Which style of Jig?

[Otter17]

I never use to be a jig fisherman. Actually never used them till last year when I started using a finesse jig tipped with a craw soft plastic for smallmouth. After having good success with it I’d like to start using them for largemouth, but I see there are a bunch of different kinds. Casting, flipping, swimming, finesse, and football. 
 

If I’m just starting out with these is there one style that is more for general use? And what is a good starting size?

 

Thanks greatly!

[E-rude dude]

I prefer Santone and Dirty jigs

http://www.santonelures.com/store/store_product_detail.cfm?Product_ID=3&Category_ID=4

 

https://dirtyjigstackle.com/products.php?cat=47
 

you can skip them, swim them, bottom bounce them. 

[Dens228]

Siebert Extreme Arky is about as versatile and good quality as you can get. 

 

[roadwarrior]

https://siebertoutdoors.com/

[Catt]

Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Jig 

 

I cast it, pitch it, flip it, swim it, in every imaginable type of cover.

 

Look at the hook eye in relationship to the hook point, it almost like a Texas Rig, straight in line.

 

The head is wider than it is tall so it doesn't fall over when sitting on the bottom. 

 

 

[A-Jay]

20 minutes ago, Catt said:

Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Jig 

 

I cast it, pitch it, flip it, swim it, in every imaginable type of cover.

 

Look at the hook eye in relationship to the hook point, it almost like a Texas Rig, straight in line.

 

The head is wider than it is tall so it doesn't fall over when sitting on the bottom. 

 

 

 

I'm a fan

A-Jay

[GetFishorDieTryin]

If I had to pick 1 it would be a an arkie or casting style head with a vertical eye.  They come through grass, skip, drag without getting bogged down and swim really well.  In the past couple years Molixs' Kento Jig is becoming one of if not my favorites, the 1/4s are really compact and 3/8s are full size, great hook, great skirt material and hand tied.  DJs Luke Clausen Casting Jigs are great as well and colors are awesome.  The skirts are banded, so I like to cut the band and tie them with wire or braid for a fuller flare.  Keitechs Mod1 Ver2 are great as well if you want a smaller profile.  

[Catt]

There are only 3 jigs I throw & all for the same reason, the eye in relationship to the point.

 

Hack Attack Fluorocarbon 

Oldham's EyeMax 

Siebert Outdoors Supreme Grass

 

The only reason I'm throwing a Fluorocarbon more is availability, sometimes I can't wait far an order to come in.

[Deleted account]

7 hours ago, Otter17 said:

I never use to be a big jig fisherman. Actually never used them till last year when I started using a finesse jig tipped with a craw soft plastic for smallmouth. After having good success with it I’d like to start using them for largemouth, but I see there are a bunch of different kinds. Casting, flipping, swimming, finesse, and football. 
 

If I’m just starting out with these is there one style that is more for general use? And what is a good starting size?

 

Thanks greatly!

File off the smallie serial number like an illegal gun, so the LMB won't know the difference...

[Kenny Yi]

2 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

File off the smallie serial number like an illegal gun, so the LMB won't know the difference...

X2.  My most productive jig for lmb is a ballhead finesse jig. 

 

I would keep using that jig, for heavier cover and a bigger quality, the above options will do

[Munkin]

Depending on what you are fishing a ball or arky head work best overall. Now if its grass a pointy head like everyone else is posting pictures of works better.

 

Allen

[Otter17]

Would 3/8 or 1/2 be a better general use size?

[DitchPanda]

Two jigs I use most are a swim jig and a finesse flip.

Specifically  1/4oz bluegill swim jig and a 5/16th green pumpkin finesse flip. BOSS makes good heads for both and just put you a skirt on them. Or go the @Siebert Outdoors route and get some green pumpkin 5\16 sniper jigs and 1\4oz bluegill shot caller swim jigs. Both quality...can't go wrong either way.

[Kenny Yi]

1 hour ago, Otter17 said:

Would 3/8 or 1/2 be a better general use size?

