| Today's soft plastic lure market is booming with | | | | water as well as in the summer. The Spotsticker |
| new styles and colors of baits, but when you are | | | | has a bigger hook than most, and it handles larger |
| looking for the biggest bite of the day, the fish | | | | bass well. In warmer, clear water, we like to use |
| that consistently win tournaments; then anglers in | | | | a grub or swimming worm as a trailer, this is very |
| the know go to the bait that has been proven | | | | effective when you are trying to imitate a |
| over time to catch the biggest bass; the | | | | crawfish. In colder, or more stained to muddy |
| venerable jig-and-pig. 20 years ago, this bait was | | | | waters, we like a bulkier trailer, as they displace |
| reserved for the sluggish bass, or for fishing in | | | | more water and make it easier for the bass to |
| the heaviest cover, or for bottom fishing | | | | home in on the bait. |
| techniques. Today, this bait is being used at all | | | | The design of the jighead is another thing you |
| times of the year, in a variety of different | | | | have to think about. They need to be matched to |
| fashions. | | | | the type of cover you are fishing. A jig that has a |
| This bait has remained relatively the same over | | | | head that is more pointed, with its eyelet coming |
| the past 30 years. It has gone through some | | | | out of the front rather than the top, is going to |
| cosmetic changes, such as better hooks, livelier | | | | pull through weeds better than a broad shouldered |
| skirts, and a broader spectrum of colors and | | | | jig. We like to use a Jungle Jig, by Northland, or a |
| sizes, along with plastic trailers, which enable a | | | | Terminator Pro's Top Secret jig for this. The |
| wider variety of color options, but this bait, | | | | Terminator has a recessed eye, as does Mann's |
| dressed with either plastic or pork, continues to | | | | Stone jig designed by Mike Iaconelli, and they all |
| catch bigger bass when other baits fail. Because | | | | come through this cover well.These jigs helped us |
| of the popularity of the flipping technique used by | | | | win the Big Bass World Championship several |
| most of the veteran anglers today, the jig has | | | | times. They were very effective here in the |
| remained among the most popular baits in many | | | | Northeast, in some of the heavier, weedy cover. |
| anglers tackle boxes. Because of so many | | | | When we fish around rocks and wood, we use a |
| recreational anglers concentrating on the flipping | | | | jig with more shoulders to help stop it sometimes. |
| technique, the jig's universal effectiveness has | | | | Many companies make this type of football or |
| been overlooked. | | | | stand up jig, which is great for these situations. |
| Many people have forgotten that casting a jig is | | | | When you pull it over an object, the jig tips, |
| an effective technique also. The jig can be | | | | adding more action. We have used these jigs |
| presented at a lot of different depths and around | | | | effectively on many of New Jersey's reservoirs |
| a variety of structure. You are really limiting | | | | such as Spruce Run. You must also match the |
| yourself if you only focus on the flipping aspect of | | | | size of the line to the size of the jig hook you are |
| it. Many times during the summer months, we | | | | using. A heavy-duty jig hook requires a stronger |
| have come in behind other anglers flipping obvious | | | | hook set, so you need heavier line to handle it. |
| targets, or casting more traditional summer lures, | | | | Of course, it helps to know when you're getting a |
| and we have caught bass making roll casts, and | | | | bite. Big bass really thump a jig with the same |
| looking for isolated pieces of cover that other | | | | vigor they do a plastic worm, and many other |
| anglers have missed. | | | | strikes are felt simply as spongy sensation, or |
| DIFFERENT SIZES | | | | just like you're dragging weeds. That's why it is |
| Jig sizes have changed in recent years, along with | | | | important to set the hook on anything that feels |
| skirt material and colors. The 3/8 ounce size | | | | unnatural, it could be weeds, or it could be a |
| remains the most popular, with smaller versions | | | | seven pounder! |
| are being used more and more with great | | | | JIG COLORS |
| success. The smaller finesse type of jigs are | | | | While a black and blue jig seems to be the |
| much more effective in clear water, while the | | | | favorite, we like to match jig colors to the water |
| heavier, bulky versions are great for fishing | | | | conditions. A dark colored jig with a big crawfish |
| stained to muddy water. Not that the heavier jig | | | | trailer, moving on the bottom, does a great job |
| isn't effective in some shallower, open water, but | | | | imitating a crawfish, but a white jig swimming |
| a more compact 1/2 ounce bait is more | | | | over cover and around boat docks does a good |
| effective, than the bulkier style. I use a shorter | | | | job of imitating a baitfish. This is great when bass |
| trailer for this. This is especially true when fishing | | | | want a slower presentation, or when you can't |
| some of the finger lakes of New York State, or | | | | fish a crankbait or jerkbait with ease. Many times |
| any of the waters where smallmouth bass are | | | | when bass are feeding on shad, but want a |
| also present. The heavier jig is more effective | | | | slower presentation than a spinnerbait, this is the |
| when the bass are aggressive, as it allows you to | | | | best choice. It can also catch the bigger bass that |
| fish it faster and cover more water. When the | | | | are ignoring the spinnerbait. The new "Sweet |
| fish are suspended, or you need to keep it in the | | | | Beavers" by Andre moore's company, "Reaction |
| strike zone longer, the lighter jig is more effective. | | | | Innovations", have been the hottest and most |
| We always keep experimenting with several sizes, | | | | productive soft plastic this year all over the |
| letting the bass tell us what they want. In the | | | | country. |
| summer months, when we swim the jig around | | | | We like the plastic trailers in the summer months, |
| boat docks, we opt for the lighter 1/4 ounce size, | | | | and the pork in the winter.The new Uncle Josh |
| with a plastic trailer, to imitate a crawfish or | | | | Pork is more pliable in cold water, while plastic |
| baitfish. Swimming the jig is a very effective | | | | gets stiff. In places where many anglers cast |
| technique that is overlooked by many weekend | | | | tubes or small finesse worms, such as clear water |
| anglers. Most small jigs don't have a big enough | | | | flats, we cast jigs in neutral colors, and catch |
| hook to handle quality bass, which is why we use | | | | bigger bass. Many times when bass ignore other |
| a Spotsticker handpoured Jighead. We have been | | | | baits, the jig will trigger a strike. This is also a |
| using this bait since 2002, when we had great | | | | great bait for night fishing. |
| success with it in several local tournaments in cold | | | | |