No lure is extra versatile for bass fishing than the skirted jig. The jig-head with a rubber skirt mixture has been round for years, and it continues to catch bass throughout all seasons and anyplace bass swim. Over time, jigs have advanced and turn into extra specialised, which has solely added to their effectiveness. On this article, we are going to cowl the most important classes of jigs, the gear wanted, learn how to fish them, and a few modifications that allow you to get essentially the most out of those lures.

Gear Required

Jig fishing works finest on baitcasting gear for a number of causes: they’re typically used with heavier line round thicker cowl, and the load of the lures makes them higher on heavier baitcasting gear. A rod that’s between 7’ and seven’6” in size with a medium-heavy motion is a perfect jig rod. A baitcasting reel spooled with 12-17lb check fluorocarbon line rounds out your complete mixture. The rod and reel needs to be delicate sufficient to detect bites but robust sufficient to get an excellent hookset when a bass bites your jig.

Jig Sorts

Customary Jig

The usual jig works nice for brief casts to submerged cowl, but it surely works equally effectively in deeper water fished alongside the underside after an extended solid. These jigs are among the many most versatile and customary of all bass lures. The three/8oz and 1/2oz sizes work effectively in almost all conditions, however generally heavier or lighter jigs are higher. The lighter fashion works higher in shallower water or when anglers desire a slower fall from their jig, and the heavier fashions are higher for deeper water.

Soccer Head Jigs

Just like the identify implies, the soccer head has a singular head design that resembles the form of a soccer. This design permits nice contact with the underside, enabling you to remain in contact together with your lure whereas not hanging up as a lot as with different jigs because of the head design. These jigs excel round rocks, and so they work effectively from mid-range depths to a lot deeper water. Ideally, a soccer head works finest in water between 10 and 50 ft deep. In the case of sizes, the 1/2oz soccer head will cowl most conditions, however lighter jigs will enable an angler to get a slower fall. Heavier jigs, from 1/2oz to over 1oz, work effectively in heavy present or deep water.

Swim Jigs

Any jig may theoretically be used with a swimming retrieve, however the swim jig is specifically designed with a pointed head to come back via grass and canopy whereas being retrieved. Whereas most jigs are finest when making contact with the underside, the swim jig is finest in movement in the course of the water column. The swim jig is efficient in shallow water lower than ten ft deep and anyplace there’s grass or picket cowl within the water. Since swim jigs are usually fished in shallow water, they’re usually a lot lighter than different standard jig varieties. Swim jigs sized 3/16 or 1/4oz are standard sizes, with 3/8oz being among the many heaviest swim jigs bass anglers use.

Trailers

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The trailer added to the top impacts the motion of the bait, the forage it’s emulating, and the general look of the jig. Comfortable plastic trailers are the most well-liked choice for his or her comfort and array of types and colours obtainable. When rigging the trailer to your jig, you will need to be certain it’s rigged straight on the hook of the jig so the motion will not be affected and it seems pure.

Creatures

There are numerous creature baits available on the market with a number of arms and appendages. Whereas they could not look precisely like one thing in nature, the motion attracts bass. These work effectively when used as a trailer for every type of jigs, particularly swim jigs.

Craws

The jig can look identical to a crawfish shifting alongside the underside when paired with a comfortable plastic crawfish. They arrive in lots of colours to match all jig skirts, and the added enchantment of the claws creates a complete package deal. These work effectively for all types of jigs.

Chunks

Comfortable plastic chunks additionally imitate a crawfish, with the 2 arms of the bait undulating with every motion of the jig. Chunks are an excellent choice for normal jigs.

Grubs

The double-tail grub is one other solution to make your jig appear to be a crawfish or small fish swimming alongside. The tails appear to be a fleeing crawfish, and so they create an attractive motion underwater. Grubs are a superb alternative for every type of jigs.

Deciding on Colours

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Jigs most frequently imitate crawfish, so colours that resemble them work effectively for many conditions. Inexperienced pumpkin, watermelon, and different related pure colours are good decisions for many jig fishing. When fishing soiled or stained water, a black and blue jig and trailer work effectively to make sure that the fish can see the bait.

Jigs additionally imitate bluegill, sunfish, and shad if the colours match the forage. When imitating bluegill, a inexperienced pumpkin or jig with shades of blues will assist “match the hatch” of what the bass are consuming. When attempting to mimic shad, white skirts with a white trailer work effectively.

The place to Use Them

The enchantment of jigs when fishing for bass is that they’ll successfully be utilized in many conditions. Their weedless design permits them to be fished in heavy cowl. There isn’t a improper place to make use of them, however they’re among the many finest decisions for bass anglers round rocks, grass, wooden, and docks.

Retrieves

The jig works nice with quick casts, pitches, and flips to seen cowl. Usually, the bass will seize the lure because it falls, so it’s at all times necessary to look at your line because the jig is falling. As soon as the bait hits the underside, quick hops that preserve the bait close to the underside throughout your retrieve are finest.

The most effective methods to make use of a soccer head can be the best: drag the jig alongside the underside. Forged it out, let it sink, after which use your rod to slowly transfer the bait alongside the underside earlier than you reel to drag within the slack. The soccer head may also be used with quick hops alongside the underside.

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The swim jig may be fished with a gradual retrieve again to you. Small actions together with your rod and pumps together with your rod will enable the bait to maneuver up and down within the water column as you retrieve your bait.

Modifications

A jig proper out of the package deal is able to catch fish, however two easy modifications can improve hookups and alter the motion of the lure: trimming the weedguard and skirt.

Most jigs come geared up with weedguards to guard the hook from weeds, rocks, and particles. They work nice for conserving you from snagging into cowl, however they’re usually stiff and too lengthy. To regulate the size of the weedguard, minimize a small size of the weedguard off with scissors. An roughly ¼-inch part is normally finest so long as the top of the weedguard continues to be longer than the purpose of the hook.

One other modification many bass anglers use is to trim the size of the skirt. By reducing it slightly below the underside of the hook whereas the jig is vertical, you may get a extra compact look on your jig.

The three main varieties of jigs will mean you can fish almost all depths and catch bass in all seasons. The jig is without doubt one of the most versatile bass lures, and it has a repute as being among the finest methods to catch a giant bass. By deciding on the correct fashion of jig, using the right retrieve, and matching the suitable skirt shade and trailer, you may maximize your success when fishing jigs.