Hair Jigs for Smallmouth?

[Gary D.]

I just started using hair jigs this season, and noticed that they just don't work for smallies but largemouth also, I ended up catching my biggest bass of the year on them, not a smallie but a largemouth 5.4lbs, my best set up to fish these is a spinning rod M-MH 10lb test and a black and blue 1/4oz bucktail hair jig w/a blue tiny salty chunk as a trailer, I ended up catching the majority of my bass on this combo at the end of the season, I'd like to know what sizes, techniques, what type of hair and what seasons you guys fish em, feel free to voice your opinion

[heathen]

I like Punisher Hair Jigs (blk/blue, white, & Brown/orange) in 1/8 and 1/4 oz.

[phisher_d]

I like using hair jigs in spring when the water is still cold. I cast it out, then let it sink to the bottom. Let it sit for a few seconds, then jerk it up. Let it settle again, then jerk. I fish them more aggressively than tubes, but I find it is important to let it settle down to the bottom between every jerk or two.

I use bass pro XPS bucktail jigs in white, usually 1/4 ounce, without a trailer.  

[Mobydick]

I have just started making my own bucktail jigs. I favor the color black/blue, black/orange, and chartreuse.

[basspro48]

I only break out my hair jigs when fishing for smallies or when fishing in small rivers and streams, I just don't have confidence in them for LM's. I use relatively light jigs, 1/8-1/4oz, but my go-to is a 3/16oz. orange/brown jig tied with CDC feathers, Marabou, and bucktail. For a trailer I like a tiny grub or a Yamamoto baby craw and I fish the jigs on several different rigs depending on the weight of the jig...

1/8oz- 6' Medium Fin-Nor Profiler spinning rod, 6730X Pflueger President spinning reel, 6lb P-Line Fluoroclear

3/16oz- 6'6" Medium All-Star American Classic spinning rod, Shimano Spirex 2000FE spinning reel, 10lb P-Line Fluoroclear

1/4oz- 6'6" Medium All-Star American Classic casting rod, Shimano Curado CU-200 reel, 10lb Stren Original

I have caught many solid smallies and Kentucky bass in the Rivanna and James rivers on those rigs, with my biggest being a 3lb. Kentucky bass and 5.5lb. LM both caught on the 3/16oz jig. Most of my big fish bite when I throw my jig across the river and let it drift with the current, I target structure like large rocks, eddies, weedbeds, ledges, and deep holes. I use hair jigs year 'round in rivers but I only use them during the cold months in lakes. I like to idle around and look for mainlake points with a ledge or a brushpile near the creek channel and vertically jig the bait right over the cover. My tackle is different when fishing lakes too, I use a 7' Medium action Fin-Nor Profiler with 10lb P-Line fluorocarbon and I rig the 1/8oz jig on a drop-shot with an 8-14 inch leader and a 1/4oz weight. Most of my fish hit when the bait is sitting motionless right over the cover.  

[bow3022]

I heard that bucktail jigs are made of deer hair? Like what are the advantages of the deer hair and lets say another type of hair?

[logger]

There is an decent article on using hair jigs for smallies in the November 2006 BASSMASTER issue if anyone is interested.

[Garnet]

Deer Tail is very water resistant and can be very long and died any color. Some other fur is use Polar bear but thats illegal I think. I've used grizzly bear and black bear.

Don't but oilly scent on the deertail it will ruin all action you can use the vasaline ones on the head.

The best thing with deertail you can get in the weeds and abuze it. In more open water the sudle action is killer.

When you deertail gets curled and matted from the package or use just get the kettle steaming really hard hold the hair in the steam and it will straight right out and return it's action.

Garnet

[Garnet]

I had a local guy that tied bucktail jigs for 50 cents up to 3/8 and 75 cents 1/2 and up. Thats custom tie any color any head. Over the course of 20 years I got to try everything possible.

Head size and style for the job.

All jigs must have eyes. Those perfect stick on eyes are junk. I still use Crofty's technic for eyes. Take a Bic Pen Cap and cut the top off large enough for White back ground. Just dip pen and dap. Cut a smaller hole for the red center. Don't make them look perfect make them evil.

You will notice that some jigs when tied are very strait. Do not buy these jigs sort thru and only buy the ones that look puffy. The strait ones have very very little action.

Puffy jigs will out fish strait tied by a wide margin.

The last thing is color if the jig doesn't have these first 2 thing I won't buy them.

I use bucktails for walleye Smallies and largies and they all have to have these qualitys.

Garnet

[paparock]

Hair Jigs

FOR WINTERTIME

Smallmouths

http://www.punisherjigs.com/Hair_JigsFOR_WINTERTIMESmallmouths.pdf

In the near future we will be offering productcs from nearly every major manufacturer in the industry. Until they are on our system contact us at information@punisherlures.comfor your needs. If we don't have what you need in stock we'll order it.

http://www.punisherjigs.com/