Jigs

[beechnut]

What is your favorite jigs for small mouths? I have never fished a jig before and would like to learn with it and also tubes. I have always used inline spinners, jerkbaits, and grubs so its time to learn new tricks to improve my odds. Thanks for the tips.  Also why do smallies not like rubber jigs as well as hair jigs?

BN

[Tin]

They will hit any type of jig whether it is silicone, rubber, or hair. I have found that smallies in rivers like hair jigs the best, but in lakes I go to a 1/4 oz Terminator Pro Top Secret in Western Melon or Skeets Secret with a black Paca Chunk for the trailer. My second choice would be a PB&J colored football jig dragged down rocky banks or points.

[riverfisher]

I throw black or white strikeking bitsybugs 3/16 lathered in smellyjelly crawdaddy flavor.

[fishizzle]

I'm the same as riverfisher

Bitsy bugs

Slow hops or slow dragging or dead stick

[roadwarrior]

For whatever reason, I don't have much luck with jigs on the

Tennessee River. One HUGE part of the problem is the gnarly

structure I fish. Life expectancy for a jig is short, very short!

8-)

[WTRDOG]

black blue flake tube on a 1\4 oz jig , crawl on bottom....loaded with squid smelly jelly...yes i said squid

[MskSlyr]

Hammerin Hare makes hair jigs that work great in rivers and lakes. As far as synthetic material jigs I like the Eakins finesse. Both seem to produce quality smallies.

[norm2525]

I have never used hair jigs but I have done well with Jewel Eakins and football jigs for smallies. PB&J, brown & purple, brown, and brown and blue.

[BaitBall]

I beleive your first jig should be a 1/8 oz lead head with a 4" paddle tail worm or 4" senko..or for shallower water it should be tipped with a curly tail grub like a mister twister for a slower fall. A shad shape plastic might also help slow it down for shallow water. You can also swim this jig. I promise they will smack it. If you have clear water, start with natural color transparent platics.

I bet this type of 'cheap' jig will get you started on the right foot. You are more likely to work this type of jig properly because you won't be worrying about loosing it. Move onto fancier more expensive jigs as you develope a preference for your fishing area. I still jig with the basic leadhead because fish eat it well. So you might start with this basic lead head and have little reason to change...like me.

Besides all of this...I love simple things and this is a simple bait.

8-)

[Phishin Fillip]

I can't wait to start jigging the New river this year.  It's a technique I overlooked the last couple of years.  Thanks for starting this thread

[Munkin]

5/16oz Eakins jig either solid black or pumkinseed/brown with a Zoom super chunk jr.

Allen

[Phishin Fillip]

Anybody know of a good jig to throw that wont get caught in rocks or snagged up really easy?  

I fish both the Rappahannock river and the New river and things that aren't weedless really tend to not come back when you throw them in the water. Its really rocky and theres plenty of gnarly cover along the shores.  Although, when its warm it no problem wading over to the problem.

[fishizzle]

Anybody know of a good jig to throw that wont get caught in rocks or snagged up really easy?

Yeah, the cheapest one you can find

when a jig goes in between 2 rocks, its gone

try something cheaper like tubes or texas rig a G Yama kreature or twin tail

[roadwarrior]

If you fish jigs where they are suppose to be fished, an exposed hook is going to get hung. If you are fishing from a boat, a lure retriever will recover your jig more than 90% of the time. From the shore you are simply going to lose jigs.

As an alternative, GYCB Hula Grubs, T-rigged and weedless are one suggestion. A Gitzit rigged the same way is another. Both baits are very comparable to a jig.

8-)

[iceintheveins]

I like tubes and grubs from 2.5" to 4. Crawdad and baitfish colors are best. For tubes I like gitzits and power tubes. For grubs, I love power grubs, kalins, yamamoto single, double, and skirted grubs, and also yum gonzo grubs.

I usually give the cranks and faster presentation a try first, because when the bite is on they will outfish jigs. But when they aren't catching that many, nothing will get you into smallies faster than grubs and tubes.

Don't forget hair jigs and yum crawbugs either though.