How I learned to fish a jig

[Munkin]

After reading everyone's struggles on learning I figured I would post my experience to hopefully help other members. To start I have been bass fishing since 1986 and until 2004 I caught less than 10 fish on a jig. My revelation came in 2004 when I was in Missouri for MP training for the Army with nothing else to do. I got back into bass fishing seriously in 2003 and when I was sent to MO for 18 weeks there is nothing to do at Ft. Leonard Wood except fish and drink. Since I did not bring anything with me I hit BPS in Springfield on a shopping spree. While buying I ran into an old timer and we got to talking, he wasd walking with me and when we came to the jig isle I was going to skip it. He ask why I wasn't buying any jigs and he said follow him which I did. When ask why I wasn't buying any jigs I replied that they did not work? He said I must be reading Bassmaster so he ask what colors worked for me in soft plastics. I told him GP but the jigs I have used in the past were Black/Blue. His answer was to try some Eakins jigs in the same color as the soft plastics I use and let him know how it worked. The next day I tried the Eakins jigs in GP with a Zoom super chunk jr trailer and I caught 14 fishing them just like a T-Rigged lure. Overall the fish were bigger than average and I gained confidence in using a jig. Now 15 years later a jig is a confidence bait for me and I hope this helps others on this forum.

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

I learned when I was 13 or 14, fishing pretty much a Strike King Denny Brauer Pro Model jig or Strike King Bitsy Bug, mostly the former. Using an old black Shimano baitcaster I don't even remember the name of on a Shimano BullWhip pistol grip rod with 17lb Trilene XT. I fished almost nothing but a jig for most of a year and it took me most of that year to get the hang of it but I found that I caught bigger than average fish doing it and really liked how I could fish them almost anywhere. Now they're my favorite bait to fish. 

[Bankbeater]

I started fishing jigs back in 2005.  Some of the lakes and ponds I fish see some heavy pressure, but I never saw too many people fishing with jigs, so I though I would give them a try. 

I started fishing with jigs when the ice was gone in March, but I never went on a fishing trip just with jigs as bait.  That's probably why I didn't catch my first bass until October. 

[scaleface]

I started fishing jigs shortly after i learned to texas rig . There was no learning to it . Just tied them on instead of a Texas rig .I really dont understand why some people  can catch fish on a worm but not a jig . A Texas rigged worm is the same thing except the weight is not molded onto the hook . 

[Catt]

47 minutes ago, scaleface said:

.I really dont understand why some people  can catch fish on a worm but not a jig . A Texas rigged worm is the same thing except the weight is not molded onto the hook . 

 

My thoughts exactly!  ?

 

Many think of jigs as only for flipping-n-pitching... it's way more than that.

[GReb]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I learned when I was 13 or 14, fishing pretty much a Strike King Denny Brauer Pro Model jig or Strike King Bitsy Bug, mostly the former. Using an old black Shimano baitcaster I don't even remember the name of on a Shimano BullWhip pistol grip rod with 17lb Trilene XT. I fished almost nothing but a jig for most of a year and it took me most of that year to get the hang of it but I found that I caught bigger than average fish doing it and really liked how I could fish them almost anywhere. Now they're my favorite bait to fish. 

Much the same. I learned in 9th grade while home for the summer. Threw a Bitsy Bug with a whatever plastic worm I could find to cut off as a trailer. 6’6” rod and 10 lb mono.  Had some good days baking in that jon boat

[jrwerner310]

I haven't started Jig/Texas rig fishing yet. That is going to be my main focus this year.

[clh121787]

Ive always fished jigs, but more so when i got a boat and good electonics. I do flip and pitch , but my favorite is dragging footballs over off shore stuff. I havnt thrown a c rig in a few years because of the football jig. My favorite jig cadence is to drag slow inching along. Pop slack to work the skirt.(especially if i think im coming over a rock or lay down) and maybe a stroke or 2 all in the same retrive.  Often times bass will follow it all the way up and take it at the boat in 20 plus feet of water. 

[Glaucus]

I learned to swim by getting in the water.

[WRB]

My first jig was a 3/8 oz Doll fly with red and black hair and black 6" pork rind eel trailer back in '57.  I learned to jig fish before T-rigged worms and fish them the same. With a jig I learned do not hesitate hook setting, with soft plastics we let the bass move off with the worm before hook setting because that was "how it was done" back in the late 60's to early 70's with the Texas rig worms.

Tom

[Lead Head]

I have taught a few people by telling them to think of the jig as a vehicle for whatever soft plastic they like using as a trailer. Pick a color/style soft plastic you have confidence in, throw it on a jig and fish it like you would the plastic t-rigged. It's not exactly the same, but usually close enough they will have success and start to learn the subtle differences themselves. 

[Mobasser]

I learned first on Arkie bucktail jigs with pork eel trailer, then on Stanley jigs, with pork and plastic trailers. I fish them much like a Texas rig worm too.

[Catt]

I learned jig fishing back in the early 60s chasing Specks-n-Reds with a lead head & a grub. 

 

Bass fishing just added a skirt & weedguard ?