Jig Fishing

[AHBasser]

Whay can't I catch a fish on a jig.  I am using a 1/2 oz jig, by strike works with a craw tube trailer.  The lake I fish is real brushy and it's hard not to feel like I am stuck all the time.  Should I use a lighter jig.  I have been fishing it in 2-12' of water as well as 25'+.  I use the same colors that I would use in plastic.  I can fish an area, and go back with my worm and catch fish, so I know I am fishing productive areas.  Do you thinks some lakes just don't do well as far as a jig goes.  I have tried it off and on all year, and have yet to catch a fish or have a bite for that mater.  Please help.

[fishin_fool]

  You probably need to lighten up your jig, depending on water clarity  and tempature.Ifish a lot of clear lakes I use 1/4 oz jig and some lakes they wont hit it with plastic trailers and I use some kind of pork.You said you use it in 25 ft anything over 10 ft I use a texas rigged tube but dont peg the weight try flippin the tubes they work at times for me

good luck

 

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I advise all people trying to learn jigs to start off with a finesse jig. 1/8th oz. Still very castable but hooks up alot less on bottom drama and alot more on chunky bass! Good luck and by all means, stick with it, you're onto somthing very, very lethal.

Terminator, micromunch and rocky ledge all make fantastic finesse jigs

[Guest DavidGreen]

AHBasser,

Should I use a lighter jig.  I have been fishing it in 2-12' of water as well as 25'+.  I use the same colors that I would use in plastic.  I can fish an area, and go back with my worm and catch fish, so I know I am fishing productive areas.

IMPO ....

If you can return to a spot and catch with the plastic worm, I would change the weight of the jig to match the total weight of the worm rig (might have something to do with the rate of fall and how close it hugs the bottom), and change the jig coloring to match the worm color/s that's producing. Also notice the speed at which you are fishing the worm and reproduce that with the jig.

Tight Lines!            

[Guest avid]

I agree with all the suggestions regarding using a lighter jig. I never tried a 1/8 oz but have gone as low 3/16.  The lighter jigs will fall slower and that is where you will get most of your hits.  

Another piece of advice I think you may find helpful.  You can't fish a jig like you would a worm. With jigs you need to keep a tight line at all times.  The jig bite is very very VERY subtle.  Any difference in feel - set the hook.  I'm guessing some of the times you thought you were hanging up were actually bites.  Good luck, and have fun.  Jig fishing is way cool.  8)

[HudsonRiverRat]

What kind of set up are you using them on?

I use braid for jigging as I feel it really helps when the fish aren't really slamming them but gently sucking them in.When I started I kept it simple using just black jigs and trailers.They get bit everywhere I have fished them.Jigs for me are also something I use for specific cover or structure.I don't use them for covering water and searching.If I see a likely piece of fish holding structure I try to drop my jig as close and quiet as possable.I am a firm believer in a splashless presentaion with a jig also.It seems to make a big difference.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

all great points- and as always, check your hook sharpness, bouncing rocks and hanging up alot can dull your tip.

[The_Natural]

I'd lose the bulky craw tube trailer. Go with a chunk which will give your jig a better profile and more natural action. Fluorocarbon also can help you detect the subtle strikes when the fish are light biting. Check out www.joesjigtrailers.com

[pmoravek]

I just started trying to learn with a jig too.

I've been using an Uncle Bucks jig out of the kit you get from BPS. I've put a Bungee power hawg on as a trailer (in a matching shade of green) and I have been having tremendous luck.

2 fish over 3lbs in the past two trips.

But as others have said...the bite is very subtle. Sometimes you just see the line start to move. But when you think you got one on...

SET THAT HOOK LIKE YOU WANT TO PULL HIS FRIGGIN HEAD OFF!!!

I'm sure I've missed a couple of nice fish because I felt something spongy, then tugged the thing away from the fish.

[Guest avid]

The best trailer I have found so far is the GYCB hula grub.  I use three colors.  Pumpkin w/blk,  Blue/black, and sometimes fading watermelon.  I have not tried them yet, but the zoom twin tail grub looks excellent.

[Chris]

The bass your catching on plastics may not be hitting big baits so you might want to trim your jig skirt down to offer the bass a smaller profile. Take a zoom super chunk or one of those 3x chunks and thread it on the hook instead of just hooking it like a pork chunk.  This will make the bait appear smaller without sacrificing the weight you need to feel the bottom. Try a 3/8 oz and braid if you feel like your digging in to much.

[Guest avid]

I also believe that threading the trailer onto the hook is better.  I believe it gives a more natural presentation.

[DDbasser]

I agree with the lighter jig, i use mostly 1/4 oz.

I also use flurocarbon line and I really like the zoom chunks and swimming chunks for trailers.

i have also found that threading the trailer on seems to work better than just hooking them like you would a pork trailer.

