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Old 02-26-09, 06:01 PM   #1
Bassboss
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Default A few questions on working jigs?

I got a few questions on fishing jigs.

I've never had luck fishing jigs. I've gotten different colors, weights, brands, etc. How do I work them? By that I mean, how do I imply the action? Just as I would with a worm, or any other plastic? What color's you fave?

Thanks,

Bassboss,
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Old 02-26-09, 06:08 PM   #2
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Old 02-26-09, 06:55 PM   #3
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i am thinking of shooting a video and adding it to our website on jig fishing, if i do i will post a link on here. in the mean time here is a little info i sent to another member a while back in a pm. some of this info is kinda specific to time of year, water conditions, ect. but it should help you with a starting point.

1. you are gonna lose jigs if you are fishing them right, so don't be scared of getting hung up. after a while you will be able to feel the difference between a jig bouncing over rocks and a jig that is trying to dig into the rocks. when you feel the jig starting to dig into the rocks then don't pull on it, but raise your rod and give it a sharp pop. after you get the hang of it you will get a lot of jigs loose that most guys would break off (i think that is counter productive advice for someone who is in the business of selling jigs huh lol).
2. i always trim my weedguard down a bit, just enough that it is parallel to the hook but just a little past the point (hope that makes sense). you would think that would get you hung up more but it actually will help because it makes the weedguard a little more stiff. this also will help in hook up ratio.
3. a bite on a jig can be anything from a really hard tap to the jig just feeling a little heavy or a little light so you need to pay attention to how the bait normally feels and if it feels any different that than give her hell! most of my better fish don't really hit the jig all that hard, in fact most of them just have a little spongey feeling and feel a little heavy, again hooksets are cheap so don't be shy. you would probably laugh your butt off if you seen how many times i set the hook with a jig.
4. don't get caught with your rod tip straight up in the air. as you work the jig start with your rod more at the 9:00 position and with small hops raise your rod to the 11:00 position. if you get caught with your rod straight up in the air it is hard to reel down on a fish to set the hook before the fish spits the bait out or it feels pressure from your rod.
5. i mentioned short hops, short hops aren't always the ticket you will have to experiment and see what the fish want at that given time. this can change day to day and even hour to hour based on a lot of things like wind and light conditions so try to stay versatile. no matter if you are hopping a jig or just dragging it the key is bottom contact, if the jig comes off of the bottom for any length of time it isn't gonna look natural so stay aware of what your bait is doing at all times.
6. fighting a fish on a jig is a little different than fighting a fish on anything else. there is a guide around there that is dynomite with a jig and he says "if you wanna lose a fish on a jig, than play him". what he means is get his head turned and keep him coming. while this will work at times there are also those times where you need to play a fish so just go with your instinct and you will do fine.


the action of the jig is made through the rod tip or barely shaking the line like you would a shakeyhead depending on the action you are going for. sometimes you will want to give the jig some hopping action by bouncing the rod tip, other times you may just want to slowly drag the jig on the bottom and sometimes a lift and fall will work, the list keeps going so be creative because you never know what will work at any given time.
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Old 02-26-09, 07:12 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01 View Post
i am thinking of shooting a video and adding it to our website on jig fishing, if i do i will post a link on here. in the mean time here is a little info i sent to another member a while back in a pm. some of this info is kinda specific to time of year, water conditions, ect. but it should help you with a starting point.

1. you are gonna lose jigs if you are fishing them right, so don't be scared of getting hung up. after a while you will be able to feel the difference between a jig bouncing over rocks and a jig that is trying to dig into the rocks. when you feel the jig starting to dig into the rocks then don't pull on it, but raise your rod and give it a sharp pop. after you get the hang of it you will get a lot of jigs loose that most guys would break off (i think that is counter productive advice for someone who is in the business of selling jigs huh lol).
2. i always trim my weedguard down a bit, just enough that it is parallel to the hook but just a little past the point (hope that makes sense). you would think that would get you hung up more but it actually will help because it makes the weedguard a little more stiff. this also will help in hook up ratio.
3. a bite on a jig can be anything from a really hard tap to the jig just feeling a little heavy or a little light so you need to pay attention to how the bait normally feels and if it feels any different that than give her hell! most of my better fish don't really hit the jig all that hard, in fact most of them just have a little spongey feeling and feel a little heavy, again hooksets are cheap so don't be shy. you would probably laugh your butt off if you seen how many times i set the hook with a jig.
4. don't get caught with your rod tip straight up in the air. as you work the jig start with your rod more at the 9:00 position and with small hops raise your rod to the 11:00 position. if you get caught with your rod straight up in the air it is hard to reel down on a fish to set the hook before the fish spits the bait out or it feels pressure from your rod.
5. i mentioned short hops, short hops aren't always the ticket you will have to experiment and see what the fish want at that given time. this can change day to day and even hour to hour based on a lot of things like wind and light conditions so try to stay versatile. no matter if you are hopping a jig or just dragging it the key is bottom contact, if the jig comes off of the bottom for any length of time it isn't gonna look natural so stay aware of what your bait is doing at all times.
6
.
fighting a fish on a jig is a little different than fighting a fish on anything else. there is a guide around there that is dynomite with a jig and he says "if you wanna lose a fish on a jig, than play him". what he means is get his head turned and keep him coming. while this will work at times there are also those times where you need to play a fish so just go with your instinct and you will do fine.

the action of the jig is made through the rod tip or barely shaking the line like you would a shakeyhead depending on the action you are going for. sometimes you will want to give the jig some hopping action by bouncing the rod tip, other times you may just want to slowly drag the jig on the bottom and sometimes a lift and fall will work, the list keeps going so be creative because you never know what will work at any given time.
Thanks this helps a bazoozals (<<word?)!

