Big Bass On Jigs

[einscodek]

I use bladed jigs alot and I fish them in a way similar to how most guys fish swimjigs from what I'm readin'

but hearing how everyone seems to think jigs catch the biggest fish.. I'm gonna give it a shot

My question to the JIG experts here is.. do most of your BIG fish come off jigs pitched and flipped into and along shallow weeds OR dragged/hopped off bottom in deeper water

[Jig Man]

Most of my larger jig fish come from 15-30' deep. I fish open clear water where flipping and pitching don't really work for me. When I am targeting large fish, I set the boat deep (sometimes 50 fow) and use large jigs with large craws as trailers fishing deep cover or bluff ends.

[Siebert Outdoors]

For the lakes I fish 99% of my big fish are deep structure in 15-20 fow draggin the jig on the bottom.

[Bass_Fanatic]

It's according to your lake. Around here in Louisiana, pitching and flipping catches more big bass than any other technique. BUT, on Toledo Bend, it's hard to beat dragging a football jig in 20-20ft

[smalljaw67]

My biggest fish didn't come on a jig but day in and day out I'll catch bigger fish on average with a jig. Pitching a jig to shallow cover is my most productive for both numbers and size, and wood cover seems better for me.

[iceintheveins]

Rip rap edges and mid depth weedlines.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

All depends on how and where you like to fish. Down here pitching or flipping a big heavy jig into grass is a great way to catch giant fish. So is doing the same with just plastic lures. There's a time and a place for each. You won't find many guys dragging jigs in 20' of water in southern Florida, at least in our natural lakes. Deep is relative to the average depth of the lake you're on.

[WRB]

I use bladed jigs alot and I fish them in a way similar to how most guys fish swimjigs from what I'm readin'

but hearing how everyone seems to think jigs catch the biggest fish.. I'm gonna give it a shot

My question to the JIG experts here is.. do most of your BIG fish come off jigs pitched and flipped into and along shallow weeds OR dragged/hopped off bottom in deeper water

Horizontal jigging....PM your mail and I'll send you the article.

Tom

[Hi Salenity]

For the lakes I fish 99% of my big fish are deep structure in 15-20 fow draggin the jig on the bottom.

X2 and it's my favorite way to fish!

[Raul]

.. do most of your BIG fish come off jigs pitched and flipped into and along shallow weeds OR dragged/hopped off bottom in deeper wáter

 

Pitched, flipped, dragged and bottom hopped.

[einscodek]

I actually pitch my plastics to shallow cover and often even mat holes with great success.

I'll be trying to go after the deep beasts then on the jig.. likely a rodent trailer.. see what damage I can do draggin & hoppin' in 20'+

Thanks guys!

[Smokinal]

deep brother

[WRB]

The depth you fish a casting jig is dependent on the depth the bass are feeding.

Deep is relative to the specific lake, seasonal periods and prey type. During the summer period we are in now the bass can be at several depths during a 24 hour period. Lakes with good water visibility where you can see down more than 6 to 8 feet, the bass tend to be at least that depth during the day time or could be deeper down near the thermocline if it exists. At night some big bass tend to move into shallower water, some stay deep, again depending on where the prey is easy to catch.

Nearly all my giant bass were caught during per spawn in about 15 to 20 foot depths, a few shallower and deeper. During the summer big bass between 8 to 12 lbs I have caught mostly at night on jigs in water less than 15 feet. Winter or cold water period my jig bass are mostly in 30 to 40 feet.

Learning to read sonar is very important to become a good structure jig angler.

Tom

[Catt]

Ok time for a little Catt rant

Why are y'all scared to fill out your profile?

Knowing what state y'all live in will greatly help us help y'all!

How I fish marshes aint how I fish Toledo Bend & how I fish Toledo Bend aint how I fish the Calcasieu River.

I catch big bass casting, flipping, pitching, & punching.

[F14A-B]

I will Flip a Jig in Wood, but I love dragging a 3/4 Football / Craw combo in and amongst rocks and even sand/ pebble I won't Flip a jig in vegetation, except Lilypads. I will skip the jig at that point and just trig plastic.

