Skirted Jigs for Smallies

[Finessegenics]

Why does it seem to be the case that jigs are not popular baits for smallmouth bass? I mean big skirted jigs in the 1/2 oz or more range. I don't often see people dragging jigs for smallmouth around here. I know small finesse jigs like bitsy bugs or craws on plain jigheads are somehwat popular but why aren't bigger skirted jigs like the SK Structure Jig (pictured below on the left) as popular? Is it because they are meant for flipping and not dragging on rocky bottoms? Or is it just that traditional smallmouth jigs, aka tubes, are just so much more effective? I also have some War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jigs which I bought because of the smaller profile. Would those work better than the structure jigs?

 

Maybe I am wrong about big jigs not being popular for smallies. It can very well be a local thing too. But if I am wrong, does anyone have any experience with jig fishing for smallies? I'd want some advice on where and how to get started/be effective. Thank you!

 

 

[J Francho]

Skirted football jigs is definitely a thing for smallmouth up here.

[flyfisher]

When i am not fly fishing for smallies, I always have a skirted jig of some sort tied on when fishing for smallies, usually a football head or a confidencebaits.net dragging head battle craw finesse jig.

[Finessegenics]

Wanted to add: Looks like I’m already being proven wrong! When would you choose a skirted football jig over a tube or Texas rig for dragging bottom? Do you guys get bigger bites when going with a skirt? 

[Bdnoble84]

Just started doing it the last couple years whwn i started making my own jigs. Especially swimming jigs. Last year i started tying a finesse cut skirt with rabbit zonker trailer. It worked on bass and northern. I will say i dont catch the numbers on these jigs but ive caught some really nice bass. Northern seam to really love them.

[J Francho]

4 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

When would you choose a skirted football jig over a tube or Texas rig for dragging bottom?

I almost never use a T-rig any deeper than 10-12'.  I wouldn't say I chose one over the other.  It's more like whatever I feel like throwing, and what gets bit if I tried a few things.  I will say, any deeper than 20', and I don't typically throw any of these.  Mostly a drop shot at that point, maybe a jigging spoon or ultra deep cranks.

[A-Jay]

When the structure, cover & bottom composition are right, skirted jigs are effective for me.

Admittedly, I do prefer a 'slightly' smaller profile.

Not necessarily a tiny presentation but just something a big smallie can properly choke.

These usually do include something smaller than a 5/0 flipping hook.

For size reference, the Strike King Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Flipping Jig in the 3/8 & 1/2 oz size

as well as the Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig in 1/2 oz both work for me in cover laden situations.

 

 

And don't neglect a brown basses attraction to eating a properly presented hair jig . . . . 

A-Jay

 

[Finessegenics]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

When the structure, cover & bottom composition are right, skirted jigs are effective for me.

 

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

both work for me in cover laden situations.

I don’t want to pick your brain too much because I know how complicated this can get, a whole book can be written about it. So basically in heavier cover you’d go for a jig? Rocky bottom with lots of wood and junk? 

[J Francho]

Read this first: 

 

[Patrick Reif]

I made these for a long time.  I caught a lot of fish with them, but have to confess I prefer a tube. 

 

These are 3/16oz ball head jigs with a wire weed guard hand tied with a Paca style chunk I used to make.  I sold the plastics mold last year because I needed the room more than the mold.

[Hower08]

Had over 20# flipping big jigs this day all smallies

[Bluebasser86]

Zebra mussels well eat all the big jigs you put on the bottom in the smallie lakes here.

 

Go down to Table Rock or Bull Shoals though, those smallies love a big football jig. I use to catch them on a football jig in a couple of the lakes here before they got the razor clams.

[MGF]

Most of my smallmouth fishing is in the Tippecanoe river but I use skirted jigs a lot. Often a swim jig sort or presentation. 

 

It's "skinny" and sometimes very clear water. Skipping a wacky rigged worm or ned rig type bait gets me up under shoreline trees but skipping a swim jig in there lets me cover water a bit faster with a little more bulk.

 

There are so many presentations possible with the same lure...swim it, bounce it, dragit or just let it roll down with the current.

