Jigs

[better2bfishing]

would this time off the year be good to use jigs?...if so what kind of cover would you fish them near?

[BaSsFiShEr20]

Anytime of year is a good time to use jigs.Try hopping them down ledges in deeper water, and use them around brush piles and blowdowns.

Good Luck

Charles

[ryan7261]

How To Fine Tune A Jig

Simple tricks that will enhance the basic elements of a jig.

Many weekend anglers often underestimate the jig as a weapon in the bass-fishing arsenal. However, anyone who has watched a tournament angler or a professional bass guide prepare his jigs for a day's outing, can appreciate the subtle features that make these such potent lures. Examine a jig closely. It's a simple lure that can be divided into three basic components: (1) the jighead, (2) the skirting material, and (3) the trailer body. Each can be "fine-tuned," so to speak, to dramatically improve the overall effectiveness of the lure. Therefore, here are some simple tricks that will enhance the basic elements of a jig.

Jighead - Many tournament pros claim the lead jighead is the most critical part of the bait. The shape, weight, weed guard and hook that comprise the jighead significantly affect the lure's performance. Beginning at the lower end of a jighead, the seasoned bass angler will carefully sharpen the hook to needlepoint perfection. Penetration is enhanced dramatically if the jig hook is presharpened, whether the angler is shallow-water flipping or dragging the lure over deep structure. Next, if a weed guard is molded into the lead head, it should be examined closely before using the jig. For example, the polypropylene brush guard may be mashed down near the hook shank. If this is the case, lift the brush guard slightly so it protects the hook point and the bait can slide past obstructions. Or, if bass seem to prefer a jig that falls slowly, consider spreading the polypropylene weed guard to create a fan-like effect. By heating the weed guard with a cigarette lighter, the polypropylene can be molded to the desired form. A fan-like shape adds more resistance to the jig as it moves through water - the result being a slow-sinking bait. Keep in mind, however, when the weed guard is fanned out, a degree of weedless ability is lost. Similarly, the nylon strands of a bristle guard frequently may be stuck together because of excessive glue or enamel used in assembling the jig. In this case, the bristles must be carefully spread open and out to increase the lure's weedless ability. On some jigs, the weed guard extends beyond the hook point. In this case, the jig is almost too weedless making hook penetration difficult, especially on subtle bites. The bass may strike the bait, but the long weed guard doesn't allow the hook point to dig in. In this situation, the accomplished jig fisherman should cut a portion of the weed guard to enhance the potential for a quick, effective hook-set. A jig fisherman can also carefully "shave" the lead head, removing small amounts of lead with a pocket knife. Perhaps an angler carries only 3/8-and 1/2-ounce jigheads in his tackle box, but he discovers the fish prefer a bait that is slightly lighter (because it falls more slowly). A small amount can be easily shaved from one of the 1/2-ounce jigheads. Occasionally, an angler may need a narrower jighead. A slimmer profile will penetrate grass or brush more easily than bulkier more traditional shapes. Here again, simply shave some of the lead from stock jigheads to create a custom design.

[ryan7261]

Skirting Material - The bucktail, vinyl, plastic or living-rubber material used to form a jig skirt gives the lure its profile. The most common feature inspected by veteran bass professionals is the overall length. This is done by turning the jighead upside-down and examining how the skirt hangs around the head. This viewpoint provides a rough idea of how the skirt looks to bass as the skirt flares under water. Next, while holding the jig right side up, use scissors to trim the skirt so it barely covers the bend of the hook. If the skirt is too long, as it often is with many commercially sold jigs, fish will have a tendency to short-strike the jig, often missing the hook entirely. Make sure no strands of soft plastic, vinyl or living rubber are sticking together. The strands should be carefully separated so they flare out as the lure rests on bottom - generating a lifelike "breathing" effect. An angler might also consider adding a fine strand of reflective mylar to the skirt by either wrapping it on with thread or gluing it to the jighead. Sold at most fly-tying shops, the mylar finish will give a subtle flash to otherwise dull vinyl, living-rubber or bucktail jig skirts - offering bass a seldom-seen customized lure. Many tournament professionals also break off a small piece of plastic worm and thread it on the shaft of the jig hook. They say this gives the lure more body, instead of a bare wire shaft surrounded by the skirting material. A colorful chunk of plastic on the hook shaft also adds contrast to otherwise bland-looking brown, purple or black jigheads and skirts. This ploy works especially well with a jig-and-pig combination. The small piece of plastic helps the pork rind trailer lie flat in the water instead of bunching on the hook shaft.

Trailer Bodies - Plastic jig trailers are overwhelmingly the easiest component to work with. They can be mixed or matched with vinyl, bucktail, soft-plastic or living-rubber skirts. When rigging plastic trailers on a jighead, pay attention to details so the lure remains streamlined and natural looking. Some soft-plastic trailers are too large for a particular jighead-and-skirt combination. If the trailer is too long, the lure may receive many short strikes as the bass nips at a soft-plastic tail that's too far from the hook. The remedy is to cut off a portion of the trailer body, which will shorten the overall lure length. As was mentioned with skirting material, an angler can also adjust the fall of the jig by increasing or decreasing the trailer size. This holds true for soft-plastic and pork-rind jig trailers. A larger trailer will reduce the speed of a falling jig; a more compact trailer will increase the speed of the fall. In contrast to pork-rind trailers, the soft-plastic versions often slide down the shaft of the hook. A simple trick is to Super Glue the plastic trailer to the lead head. When pork rind is the trailer choice, a recreational angler can perform several tricks to improve the fish-catching ability of the jig combination. First, using a No. 11 Uncle Josh Pork Frog, make a cut from the base of the legs up to the hook hole near the top of the fleshy pad. This will make the legs longer allowing them to swim or flutter more dramatically. Second, take a knife or razor blade and cut across the pork pad both vertically and horizontally. Be sure not to cut too deeply into the pork, or the pad will be sliced in half. By quartering the frog, a swinging movement is created as the jig-and-pig moves through water. This modification also forms pockets to receive ample doses of liquid fish attractant. The scent seeps into each tiny cut and remains on the bait longer than if it was squirted on top of a flat pork surface. A third option is to make a lateral cut across the entire pad, reducing its thickness in half. This will create a lighter trailer making the jig sink faster. In contrast, if bass seem to prefer a slow-falling jig, simply switch to a larger Pork Frog like an Uncle Josh No. 11 Jumbo or "Big Daddy" model. Though these are only a few of the techniques tournament pros and guides use to prepare jigs for serious bass fishing, they offer relatively inexpensive and simple ways to master this all-season lure. The trick is to keep your jigs fine-tuned, because many of the biggest bass tallied each year are caught on these popular lures.

[hope]

Nice info Rob

[randerson52]

My favorite jig is a manns stone jig in 3/8 oz black/blue color.