Jig fishing

[fish devil]

:twisted: Jigs can be fished year round with success. I have caught fish from 39 degree water temps up to 90 degree water temps.

 

[USSWormy]

+1 fishdevil.... Anytime the water falls below 75 degree's (from my experiences) thats when they seem to do a little better (I like around 53-60). Most all of my bigger fish have came off a jig/plastic combo. I personally use a glass rattle on my jigs, but I think thats mostly a confidence thing for me.

I also use a jig type with a narrower head in or around rocks, grass, and real heavy cover (I feel I get hung up a little less,) and the Football style when fishing small gravel bars and points with sparse cover. The football type let the trailers stand more upright, and sometimes that can be the ticket. Generally a 3/8 oz., but lately I have been using the 5/16 Finesse Round Head with some pretty good success.

You also might want to try and trim the skirt length down sometimes to match the size of the available forage. Most larger jigs (3/8 and up) have a pretty good amount of skirt, and sometimes if you cut them down it increases your bite ratio. That was the main reason for me switching to the 5/16 oz. finesse lately...... Seems to have helped.
I also trim down the weedgaurd to a 45 degree slant. This will still allow for a weedles jig, but also increases you hook-up ratio by allowing the hook to penetrate a little easier.

Vary your Jig trailer style as well. Sometimes I have had a real slow day by using a "straight" tail type trailer (Zoom Chunks) then turned my day around by switching to a "swimming" type trailer.

I also try to use as silent an entry into the water/cover as I can. I tend to pitch alot as this seems to suit me style better. I think it increases my odds if the bait makes alot less splash.

 

[Bugpac]

Man, I have yet to do anything via a jig, I really need to Bring only jigs in the boat a few times.. The tourney we won last weekend i stuck to rattle traps all day and it payed off, I had more in the boat Jigs, spinners etc, but we just stuck to one thing all day. Day 2 we stuck to crank baits all day and it really paid off..

 

[russ010]

Bugpac... the waters here in GA right now should be just about set for jig fishing - and I mean by only taking jigs if you want to gain your confidence.

When the water temps get in the 50-55 range - it's prime time to find big schools of BIG fish. pockets with milfoil or rocks leading into deep water will hold some good ones... If you can find points with submerged rocks, they will heat up faster and hold those big boys because the shad should stack up near that warmth.

Next time you go back to the Bear, don't take anything but jigs... you'll hook into a biggun. I need to get you some Spanky jigs - HOLY CRAP man... never have I ever caught so many fish on a particular jig. And you can only get them locally... and I only know of one place to get them and that is up near Carters.

 

[Bugpac]

Well Russ, looks like im just gonna have to get up there so you can show me for a day... We been fishing yargo mostly, If you wanna venture down here id be glad to take my boat to anytime, I m ready..

 

[njTom]

I also trim down the weedgaurd to a 45 degree slant. This will still allow for a weedles jig, but also increases you hook-up ratio by allowing the hook to penetrate a little easier

USSWormy
When you trim the weedguard, do you cut the 45 degree slant toward the point of the hook or away? New to jig fishing and always looking for tips.

Thanks
Tom

 

[redbug]

I fish a jig a lot I have around 250 in the tackle room at this time ranging in size from 1/8 up to 1 1/2 oz football jigs... they are a fantastic bait that can catch fish from shallow to deep in any water temps. You can swim them like a crank bait and they work great or drag them along the bottom. I trim the weed guard by taking my scissors and laying them along the hook and trimming the guard along that surface leaving just a little hanging past the hook edge.
I have found that a bass that hits a jig will hold it for a while as long as you don't pull too hard.I have had fish to the side of the boat without spitting the jig and never set the hook.
Be sure to check your line often for knicks and retie after each fish, you will be fishing in some heavy cover and will damage your line so don't take the chance.
If your jig has rattles be sure to put them to use. Shake you rod on a slack line to get the rattles going this will keep your jig in one place and give off a sound of a crawfish ready to defend his territory.

I use both spinning and casting gear with jigs. Spinning gear with the smaller jigs and very small trailers I watch a guy put a 7.19lb large mouth in the boat using 6lb line and a 1/8oz jig
jigs are my favorite bait and a lot of fun to use when the fish are hitting them which they do very often

 

[jigster60]

I'm like redbud I use a jig a lot myself got 2 whole tackle boxes full of jigs all sizes and shapes and colors the easy way to remember is trim the weed guard in the opposite direction of the barb and just about the same angle I leave about a 1/8th inch over the barb you may want more or less we all are different....JIGGY

PS: One thing to remember tho when ya buy a true swim jig the good ones... aka Brovarny and Outcast swim jigs are my choices I'm sure some have others... They don't have but twenty strand on their weed guards and they use florocarbon fiber materials that are usually a softer material so don't cut those at all.

 

[slim357]

My fav way to fish a jig is stroking it, then shaking it on a slack line. After my jig meets the bottom (if I didnt get hit on the fall from the cast) I'll lift it anywhere from 2 to 4 ft off the bottom and let it fall. The fall is the key and using a very active trailer is important IMO, I use a paca chunk, but there are other trailers that will give the same results. After the bait has come back in contact with the bottom, i'll lower the rod tip causing some slack in the line and shake it very slightly trying to get it to move just off the bottom, then wait (I like to start off moving it kinda fast, and progressively slow down till I find what the fish like). I mainly fish this method in the summer, but have had success in the fall and spring.

 

[Captain Ahab]

My fav way is stroking it, then shaking it

:LMFAO: :LOL22: :LMFAO: :LOL22:

 

[DocWatson]

My fav way is stroking it, then shaking it

:LMFAO: :LOL22: :LMFAO: :LOL22:

On a slack line Dave... a SLACK LINE. [-X :LOL2: