depth, subtle movements, so on and so forth.  However it seems that most of the time I set the hook on wood a lot.  how do you get around that?

[Fishes in trees]

JIg bites are tough.  You might consider a med/hvy or heavy rod over the medium rod you're using.  You might consider using fluorocarbon instead of Trilene XT.   But really, jig fishing is tough.  Jig fishing is tough until you get it, then its not tough any more.  You've just got to stay with it.  If you've got stained to muddy water, you might consider something with rattles.

[Catt]

My problem is that I end up setting the hook on a lot of wood. I switched to pitchin hawgs t-rigged because they don't snag as much, but I would like to be able to figure out the jig. Now I have been looking for more line than depth, less line than depth, subtle movements, so on and so forth. However it seems that most of the time I set the hook on wood a lot. how do you get around that?

Quit jig fishing

The whole idea of a Texas Rig or Jig-N-Craw is first to imitate a food source and second to give the angler the ability to place the lure in heavy cover where the bass live. I still occasionally set hook on grass, twigs, limbs and catfish trot-lines. Your sense of feel is fine because you are setting hook on wood, some people can't feel that.

As for your rod changing to a stiffer rod will not increase your feel but your medium rod will hinder your ability to remove the bass from cover.

[Bass Junkie]

  Thanks a lot for all the help guys! This has been really helpful. I'd like to stay with my medium (I've used it for froggin' before......It can pull 'em out ). I've been switching between a 3/8 oz Football Head and a 1/2oz A.T. jig. , both black and blue, as it is pretty stained where I throw these things. I've been using Yum! Chunks as trailers, although I bulk 'em up sometimes with a piece of black worm slid up the shaft. I haven't trimmed the skirts.

[Bass Junkie]

  Thanks a lot for all the help guys! This has been really helpful. I'd like to stay with my medium (I've used it for froggin' before......It can pull 'em out ). I've been switching between a 3/8 oz Football Head and a 1/2oz A.T. jig. , both black and blue, as it is pretty stained where I throw these things. I've been using Yum! Chunks as trailers, although I bulk 'em up sometimes with a piece of black worm slid up the shaft. I haven't trimmed the skirts. I like the Trilene XT as I am throwing this thing in pushes, docks, rocks, everything, and this line handles it well.

[ChrisAW]

I just started jig fishing myself about 3 months ago,from my experience the bit can be anything from a tic to a tap tap.The majority of the the bite the line will twitch or move,and sometimes the jig gets heavier or lighter like nothings there at all.So set the hook what do have to lose.

An eye  ;D

I've been trying jigs this year with alright luck. But so far, I've never even felt the bite. I've only been so lucky as to see every strike I've had since the lake I've been fishing is about as clear as it gets.

But, I think that is where my problem lies. Because I'm seeing them come out from their cover to hit it, I'm not paying attention to the feel as much as I'm watching for them to inhale it.

[SimonDM17]

As was said above, I think there are a couple different jig bites.  Sometimes they absolutely kill it.  I find that if I'm jigging through or over lily pads, my jig will get absolutely hammered--there's no mistaking that bite. 

On the other hand, if I'm fishing the jig next to or around wood, I get the "thump" bite a lot, where the bass will inhale the jig, hold it, and not move.  I solve the "wood or fish?" problem by using braid--when I bump wood with braid, there's a hollow sort of impact akin to rapping on a plank, while a bass inhaling the jig doesn't have the same hollow feeling. 

[NBR]

Catt pretty much agrees with what I have experienced. Sometimes it's tap tap, some times it moves, some times it just get heavy and some times its a surprise with a fish on as you start to move the jig. I don't see differences between a jig bite and a plastic worm bite.

Many years ago I attended a seminar where Woo Daves started his session with, "Before this seminar is over someone will ask how you determine if it is a worm bite. So I'll start right off with my interpetation. You know what it feels like to not have a bite since most of the time you aren't having a bite. If it feels different than not having a bite set the hook".

Thanks Woo it has been pretty good practice over the years.

[Catt]

I like of Tommy Biffle said after winning the Sooner Run, "When you quit feeling the bottom, you got him."

[Big Tom]

I had a really hard time with jig fishing until I started using lighter jigs.  I usually alternate between 1/4 and 3/8 oz jigs.  You may want to use a lighter bait.  It should help you out with your medium power rod.

[Red]

In my experience, especially this season, I am feeling the tap tap and catching dinks.  When I am catching bigger fish, I either feel one single solid TAP, or nothing at all.  Like Catt said, line goes slack, starts moving etc.  But I feel nothing.  I too set into wood on occasion.

[Jigfishn10]

IMHO: I'm sure I'll get resistance with this statement, but what helped me when I first started fishing jigs and detecting strikes, I used a cranking rod. The tip is soft with enough backbone for landing fish. I've found that the soft tip helped me to detect strikes, rock, brush, grass etc. You will sacrifice hook-sets with this rod (you go cross-eyed on the hook-set), but, in my experience, you'll will feel a lot coming from the rod tip with this set-up.

The other thing I did was to really have a taught line in the water. After the cast I would feed line out and watch when the line stopped moving forward. This provided me the most vertical presentation. I would reel up the slack with my rod tip @ 10 o'clock and the only line that would touch the surface of the water would be at the point of entry.

From there you learn to watch your line as well as fish the weight of the lure as described by Catt and K_Mac. I used these techniques until "I got it".

Good luck and hope this helps

[B A S S E R]

While we are on the topic of fishing jigs:

when is the best time of year for them?

what type of structure are the best for?

how hard are they to fish from shore?

[Catt]

While we are on the topic of fishing jigs:

when is the best time of year for them?

what type of structure are the best for?

how hard are they to fish from shore?

Any time, any place, any where 

[K_Mac]

As Catt said, you can use them any place there is fish. Fishing jigs from shore can be very productive: around wood and brush, rock, gravel, docks, grass, and depth irregularities of all kinds, it's all good. You will lose a few; it is just part of it.