Jig questions

[Clark Stewart]

I've only caught 2 bass fishing jigs - it's not my confidence bait but I'd love to get into it. Problem is the 4 acre pond I fish is covered with slime/slop on the bottom, but it has underwater grass too. How do you fish a jig in this place? I don't want to rake the lake with every cast. What should I do? The water I fish is only 6 feet deep or so casting distance from the bank.

[roadwarrior]

Soft plastics on an Evolution Shak-E2 is an option. This jig head

will keep the trailer off the bottom and out of the gunk. I like a

variety of trailers, but you can simply use your favorite.

8-)

[WRB]

You can't effectively fish a bottom bumping jig in a weedy shallow pond. Try a light weight 1/8 oz shaky style jig worm that you can swim and let drop into open pockets.

WRB

[Raul]

I've only caught 2 bass fishing jigs - it's not my confidence bait but I'd love to get into it. Problem is the 4 acre pond I fish is covered with slime/slop on the bottom, but it has underwater grass too. How do you fish a jig in this place? I don't want to rake the lake with every cast. What should I do? The water I fish is only 6 feet deep or so casting distance from the bank.

Try with a finesse jig.

[J Francho]

Sounds like frog water to me.

[Clark Stewart]

Sounds like frog water to me.

That's what I usually fish - or a weightless kriet krieture buzzbait style. I just know that jigs get few but big bites just about anywhere. Problem is that any shaky style i use digs into the slop.

[senko_77]

It sounds like your fishing a lake where the jig cant be used in it's traditional style.  What you can do is take the jig and retrieve it just like a spinnerbait.  It's called swimming a jig.  Try using a white jig to match shad, or a green pumpkin to match bream.

Good luck dude  

[bass wrangler569]

It sounds like your fishing a lake where the jig cant be used in it's traditional style. What you can do is take the jig and retrieve it just like a spinnerbait. It's called swimming a jig. Try using a white jig to match shad, or a green pumpkin to match bream.

Good luck dude

X2

I've caught some big bass using this technique in ponds

[mudcats22]

well if i was you i would for sure shoot for finesse rig with a big bullet weight

[Koop]

well if i was you i would for sure shoot for finesse rig with a big bullet weight

:-?  How will this help him build jig confidence?

+1 to swimming the jig.

[Catt]

well if i was you i would for sure shoot for finesse rig with a big bullet weight

:-? How will this help him build jig confidence?

+1 to swimming the jig.

Jigs are not to the ideal choice in every scenario which will in fact destroy your confidence.

[Incheon Basser]

Jigs are a structure and Cover tool ... most shallow ponds don't have eather of these. I agree with the other fellas.. try swiming a jig over submerged vegies or use a grass jig (pointed jig head)  I prefure tubes to jigs in your situation.. close to same presintation.. close to same profie and close to same color options...

if you get really good at flipin and pitchin tubes... you can aplly that same confidence on to a jig when you hit water with rocky points, docks and laydowns

[The_Natural]

The gunk or slime on top of the water is what makes me skip the jig in an area like that.  You'll be cleaning off your jig after every cast.  I don't fish Senkos very often, but it's what I'd use in that situation.  Gunk doesn't seem to stick to senkos like other plastics with appendagesd.  

[Koop]

well if i was you i would for sure shoot for finesse rig with a big bullet weight

:-? How will this help him build jig confidence?

+1 to swimming the jig.

Jigs are not to the ideal choice in every scenario which will in fact destroy your confidence.

You make a very valid point Catt, I was under the impression however that this is the primary lake or possibly only lake he currently has access to.  The jig may not be the ideal choice but still need to learn or get some confidence in them.

[adclem]

I fish a couple ponds like this and I use a swim jig, with some pretty good success.  I have also had some luck with a 5/16oz finesse jig with a very small trailer.

Also you might look pick up some bobber  stoppers.  Learn this trick from Gary Yamamoto.  When placed next to the knot it helps prevent the moss and grass build up that the knot tends to pickup.

Later,

[Catt]

Koopa, I agree 100% that everyone should learn how to use a jig but I also know for certain that a jig does not always produce. I've always taught that to learn a lure one should go out with that lure alone but after careful consideration I have rethought this theory as it pertains to a jig. The year 2009 has taught me this lesson well, I consider myself above average with a jig in hand and yet on Toledo Bend it has not produced a single fish in over 2 ½ months at least for me and the areas I fish.

[tyrius.]

I've always taught that to learn a lure one should go out with that lure alone but after careful consideration I have rethought this theory as it pertains to a jig.

An added caveat to the theory is that prior to going out with that one lure the angler should know enough about it to know where and when he/she will be most successful in using that lure.  That would be the time to go out with only that lure.

Using a jig in a small farm pond can be a lesson in frustration.  I grew up fishing that type of water and hated jigs.  I now fish a pond that has a big area of chunk rock on the bottom and love fishing jigs there.  The other ponds that do not have this hard bottom are covered in weeds and jig fishing just doesn't work at those places.

[Paul Roberts]

There's a jig for every occasion.

In this case use a cone-head swim jig of proper weight -1/8 would probably work.

Don't get down about some muck on your jig, unless it's too thick. Pick it off and cast again.

[lightsout]

I regularly fish a bank fishing only pond similar to yours and just couldnt use jigs the way I like to,  this is my solution:

step 1: get the straight tale worm of ur choice. As mentioned earlier u dont want appendages or tails to "grab" anything

Step 2: take the hook of ur choice and run the "head" end of the worm so that your knot is completely covered by the plastic. (very important)

Step 3: insert a nail weight inside the plastic completely concealing it. This creates a very streamlined, weedless rig.

Another trick I use on fluke type baits is cutting the plastic with a knife, and inserting a tungsten bullet weight into the plastic, then glue it back securely. (I also cut the Head end of senkos a 1/2'' or so down the middle and saturate the inside with super glue. This saves me a TON of money over a season)

Good luck and I hope ya catch a biggun'.

[hawgwalker]

Throw out a jig let it fall to the bottom let it sit for 10-15 seconds snap it hard and reel it in and repeat. A fish that is nearby will see it fall and swim to the bottom and may hit it on the fall or go to it to investigate and pick it up off the bottom or be triggered as it bursts from the scum or grass. In loose grass or scum you cannot really fish it back to the boat or shore but sometimes less is more . It is frustrating cleaning the jig off on nearly every cast but that will go away when you start catching a few pigs.