In need of advice for fishing jigs

2531 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by hellabass, Apr 3, 2013

shipwrecker23

Discussion Starter · Feb 24, 2007

I have been fishing for years, but can't seem to get a handle on fishing jigs. I have only hooked one fish and wasn't able to land it because it got hung up in a brush pile and got off before I could get to it. Any advice that could be given would be greatly appreciated.

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Jared

· #2 · Feb 24, 2007

Hello Shipwrecker

Typically when jig fishing, a medium heavy to heavy action rod is needed to help pull the fish from heavy cover. If you are jig fishing in light cover or open water, you can get away with a medium action rod. A heavy abrasion resistant line is also need for pulling fish out of heavy cover. Many anglers use the superlines, such as Power Pro and other braids. A good copolymer, such as AN40, can work just as well though.

From my experiences the key to getting the fish from out of the heavy cover is to turn him around fast and then apply constant pressure until you can pry him free and pull him from the tangle. I wont claim that I land every fish that tangles me up in the cover but I do land a good percentage. Sometimes you cant help but losing one it seems.

I liken fishing a jig to fishing a texas rigged worm, however I tend to shake my jig in one spot before moving it more than I do a worm. It seems today that many anglers reach for plastics when adding a trailer to jigs. I say for each his own and I stick with my pork even in the dead of summer. People use all sorts of colored jigs but in my opinion, if it's not black and blue with a black pig, I wont throw it.

I also prefer living rubber skirts on my jigs as opposed to silicone. Call me stubborn I guess. hehe

I'm not sure what else you would like to know but I am sure the other bassholes will be more than happy to add to this and give their opinions as well. We have a wealth of knowledgeable anglers on this board thats for sure.

Tattered Thumbs n Bigguns, Jared

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oldschool

· #3 · Feb 24, 2007

shipwrecker23 said:
I have been fishing for years, but can't seem to get a handle on fishing jigs. I have only hooked one fish and wasn't able to land it because it got hung up in a brush pile and got off before I could get to it. Any advice that could be given would be greatly appreciated.

What type of lakes do you fish and what regional area? Also what type of presentations do you prefer and have confidence with?
Tom

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shipwrecker23

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 25, 2007

I mainly fish the Ohio River (near Cincinnati) and lakes in Kentucky have caught most of my fish on either spinnerbaits or crankbaits. I have had some luck fishing soft plastics, mainly Texas rigged worms and lizards. I am feel that I could have more success and catch bigger fish if I could learn to fish jigs more effectively.

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imonembad

· #5 · Feb 25, 2007

Tom has a real nice jig article in the archives I'll try to find it and post it for you. BTW welcome to the Bassholes.

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davidva

· #6 · Feb 25, 2007

I need to work on jig fishing as well. This fishing season will be the first time for me fishing with jigs.

When I was fishing in my early teens I only fished with Culprit worms and now at the age of 32 I have only been fishing crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits the last 10 years or so.

I have one jig to start this year with. I bought a black and blue Arkiejig last week and can't wait to go fishing.

David

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oldschool

· #7 · Feb 25, 2007

If you are watching the "Classic" you see the pro's fishing jigs with a technique very similar to the Horizontal jig fishing article mentioned. The difference is they are not making long cast, instead they are making a shorter loop cast. I described this a little in the "flipping post". For the loop cast is the best a good presentation to cover targets that have sparse weeds and brush. You can use your Texas rig, medium/heavy, fast. Spider type jigs, something like Yamamoto's single or twin tail hula grub or creature on 3/8 to 1/2 oz stand up head works good.
Flipping or pitching tight cover requires specail tackle and the spider type jig, cast and retrieved along the bottom is a good presentation where and how you fish.
Jig bites are the most difficult to learn and react to. You need to concentrate and visualize what the jig is doing. With practice you will react automatically. With a Texas rigged worm the bass gives you a lot of signals and time to react. With a jig the bass bites to kill the crawdad first (jig) and rejects immediately if detected as something being wrong. If you wait for the bass to swim off with a jig, you will miss most strikes.
Tom

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grendle

· #8 · Jul 3, 2008

Jared Pease said:
Hello Shipwrecker

Typically when jig fishing, a medium heavy to heavy action rod is needed to help pull the fish from heavy cover. If you are jig fishing in light cover or open water, you can get away with a medium action rod. A heavy abrasion resistant line is also need for pulling fish out of heavy cover. Many anglers use the superlines, such as Power Pro and other braids. A good copolymer, such as AN40, can work just as well though.

From my experiences the key to getting the fish from out of the heavy cover is to turn him around fast and then apply constant pressure until you can pry him free and pull him from the tangle. I wont claim that I land every fish that tangles me up in the cover but I do land a good percentage. Sometimes you cant help but losing one it seems.

I liken fishing a jig to fishing a texas rigged worm, however I tend to shake my jig in one spot before moving it more than I do a worm. It seems today that many anglers reach for plastics when adding a trailer to jigs. I say for each his own and I stick with my pork even in the dead of summer. People use all sorts of colored jigs but in my opinion, if it's not black and blue with a black pig, I wont throw it. I also prefer living rubber skirts on my jigs as opposed to silicone. Call me stubborn I guess. hehe

I'm not sure what else you would like to know but I am sure the other bassholes will be more than happy to add to this and give their opinions as well. We have a wealth of knowledgeable anglers on this board thats for sure.

Tattered Thumbs n Bigguns, Jared

what he said , except for me, i like all black jigs and trailers and i favor silicone skirts for ease of storage. another tip when starting out: fish a worm , when you find bass on the worm and figure out fall, cover etc. switch to the jig. you will usually get the bigger fish on it. Also I look for the nastiest thickest stuff you can throw into, or just ask myself "where can i lose my jig?" and thats where it's going . I'll smack it into any cover on purpose , i want everything in the area to know it's there, and throw it well past the target working it slowly up to where i think they are ( think like playing with a cat using a string ). Work the jig slower than a worm and pause /shake and hop it more slowly, or as a friend told me "boomp" it (describing the feel of the hop) . try and remember what your jig feels like on your line , it will always feel the same. If it ever changes put slightly more pressure on it, your either hitting against cover or you just got bit. A jig was made to be worked slowly through the nastiest stuff where you can't put another lure accept a texas rigged worm. rattles are a different thing too , i've seen them spook fish and attract them the next day . I usually start without , then add them if the fish need a little extra help find ing the jig. good luck and tight lines!

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hellabass

· #9 · Apr 3, 2013

Try downsizing to smaller finesse jigs, get bites, build confidence from there

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