[einscodek]

The depth you fish a casting jig is dependent on the depth the bass are feeding.

Deep is relative to the specific lake, seasonal periods and prey type. During the summer period we are in now the bass can be at several depths during a 24 hour period. Lakes with good water visibility where you can see down more than 6 to 8 feet, the bass tend to be at least that depth during the day time or could be deeper down near the thermocline if it exists. At night some big bass tend to move into shallower water, some stay deep, again depending on where the prey is easy to catch.

Nearly all my giant bass were caught during per spawn in about 15 to 20 foot depths, a few shallower and deeper. During the summer big bass between 8 to 12 lbs I have caught mostly at night on jigs in water less than 15 feet. Winter or cold water period my jig bass are mostly in 30 to 40 feet.

Learning to read sonar is very important to become a good structure jig angler.

Tom

I catch most of my big summertime bass in and along the weeds but I know they aint all of them cause I catch them all in the flats in the Spring

I like catchin them in the weeds but I know some of them are back deeper in summer but what I have not been able to do is coax the deeper big uns to bite in the summer

Will try deep jigs .. something thats missing in my repetoir

[J Francho]

Normally, my response would echo Mike Siebert's. Not tonight. All fish caught off wood in inches of water. At first, I was drawing them out with a Mini Slammer, but no takers, just follows. There were a ton of little baitfish, so instead of trying to finesse a big rat swimbait through the timber, I used a spinnerbait. That wax responsible for several fish. In places I felt had to have a fish, I plied it with a jig. This worked about half the time. In all cases, I had to make contact with the submerged wood.

Unabashed plugs:

Mike's spinnerbait and arkey style jig are tools well suited for this. The bullet shaped head on the spinnerbait never got hung even though I cast over and through fallen timber. The Owner hook keeps the buttoned. No trailer hooks today - almost not necessary the way they were eating them.

Mike's arkey jig is great in lumber. The wide head kicks the jig out when coming through branches, addid the movement needed to get the Rage Chunk claws flapping.

Props to my new Pinnacle 6-8 MXF DCH5 micro spinnerbait rod and 7-3 MHF DHC5 micro jig rod. For the spinnerbaits, 12# CXX on an Alphas. Jigs, 17# AbrasX on an Optimus hand tuned.

Hope that helps, seemed appropriate given the topic since I just got off the water. Not my usual game, but it worked well.

[Bluebasser86]

Most of my big jig fish come off of shallow cover, especially wood and docks. 

[JigMaster]

Iv caught some of my bigger bass casting to deeper water and just slowly dragging the football jig back,So I'd say deeper water for me as well.

[Bankbeater]

Both.  I have caught some pitching into the weeds along the bank, and I have caught some dragging along the bottom in 15 to 20 feet of water.  It just depends on where the bass are located.

[J Francho]

In summer, deep generally wins. Deep can mean different things on different lakes. Spring and fall, you better check the shallows first though. In summer, it seems like shallow is the last place I check. Glad I did last night.

[Siebert Outdoors]

In summer, deep generally wins. Deep can mean different things on different lakes. Spring and fall, you better check the shallows first though. In summer, it seems like shallow is the last place I check. Glad I did last night.

 

No joke there.  And Deep is relative to the lake.  A local lake I fish 10-15 fow is good because it doesnt get much deeper.  Then you throw Tablerock or Beaver Lake in there 10-15 fow is only about 1/2 way down to where I like to summer fish.  Just like JFrancho said.  Spring and Fall dont ever forget those shallows. 

[Amarley]

I have lived on the bluff walls this summer with a 5/8 oz green pumpkin jig and reaction innovations sweet beaver trailer in green pumpkin. I'm usually moving around a lot, but this has caught me more fish than anything else combined. When the days are slow, I'll switch to a heavy shaky head with a craw or worm. I'm glad I've taken the time to learn how to fish jigs deep. Fish them so slow that it's painful and you'll be shocked at the results.