Selecting The Appropriate Jig Head

[Siebert Outdoors]

 I see many topics come along about selecting the correct jig head for a certain situation or just all around use.  There are many factors in this like structure, bottom composition and overall preferences from the individual fisherman.  To make things easier here is a base guideline that should help out on picking a jig to match the conditions.  Many types and styles will cross into different structures and  work in most cases and some really shine in a specific use.  Here is a good way to save some time and pick the right head that will do well in these conditions.

 

Brush Jig

 

The Brush jig is a great all around jig style.  Personally one of my favorites that I fish.  This jig functions well in the brush, does well in rock, and light weeds.  It also sits the trailer and falls at about a 45 deg angle that has the trailer pointed up. 

 

Football Jig

 

The good ol football jig.  This jig head design works great in rock, ledge fishing, or dragging.  Some even use them in brush.  The wide football head style runs well through the rock and is very stable from rolling over. 

 

Arky Jig

 

Arky jigs are a proven design that is very versatile.   The Arky jig works good in rock, light weeds, brush, and even skips.  It is truly a great all around jig for many applications.

 

Roundball Jigs

 

A roundball jig,  typically is fished with a finesse skirt on it produces a small profile jig for finicky fish.  The round ball jig is a well rounded style that fishes good in pretty much all scenarios except weeds.  This jig is one that i resort too when the fishing gets tough and the bite is real light. 

 

Punching jigs/Grass Jigs

 

This is a jig that makes a great cross between grass fishing in thick weeds in heavy weights to swimming.  Its more cone styled head pulls through weeds will less resistance then any other head style above.  If your looking to fish heavy weeds with a jig a cone/bullet styled head tends to be the best for minimum weeds.

 

Swim Jig

 

The good ol swim jig is a very versatile design and is generally made to mimic baitfish.  This design can be fished in pretty much all structures but is best when swimming, light weeds, weedlines,  or small rocks, and laydowns.    If you cut the skirt it also makes a great finesse jig like the roundball jig.  These style jigs have really become popular in the last several years. 

 

 

I hope this helps in decoding the jig head. There are many styles and many opinions on jigs and how they should be fished. Use this as a base line and grow your technique from there.  

[Choporoz]

Thanks, Mike.  Good primer. 

 

Why is the eye on your finesse jig oriented 90 degrees from all the others?

[whitwolf]

Nice work Mike. This type of Information is why this site Is the best around!

[Catch and Grease]

A++, Nice post!

[ChrisD46]

Nice work Mike. This type of Information is why this site Is the best around!

+1 ...Excellent job Mike - you know your jigs !

Current customer & 100% satisfied !

[dwong]

Is there any head design that is good for rip rap?

[Siebert Outdoors]

I fish it 2 primary ways. 

First is a light jig, a swim jig or finesse jig and keep constant contact with the jig and basically swim or hop it on top of the rocks.  Its a technique that may take some time to figure out but basically you hop or swim never letting the jig fully settle down into the cracks of the big rocks.

 

Option 2 a good football jig that will help keep from wedging in between the big rock.  Use a vertical drag or hop will help the jig from falling or wedging into the big chunk rock.  There are tricks to this also.  Feel is very important here.  If you can not feel the jig you will probably wedge it in the rocks.  Constant contact with the jig is extremely important.

 

Those are the two primary ways I fish rip rap or big rocks.

[WRB]

Thanks, Mike.  Good primer. 

 

Why is the eye on your finesse jig oriented 90 degrees from all the others?

Mike may have missed your ?

Flat eye jigs shed weeds from being snagged under the eye on a bullet head jig.

Tom

[Mr_Scrogg]

I believe there is also a hook up ratio that is slightly better with the flat eye jig hook

[Siebert Outdoors]

Mike may have missed your ?

Flat eye jigs shed weeds from being snagged under the eye on a bullet head jig.

Tom

Thanks WRB. sorry about missing the question.

[roadwarrior]

Thanks Mike!

 

 

 

:respect-059:

 

[spaindr]

thinking big-----Seibert Megalodon Brush Jigs - 1 oz - wire tie, band, or rattle?  what is the difference?  Best colors for BACCARAC?

[Brian11719]

3 hours ago, spaindr said:

thinking big-----Seibert Megalodon Brush Jigs - 1 oz - wire tie, band, or rattle?  what is the difference?  Best colors for BACCARAC?

I actually haven't seen these before but they look pretty good and the colors are nice. If it were me I'd probably just start with the band collar and use that as a baseline...also

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, spaindr said:

thinking big-----Seibert Megalodon Brush Jigs - 1 oz - wire tie, band, or rattle?  what is the difference?  Best colors for BACCARAC?

no functional difference.  Wire is more durable but you can’t just change it out. Band and rattle you can swap skirts if you need to. Rattle band you can add a rattle if you like. overall the megladon is a nice jig. I have a couple to use as a heavy swim jig in thick grass. 
 

afraid I can’t help on bacarat colors. 
 

 

[Columbia Craw]

Thanks Mike.  Not only are your jigs awesome, your tungsten products are incredible.