Jigs...need Some Direction

[Outdoor]

I for some reason never use jigs; my quest this year is learn how to fish them properly. What rod works well, depth, technique and so on…So I was wondering if I can get some input from those who fish them often and do well with them? Funny how we get comfortable with certain things we throw. I always said I would get out before a tournament and use them until I get proficient enough to fish them during tournament but that never happened!

We fish a lot of clear lakes here in the N.E….lakes Like Winnipesaukee where you can see the bottom at 20’ and the smallmouth fishing makes you drool. So color matters but everything else should be the same. Thanks!

[bonzai22]

I like to throw a strike king tour grade football jig with a chigger craw or a rage craw as the trailer. Green pumpkin is the main color i throw. For a rod i would go with a 6 foot 6 to a 7 foot medium heavy action. If its 10 or 12 feet or shallower i will go with a half ounce jig any deeper i switch to three quarter ounce. I mainly target largemouth so for smallmouth you might have to downsize a little bit. Technique varies depending on the how aggressive the fish are but usually a hop let it fall back down and sit for a few seconds.

[WRB]

From you opening statement you should be looking at casting jigs verses flipping or pitching jigs. The casting jig fished in deep clear rocky structure lakes is a lot like a Texas rigged soft plastic worm and you can fish it with similar tackle and presentation techniques.

The football head is a good choice; 3/8 oz with a 3/0 hook and 1/2 oz with a 4/0 hook, head painted brown.

Yamamoto's football jig with Owner or Gamakatsu hooks are very good and about .80c each. Also suggest starting with Yamamoto's 4" double tail Hula grub, this grub comes with a spider skirt. Lots of colors to choose from; the basics are green with black & red flake or cinnamon with black and blue flake.

Rod; med/hvy 7' fast action or heavy fast action casting rod and reel with 10 lb FC line for med/hvy or 12 lb for heavy.

It's cast and slooowly retrieve along the bottom structure; drag about 6 inches, hop about 3" to 4", let pause and repeat. The big difference is the strikes; smallies may peck at the jig, set when you feel light pressure. If you are missing hook sets try watching the line for any movement and set instantly...it's a trail and error timing that changes every outing.

Depth is always the key issue' 1' to 25' covers the active feeding zones.

Tom

[Hooligan]

Much could be written on your questions, a veritable encyclopedia. From what information you have given, a good rod to start is a generic 7' MH fast rod. The size depends on depth and fall rate. If you're in rock, a football head is often the way to go. If you're in hard bottom, other than rock, you can fish basically any style you'd like. My personal favorite is the Northstar Alien head. Experiment with retrieves and sizes until y ou find what works. Color is one of those things that you have to play with, sometimes you need to have three or four different colors on the same lake, other times you don't need anything but black and blue. In clear water start with deep greens and browns, experiment from there.

[bwell]

Check out Northstars hair jigs, I bet the smallies would love those!

[Zurg]

If I could add a question please. A lot of people talk about rod, reel, jig, etc. Since line watching is so important, is their a specific color or type that is easier to see when jig fishing? I will admit the jig is perplexing me as well.

[Gatorbassman]

If I could add a question please. A lot of people talk about rod, reel, jig, etc. Since line watching is so important, is their a specific color or type that is easier to see when jig fishing? I will admit the jig is perplexing me as well.

To be honest. I'm not a very good line watcher. I rarely focus on my line. Should I? Yes, but I've gotten into the habit of looking around when I fish. I guess this is because the lake I learned to fish on is known for it's schooling bass and I'm always looking for schooling action. I've noticed I do the same thing while I'm standing on the boat talking to the camera.

Therefore I don't really worry about the color of my line. I use 20lb fluorocarbon line most of the time and I can usually see it when it's at that semi-slack position.

[Nitrofreak]

If I could add a question please. A lot of people talk about rod, reel, jig, etc. Since line watching is so important, is their a specific color or type that is easier to see when jig fishing? I will admit the jig is perplexing me as well.

Line watching is important don't get me wrong here, but as for me I use spider wire (Braid) with all of my jigs, the reason I do is because it has several advantages over others, the two most important for me are strength and visability, however, I would not use braid without a floro leader in clearer water though, the fish may be spooked by the line so I will not take the chance, I just seem to have much better luck with a leader on braid in gin or close to gin clear water.

My focus is on my line at all times, it truly depends on the clearity of the water as to what line combo I will use, braid, for me is a better line to focus on when I need to pay real close attention to it,

Jig fishing is not as perplexing as it seems, but, it is an art and one you really need to have in your arsonal, practice, pacience, and locating fish are the keys to fishing a jig.

[Tlaz]

I for some reason never use jigs; my quest this year is learn how to fish them properly. What rod works well, depth, technique and so on…So I was wondering if I can get some input from those who fish them often and do well with them? Funny how we get comfortable with certain things we throw. I always said I would get out before a tournament and use them until I get proficient enough to fish them during tournament but that never happened!

We fish a lot of clear lakes here in the N.E….lakes Like Winnipesaukee where you can see the bottom at 20’ and the smallmouth fishing makes you drool. So color matters but everything else should be the same. Thanks!

Hey Outdoor. I am in the same boat ( pun intended ) as you. I plan to use more jigs as well as tubes this year. I am down the road in Fremont NH.

[Bigbarge50]

Best advice there is.... watch those videos often to keep refreshing yourself and go straight to the northstar jigs site...... those things are absolutely fantastic.

[BassinSoldier]

I just replied to a similar jig question yesterday I think. Anyway, give this a try, 3/8 or 1/2oz football head jig in the rocks. My favorite for this is a green pumpkin jewel bait co. finesse football with a green pumpkin or okeechobee craw rage tail baby rage craw, and if you can, dye the very tips of the claws chartreuse (I use JJ's Magic). I haven't found a rocky lake yet that this thing won't work on if they are taking jigs. Smallies and green fish both eat it up. Use this or a similar bait set up, and the rod/reel recommendations above, along with the tips on fishing them like in Glenn's videos and you'll be a jig fanatic in no time flat.