The bass schooled me on jigs today

[BrianMDTX]

I don’t fish jigs often, as they normally get pretty fouled with pond muck. But I decided to throw a jig this morning as bottom baits we’re staying clean. I tied on a 1/2 oz blue/black jig with a Rage Tail craw trailer and boy, did those bass make me look foolish. I had 4 strikes that I simply missed on the hook up, and one (that felt pretty decent) that took me by surprise and simply started swimming off with it without me feeling a thing. By the time my brain went “Duh! The line’s moving!” it was too late. It was likely spitting the jig out as I tried to reel up the slack and set the hook. All I felt was weight, and it felt good. 
 

I caught five 1-2 lb’ers and a dink on other baits, but I think the jig was attracting bigger bass. I need to get better at that! 

[DitchPanda]

Jigs are strange in that they are one of the simplest baits but seem to be one of the hardest to master.

[BrianMDTX]

I felt like Kwai Chang Caine that could not hear the grasshopper at Master Po’s feet lol. 

[roadwarrior]

[ironbjorn]

Jig bites can have the subtlety of Senko bites and are similar to Texas Rigs. If you can pick up on a subtle Senko bite, and if you can fish a Texas Rig, you can do well with a jig. 

[BrianMDTX]

34 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Jig bites can have the subtlety of Senko bites and are similar to Texas Rigs. If you can pick up on a subtle Senko bite, and if you can fish a Texas Rig, you can do well with a jig. 

I fish both, and I say reasonably well. But those bites today were not similar in the least. Compared to a jig, a Senko sinks slow. Pretty simple to see the line either stop too soon, or it starts running. A weightless Texas rig is basically the same. A TR with a bullet weight either stops too soon, or I’ll feel that tap-tap. I can’t recall working a Texas rig that just started running off that I never felt. And it’s been a long time since I’ve tried to set the hook on a TR and only got water lol. I’ve hooked a few weakly that threw the hook, but not a total whiff. These jig bites today were complete misses on my part. 

[throttleplate]

5 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

Jigs are strange in that they are one of the simplest baits but seem to be one of the hardest to master.

 

add the frog to that list.

[NHBull]

Had the same issue.

 

Went to a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce with a light wire hook  and things started to fall into place. Shortening your cast will also help.

With time it becomes second nature.

 

I believe  most that struggle are not setting hard enough to get the weight out of the mouth and stick the room of the mouth. Guys whose gear isn't stout enough find themselves slacklining to compensate 

 

 

[BrianMDTX]

I was using a MH/F rod. I have a HF. Maybe I should switch to that for jigs. 

I was actually surprised that I did not have to de-muck the jig once. That’s promising. 

[Boomstick]

3 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

I was using a MH/F rod. I have a HF. Maybe I should switch to that for jigs. 

I was actually surprised that I did not have to de-muck the jig once. That’s promising. 

A MH should be fine unless it runs on the lighter side.

 

I had a similar issue pitching into laydowns this past week. I may missed easily over a dozen fish, a couple actually bit as I was reeling in and about to lift my rod and the jig out of the water, real odd time and place but others hit it on the fall or after I hit it off a log and were catchable fish.