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