I was kinda surprised when you said that fighting a fish with a jig is different than fighting them with another lure.

Thanks again, Bassboss
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Old 02-26-09, 07:14 PM   #5
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lemme get a little more specific, I'll more or less be fishing hydrilla mats and, and small submerged hyrialla patches.

Hope this helps you help me!
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Old 02-26-09, 07:15 PM   #6
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listen to c-rig here pal. he is the man on jigs.
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Old 02-26-09, 07:16 PM   #7
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listen to c-rig here pal. he is the man on jigs.
So his name should be like..... Jig-rig-01 too!
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Old 02-27-09, 12:01 AM   #8
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When I am fishing a jig around mats or pads I us as light of a weight as I can, I find they grab in on the fall alot. On that, always keep the line running through your fingers when holding the rod, same with a worm, I have three below the rod and my index finger above and put the line between it and my thumb. You would be amazed how often you feel the bite from the line and not through the rod especially on the drop and slacked line.
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Old 02-27-09, 01:45 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by CCbass View Post
When I am fishing a jig around mats or pads I us as light of a weight as I can, I find they grab in on the fall alot. On that, always keep the line running through your fingers when holding the rod, same with a worm, I have three below the rod and my index finger above and put the line between it and my thumb. You would be amazed how often you feel the bite from the line and not through the rod especially on the drop and slacked line.
good tip, but be sure to get your finger off the line before you set the hook especially with braid.
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Old 02-27-09, 04:28 AM   #10
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Oh Ya what he said, if I have not had to many line burns thru the years from setting the hook with the line still running over my finger, ouch.
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Old 02-27-09, 09:06 AM   #11
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Thanks CC, I do that too!

Works wel don't it!
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Old 02-27-09, 02:59 PM   #12
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yeah if its a lot of grass get a jig that has its head more triangular..... when fishing ponds i like a lighter one b/c they usually aint as deep and they will hit it onthe fall... hope you have fun

be ready for a fish to hit so hard it will try to rip the rod out of your hands.... some will just feel heavy tho..... as i say "hooksets dont cost nothin"
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Old 02-27-09, 03:00 PM   #13
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another thing is you got to throw it for more than 5 minutes to grow your confidence in them... they aint a bait that gonna catch you a thousand fish but they will cathc you bigger fish.... i ahve learned to get confidence in a bait you got to throw it for a long period of time.... there is a learning curve with everything
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Old 02-27-09, 03:59 PM   #14
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another thing is you got to throw it for more than 5 minutes to grow your confidence in them... they aint a bait that gonna catch you a thousand fish but they will cathc you bigger fish.... i ahve learned to get confidence in a bait you got to throw it for a long period of time.... there is a learning curve with everything
That pal!

I got the perfect jig for that. It's got a triangle head; black and blue in color. It's lighter than 1/2 oz, I think 3/8!

Also do you like rattles, or no rattles?
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Old 02-27-09, 05:53 PM   #15
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don't be afraid to mix up your retrieve as well. You don't always have to hop or swim or drag it you can mix it up. just be creative and try different combinations. Also trailers are a must on jigs. also I have had more bites on the initial downfall then anything.
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Old 02-27-09, 05:59 PM   #16
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don't be afraid to mix up your retrieve as well. You don't always have to hop or swim or drag it you can mix it up. just be creative and try different combinations. Also trailers are a must on jigs. also I have had more bites on the initial downfall then anything.
Thanks!

About trailers, What kind if best in this situation; A curly tail, craw chunk, or a craw, such as a sweet beaver?

Thanks again,
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Old 02-27-09, 07:33 PM   #17
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I perfer Strike King's 3x Chunk, Bitsy Craw Trailer, or anything like that. Any will do the trick.
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Old 02-27-09, 07:59 PM   #18
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I perfer Strike King's 3x Chunk, Bitsy Craw Trailer, or anything like that. Any will do the trick.
That Bitsy Craw Trailer looks mighty fine if I go say so ma'self!

Do you thread the chunks on, or do just hook 'em right through!
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Old 02-27-09, 08:29 PM   #19
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I usually thread them on
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Old 02-27-09, 08:45 PM   #20
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i jig alot right down i drop mine down and pop my rod tip up and down and after a couple of pop reel up alittle and repat
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Old 02-27-09, 09:10 PM   #21
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Thanks to all that replied!

I think I'll have some more success with jig now!

I keep hear the you should cast (flip pitch) it cover, bump it a few times, and then bring it up. Well since I'll a shore huger, What if I had two "lanes" of mates, and than a deeper part in between, with no mats. Should I cast to the edge of the far lane bump it hop it, and than pull it to the next lane.

Also if I was fishing mats that were say 10 feet apart, should I cast to the far mat, bump it, and than bring it to the next closest, than the next closest, and so on.



Hope you can understand my illustration!
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Old 02-28-09, 05:06 PM   #22
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Almost caught me a big ol bass on a jig today.

I was messin' around with a little bass on a nest, she was picking it up by the trailer and putting it away. Than a 3-4lb bass cam along to check out my jig, it got about a 1/2 a foot to it! But the nesting bass 3 feet away came and skeered the big mama away!

Well..... at least I know I'm going something right!

Thanks for the help guys!
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Old 02-28-09, 06:11 PM   #23
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I have another question, what do you do when you have bass following a jig, do you stop it, or keep it going?
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Old 02-28-09, 07:05 PM   #24
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try both ways. if he stops and is still there, twitch it a little, or dead stick. see what he does.
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Old 02-28-09, 07:22 PM   #25
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try both ways. if he stops and is still there, twitch it a little, or dead stick. see what he does.
Or she dose

Thanks bama!
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