I just started catching fish with jigs late this summer, and what I found was that I was always getting hits I just didn't recognize them for what they were.

I read the following on this site and it helped greatly:

If it feels different set the hook.

Also something else that helped me was learning what the jig feels like that way when it does feel different you'll know it.

Good luck and don't give up on them.

They are an awsome lure!!  

[pmoravek]

I also believe that threading the trailer onto the hook is better. I believe it gives a more natural presentation.

Thread the trailer?

???

I can't visualize that.

Anybody got some pics they can post?

[Fishie]

Just put it on the hook and push it up on the jig to the holder instead of hooking it once like a pork bait.

[AHBasser]

Guys, thanks for all the useful info.  I just got home from Academy and bought me some 1'4 and 1'8 ounce jigs.  I will try them this weekend, and let y'all know how i did.

What is a jig supposed to resemble?

[Fishie]

White jig-baitfish

dark jig- crawdaddy

[AHBasser]

How about a Black/Blue?

[Chris]

Dinner

[Ben]

In Ga, I use Black/blue late in the year, brown/orange, brown/green and brown/orange/green in early spring.

This time of the year when shad are moving into the shallows it use white a lot.

With skirted jigs 95% of the time I use 3/16 - 1/4 oz with a chunk trailer. I also use a lot of GYCB hula grubs on a 1/4 football head.  These, I'm very picky about how I thread them on, I like some of the grub to be on the bend on the hook so it gives a curved back.   It's also helpful to have some swimming jigs (different jig head than bottom bouncers) you can swim through the tree tops and over grass.

I will shave or clip lead off the jig head to slow rate of fall if I feel it's still falling too fast when fishing shallow.

Most of my fishing is in stained water but if fishing fairly clear water, I mostly pitch a jig. Flipping puts you way too close and if the fish can see you, he most likely is not going to bite

The only time I use heavier jigs is when having to get through heavy cover or working them deeper than 10 ft.

[Matt Fly]

Mr Allen Henry Basser,

           First off, You are on the 2005 sharelunker winning lake.  First lake to over take Fork in the Sharelunker season with 9- 13lbers last season.  First time since it started that Lake Fork didn't earn that honor.    A quarter oz blk/blu or brwn/purple, camo and matching pig claw.   Your water is clear unless the rains hit you this am.  Your lake is producing big chunks,  wouldn't down size your mono too much.  Use pork trailer to slow your fall,  target the big trees in the river, target the sunny side of the tree late morning on, they will be suspended and catching some sun.    When the water temps drops a little more, fish where caught at 40ft last year.  The majority of your fish are being caught on DD22's right now.  I know that doesn't help you with the jig right now.   My home town of Odessa just had there cllub tournament there last weekend.    Four stringers over 23lbs, 26+ won it, with an 11.43 kicker.    Good luck

[Guest avid]

good luck and have fun.  Jig fishing is way addictive.  I am not a very good jig fisherman, but I believe that the best bass fisherman are excellent jig fishers.  It's the most versatile lure in your tackle box.  I always have at least one tied on.  I usually start off with a 1/4 oz. pumpkin/black or black/blue depending on what's already tied on.  If I don't start getting bites I'll usually switch the color before dropping down to the 3/16th.  I have some 1/2 oz jigs for deeper water, but the real place the jig is killer for me is in about 4-8' of water. I pitch close to weedline and let the jig drop on a taut line.  They hit very softly, usually on the fall.

[senko_77]

u got me convinced.  im headin out to buy some next chance.  btw, i suck at jigs

[Matt Fly]

AH, Randy, got your email. Fish the timber in the bends in Grape creek. My uncle said two of the 13 lbers came from grape creek. Run to the back of grape, throw a firetiger excalibur suspending model. cover 2-8ft. Try tennessee shad color, clown also. Once you've located a few, drop back to the nearest deep timber 15'-20 ft, try your jig in blk/blue. Keep on backing out of the creek till you find the smaller ones shallow. I say shallow, most of the banks are deep and steep already. Concetrate in the bends. Grape has produced a money stringer every time he's there.

On the deep banks that hit 15-20 ft, fish parallel to the bank on the sunny side. Most fish this last tourney were caught on DD22's. Uncle said, he was using the suspending excaliburs, get them deep and let them set 10-20 sec. give them just a twitch, slight twitch, hold on, they are trying to remove your rod. Add some suspending dots behind the front treble, keeps it from floating up, they suspend, but they loose a little depth as you wait patiently 10-20 seconds, this puts a forward dive appearence on them. Next time your out, tell me if the ducks are showing up there please. I always take a trip home and go duck and pheasant hunting above Lubbock.

[AHBasser]

Matt, thanks for all the info.  My bigest fish came from  B Grape.  Looks like I need to try it some more.  I will let you know how I did this weekend and tell you abou the ducks.