3/8th is best all-around imo.  Can be used on both the boat and the bank.  Heavier jigs are better from a boat, since the jig is worked down the slope, vice versa for lighter jigs.  3/8th is also my preferred skipping and casting weight.  as G-Man once said "if I could have one lure to catch fish across the country, it would be a Buckeye 3/8 oz Ballin' Out jig"

[Michigander]

Don't throw football heads into vegetation. Other than that, experiment and have fun.

 

Side notes, horizontal line ties are better in wood than grass.

[Otter17]

22 minutes ago, Michigander said:

Don't throw football heads into vegetation. Other than that, experiment and have fun.

 

Side notes, horizontal line ties are better in wood than grass.

Thankyou very much for those tips man!!!

[Michigander]

Just now, Otter17 said:

Thankyou very much for those tips man!!!

You're welcome! 

People are going to tell was lot of stuff and most of them are right. However, jigs are super relative. Just explore and find what works for you.

[Otter17]

3 hours ago, Michigander said:

You're welcome! 

People are going to tell was lot of stuff and most of them are right. However, jigs are super relative. Just explore and find what works for you.

Terrific advice! ??

Based on everyone’s help looks like I’ll be getting swim jigs in bluegill and warmouth color. I think I’m going with the Dirty Jigs because I really like the color patterns they offer in these two. 
 

And then casting jigs in Green Pumpkin for clear water. And Black/Purple/Blue for either stained water or low light conditions. 

[Hammer 4]

3/8 oz would be a good all around weight. Mine go from 1/4 to 1 oz, depend on conditions.

[Catt]

7 hours ago, Michigander said:

Side notes, horizontal line ties are better in wood than grass.

 

Please explain how ?

[Michigander]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Please explain how ?

They go over logs and fallen trees better than a vertical line tie. Vertical does better at coming through grass. At least that's my experience.

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Michigander said:

They go over logs and fallen trees better than a vertical line tie. Vertical does better at coming through grass. At least that's my experience.

 

A jig's ability to come through grass or wood has more to do with the angler than the line tie. At least that's been my experience.

 

What ya want 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 ya want the jig to follow the line up to the cover & then slide over or through the cover smoothly. Ya want a quality brush/weed guard & a quality hook, all are more important to me than line tie.

[Dwight Hottle]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

A jig's ability to come through grass or wood has to do with the angler than the line tie.

 

What ya want 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 ya want the jig to follow the line up to the cover & then slide over or through the cover smoothly. Ya want a quality brush/weed guard & a quality hook, all are more important to me than head design.

 

Well put.

[Bankc]

Really, the biggest difference between jigs is how well they deal with certain types of cover.  I've gotten away with using the wrong style of jig in the wrong type of cover, many, many times.  You may have a few more hang ups, but it can still work to catch fish.  I'd suggest an Arkie style as a good jack of all trades, master of none.  But really, you should figure out what kind of cover you're going to run into most, and select a jig made for that.  Then when you run into the occasional patch of a different kind of cover, just make do with what you have.  Later on down the road, if you decide to get more serious with it, you can build up your jigging arsenal.  

[WRB]

Hmmmm, lots of opinions regarding jig type and more types every day trying to solve the age old problem of being snag free with high strike to hook up ratio.

Whatever weight and design you prefer the most important component is the hook! 

Largemouth bass strike by engulfing the jig into the big mouth, then kill it by crunching dow between the tongue and roof of the mouth that has cartilage with teeth I call crunchers. If the hook does stick the mouth tissue the jig is blown back out as it get rejected. If the bass continues to eat the jig you will feel the movements the give you strike detection. You feel the line movement and set the hook. 2 things happens1) the hook embeds into the inside of the mouth, fish on. 2) the hook misses the mouth tissues because it’s dull, rolled over sideways or the head knocks the mouth open, etc, etc.

Bass are attracted to jigs primarily by the trailer, the skirts adds profile, coloration and natural movements. 

Select the jig so it can be retrieved effectively where you fish.

Tom