[Basstard]

Hey everyone,
I am new to this site and i am just starting to get really into bass fishing. I spent countless hours this winter reading Bass books, magazines, and watching bass fishing tv shows. I think i have the basics of bassin down, but i still have alot to learn. I noticed watching the elite series on espn that the jig and pig combo was winning a couple tourneys. I ran into Chuckc at Batterson park pond last week (he told me about this site) and he was also saying how he does well with the jig. The more people i talk to that know what they are doing, the more i notice that i need to learn to fish the jig. I have still yet to catch a fish on a jig! I tried again today and had no luck. I was just dragging it through the weeds with a crawfish trailer. Does the jig and pig combo work well year round? Is it better in thick weeds or more effective in stumps and rocks? Should I always use a trailer with a jig? Which trailers seem to work the best?

Id appreciate if someone could fill be in.
Thank you

[stumpy]

welcome to the site and welcome to the sport. i am no means an expert of the jig, but there is a few guys i know on this site that will prob put Denny Brauer to shame. the jig catches big fish for sure. i started fishing it last year. the jig can be fished year round. i have a setup with one tied on my deck all the time now. they can be dragged along bottom to look like a fleeing craw, they can be pitched to cover and shaken, you can even swim them through heavy cover.

The one thing about the jig is feeling the bite. you may feel one you may just feel weight on the line, sometimes when bass are suspended and they suck it in on the fall you just may only see your line jump. get the feel for the jig and it's weight, after you pitch the jig out and something feels abnormal, cross their eyes. remeber hooksets are free.

[admin]

Basstard-
Good idea on this post... You are not the only one who needs help with this technique. I will be visiting this thread often to learn more. I have yet to catch one on this set up as well

I'm sure we can ALL agree that there is always something to learn here.
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~ Marc

Just one more cast...

[Rookie]

I have fished the jig a little over the last couple years, just havent caught anything or have any confidence in it.

Until the end of last year. Just4fun's results have got me into exploring it a bit more. And with the colder temps, like late fall, i thought jigging on the bottom might be more productive.

Anyways, i picked up a nice stick over the winter and now have one setup all the time. Ive even pracitced in the back yard with a small bucket. Im getting pretty good with it now.

So, last year, i forced myself to throw the jig on a colder day and caught some fish

This year, i pitched some docks last month and pulled a few. And im glad i picked up the stiff stick!

Im no pro, but im trying

Now i have a bunch of jigs from TF.

You know, im the type, catch a fish on something, RUN out (and run fast) and buy bunch more.........just incase
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Thar aint NO fish in here !!!!!!!!

[bigbeave1]

Jimfish is the one you want to talk to he is deadly with the jig im sure he will chime in on this when he see's it
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[Justin Tralli]

Ahhh the jig. That little package of fish catching madness. You want to catch a fish on a jig? Here is what you need to do...

1. USE IT!!! The next time you go fishing, use nothing but JIGS!! If you practice with it long enough, you'll catch something on it!

I always tell people this. Once you get that first hit on a jig, you're set forever. You will know what it feels like to get a bite on it, and from there on everything else will be easy!

2. Use a quality jig. I dont mean something expensive, just something that is put together well. Find a jig with a good hook such as a Gamakatsu. This will help so much with the "catching" part.

3. Get a variety of jigs in different sizes and colors.

Here's a good base to start with: 3 - 1/4 oz. 3 - 3/8oz 3 - 1/2oz. jigs
Mix up the colors. Best bet and most widely used is a black and blue jig. Also get some green and brown jigs. Many of the crayfish that are around here are green and orange, so that's a great color too.

You also will need some trailers. I use ZOOM "Super Chunks". I like the black with blue flake, and the green pumpkin with blue flake trailers.

4. Get the right equipment!!! Get yourself a quality 7 foot Medium/Heavy baitcasting rod and a high speed, say 6.3:1 baitcasting reel. The longer, stiffer action rod will allow you to pull the fish out of the cover and the higher speed reel will help you pick up the line faster. Also, dont skimp on the line. Use nothing less than 14 pound test. I'd rather see you use 17 but that's up to you.

5. PRACTICE CASTING!! More often than not, people dont practice nearly as much as they should. I practice casting all the time. Not to toot my own horn, but I can outfish most people in my boat when we're fishing jigs because I can pitch the jig 15 feet under a boat dock where most people cant even get near. If you can put that thing where other people can't, you're going to catch more fish that dont usually see an offering. Go outside and practice pitching and casting into a cup. Take one of your wife's plant and put a cup under it and pitch it in. Practice pitching under your coffee table. These are all real life fishing situations that you'll come across whilee your jig fishing. ALSO dont be afraid to get hung up!!! You're going to loose jigs! If you're getting hung up, then you're fishing in the right places!!!!

