How to fish bass jigs?

[Paul_Kramer]

I've been trying to expand on my bass fishing presentations, and have had decent luck with most types I've tried, but just cannot get anything for size or numbers on regular skirted bass jigs. I've been mostly using 1/4oz. jigs in black/blue and crawfish colors, tipping them with some sort of plastic crawfish trailer. Any tips on colors, sizes,types, when and where to fish them, etc. would be great. I see tons of pics and hear of plenty fish caught on them, but they just haven't been producing for me. Thanks a bunch.

[HawgMan]

Cast'em out,fish 'em slow w/ a slight hop. and in between a little rod tip jiggle & hang on!!

Really can't tell ya how to fish a jig, takes practice. Just think of a crawfish meandering on the bottom....

once you get the hang of it, it'll be the best go to lure in your box!!

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[river rat316]

Jigs are probably one of the hardest presentations to get used to, I usually fish a 3/8-3/4 oz depending on depth, cover, and trailer I am using. I like jigs around the deep weedline and isolated grass clumps, other wise if I am fishing shallow its usually a t-rigged tube with a 1/4oz or lighter weight I use. I also like to vary the retreive alot from dragging to jumping the jig 3-4' up off the bottom, the fish will tell you what they want.

[Rivernut]

Hawgman has it right, hard to explain, but thats as good as it can be explained. I fish them around isolated weeds, and shoreline wood. Docks are another good spot. Caught most of my large bass fishing jigs. Get out and do as Hawgman explained. On the water is the best way to learn. You'll get the hang of it. Good luck

[Griggs]

I'd say there are more than a couple of ways to fish a jig. But heres a start.

Pop Jigging - Let jig sink to bottom, let it sit and then pop it off the bottom. Repeat until strike. Make sure Jig is heavy enough for the depth and the amount of weeds your fishing.

Football Jig - Use football head jigging for dragging out on extended points or sunken islands beyond the deep weed edge. Use a heavy jig, 1/2 to 3/4 oz. Let sink to the bottom then slowing reel it back as you drag it on the bottom.

Swim Jig - Swim the jig back like you would a spinner. Make sure its heavy enough that it stays under water, not so heavy you have to burn it back. Making contact with weeds, wood, rocks and docks is a plus.

Hope that help!

[Morneau132]

Do you guys usually trim the weed guard down from what it comes with out of the package?

[RK]

Hiya -

Slightly different take on this, but...

If you really want to get the jig thing down, forget the bass size jigs for a while.

Grab a medium or medium-heavy power spinning rod with 8# test, put a 3" or 4" grub - make it smoke or watermelon colored - on a 1/8 or 3/32 oz jighead, and start marching down the weedline. Concentrate on watching your line and just fishing the weight of the jig. Swim it, lift/drop, or drag it. Get good at shaking it loose when you hang on a weed stalk. Learn the retrieves you can use in different kinds of cover without hanging up. Learn to count the jig down so you can fish it over weed tops.

While you're learning all that stuff, you'll also catch just about everything in the lake from bass to pike to walleyes to crappies to rock bass, and get a great feel for what different kinds of weeds feel like, what hits are like when they hit on the drop or just pick it off the bottom... You'll learn how to use a jig as a depth finder to feel out the weedline...

If I could point to one invaluable skill as an angler, it's fishing a jig effectively. Just about everything we do aside from slinging spinnerbaits is derivative from fishing a plain old jig. Learn to do that well and you can adapt it to all kinds of techniques.

My $.02

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Craigums]

Do you guys usually trim the weed guard down from what it comes with out of the package?

Always! Sometimes I trim the skirt down too if I want a smaller presentation or faster fall without adding weight to the head