Feeling Like A Dummy

[TRYTOFISH]

I always thought that a Shakey Head and a Ball head was the same. After reading The article on Grubs, I now know they are different. What is the difference?

[smalljaw67]

a ball head is the shape of a jig head, it could be a big jig or a small jig. A shaky head just refers to a jig that is used to fish a soft plastic, it was once called a jig worm up north but when it became popular throughout the country the name changed to shaky head as the name was taken from the manner of action given to the plastic being used on the jig. Most shaky head jigs are rigged weedless , the plastic is held by some sort of keeper that is on the jig head itself or on the hook shank where as a ball head jig has a plain collar and the plastic is rigged with an exposed hook. Does this help clear things up a bit?

[TRYTOFISH]

a ball head is the shape of a jig head, it could be a big jig or a small jig. A shaky head just refers to a jig that is used to fish a soft plastic, it was once called a jig worm up north but when it became popular throughout the country the name changed to shaky head as the name was taken from the manner of action given to the plastic being used on the jig. Most shaky head jigs are rigged weedless , the plastic is held by some sort of keeper that is on the jig head itself or on the hook shank where as a ball head jig has a plain collar and the plastic is rigged with an exposed hook. Does this help clear things up a bit?

So the shape is the same but it has like a screw keeper or etc. to hold the bait. Is the hook the same or does have more of a worm shape hook or a 60degree offset on the eye. I think I get it. just felt a little foolish telling people to use a shakey head when I ment a ball head.

[VtSmallmouth]

Shaky heads are designed to stand up at rest, making the bait stand at an angle in the water. It wont fall over with light shaking of the rod tip. A regular ball jig head wont do that it will roll over if shaken in place. Shaky heads are for fishing on the bottom where a ball head is more for swimming.

[rippin-lips]

A ball head jig was the norm for the shakey head technique for a long time. That's what was available before these 'shakey' head jigs came to the market. Don't get too caught up in the choices available now. Some guys still use a normal ball head jig. A few popular choices are the spot remover,yum pumpkin Ed, Megastrike shakE2. I've used the first two for a good while. Just bought a bunch of the Megastrike heads and it will probably be the only one I'll ever use again. Stands up everytime and won't fall on its side.

[boostr]

I lerned something...

[smalljaw67]

Shaky heads are designed to stand up at rest, making the bait stand at an angle in the water. It wont fall over with light shaking of the rod tip. A regular ball jig head wont do that it will roll over if shaken in place. Shaky heads are for fishing on the bottom where a ball head is more for swimming.

 

That isn't exactly true, go to Tackle Warehouse and look under shaky head in the terminal tackle section. There you'll find a great deal of ball head shaky jigs and if you have a buoyant worm a ball head will stay upright as long as it doesn't land on its side.  Also, ball heads are what I call all purpose heads, the Eakins jig is a ball head jig made for fishing on the bottom, the statement you made is very vague and while experienced angler know what you meant, someone with very little understanding can get very confused by a statement like that. A ball head is just a jig head shape, how it is used depends on how it is made as some are meant to swim grubs which the same are also used to bounce or hop them along the bottom. Some are made to be used as a shaky head and really, you can fish a worm shaky style on just about any ball head jig, but the shaky head is specialized as it is made to fish a soft plastic in a specific way and the plain ball head jig can be used a number of different ways depending on how it is made.