 

 

[Finessegenics]

2 hours ago, MGF said:

Most of my smallmouth fishing is in the Tippecanoe river but I use skirted jigs a lot. Often a swim jig sort or presentation. 

 

It's "skinny" and sometimes very clear water. Skipping a wacky rigged worm or ned rig type bait gets me up under shoreline trees but skipping a swim jig in there lets me cover water a bit faster with a little more bulk.

 

There are so many presentations possible with the same lure...swim it, bounce it, dragit or just let it roll down with the current.

 

 

Do you use a craw or swim bait trailer? I can see why a swim jig would be so effective since it’s usually fished in the middle of the water column above weed beds or burned through weeds. The aggressive trailers usually used (flapping craws or paddle tails) also make it a different presentation than dragging a jig and chunk on the bottom. 

[MGF]

The trailers I've been using most are the Rage bug...for swimming. I think the other rage stuff looks pretty good too.

 

I may be late to the party but I just started experimenting with paddle-tail swim baits last year...as trailers and as a stand alone thing. It doesn't sound like a big deal (maybe it isn't for some people) but every time I get into a new thing like this ...a few sizes, weights, styles and colors comes to a sizable bag of stuff with a significant price tag (to me) and it takes some time to sort through it and find what you like. 

[Finessegenics]

2 hours ago, MGF said:

The trailers I've been using most are the Rage bug...for swimming. I think the other rage stuff looks pretty good too.

 

I may be late to the party but I just started experimenting with paddle-tail swim baits last year...as trailers and as a stand alone thing. It doesn't sound like a big deal (maybe it isn't for some people) but every time I get into a new thing like this ...a few sizes, weights, styles and colors comes to a sizable bag of stuff with a significant price tag (to me) and it takes some time to sort through it and find what you like. 

The Rage Bug was just on my mind. Interesting...rage bug doesn’t get a lot of use up here since some brands and/or certain baits from a brand are harder to find. I was thinking of getting both the regular and baby rage bugs to use as a trailer for dragging football or pitching jigs. Any color suggestions for both the swim jig and rage bug? Only two I can settle on for sure is bama craw (the smallmouth are crazy for any orange hue) and pearl to match my swim jigs which I already own and are now collecting dust. 

[Bluebasser86]

Found a couple from back when I use to be able to hop or drag a jig for smallies.

 

Missouri craw jig/blue pork chunk.

 

Grasshopper football jig/blue pork chunk

[MGF]

6 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

The Rage Bug was just on my mind. Interesting...rage bug doesn’t get a lot of use up here since some brands and/or certain baits from a brand are harder to find. I was thinking of getting both the regular and baby rage bugs to use as a trailer for dragging football or pitching jigs. Any color suggestions for both the swim jig and rage bug? Only two I can settle on for sure is bama craw (the smallmouth are crazy for any orange hue) and pearl to match my swim jigs which I already own and are now collecting dust. 

I keep my colors kind of simple partially because there's a limit to what I can buy and carry. The jig is usually a green pumpkin or brown (natural?)...could have some orange or other "highlight". I also use black/blue or black. For a trailer I have green pumpkin and the blue/black (whatever they call it). I also like the bama craw. It's a green pumpkin with orange on the bottom.

 

That's what I've been using lately but I've used and caught fish on all sorts of stuff over the years. I used to use different color grubs for trailers and I caught fish.

[Ogandrews]

I will admit that a jig is definitely not my go to presentation for smallmouth I do still throw them quite often. In a situation where I am fishing an offshore reef or rocky drop off coming off the shore I will usually grab a tube/ned/rage menace on a ball head if I want a bottom presentation, but if the fish are really eating those and I want to get a better bite than I will switch over to a finesse football jig with a rage menace trailer and almost always will get less but bigger bites. Same if I’m fishing docks, I’ll throw a light pitching jig and get bigger bites. If I’m fishing around wood/weeds/ other snags and want a good moving presentation I throw a finesse swim jig very often, usually 1/4 oz dirty jigs finesse swim jig and have caught some monsters on it. There’s always a way to catch a bass on a jig

[Munkin]

On ‎3‎/‎16‎/‎2020 at 11:23 AM, Finessegenics said:

