Hair Jigs

[NathanDLTH]

I’m not talking about the small ones used for smallies, but the larger variety for largemouth. I live in Minnesota. The bass up here see every jig known to man and drop shotting is the norm. 

 

Looking for help here. Just two or three jigs to learn on. 1/2oz-1oz. My bait fish are bluegills, sunnies, crappies, minnows, creek chubs, shiners and such. 

 

What recommendations for a rod style, line, and how to work the bait? Worth try or not because I’m a bank angler? 

[Efishin]

Absolutely it's worth a shot. Plus the rod I use for it is extremely versatile. I like the 1/2 oz hair jigs. IMO Picasso has one of the best ones on the market. I am using a Phenix Recon Elite 7'6 Heavy. The rod loads a bit into the blank which is my personal preference but with great power still. Plenty of rod to also use for other applications. Very versatile. One day you may own a boat or get to start going out on the lake more, so it always nice to keep your options open.

[WRB]

I have been fishing hair jigs since the late 50's starting with Doll Fly hair jigs.

The 5 giant bass listed were all caught on hair jigs with pork rind trailers, the old pig n jig.

I don't know who makes deer/bucktail hair jigs today with heads designed for cover let alone 1/2-1 oz size.

Punisher offers craft hair jigs to 3/8 oz with a wire weed gaurd.

I don't like to fish jigs from shore because you must fish them uphill and prefer weedless bullet weight T-rigged soft plastics from shore.

If jig fishing from shore is your goal then I suggest starting out with Punisher 3/8 oz instead of heavier jigs, you will lose fewer.

Tackle isn't any different from jigs with other skirt materials.

Mn has mostly natural lakes with heavy shore aquatic cover and not sure how you intend to present a jig?

Tom

 

 

 

[A-Jay]

I took quite bit from seeing this a few years back ~ 

 

 

A-Jay

[NathanDLTH]

Thanks for the responses. 

On 9/15/2019 at 4:36 PM, Efishin said:

Absolutely it's worth a shot. Plus the rod I use for it is extremely versatile. I like the 1/2 oz hair jigs. IMO Picasso has one of the best ones on the market. I am using a Phenix Recon Elite 7'6 Heavy. The rod loads a bit into the blank which is my personal preference but with great power still. Plenty of rod to also use for other applications. Very versatile. One day you may own a boat or get to start going out on the lake more, so it always nice to keep your options open.

I’ll take a look at Picasso. 

 

On 9/15/2019 at 5:14 PM, WRB said:

I have been fishing hair jigs since the late 50's starting with Doll Fly hair jigs.

The 5 giant bass listed were all caught on hair jigs with pork rind trailers, the old pig n jig.

I don't know who makes deer/bucktail hair jigs today with heads designed for cover let alone 1/2-1 oz size.

Punisher offers craft hair jigs to 3/8 oz with a wire weed gaurd.

I don't like to fish jigs from shore because you must fish them uphill and prefer weedless bullet weight T-rigged soft plastics from shore.

If jig fishing from shore is your goal then I suggest starting out with Punisher 3/8 oz instead of heavier jigs, you will lose fewer.

Tackle isn't any different from jigs with other skirt materials.

Mn has mostly natural lakes with heavy shore aquatic cover and not sure how you intend to present a jig?

Tom

 

 

 

Guess the best answer is Tom-because there are several places that have deep drop offs from a pier(I know they aren’t ideal), but it’s part of what I have to work with. You are right about the heavy aquatic cover. Maybe it’s not worth it for me. Exploring options is all. Your experience helpful. I will take it into consideration. 

 

 

[WRB]

IMO both the Picasso FX hair jig and Owners hair jig are designed for open water ledge fishing, your basic striper jigs. Minnow head jigs are met for swimming and snag easily.

You can add a soft plastic for a weed guard by using either Owners CPS or a Hitchhiker spring to attach a 1 1/2-2" section of finesse worm to the hook eye to protect the hook.

Hair offers a natural movement and texture that bass prefer, it doesn't offer a wide range of colors that soft plastic does.

Hair jig combined with a pork trailer is a natural feel and taste that bass may hold onto longer helping in strike detection.

Tom

 

[NathanDLTH]

Thanks Tom. 

[OnthePotomac]

On the Potomac hair jigs are on for cold water.  Not so much in hot water.

[WRB]

The reason hair jigs appeal to bass when they are less aggressive and require less calories is the jig looks like prey under close scrutiny by the bass. 

The reason soft plastic or rubber skirted jigs appeal to more aggressive bass in warmer water with higher calories needs is the faster movements. The exception is big bass that are generally more wary and less aggressive then young adult size bass the hair jig still looks like prey in warmer water.

Unforntunitly locating good quality hair jigs that look like crawdads today is difficult because anglers prefer the more colorful faster moving jigs. Deep structure ledge anglers have learned hair jigs that replicate larger size baitfish appeal to warm water bass and therefore several suppliers now offer that style jig.

Tom

[Tennessee Boy]

I like the Jenko Fishing "Big Wig" hair jig.  It's a quality jig very similar to others on the market and a little cheaper at $8.  Hair jigs catch fish but are easy to lose and cost a lot to replace.  I'm gonna have to try @WRBs trick to make them weedless.  

[TnRiver46]

Hair jigs are  the easiest things in the world to make. I used to make them before I even had a tying vise. Place hair on jighead, then wrap with thread. 

[Black Hawk Basser]

I've made these before and done pretty well on them, but it was on a rocky, relatively clean bottom.  These are made with rabbit strips for the tail, and rabbit strips wrapped around the hook shank.

 

 

These were made with Arctic fox tail hair for the body and rabbit strips for the tail