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