Plastics/Jigs

[Spazzums08]

Hey guys, just FYI, I'm asking for a lot of information in this post, and I appreciate any given!

I'm a huge fisherman, but I've never really gotten into jigs/plastics for bass, so I have no idea where to even start. What styles/colors/weights/techniques/rigs go for what kind of water? Clear, murky, stained, weeds, rocks, timber, what goes with what? What kind of plastics work best for what kind of situations? Same with jigs? What rods/reels/lines do you use with them? As always guys, thanks for your help!

[Slyster]

edited: I thought he meant senkos and those type of plastics.

So... just search this forum for 'jig' etc and you will have a GREAT start! (search for that term in subject line only!.. and set it for like 2 years instead of the default 'the last 1 week')... then get ready for skewl! Make sure you only search the bass forum too.

[Ray Esboldt]

Spazz,

Lots of ground to cover on the subject of jigs. If everyone chips in a little, I'm sure we'll have a book when we're done. And, that's good.

There are about 2000000000000 different styles of jigs, but for me they fall into two categories. A chunk of lead with a hook or a chunk of lead with a skirt and a hook. However, two in particular are always tied on in my boat - an 1/8 oz. mushroomhead and 3/8 oz. skirted jig (often referred to as a flippin' jig). Both are very versatile jigs that can be fished with various retrieves, through a multitude of cover, and tipped with limitless plastic options. Those two lures can virtually fish from you from the bank to mid-lake rock piles.

The simplest form of retrieval for these baits is to cast it out, sink it to the bottom, and hop it back (on and off the bottom) to the boat slowly. I really don't think you can fish these baits too slow, but the fish will help you guage what is necessary.

As for plastics, a real good starter for an 1/8 oz. mushroom head is a 6 inch ribbon tail worm. I know I have caught more fish on that bait than any other and maybe all others combined. There are a zillion different plastics to pair with this jig, but you don't need all of them to catch fish. Limit your initial puchases to 4" curly tail worms, 6" ribbon tails, and 3 inch curly tail grubs. Keep the colors natural (black, blue, green).

A skirted jig (flippin' jig) has many more good options than what I originally started with. I used (and still do) Uncle Josh pork rinds. They come in a jar with some kind of funky liquid, and they are virtually indestructable. It's a good starting point. A couple of tips on pork. One, they have pre-punched hole in them (I wish someone would have told me that from the get go). Two, you can take them off the hook without trying to cut them off, cursing wildly, and running a fillet knife through 4 inches of flesh. Finally keep them wet. They are garbage after they dry out.

Other options for a flippin' jig include plastic chunks. They are essentially the plastic version of pork. 4" curly tail grubs and paddle tail grubs are also solid options.

Well, that's a start for you at the tackle shop. Someone else will fill in the rest of the blanks.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ray as always did a great job to answer much of your question.. I'll do my best not to repeat anything.

Color--IN flipping jigs, I really only use a couple of different ones... Black/Blue... and some shade of pumpkin/brown. I tend to use 1/2 oz more than anything, I know ray said he uses 3/8..its just a personal pref. thing. If fishing hard cover, Docks/wood, I like a horizontle eye on my jigs, if fishing vegitation I like a verticle line tie. In ultra clear water, I like no rattles, in stained water I like rattles.

Jig worm, or jig plastic... Any chunk of plastic will do. I prefer a 6" straight tail over ribbon tail, but again, its just what I prefer. Colors I use are Junebug, redshad, black, watermellonseed. The clearer the water the more natural a color you want to use... IE greens/browns..

hope that helps.. If you have more questions feel free to ask.

[Daze Off]

Only a couple basics I would add to the two fine posts already made - one about colors, one about trailers, one about size/weights.

Colors - only thing I would add is to also get a watermelon and/or green pumpkin color or two to add to your aresenal. Between black/blue, black/brown, brown/pumpkin, and some kind of green you should have it pretty well covered.

Trailers - one really effective plastic one is craws. I usually try to match the trailer to the jig color in some way but craws and some creature baits make awesome trailers too.

Weights - heavier the cover the heavier the weight is the rule I use - only exception is if I want a slwoer or heavier fall. Stained water slow fall, clear water quicker fall generally.

My 2 cents worth...

Daze Off

[Spazzums08]

Wow, as usual guys, thanks for the great info! So I shouldn't bother with whites, pinks,or chartrueses? What about what rod/reel/line to use? Knots? Swivels?

Same questions as for the jigs, but for worm fishing? I know all about the texas rigs, carolina rigs,and such, and all the different kinds of plastics, but not how they go together. Are lizards still decent up here? What style hooks are your guys's favorite?

