Jig types and techniques for Smallies

[adam lancia]

Has anyone had an luck getting northern (US and Canada) smallmouth to go after a jig? I am by no means a proficient jig angler but I have used chatterbaits, swim jigs and football heads with various trailers all without any luck. I picked up a rod and reel that will be geared towards finesse jigs (~1/4 oz) and shakey heads but I'm wondering if there is another style of jig that I should consider or if it's a technique related deficiency. Thanks in advance for any and all input!!!

[J Francho]

I use pretty heavy football jigs ion deep water.

[Steveo-1969]

The smallmouth in my river love jigs.  I generally use a 3/16 ounce finesse skirted jig because I'm only fishing in 2-8 feet of water and that gets me on the bottom quickly but doesn't snag much.  I pair it with a Baby Rage Craw trailer.

[adam lancia]

The majority of water I fish are Canadian Shield lakes = deep and somewhat rocky. To complicate matters further, many of the lakes are connected in a chain of lift locks so the water level in the spring is about 2 feet higher than it is in the fall. And when they're dropping the lake levels for the locks, there is more water movement (not quite enough to call current though) versus less in the spring. Lots of lake and speckled trout in the lakes so maybe imitating them might help. Has anyone slow rolled a swim jig before...?

[River Dave]

We do a lot of 1/8oz jig heads with either a 4" grub or a 4" swimbait body and catch a ton of smallies by kind of hopping them back to the boat. Reel, jerk, pause, reel, jerk, pause. They almost always hit it on the pause. I'm in Western NY. Haven't had as much luck with traditional rubber skirted jigs here other than largemouth in heavy cover. 

[Turtle135]

When I am on largemouth water the first thing I reach for is a skirted jig but when I am on smallmouth water the first thing I reach for is a tube. I would expect your finesse jig combo would also make a good tube rod. 

I have tried to force feed smallmouth bass on my local rivers skirted jigs with inconsistent results but it always seems like they will eat a tube.

[Attila]

I was watching one of the Bassmaster videos and had a chance to talk with Elite pro Seth Feider during a seminar this winter.  He swears by small (1/16oz) marabou jigs used with a straight retrieve (no hopping or bottom contact) on a light braid w/ fluro leader.  His were hand tied but said that the VMC Dominator Marabou Jig works well too.

Something I'm looking forward to trying up here in the Kawartha's this summer...

Beyond that, I like throwing tubes in a crawfish or goby pattern and black grubs on 1/8 or 1/4oz heads...best leech impression around.

[Nick S]

I'd say 75% of the river smallmouth I catch are caught on a jig. I really like the 3/16 jewel finesse spider jigs with a craw papi trailer. 

 

 

[Snakehead Whisperer]

10 hours ago, Turtle135 said:

When I am on largemouth water the first thing I reach for is a skirted jig but when I am on smallmouth water the first thing I reach for is a tube. I would expect your finesse jig combo would also make a good tube rod. 

I have tried to force feed smallmouth bass on my local rivers skirted jigs with inconsistent results but it always seems like they will eat a tube.

My experience is the exact opposite, and we probably fish a lot of the same waters. I chalk that up to my confidence in jigs, and my reluctance to throw a tube if there's another option. With that said I usually throw hair jigs regardless of the season, but I've also had tremendous success on small finesse jigs with silicone style skirts.

[adam lancia]

Tubes are definitely on the agenda with my finesse jig rig. I never really looked into hair jigs at all, at this point the last thing I need is a more diverse tackle selection...

[EvanT123]

I don't really do the skirted jig thing. I like tubes, hula grubs which are a skirted jig of sort and basically any other plastic I might have. Don't discount a fluke on a football head. I'm a dragger don't do a lot of hoping/popping unless I feel the jig starting to get stuck. 

Ive been fishing the same spot for about a week. One day I tried 1/8 jig heads and had a hard time feeling the bottom the rest was with 1/4 jig heads. Believe it or not I actually got hung up less with the 1/4, I think it had to do with the heavier weight giving me more feel on the bottom. 

[Crestliner2008]

Try these two presentations using jigs:

1) A 1/4 oz. football jig with a Gammy Hula Grub, smoke, blue fleck, on the back.

2) An insider tube jig with a watermelon tube dressed on it.

I can almost guarantee that one or both of these will work!

 

[roadwarrior]

I have had good luck with the Rage Tail Menace, T-rigged, unpegged.

Other options that have been working for me is a 3/8 oz Siebert Outdoors jig (PBJ)/ Rage Craw (PBJ) and the BPS Tender Tube (#71) rigged with an internal weight, weedless.

 

[adam lancia]

7 hours ago, EvanT123 said:

I don't really do the skirted jig thing. I like tubes, hula grubs which are a skirted jig of sort and basically any other plastic I might have. Don't discount a fluke on a football head. I'm a dragger don't do a lot of hoping/popping unless I feel the jig starting to get stuck. 

Ive been fishing the same spot for about a week. One day I tried 1/8 jig heads and had a hard time feeling the bottom the rest was with 1/4 jig heads. Believe it or not I actually got hung up less with the 1/4, I think it had to do with the heavier weight giving me more feel on the bottom. 

I have hula's on my to try list too, but I hadn't even thought of a fluke on a football head, I'm adding that to my list too. I'll keep that 1/8 vs 1/4 oz hang up contrast in mind as well, thanks!

1 hour ago, roadwarrior said:

I have had good luck with the Rage Tail Menace, T-rigged, unpegged.

Other options that have been working for me is a 3/8 oz Siebert Outdoors jig (PBJ)/ Rage Craw (PBJ) and the BPS Tender Tube (#71) rigged with an internal weight, weedless.

 

What kind of hook do you use to rig the Menace RW? Would you mind posting a picture of your tender tube rig please and thanks...?

 

Much appreciated guys, thanks!!

[roadwarrior]

Owner Phantom Tube Weight:  http://www.basspro.com/Owner-Phantom-Tube-Hook/product/44690/

For the Menace a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG Offset Worm Hook (thin wire):  http://www.cabelas.com/product/Gamakatsu-reg-EWG-Worm-Hook/738573.uts?productVariantId=1236109&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=36-185998240-2&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=10011945&rid=20

1/4 oz tungsten bullet weight:  http://www.cabelas.com/product/Eco-Pro-Tungsten-Worm-Weights/1203718.uts?productVariantId=2916243&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=36-185998948-2&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03181613&rid=20

 

[adam lancia]

Beauty! Thanks RW!

["hamma"]

I always have a 1/4 oz jighead with a 3 or 4 inch grub tied on a rod, be it a football head for rocky lakes, a darter head for suspending fish, or a stand up head, These i use in deeper waters... as well as a 3/8 oz rubber skirted jig with a pig or plastic craw trailer, i trim the skirt and add the trailer so its no longer than 3 1/2 inches.... i'll pitch, flip, or skip the skirted jig at docks, trees,and shallow boulders, and bounce it down sharp drops, the trick to its success is to match the color of the crayfish in that lake. and... fish it like a texas rigged worm paying special attention to the line at all times its in the water ,.. if your not watching the line,..it probably wont work for you,... "Most" hits arent even felt, it happens usually on the initial drop

[Justjigger]

Lake erie and watermelon tubes makes for a great day of fishing.