Jigs for smallmouth????

[jbarker]

Does anybody use flipping jigs for smallies??? I placed a large order for jigs ( well for me... don't use them a whole lot) and the majority of my fishing this year will be smallies... just wondering what weight, colours and trailers would work in place of a tube or other craw imitator

[Rich Tehan]

Sure, flippin jigs work for smallies, mostly I fish football jigs for smallies because they are good on rocks- the smallmouth's preferred cover, but I have had success fishing rip-rap and shoreline cover with a flippin jig in the springtime for pre-spawn/spawn smallies.  3/8-1/2 oz, work great in any appropriate color for the water clarity.  I've used watermelon, green pumpkin and black neon.

[Bluebasser86]

I love the Eakins flipping jig for smallmouth. You can catch them on bigger flipping jigs also they just usually aren't around really heavy cover where a flipping jig might be the best choice.

[MaineBassMan]

My favorite jigs for smallmouth just because they are not expensive (you can buy lots of them and still afford other stuff) and they last pretty good are the Strike King Bitsy bugs and bleeding bitsy bugs in 1/4 oz and 3/8 oz. sizes.

[Crestliner2008]

Flipping is usually a close quarter, shallow water, cover presentation. Smallies position themselves shallow only a small percentage of time - here in the northeast anyway. Yeah, the smaller bass can be found up shallow in the post spawn to early fall period, but the big smallies are usually found deep - again, that is here, in our neck of the woods. I can't speak for Canadian sheld lakes or those of you lucky folks fishing the big mid-southern lakes/reservoirs. I would have to consider "flipping" here to be a low percentage presentation for quality smallmouth bass.

However, I do use jigs for smallies. A Hula Grub on a 1/4 oz. football jig, sometimes can't be beat. But I'm fishing these on steep drop offs. Certainly not flipping or even pitching for that matter.

[OkobojiEagle]

I agree with Crestliners opinion and will catch my smallies swimming or dragging a plastic dressed jighead around rocky structure.  In colder water I'll often fish a hand tied hare-jig (rabbit fur) sometimes with a few strands of rubber as roadwarrior showed.  The only skirted jig I throw with a weed guard is a Hairy Bug with a light two strand wire guard.

steve

[A-Jay]

My presentation of jigs to smb is about 80% swim jigs from 1/4 - 1/2 oz and 20% football from 1/4 - 3/4 oz.

Smallies caught flipping / pitching are usually around docks, lay downs, and deeper weed/grass lines and represent a small percentage.

A-Jay

[jbarker]

Should have specified lol... I don't plan on flipping or pitching jigs for smallies but rather fan casting flats and shoals in place of tubes.

[WanderLust]

I love the Eakins flipping jig for smallmouth. You can catch them on bigger flipping jigs also they just usually aren't around really heavy cover where a flipping jig might be the best choice.

I've read about this one... Need to pick some up. I know guys have alot of luck on hair jigs.

My best smallie producing jig was Bitsy Bug with a netbait Paca Chuck.

[ww2farmer]

I have caught quality SM flipping weeds in 8-12 FOW for LM, but it depends on the body of water. They bite big flipping jigs just fine, but that dosen't mean they are always the right jig, match the jig to the conditons. If in your lake they live in the weeds pick a good quality flipping jig, if they live on deep rock, go with a football jig. While some lures catch more of one or they other (SM vs LM) there is no lure that one bites the other won't if they are where your fishing it, I have caught 5lb LM on small drop shot baits in deep water, and 5lb SM on full size Paca craws and beavers flipped in weed holes in shallow water in the middle of summer.

[BzWildman81]

I catch most of my Big Smallies flipping a 1/2 oz jig. They are usually in the 4-6 pound range on the river below Nickajack dam. Only seem to catch 3 lbers and smaller on tubes.

[tholmes]

I catch quite a few smallies either swimming or bottom-hopping my homemade bucktail jigs in 1/4oz. or 3/8oz. sizes. Colors are mostly combinations of brown, green and black. Although, at times, white will produce.

Tom

[Jig Man]

After the spawn in the spring I like to use 1/4 oz jigs and beaver trailers for smallies.  They work well when the fish are suspended on the flats.