Hair Jigs

[NHBull]

Howdy

 

With water surface temps temps just breaking 40 degrees, I am wondering who is throwing small hair jigs with success?

 

I have yet to catch a fish in one and it hasn't made it into the early season rotation.

 

Is it worth the commitment?

 

Thanks,

Al

[A-Jay]

Not yet but hope to be soon.

And when I do, a hair jigs is THE MOST 'do nothing' presentation I do.

Long cast, reel slow.

Virtually no other angler in put.

Most anything else done reduces bites for me.

I will change speeds during a retrieve from slow to slower for a few feet.

Often times can cause a follower to sort of run up on the bait without knowing it's coming

and get a bite.  Just don't stop it, keep it moving.

I like the bottom third of the water column, but not necessarily on the bottom.

Sort of like a ned rig - 

A-Jay

 

[OkobojiEagle]

I've caught several largemouths this Spring slow swimming a self-tied black bou-tube.  (PM me if you want to know what that bait is.)

 

oe

[TnRiver46]

4 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

I've caught several largemouths this Spring slow swimming a self-tied black bou-tube.  (PM me if you want to know what that bait is.)

 

oe

? 

[EWREX]

dragging an 1/8 oz. black hair jig on the bottom this past sunday in a tournament was the ticket along with a jerkbait. water temps were 42-44 degrees

[gim]

The only time of year I use a hair jig is when the bug hatches are going heavy.  Mayflies, midges, and lake flies all hatch off the mud in bigger lakes I fish, and they float to the surface slowly in huge clouds.  This is when a black or dark brown hair jig has produced for me.  I primarily use a black VMC one (can't remember what its called).  All kinds of fish gorge on these things, including bass.

 

Once the bugs hit the surface, I'm outta there.  Its disgusting with all the bugs out there.

[Mobasser]

I haven't yet, but plan on trying some bucktail jigs I bought from a local guy near me. Arkie style head and ball head also. I also bought from him two jars of new in jar Uncle Josh split tail eel to use as a trailer. The old jig and eel is one of the killer bass baits from years ago. I'm pumped about bringing them back now.

[WRB]

Hair jigs aren’t any different from silicone, living rubber skirted jigs as to when or how to fish them. 

Everyone thinks hair jigs are cold water jigs they work good in all water temps, it’s a skirt material with life like movement and texture that appeals to bass.

Tom

 

[papajoe222]

I tie my own on good ole ball head jigs, mainly because I go through a lot of them this time of year. I'll use a plastic trailer with little or no action and just drag it a few inches and pause when the bite is tough.  As the water warms, or if the fish are more active,  I'll use a lift and glide retrieve.

[Basser2021]

13 hours ago, NHBull said:

Howdy

 

With water surface temps temps just breaking 40 degrees, I am wondering who is throwing small hair jigs with success?

 

I have yet to catch a fish in one and it hasn't made it into the early season rotation.

 

Is it worth the commitment?

 

Thanks,

Al

I have good luck in the summer working them like a regular jig

[Will Wetline]

. . . drag, pause, twitch, pause . . . slowly on the bottom.

 

Arguably even better with water temps between 40º and 50º are vibrating blade baits.

 

 

 

[Mobasser]

23 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Not yet but hope to be soon.

And when I do, a hair jigs is THE MOST 'do nothing' presentation I do.

Long cast, reel slow.

Virtually no other angler in put.

Most anything else done reduces bites for me.

I will change speeds during a retrieve from slow to slower for a few feet.

Often times can cause a follower to sort of run up on the bait without knowing it's coming

and get a bite.  Just don't stop it, keep it moving.

I like the bottom third of the water column, but not necessarily on the bottom.

Sort of like a ned rig - 

A-Jay

 

A-Jay, have you ever ordered any jigs from Jimmy D's River Bugs? He's in MN. Looks like he makes some really nice jigs. He's got black bear hair jigs and many others. I was going to order some to try, but found a guy who's making some locally, so went with him.                            Mine are standard bucktail, black and dark brown. I was lucky to get two jars of U2 pork trailers from him also. 

 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Mobasser said:

A-Jay, have you ever ordered any jigs from Jimmy D's River Bugs? He's in MN. Looks like he makes some really nice jigs. He's got black bear hair jigs and many others. I was going to order some to try, but found a guy who's making some locally, so went with him.                            Mine are standard bucktail, black and dark brown. I was lucky to get two jars of U2 pork trailers from him also. 

