Hot Weather Jigging

[*Hootie]

I have been bass fishing for many years, and have always reserved my jig fishing for cold weather, cold water. Do any of you folks fish jigs this time of year? I'm talking jig and plastic trailer. I would appreciate any tips or suggestions.

I fish a local flood control lake, approx. 150 acres. It has lots of laydowns some rocks, way more trees than rocks, and no weeds. It is always stained to murky, can not at anytime see a white spinnerbait more than a foot down. It is a really good bass lake, as I have caught numerous bass in the 2# to 3# range. My biggest last year was a 6#. A typical day for me, even in this hot August weather is 8-12 bass, Naturally some are dinks. not bad for this old guy. Also, I am speaking of largemouth bass.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Hootie

[1234567]

Right now around here, 1/4 - 3/8 oz bass partrol silicone jigs with a double tail Yamamoto grub has been working well for me here in Florida. Some days the retrieve still varies, dragging, hopping, or even swimming for a couple feet then killing it. Bites have been more aggressive compared to cold water days. Pb n j jig and trailer colors. In currents this has been working even better. Seems you already have it figured out! Most of my bass are coming off rocks near a drop off.

[Bassn Blvd]

Here in S.Florida, especially in the hot summer months, the bass will either go deep or bury themselves under thick cover where it's shady. The water temp will be in the high 80's to lower 90's, which tend to make the bass a bit sluggish. It seems there are certain times of the day when the bass will become more active and feed, but it can be difficult pinpointing that time down because it's never the same time.

Depending on where I'm fishing will dictate what style of fishing I will be doing (almost always some sort of soft plastic). If I'm tossing a jig, it's either when I'm drifting over a large grass bed or fishing pads/hyacinth(sp). I prefer drifting over the flats and dropping the jig in the holes because it's much easier on my lowe back.

I use jigs with and w/out rattles. I'm not completely sold that the rattles will catch more fish but for me it's a confidence thing, especially fishing murky water like you described. Aside from the jig, I like to use a large, soft plastic, creature type bait with a pegged sinker. I would venture to say that I have done better with creature baits over jigs, but that might be because I fish them more.

The other time I like to use jigs is when it's super cold. During the extreme cold months, bass will station themselves up against structure like docks and stumps. I prefer using jigs under these conditions because I can keep them in the strike zone longer. Many people concentrate on fishing the front of the docks only and miss a lot of fish. Don't forget to fish the sides and against the shore where the dock starts.

In short, I fish jigs/creatures mainly, but not exclusively, in June, July, August, Jan and Feb. I fish them primarily around structure, grass flats or thick vegitation.

[Wayne P.]

I have been bass fishing for many years, and have always reserved my jig fishing for cold weather, cold water. Do any of you folks fish jigs this time of year? I'm talking jig and plastic trailer. I would appreciate any tips or suggestions.

I fish a local flood control lake, approx. 150 acres. It has lots of laydowns some rocks, way more trees than rocks, and no weeds. It is always stained to murky, can not at anytime see a white spinnerbait more than a foot down. It is a really good bass lake, as I have caught numerous bass in the 2# to 3# range. My biggest last year was a 6#. A typical day for me, even in this hot August weather is 8-12 bass, Naturally some are dinks. not bad for this old guy. Also, I am speaking of largemouth bass.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Hootie

Jigs are good presentations all year. The issue is what depth you use them. If your water developes a thermocline in the summer and you use the jig below that thermocline, you won't be catching any bass. I see it all the time where persons fish "deep" because someone told them the bass go deep in the summer so they use bottom presentations in 30'-40' depths when the deepest the fish are is at the thermocline level which is about 15'-20' on the waters I fish the most.

[Red]

i caught a bunch this morning on a jig. See the outing section for full report!

[jignfule]

Catching a lot on jig this time of year. Many hits on the drop and swimming the jig has been deadly.

[Catt]

During the early 70s the Hydrilla/Milfoil/Coontail Moss invaded many southern lakes so you either learned to fish grass or learned to enjoy getting skunked. Jigs with craw worm trailers were invented and techniques refined to effectively fish for bass in grass.

There are only 2 lure that stay on my boat deck 24/7/365, a Texas rig & a Jig-N-Craw, I will not leave a piece of structure until I’ve thrown both.

[*Hootie]

This is really helpful information guys. I appreciate the responses.

Thanks, Hootie

[WRB]

I would also recommend Yamamoto's 5" Hula grub in single and twin tails on a plain black 3/8 or 1/2 oz Yamamoto football head. Cast and retrieve similar to a Texas rigged worm; trees, rocks, transitions.

Lots of colors selection for this grub. Off color water might try; basic 021 black w/bue flake, 159 black w/charteruse flake, 221 brown w/purple flake, should get results.

Tom

[Siebert Outdoors]

Jigs are good presentations all year. The issue is what depth you use them. If your water developes a thermocline in the summer and you use the jig below that thermocline, you won't be catching any bass. I see it all the time where persons fish "deep" because someone told them the bass go deep in the summer so they use bottom presentations in 30'-40' depths when the deepest the fish are is at the thermocline level which is about 15'-20' on the waters I fish the most.

pretty much sums up what I was going to say.