[Daze Off]

I'll take a swing st some of your follow-up questions and let the big guys knock it out of the park.

As for all the other colors - I was speaking mostly of skirted jig colors and there are certainly more colors than were mentioned out there. For starters though you are in good shape with the basics on skirted jigs. Some guys fish nothing but black/blue no matter what (any color will work as long as it is black/blue kind of deal). As for the mushroom headed (or other) jig heads with plastics - the sky is the limit on colors but the basics will again be fine for a large variety of cicumstances. I like floating straight-tail plastics or ribbontails for my jigworms. That way either the tail stands up and sways in the water movement or when I move it, it swims.

For jigworms I always use spinning gear as they tend to be a finesse/light presentation and I have better feel that way. For skirted jigs it is always baitcasting gear and mostly pitching and flipping. Once in a while I will swim one mostly in the fall. In that case it is like a spinnerbait without the blade.

I never use swivels with jigs of any kind and I either use the Trilene Knot or Palomar (mostly) for everything. Finese presentations get either flourocarbon or mono and I pretty much use braid for skirted jigs of any kind. Would probably experiment with heavy flourocarbon but it is just too darn expensive for something I am not sure I would like. Braid is so supple and flouro tends to be a lot stiffer in comparison.

Guys...?

Daze Off

[Deitz Dittrich]

 Originally Posted By: Spazzums08

Wow, as usual guys, thanks for the great info! So I shouldn't bother with whites, pinks,or chartrueses? What about what rod/reel/line to use? Knots? Swivels?

Same questions as for the jigs, but for worm fishing? I know all about the texas rigs, carolina rigs,and such, and all the different kinds of plastics, but not how they go together. Are lizards still decent up here? What style hooks are your guys's favorite?

White, pinks and chartueses do work.. The only rule in bass fishing is... THERE IS NO RULES... What works well for some may not work for others.. I do throw some colors like you mentioned.. but more in soft plastic Jerkbaits... or spinnerbaits and I do throw White Swimming jigs at times..

As for gear, that depends on what my presentation is. My texas rig rod is not set up the same as my carolina rig rod which in turn is way different than my jig rod.

A hunk of plastic is a hunk of plastic.. they all work. Bass are very curious, they dont have hands to pick things up with, so they use their mouth. hats when we got them. Some lures will work better than others in different situations.. you need to find out what works best for you.

I would learn to tie the Palomar knot and the Improved clinch knot.. those are the 2 I use most.. I also use the trileen knot.

And yes,lizzards do work up here... but I dont use them often.

[Spazzums08]

What're your guys's specific set-ups for plastic fishing? Rod/reel brand/models?

And Deitz, you mentioned making your own jigs, would you ever be interested in selling any? I ask only because it sounds like you have unique formula down, and unique is always good!

[Central Bassman]

Great information guys!!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Spazz- Nope, they take me too long to make...and its kind of fun having a 1 of a kind.. I will teach you how to make them yourself. But I am not interested in selling them. I hope you understand..

Rod reel combos.

Flipping-

7'6" MH Shimano Crucial, Shimano Core, 20lb Gamma Florocarbon

7'2" MH Shimano Cumara, Shimano Core, 20 Lb Florocarbon

7'6" MH Shimano V-Rod, Shimano Castiac, 60 Lb Power Pro Braid.

Texas Rig

7'0" MH Shimano Crucial, Shimano Chronarch, 16 LB Gamm Florocarbon

6'10" MH Shimano Crucial, Shimano Chronarch, 12 lb Gamma copoly

Spinning rod

6'8" MH Shimano Crucial, Shimnao Stradic, 10 lb Gamma Copoly

I have a bunch more, but these are my go to for jigs and texas rigged plastics...

The rest of my combos are dock skipping rods, carolina/stupid rig rods, and light jig worm rods, dropshot rods, Crankbait rods, and spinnerbait rods and topwater rods.

[Spazzums08]

Deitz, don't worry, I understand perfectly, just thought I'd give it a shot, haha. I'd definitely love to learn how to make them though, and as far as poles go, could you reccomend three bass rods that would get me by?

[Steve Eddicus]

 Originally Posted By: Deitz Dittrich

its kind of fun having a 1 of a kind..

Not to mention when your fishing buddy asks what your using you can say double D original. Hard to find, try Google.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Spazz- Are you talking just Jig fishing.. or 3 bass rods period...This will affect how I would answer.

LOL @ Green Diver... I call my jigs WOBD... although I doubt a google will hit..LOL.. WOBD(Weapons of bass destruction.)