Why does it seem to be the case that jigs are not popular baits for smallmouth bass? I mean big skirted jigs in the 1/2 oz or more range. I don't often see people dragging jigs for smallmouth around here. I know small finesse jigs like bitsy bugs or craws on plain jigheads are somehwat popular but why aren't bigger skirted jigs like the SK Structure Jig (pictured below on the left) as popular? Is it because they are meant for flipping and not dragging on rocky bottoms? Or is it just that traditional smallmouth jigs, aka tubes, are just so much more effective? I also have some War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jigs which I bought because of the smaller profile. Would those work better than the structure jigs?

 

Maybe I am wrong about big jigs not being popular for smallies. It can very well be a local thing too. But if I am wrong, does anyone have any experience with jig fishing for smallies? I'd want some advice on where and how to get started/be effective. Thank you!

 

 

 

Depends on where I am fishing versus LM/SM. Fuller sized jigs work better in lakes while ones like on the right work best for the river.

 

This is my #1 jig period, 5/16 oz GP with Zoom Super Chunk Jr. trailer. My #2 trailer is a GP 3" Berkley Chigger Craw.

 

Allen

[Jermination]

On 3/16/2020 at 10:23 AM, Finessegenics said:

Why does it seem to be the case that jigs are not popular baits for smallmouth bass? I mean big skirted jigs in the 1/2 oz or more range. I don't often see people dragging jigs for smallmouth around here. I know small finesse jigs like bitsy bugs or craws on plain jigheads are somehwat popular but why aren't bigger skirted jigs like the SK Structure Jig (pictured below on the left) as popular? Is it because they are meant for flipping and not dragging on rocky bottoms? Or is it just that traditional smallmouth jigs, aka tubes, are just so much more effective? I also have some War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jigs which I bought because of the smaller profile. Would those work better than the structure jigs?

 

Maybe I am wrong about big jigs not being popular for smallies. It can very well be a local thing too. But if I am wrong, does anyone have any experience with jig fishing for smallies? I'd want some advice on where and how to get started/be effective. Thank you!

 

 

Catch the hell out of smallmouth here in east tn throwing 3/4 oz football jigs. There is a time and place for everything but the fall football head bite is outstanding. i catch a lot more stroking the jig over the rocks rather than dragging it. When the smallies are in that 20-25 ft range it is tough to beat a big jig. Find the plateaus on your main lake points where they school up, cast over them & hop it through. Liable to get your arm broke....they always work better for me in clear water lakes as opposed to dirty or stained 

[Manly Studson]

37 minutes ago, Jermination said:

There is a time and place for everything but the fall football head bite is outstanding.

That’s because fall is football season. Even the bass know.

[Finessegenics]

1 hour ago, Munkin said:

 

Depends on where I am fishing versus LM/SM. Fuller sized jigs work better in lakes while ones like on the right work best for the river.

 

This is my #1 jig period, 5/16 oz GP with Zoom Super Chunk Jr. trailer. My #2 trailer is a GP 3" Berkley Chigger Craw.

 

Allen

I’m on a river most of the time since I’m only a 15 minute drive away from it. Do you think there’s a reason the finesse cut jig excels in a river compared to the other? The biggest fish I’ve seen come out my side of the dam are 4-5lbers and as far as I know, no largemouth in there. Could have to do with the fact there’s quite a bit of current. I’ll give my finesse cut jigs a try though, thank you. 

[TnRiver46]

I was going to say I hope @Jermination comments on this thread 

[Munkin]

48 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

I’m on a river most of the time since I’m only a 15 minute drive away from it. Do you think there’s a reason the finesse cut jig excels in a river compared to the other? The biggest fish I’ve seen come out my side of the dam are 4-5lbers and as far as I know, no largemouth in there. Could have to do with the fact there’s quite a bit of current. I’ll give my finesse cut jigs a try though, thank you. 

 

The river I fish is shallow in comparison to a lot of places. Even when fishing winter 36 degree water I am catching them in 12' or less. Shallow water means lighter weights and the lions main skirt cut just works better for me in clearer water.

 

Allen