# Jig fishing



## Jim (Nov 18, 2009)

Give me a tip or two.....

*Here is mine:*
You have to become a line watcher if you want to become a successful Jig fisherman.


----------



## Bubba (Nov 18, 2009)

I had this preached to me and preached to me when I first started fishing a jig....

If you think you are fishing it too slow, slow down some more.


----------



## bAcKpAiN (Nov 18, 2009)

I am just learning the jig myself, but one thing I have learned quickly is to vary your retrieve until you find the trigger. SOme days it needs to be dragged painfully slow. Sometimes you need to wack it into wood. Sometimes the subtil slip into the water without a ripple is what will get the bite, while other days you need to skip it in there like a maniac. I don't know why it works maybe simulating a fleeing baitfish. But some days this will get you bit when nothing else will. Bottom line, don't get into a rut.... mix and match your retrieve until you get a bite.


*Caught this guy in 3ft of water less than 5 feet from my feet.*


----------



## jigster60 (Nov 18, 2009)

DITTO...What backpain and all the other fine gentlemen said.....JIGGY


----------



## fish devil (Nov 18, 2009)

:twisted: When "pitching" a jig let it enter the water quietly so you don't spook the shallow water bass. WOOD almost always holds fish. When the bite is slow try pitching to the same target over and over again.....they will eventually whack it!!!


----------



## Captain Ahab (Nov 18, 2009)

Add scent and rattles especially in cold water


----------



## Waterwings (Nov 18, 2009)

I just started using jigs this past summer and am still learning, but caught this one on a 1/4oz jig retrieving it at a moderate speed over some rocks in 2 fow: (Oh, had a small black trailer on the jig also). Gonna return to that spot next season and try a repeat [-o< 

5lb 5oz:


----------



## Jim (Nov 18, 2009)

Awesome! Keep them coming! =D> 

I am going to write a members tip article on jig fishing for the homepage and use some of these pictures too!


----------



## fish devil (Nov 18, 2009)

:twisted: Heavy cover are ideal areas to Pitch or Flip a jig. Reeds, pads, brush, laydowns consistently hold fish.


----------



## russ010 (Nov 20, 2009)

here's one I caught last Sunday in about 35' of water on a 1/4oz jig... I basically throw it out and feed it line (fluorocarbon to keep it down) until it hits bottom. 

Then I treat it like a shakey head, but keeping it in the same spot.

Caught this 3.5lb spot, missed another 2 casts later, then broke my rod on the 3rd spot which was 3lbs. I left ticked off, but knew in the back of my mind I could replace it with a Skeet Reese Jig/Worm rod which I did - and I love it!







Sorry for the crappy cell phone pic, I think I might have better one on my camera - don't remember if I had it with me or not.


----------



## cyberflexx (Nov 20, 2009)

Keep them coming, I am wanting to start jigging and never done it before. I tried it last saturday and didnt get anything and lost the jig ( special one made by a friend from TN )


----------



## russ010 (Nov 20, 2009)

well... I lost that particular jig last night out fishing... so I'll have to go stock up on about 10 more Saturday morning before fishing


----------



## Captain Ahab (Nov 20, 2009)

Another tip - use braided line something heavy like 20lb or even as heavy as 30lb - the feel of the no stretch line helps and the heavy line lets you get back those snagged jigs. I like a 20 lb floro leader as well - at least 5' but from a boat will use as much as a 10' leader


----------



## shamoo (Nov 20, 2009)

Mr. fishdevil almost always catches a bass on a jig, thats a fact!!!!!, I find myself pitching plastics more than jigs.


----------



## gunny146 (Nov 23, 2009)

I must be doing some wrong. I haven't caught a thing on a jig, well except the cover I pitch it into, but I will not be detered. I found some really nice ones at the local WalMart made by strikezone lures and bought several. I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I know it will only take one fish to figure out what the bite feels like. I WILL NOT BE BEATEN!!!!!!!!


----------



## fish devil (Nov 23, 2009)

gunny146 said:


> I must be doing some wrong. I haven't caught a thing on a jig, well except the cover I pitch it into, but I will not be detered. I found some really nice ones at the local WalMart made by strikezone lures and bought several. I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I know it will only take one fish to figure out what the bite feels like. I WILL NOT BE BEATEN!!!!!!!!



:twisted: You will get one!!! Never give up!!! =D>


----------



## russ010 (Nov 24, 2009)

me and Dale went out this weekend... I didn't throw anything but a jig, and landed 5-6... no good ones, but I did have one that would have been nice that spit it before I got him to the boat.

I made myself get confidence in a jig by taking 3 rods with only jigs on them... and only had jigs in the boat. So if I wanted to fish, I had to throw a jig. I did that 2 times and my confidence was built


----------



## poolie (Nov 24, 2009)

russ010 said:


> I made myself get confidence in a jig by taking 3 rods with only jigs on them... and only had jigs in the boat. So if I wanted to fish, I had to throw a jig. I did that 2 times and my confidence was built



This is the only way I've found to make myself learn baits that I'm not familiar or confident in. If that's all that's in the boat it's figure out how to use it or go home.


----------



## bassboy1 (Nov 26, 2009)

Here's my tip. Set the hook on everything. I don't have much jig experience, but on the times I have used it, I have noted that fish don't always feel like fish. I feel it "snag" and try to bounce it over the hangup, and it turns out the hangup was a fish. I thought the 4.5 pound smally I got back up at Dale Hollow as a rock, until my rock swam to the side.


----------



## FishinsMyLife (Nov 26, 2009)

If it's windy and cold, cast your jig out and drift, letting the boat move your bait.

In cold water, I almost exclusively use a 1/2 ounce jig. I make a long cast (using braided line, of course :lol: ) and drag the jig slowly with my rod parallel to the water. Visualize the structure your bait is hitting. Shake it when it's up against a rock, stick, log, or whatever, then if nothing, pull it over the edge and let it fall.


----------



## fish devil (Nov 27, 2009)

: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 (Dec 3, 2009)

+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 (Dec 4, 2009)

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 (Dec 4, 2009)

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 (Dec 5, 2009)

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 (Dec 8, 2009)

> 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
> ...


----------



## redbug (Dec 8, 2009)

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 (Dec 8, 2009)

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 (Dec 10, 2009)

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 (Dec 10, 2009)

slim357 said:


> My fav way is stroking it, then shaking it




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


----------



## DocWatson (Dec 11, 2009)

Captain Ahab said:


> slim357 said:
> 
> 
> > My fav way is stroking it, then shaking it
> ...


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


----------

