Jig weight

[pauldconyers]

Been looking at jig rods and am looking at lure weight ratings on rods. I only use 3/8 and 1/2 oz jigs. That weight only relates to the jig head weight, correct? On a standard jig how much weight does a standard skirt and trailer (say a SK Rage craw because I use a lot of those) add to it?

[Catt]

Hard to say without actually weighing it because you also gotta add the hook.

 

i generally consider a 3/8 oz closer to 1/2 oz but there’s some guys running this site that will actually weigh it & let you know.

[mrpao]

I have weighted a few of my 1/2 oz jigs with trailer they normally weigh close to an oz. Give or take a little.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The rating on rods are actual weight not lead head weight. Hook, skirt and trailer can add significantly to head weight. 

[pauldconyers]

2 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

The rating on rods are actual weight not lead head weight. Hook, skirt and trailer can add significantly to head weight. 

So you're saying I would need to weigh "the final product" and factor that in compared to the weight rating on the rod, correct?

[Catt]

16 hours ago, pauldconyers said:

Been looking at jig rods and am looking at lure weight ratings on rods. I only use 3/8 and 1/2 oz jigs

 

I throw 1/4-1/2 oz jigs, that's what is written on the package.

 

My jig rod is rated for 1/4-1 oz which puts my jigs actual weight within the rod's ratings.

[Dens228]

I use 1/4 oz up to 1/2 oz jigs with various trailers.  I use a MegaBass Orochi XX Braillist for all of them and call it a day.  I'm not concerned even one tiny bit with the exact weight of each jig and it's companion trailer.  

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

1 hour ago, pauldconyers said:

So you're saying I would need to weigh "the final product" and factor that in compared to the weight rating on the rod, correct?

Yes

[Fishes in trees]

Digital postal scales are pretty cheap at Walmart.   Get a plastic case to keep the dust off of it,  be sure and remove the battery between uses (to prevent corrosion)  and it will last a long time.  Mine is around 10 years old.

[WRB]

I make most of my own jigs and occasionally buy types I don't make.

What I discovered with off the shelf jigs is you can't rely on the packaged marked weights. The only reason weight is important to me is the rate of fall otherwise it doesn't affect the rod to be off 50% for jigs between 1/4 to 1/2 oz.

I bought some 1/2oz flipping jigs that weighed 3/4 oz plain without skirts. Curious I weight all my off the shelf jigs and discovered none weighed what they were marked.

Just consider it a ball park weight, if you like how it performs it's good.

Tom

[Chris186]

I actually just weighed a bunch of 3/8 jigs the other day on a food scale, they were very close to 1/2. It was like a .47oz average

[waymont]

I bought a digital scale 3 years ago, and started checking all my bait weights. I found most commonly available jigs, like the 1/4oz strike king Bitsy Flip + trailer like a 3.5” beaver weight about 3/8oz. A War Eagle flipping jig + trailer usually is about 3/4-1oz. In general I found all jigs to weigh more than their listed weight. Knowing the actual weight allows you to know what weight to throw for the rate of fall you want, and to stay in your rods recommended casting weights.

[fishwizzard]

I have a little scale and compulsively weigh pretty much all my lures and plastics.  For the most part a jig with a reasonably sized trailer will end up weighing a little less then twice what the listed weight is. Swim jigs tend to weigh a little more as the trailers are generally larger.

[TBAG]

Yeah, your best bet is to buy a cheap digital scale. I got one off the bay for like $8. 

 

I mainly throw a 3/8 jig plus trailer and after buying a new jig rod a few months ago I quickly realized the total weight overpowered that specific rod. Now I throw lighter 1/4 or 5/16 jigs plus smaller trailers with that rod and I'm patiently waiting on a deal to grab another rod to throw 3/8 and 1/2 oz jigs plus trailer. It's a slippery slope, that old bait monkey is sneaky. 

[Munkin]

Any lead baits that are made by spincasting the weight is just the lead. Hooks, skirts,etc. are not figured in. 

 

Allen 

 

 

[Steveo-1969]

I had a custom rod built by @Delaware Valley Tackle to specifically fish a 3/16 ounce Strike King Bitsy Bug jig. He had me weigh the complete jig/trailer and I was surprised that with the (shortened) SK Baby Rage Craw the total weight was 3/8 ounce!

[fishballer06]

Spinnerbaits are where you really see weights all over the place. Some companies sell a 3/8oz spinnerbait that weighs 3/8oz. Other places will sell a spinnerbait that's 3/8oz for just the lead/hook/wire. After you add in blades, skirt, swivel, beads, you might have 5/8 - 3/4oz spinnerbait. 

 

When I sell someone a spinnerbait that I build, I let them know that the bait itself weights XX, but all dressed out it weighs YY. 

[Ogandrews]

Your overthinking it in my opinion. I don’t usually put too much trust in the rod weight rating. Depending on the company they can be way over or way understated on the recommended weights. I use almost all dobyns and st croix rods. Dobyns usually has a max weight a lot higher than I would throw on that rod, st croix is more spot on but a couple of my rods of theirs are the same way or I throw heavier than what they recommend with no issues. If your throwing 3/8-1/2 oz jigs with regular to stout hooks I think you would be good with any quality heavy 7’3”-7’9” jig rod. I throw most of my jigs that size on a dobyns Sierra 735c which they call a mag heavy (more like between a heavy and medium heavy) and rate up to 1 1/2 oz but I don’t feel comfortable throwing anything over 3/4 on it. That rod is amazing for throwing stuff in that 3/8-1/2 (advertised weight) range. I have also used it for frogs for a season but it’s a little soft for my liking to set frog hooks.

2 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

I had a custom rod built by @Delaware Valley Tackle to specifically fish a 3/16 ounce Strike King Bitsy Bug jig. He had me weigh the complete jig/trailer and I was surprised that with the (shortened) SK Baby Rage Craw the total weight was 3/8 ounce!

What a great jig, especially for the price. I use the Bitsy flip model more but I’ll use the standard also. I pretty much won’t go bass fishing without a 1/4 oz bitsy flip in green pumpkin with a rage menace as a trailer tied on one of my rods.

[smalljaw67]

I know that the weight of a jig is just the head weight. I don't even concern myself with actual weight, I just use the given weight of a jig as the profile size. That said, I use MH rod for jigs in the 1/4oz to 3/8oz range, 1/2oz and larger I opt for a heavy power rod. The only exception is for heavy finesse type jigs like light wire football jigs and Eakins type jigs that are 1/2oz. For those types of jigs I'll stay with the MH power rod regardless of the lure ratings. 

[fishwizzard]

20 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

I had a custom rod built by @Delaware Valley Tackle to specifically fish a 3/16 ounce Strike King Bitsy Bug jig. He had me weigh the complete jig/trailer and I was surprised that with the (shortened) SK Baby Rage Craw the total weight was 3/8 ounce!

As an aside, I’d love to hear more about this rod. I throw a ton of little 3/16 jigs that also end up weighing around 3/8oz total.  

[Steveo-1969]

On 4/17/2020 at 12:13 PM, fishwizzard said:

As an aside, I’d love to hear more about this rod. I throw a ton of little 3/16 jigs that also end up weighing around 3/8oz total.  

I just send a message to you.

[mcipinkie]

d**n,  You guys must be eat up with the virus.

 

I classify jigs by three weights:  Big, middle, small.  Don't really care what they weigh.  All are labeled between 3/16 and 3/4 oz. except the big Hack Attack punch jigs.  I pay no attention to the weight on the package.  I have jigs that are labeled 1/4 that are bigger than the 3/8.  I have some that labeled 1/2 that are the same size as the 1/4.  Think "big, middle, small". Except for the Hack Attack punch jigs, I throw Boss jigs exclusively.  I know which ones to buy.  When i look in my jig box, I either get a big one, a middle sized one, or a small one.  It ain't rocket science.

 

Except for some heavy punch jigs, trailer and all, I doubt any will weight much over an ounce.

 

I have a big jig rod, a middle size jig rod and little jig rod.

 

It's really that simple unless you are writing a doctoral thesis.

[primetime]

Most Medium heavy rods are typically 1/4-1oz. Some are more specific, but I would focus on finding a rod that you like, in Medium heavy range, and you will be able to throw just about any jig size.

 

If you get into the bitsy bug sized jigs which are 1/16-1/4, then you would want a lighter rod in Medium action, or maybe even a spinning rod. I tend to use medium heavy casting rods for just about everything I throw with exception of smaller weightless soft baits....

 

It is really the tip that matters for jig fishing imo...Its tricky to detect bites even with the right rod.