To jig or not to jig...

[BassFeverJohn]

In North East Florida? At Dick's I inquired about what color zoom chunk to use on my strike king jig in my local water. He insisted that I should go with 8" trick worms instead. In water melon/red or june bug.

I was perplexed his this line of reasoning, but still put off enough to come ask you guys about it first. To be honest I have never caught a fish with a jig, but this has not deterred me. I have seen the success others have had, and I have always believed that if I just stuck with it I would be able to tap into that myself.

The guy's main reason for telling me to ditch the jigs was a lack of crawfish in these parts. Now I am no genius, but I used to catch them all around here as a kid. I know they are out there. I certainly live in their ecological zone. So why would this guy tell me this? Should I really consider not jigging here, or should I go back and get those chunks and go for it?

I didn't buy the trick worms either. I prefer another brand than zoom, and they don't carry them at Dick's.

[CamG]

Jigs will work anywhere bass live...no matter if crawfish are few and far between.

The biggest thing to remember with jigs is that you need a fairly hefty stick to get them hooked good as jig hooks are big and tough.

[bassinbob]

John if they don't live around there ask him why they sell them. Like Cam said they will work anywhere.

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by bassinbob

John if they don't live around there ask him why they sell them. Like Cam said they will work anywhere.

I came this close to asking that. It really bothered me that he would say that.

So I will put to you guys what I asked him:


I'm fishing stained water from 2-8 feet. I brought up pumpkin seed chunks, and black chunks. What would you guys recommend?

[walkeraviator]

Match you trailers to your jig... so if you are fishing green pumpkin jig use pumpkin seed trailers and so on... just have different size and different action trailers to appeal to a bass whether he is active or finicky

[Jrob78]

Ah come on, everyone knows jigs don't work in Florida!?!

Don't put too much stock into what the guy working at Dicks says. Some basic knowledge is about the best you can hope for at big box stores.

On the other hand, experiment with different trailers and different retrieves with your jigs. If a smaller profile is required a section of Trick Worm probably would make a good trailer, especially when swimming a jig.

[BigBassin144]

I have to agree that jigs will work anywhere, whether there are craws or not.

I like to match my trailers to my jig colors. I mostly use Powerbait Chigger Craws in 3". However, depending on how aggressive the fish are, I'll move down to a Chigger Chunk or up to a 4" Chigger Craw.

BB

[Jim80]

I would stick it out with Jigs John once you learn to fish with one there is no looking back and it is way to useful of a lure not to get comfortable with . The dude at Dicks is most likely just talking from his own experience and is most likely not the type to toss a jig and prob bases his advice off of that .


Jim

[Bassboss]

And can pretty much guarantee the reason the guy did not think getting a jig was a good idea, is because he himself has never caught any on them. And has discarded them as "bad lures," i.e. ones that don't catch fish.

I say get one! Jigs can be a pain in the arse to get the hold of, as it is more on an "art" than a technique. But once you get a hold of it, be prepared for some good fish!!

As far as what colors to get, do this:

Look at the bottom of you're pond, see the color of the bottom. Once you know what that looks like, get a color that looks about like that. Craw dad will blend in with the color bottom they're in. But make sure not to match to it well! If I have it, I like to take some lure die (for example JJ's magic), and dip the tips of the trailers in it. This will add some contrast to the water, making it easier to pick out, but not so easy that it's odiously not real. Also it'll add a little different color than what the other craw fish are. It'll make the bass think that something is wrong with it, making it an easier target.

Just my 2 cent!

[nofearengineer]

John, definitely stick with it!!!

Like you, I am a newbie to jigs. I had never fished a large "bass type" jig until last summer. My very first jig fish was 4.5 lbs, followed 5 minutes later with a 3.5! A great way to start, and I was hooked for life, man.

You will be too when it happens. There is something exciting with how the strike feels when a big bass sucks a jig up off of the bottom and tsarts to swim off with it. That half second of "omg....here comes the hookset" gets your heart pounding.

I've found that most guys who work at Dick's, Gander, etc. don't know jack, or at least not any more than I do (which ain't a lot ).

[walkeraviator]

Yeah... take advantage of your gf's discount... but find a locally run bait and tackle... the guys in there may have more knowledge than the high schooler workin at dicks...