6. Understand you bait!! A jig is a precision tool. Yes, using it in deep water is very effective. Last year a caught more fish over 5 pounds out of 40 - 60 feet of water with a 1 oz. jig. BUT, it's roots are in the shallow, jungles of weeds, wood, trees, docks and junk! So learn how to get your bait to the fish, and know how to work it. Make it look natural. Visualize your jig as it works along the bottom. Try and make it act like a little crawfish, or bug or whatever a bass thinks it is. (that part nobody will ever know because the bass cant tell us what they think it mimmics) Just make it look real.

There was a great quote once regarding making you lures look like prey and understanding why the bass eats your bait.....


"If you want to learn about the owl, you study the mouse..."

In other words, the way a preditor acts, eats, moves and thinks is all based around his food. Make your lure act real, and you'll catch more fish with it. Whatever the lure is.

Study the way crayfish and bait acts as it moves around.

One of the things that drives me nuts is to see a guy hopping a jig 4 feet off the bottom. Crayfish dont do that. They move along in little distances. They're not flying 5 feet off the bottom then going back down.


I hope this helps and I hope I didnt get too complex. The jig has won more money for me in the past ten years than anyother bait. Just practice with it and stay confident! Sooner or later something will grab it and you'll be a jig fisherman forever!!!

Good luck!!

- Justin Tralli[/b]
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[Rookie]

Good lord !!!!
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Thar aint NO fish in here !!!!!!!!

[admin]

Thanks for the great explaination
_________________
~ Marc

Just one more cast...

[bigbeave1]

Nice read Justin
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I Eat ,Sleep and Dream about fishing cant get enough

[SkeeterJim]

Like what Justin says. Good read Justin!
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Eat, Sleep, Fish......I Love my SKEETER ZX225!!!
If I didn't have to work for a living....I'd be fishing.
If I'm not in my Skeeter then I'm in my Hobie!

[Basstard]

Thanks for the info fellas. Ill be sure to let you know how i do next time im out.

[Just4fun]

Justin is a great fisherman so I wouldn't disregard anything he says,..but here's my $.02:

When you are just starting out,..you only need one color and one size!
- 1/2 ounce, Plain black, or a black/blue jig with a matching color chunk-trailer. When you are just starting out,..feeling the jig is the key thing, and it is easier to feel a 1/2 ounce jig than something lighter.
Though now, I carry different sizes and colors,..I still fish a plain black (1/2 ounce) jig and chunk trailer about 90% of the time! The days are rare when they prefer something different and even on most of THOSE days,..you will still get some bites on the black!
(I will say that smallies seem to like browns and greens,..so if you're fishing for mainly smallies,..then maybe go with brown instead!)

I think that a MH rod and 14lb line is just BARELY adequate for jig fishing. Getting a good hookset with a jig is a primary concern. Tie a jig and pig onto your line and then clamp your fist around it and get a sense for just how hard you have to jerk on that line in order to get that big piece of metal and skirt back through the clenched lips of a big bass! Plus,..the bigger that a bass is,..the thicker and harder the cartiledge is in their mouths and the harder it is to penetrate it with a big jig-hook!
Now imagine that you're fishing in lily pads and a bass has picked up your jig and moved a couple of feet off to the side,..bending your line around the pads,.....how much harder are you gonna have to jerk NOW!!!
You need a long stiff rod (7-7.5' Heavy action is what I recommend) and low stretch line (40 or 50# braid,..or 17-20# fluorocarbon ) and you STILL have to jerk really HARD!!

If you get a smaller bass and it's relatively close to the surface you will probably launch it on the hookset! Nothing wrong with you and your partner having to duck a flying bass,...it'll probably be the highlight of your day!

Here's another very good writeup by the guy that taught me how to fish a jig! http://www.joesjigtrailers.com/joestech.htm

By the way,..there are many fine jigs and many fine trailers out there,...I've tried a whole bunch of them. MOST brands are pretty equivalent and you will not go wrong with them, but I fish with PJ's jigs because they are a little better than anything else I've tried (fish just do not come off once they are hooked...)
And I use Joe's jig trailers because they are better than any other's I've tried. They are heavily scented and salted,..so they tear kind of easily like a senko,..but fish just hold onto them better and longer than anything else!
If you get serious about jig fishing,..do youself a favor and try them!
http://www.joesjigtrailers.com
http://www.pjsjigs.com
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"If people concentrated more on the really important things in life there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
Mark

[Rookie]

You're such a comedian!! LOL

Good read though
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Thar aint NO fish in here !!!!!!!!

[Basstard]

I already had several Mann's "Stone Jigs". I went over to dick's this week and picked up the "Evolution" jig and strike king "Bitsy bugs"in several diffrent colors and sizes. Do any of you guys use these? Ill be sure to use the Black and blue this weekend when i hit beach pond. Thanks for the info. Hopefully I nail'em!!

[Rookie]

I got some evolution jigs at the fishing show but dont like them. I like my tournament force weed jigs better. Last time i used the jig, i set the hook and the (pickeral im guessinging) fish bit me off. 30lb suffix braid!
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Thar aint NO fish in here !!!!!!!!