Jig Fishing Question

[JShrock07]

Okay I'm not new to bass fishing but I still have several questions that have yet to be answered. Now if this question has already been asked then I apologize.

I have a pretty clear lake I fish (Private) and I have tried throwing jigs but with no success. I have thrown Blue/black jibs with a rage tail craw as a trailer. The only way I have caught one is by swimming it. But that was the only fish I have ever caught on a jig at this lake.

Color seems to be the problem so if anyone could get me up to date then I will hopefully be able to get some good picks as I know there are some terrific bass in this lake.

Thanks

-Nitroman

[basspimple]

i am by no means a jig pro, but this is what i generaly go by: i would use a jig with less bulk, at least in the skirt.  colorwise, i just stick with black/blue in stained/muddy water and green pumpkin-watermelon hues in clear. white if im swimming it. if the fish are finicky, as most bass are clear water, try a smaller trailer, or one that doesnt cause quite as much comotion. i try to go as natural as possible in clear water. just go out and try a couple of different things, jigs can be fished in more ways than one.  

-j

[Big-O]

Hey Nitroman, Green pumpkin jig and craw or chunk is good for clear water conditions and my favorite all around for all cnditions. Clear water, lighter line and smaller presentations are the norm. Also deeper you go the slower you can fish'em and when shallower keep'em movin just a bit faster so that the fish don't get too good a look at them.

Big O

[Trick Worm]

Could be just one of those things thats not attracting bites right now. I find some of my lures to not work at all for a period of time and then one day I start tearin' them up. If im not catchin anything on one type of lure I usually just dont bother with it too much and move on to somethin getting bites.

[Munkin]

Try a natural colored finesse jig like a Eakins with a smaller trailer (super chunk Jr or small double tailed grub). My most productive combo this year is a 5/16oz pumkinseed jig with a green pumkin Zoom creepy crawler trailer.

Allen

[VOL-FISHER]

Try one of the rattlehead bait jigs, it catches fish.  They are a site sponsor as well and have a sell until Sunday.  I just ordered a bunch!

[B-o-b]

Hey Nitroman, Green pumpkin jig and craw or chunk is good for clear water conditions and my favorite all around for all cnditions. Clear water, lighter line and smaller presentations are the norm. Also deeper you go the slower you can fish'em and when shallower keep'em movin just a bit faster so that the fish don't get too good a look at them.

Big O

At the lighter line is the norm part. Is 30lb green braid/ 8lb diamter too heavy for clear water?

[Catt]

Jigs; sometimes they produce sometimes they don't but I still keep one tied on at all times.

My question is what brought you to the determination that your problem was color?

[Pigsticker]

Jigs; sometimes they produce sometimes they don't but I still keep one tied on at all times.

My question is what brought you to the determination that your problem was color?

x2 you'll find that on some bodies of water the fish choke down jigs no matter what and some places where it will not have the same affect

along with everything in between

thats why you hear that some lakes are called great crankbait lakes etc.

Color usually is not the probelm

[Sam]

May I suggest you slim down your presentation?

Pull some strands off the skirt to give the bait a smaller profile in clear water.

Go with natural colors, such as a brown or green.

Use a pork trailer the same color as the skirt.

Go with a smaller jig weight on a lighter flouro line, such as an 8 pound test on your baitcaster.

Then experiment, fishing the jig like a plastic worm; skipping it under trees or bushes; bringing it through any wood or grass in the pond; hopping it along the bottom.

Remember, in clear water the bass will get a good look at it so you want to move the jig to get them to hit it.

May I also suggest a good book or DVD to read or watch this winter?  Get Denny Brauer's book, Jig Fishing Secrets or his DVD, Jig Fishing Secrets to Hugh Catches. Both are excellent and you will learn a lot about jig fishing.

Winter is the time to brush up on your techniques and study baits so next year you will have better results with different baits, techniques, etc.  

[JShrock07]

Jigs; sometimes they produce sometimes they don't but I still keep one tied on at all times.

My question is what brought you to the determination that your problem was color?

I'm not exactly sure Catt, I have never really had much luck with jigs unless I am fishing around lay-downs. I have used red/black in murky water (never caught anything) and I have used blue/black and only caught 1 by swimming it but it was small and a big disappointment to me.