 

I have not ordered but have checked out that site a few times 

as it's been mentioned here more than once (don't remember by who though)

They look pretty sweet but I'm not sure they'll work for me.

I don't fish rivers . . . . 

j/k

#menderchuckriver

A-Jay

[Jigfishn10]

If I could get my hands on some unleaded jig heads for a reasonable price, I would tie my own and fish them as much as I can. I used to fish them all the time when we could use lead jig heads. As mentioned already, they are very productive year round.

 

Making your own is a very relaxing activity during the hard water season.

 

Ready for the saltwater season:

[bowhunter63]

Hair kills, 1/8 ounce black or green slow reeled kills Smallies. One of my favorite spring baits. If you find em you can stack up on em

 

[Brett's_daddy]

I've heard that this hair jig slays them...

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=30&searchtext=shuttle

 

I forgot who I was watching on YouTube but he swears by this jig.

[Primus]

On 4/14/2022 at 3:41 AM, Will Wetline said:

. . . drag, pause, twitch, pause . . . slowly on the bottom.

 

Arguably even better with water temps between 40º and 50º are vibrating blade baits.

 

 

 

How is your hook -up ratio on the blades with just the back hook ? It definitely looks more weedless. 

[PaulVE64]

I throw  black maribou jigs year round. When water hits about 55 I will throw soft plastic and rubber skirted jigs but when the waters under 50 the plastics i use get stiff and the action suffers. 

[WRB]

Marabou isn’t hair it’s feathers.

Use hand pour soft plastics they have better movement in cold water, not but as good as soft pork rind..

Tom

[softwateronly]

I'm pretty sure @A-Jay put me on these, but they've been my best jig bite this spring so far.  The gambler 3" otter w/ the legs pulled off has been a decent do nothing trailer with it.

 

https://punisherlures.com/products/the-punisher-jig

 

scott

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

I'm pretty sure @A-Jay put me on these, but they've been my best jig bite this spring so far.  The gambler 3" otter has been a decent do nothing trailer with it.

 

https://punisherlures.com/products/the-punisher-jig

 

scott

I like these too ~

A-Jay

[Finessegenics]

Don't mean to hijack but I wanted to throw this question out there. How are you guys casting these 1/16 marabou jigs? Any old ML rod or are you using a longer one? or even a L rod?

 

I've tried and I get frustrated because I probably don't have the proper gear for it but I really can't get much distance. Of course, going heavier is an option but I think the reason they're as effective as they are is because the jigs are so light they sort of float and glide in the water, which looks very natural. 

[Will Wetline]

2 hours ago, Primus said:

How is your hook -up ratio on the blades with just the back hook ? It definitely looks more weedless. 

Hook-up ratio is close to 100%.  All the smallmouth I've taken on it have sucked it off the bottom after a very short pause. 

 

I fish these on rocky or clean, hard bottoms - it's not a bait for weedy areas although with the single 1/0 Siwash hook it would be better than trebles.

 

One further observation: when I hang it, I jiggle it on a semi-slack line. This oftentimes will free it.

[DitchPanda]

On 4/13/2022 at 1:38 PM, gimruis said:

The only time of year I use a hair jig is when the bug hatches are going heavy.  Mayflies, midges, and lake flies all hatch off the mud in bigger lakes I fish, and they float to the surface slowly in huge clouds.  This is when a black or dark brown hair jig has produced for me.  I primarily use a black VMC one (can't remember what its called).  All kinds of fish gorge on these things, including bass.

 

Once the bugs hit the surface, I'm outta there.  Its disgusting with all the bugs out there.

I think your using a vmc dominator...I've used those as well with some decent success.

[A-Jay]

19 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

Don't mean to hijack but I wanted to throw this question out there. How are you guys casting these 1/16 marabou jigs? Any old ML rod or are you using a longer one? or even a L rod?

 

I've tried and I get frustrated because I probably don't have the proper gear for it but I really can't get much distance. Of course, going heavier is an option but I think the reason they're as effective as they are is because the jigs are so light they sort of float and glide in the water, which looks very natural. 

I use a 7'6" ML Stick with a 3000 size spinner loaded with 8 lb braid,

which is Really Thin. 

Clearly the 'casts' are not super long.

But this set up gets me the most distance vs other shorts 7' rods I've tried. 

Also 3/32 is the lightest I use. 

A-Jay