Jigs are one of the simplest lures in your tackle box and often over looked. Lead molded onto a hook, these days heavy metal cast onto a hook, simple and one of the oldest of all bass lures. Jigs can be fished several ways, the two most common today are flipping or pitching into tight shore line cover and casting to specific targets like docks, rocks, trees etc. I call the flipping/pitching vertical presentations and casting horizontal presentations. The "arkie" jig head with it's fiber hook guard is commonly used for vertical presentations and the "football" head for horizontal presentations today. The jig & worm round or dart head is making a comback under the shaky head jig name.
My favorite presentation is the horizontal jig technique because it suites the highland deep clear reservoirs that I fish a majority of the time. During the cold water and pre spawn periods the horizontal jig is my go to lure for big bass. Jigs can be fished year around and are great summer night lure. The most foregiving jig type to use and is a good choice to learn to use is the spider jig. This jig was invented the late Bobby Garland, who also invented the gitzit tube lure, combined his crappie mini tubes by slitting both tube ends into "spider legs" and used that as a skirt. adding a 4" curl tail grub onto a 1/4 to 1/2 oz wedge head, Bobby dominated the western Colorado river tournament circuit for several years. Bass tend to hold onto a soft plastic spider jig longer that a traditional jig & pig combonation.
I wrote a few articles for In-Fisherman back a few years ago, one is titled Horizontal Jigging" Feb 1995. It is easier for me to send a copy then try to recreate it here.
Tom
My favorite presentation is the horizontal jig technique because it suites the highland deep clear reservoirs that I fish a majority of the time. During the cold water and pre spawn periods the horizontal jig is my go to lure for big bass. Jigs can be fished year around and are great summer night lure. The most foregiving jig type to use and is a good choice to learn to use is the spider jig. This jig was invented the late Bobby Garland, who also invented the gitzit tube lure, combined his crappie mini tubes by slitting both tube ends into "spider legs" and used that as a skirt. adding a 4" curl tail grub onto a 1/4 to 1/2 oz wedge head, Bobby dominated the western Colorado river tournament circuit for several years. Bass tend to hold onto a soft plastic spider jig longer that a traditional jig & pig combonation.
I wrote a few articles for In-Fisherman back a few years ago, one is titled Horizontal Jigging" Feb 1995. It is easier for me to send a copy then try to recreate it here.
Tom
