Time to grow up and fish a jig

[Turtle135]

One trick I showed a couple of anglers this past season was to have them take their hand off the reel handle when moving the jig (move the jig with the rod tip only and do not reel at the same time you are moving the jig). For me this helps in finessing the jig through cover without snagging and also results in more bites.

 

Jig head styles do make a big difference. The jig head on the left below gets into a whole lot less trouble than the jig head on the right (built on the same hook and the same weight).

 

 

[Catt]

When it comes to jigs everyone has their own personal repertoire of confusion!

 

What I look for in a jig is a smooth transition from the line to the eye & around the belly, which requires the eye (either one) to be slightly rolled forward. The reasoning is I want my jig to follow the line up to the cover & then slide over or through the cover smoothly.

 

Possible the best head design is Lunker Lures Rattleback

[Todd2]

When I get on the water, I get mental block sometimes. It's like I read articles about various lures and have too many different things I want to try.  I'll fly through several rods trying different things and usually end up going back to the jig.

 

Slowing down...dragging and hopping the jig along the bottom is my therapy AND as mentioned..jigs catch big fish.

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

One of my goals this year is to become at least moderately proficient with a jig. A friend from s carolina gave me one but I just cant get bit on it. All I do is dredge up grass every time. Never have gotten one bite on it. So I bought another one-same story. And the lake I fish most has plenty of bass in it . Slay them consistently w/Almost anything t-rigged.

So , needless to say , a jig is not a confidence bait for me.

One question. Why does the weight have to be so heavy on a jig ?It seems like it would work better the lighter it is , except if you were fishing deep water.

In my home lake, bass just love a slow falling bait , with a suttle approach. With a 3/8 jig and up , they make a big plunk when they land , which to me would scare fish off , then they sink way to fast. If I move them at all, they immediately get covered with grass , algae, whatever's on or near the bottom.And that's with fishing the clearer spots!

With t-rigged rigs , I catch 3 times as many fish with either a bb shot or no weight. The more weight, the less fish.

Don't mean to hijack the thread , but what am I missing here ?

Not being contentious- you can't argue with other people's success, but for me- no success.

[Catt]

@N Florida Mike

 

When fishing "grass" with a jig try staying as vertical as possible!

 

Flipping, pitching, & punching will result in less grass on your jig.

 

As for weights ya want enough to stay in contact with the bottom. 

 

I generally throw 1/4-3/8 oz in sparse grass out to 20' deep.

[N Florida Mike]

22 minutes ago, Catt said:

@N Florida Mike

 

When fishing "grass" with a jig try staying as vertical as possible!

 

Flipping, pitching, & punching will result in less grass on your jig.

 

As for weights ya want enough to stay in contact with the bottom. 

 

I generally throw 1/4-3/8 oz in sparse grass out to 20' deep.

Ok that makes more sense. Pitching might work on my shallow lake. It's 5 feet avg. And pretty clear, so getting too close will spook them. Deepest hole is 8 feet , and it's fairly clear of weeds there but has a grass edge on one side so...maybe There.

I also have some good laydowns I can pitch into.

Catt, do you ever jig fish after dark? Seems like it would work better then on a shallow, clear lake.

[Catt]

@N Florida Mike I fish a shallow water marsh 2' average with 6' maybe, it's extremely clear. It has a lot of various types of grass & staying within pitching distance don't spook em.

 

I do throw jigs a lot at night but not in this marsh cause it closed.