I have tried other colors that I have but still no luck. I am really wanting to get big into jig fishing because I know that jigs can really produce for some of the members here on BR and I want to be in with that crowd!!

-Nitroman

[JShrock07]

Could be just one of those things thats not attracting bites right now. I find some of my lures to not work at all for a period of time and then one day I start tearin' them up. If im not catchin anything on one type of lure I usually just dont bother with it too much and move on to somethin getting bites.

I may have the same problem that you have. I will fish something for a little while but I cannot stick with it if it is not performing for me. I want to learn but I'm afraid the only way I will learn is if I only take a jig with me when I go. I don't like going fishing and working so hard all day with only one bait and not catching anything. I know sometimes that is the easiest way to determine if that bait will work but I'm not sure I want to take that step. I like to vary my baits but I really want to learn how to catch fish on jigs...

I'm lost :-[

-Nitroman

[Big-O]

Hey Nitroman, Green pumpkin jig and craw or chunk is good for clear water conditions and my favorite all around for all cnditions. Clear water, lighter line and smaller presentations are the norm. Also deeper you go the slower you can fish'em and when shallower keep'em movin just a bit faster so that the fish don't get too good a look at them.

Big O

At the lighter line is the norm part. Is 30lb green braid/ 8lb diamter too heavy for clear water?

Heavy pressured shallow 10 ft or less clear water clear conditions on slow moving presentations means clear line-mono or floro lines for me.

Big O

[mike bat]

you may be getting bites and just not noticing them .... i use to get bites all the time ,, i just never felt them till the jig was spit out ... for instance if you cast a jig out you really have to watch the water depth ... if your fishing the jig in 10 ft of water and it seems like the jig olny fell through 4 ft ,, set the hook .... you really have to fish a jig with the rod ... you also want to keep the line semi tight almost always ,, even when the lure is falling through the water ... insted of hopping a jig on a slack line ,,, you want to use the rod to lift and drop the jig ... as you drop use your reel to pick up slack line ,, this will insure your line is tight .... you will feel bites ...

now the color ,,, as a general rule i like watermelon ,, bluegill ,, or pumpkin colors for clear water ,, sunny days ,, little to no wind ... once the wind or clouds pick up ,, ill switch to black and blue or black ...  that being said i dont worry about color too much ... jigs really catch fish ... so i always feel i will catch one when im fishing a jig regaurdless of color ...  ;D

also in clear water make long casts or pitches ,,, fish can be spooky in clear water

[ptomacbass]

i've found during the summer bass like faster sinking jigs try a 1/2 or 3/4 ounce denny brauer jig and ragetail craw/chunk but preferablly craw threaded on for now use both jig and craw in green pumpkin. let the jig fall on semi slack line and watch for line jumping. right when the bait hit bottom hop it again and repeat. if you feel pressure while hopping or feel something else strange immediatlly set the hook.  even if you think always setting the hook makes you look stupid the lake is private so no one can see except maybe the owners and once you learn the difference between how weeds rocks sticks and most importantly bass feel jigs will be almost all you use and you will almost never set the hook on anything other than a fish.

ps i'm bassboy from the ragetail forums.

[MattStrykul]

Keep that jig tied on. My favorite lure to fish is a jig, and it took me a while to learn how, and it was pretty tough, but I got it down. I'm no pro, but it's my best technique and I feel the most comfortable throwing them. Stick with the black blue color combo and throw them into cover. Most of the bites I get the fish will hit it on the fall and run out of the cover. Not too many of my fish sit on the jig, but some will. I had a tournament with Pigsticker where we were on a GREAT jig bite and I missed one because I couldn't tell the fish was sitting there with the jig in its mouth. I pulled it over a limb of a tree (in about 12ft of water) and I thought I was stuck onto another but the fish had it in it's mouth....needless to say I felt the bite, had him hooked but I definetly set way to late and missed the fish when he jumped. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS SET THE HOOK.As James Hall says "That bass nearly took the rod outta my hands!!!" ;D If it feels ANY different SET IT!!!!!! Who cares if you look goofy. You will learn what you are hitting with your jig after time too, (pulling over limbs underwater, logs, rocks.....)