Jigs are type of lure often used in bass fishing. A jig often an incomplete lure, composed of just a weighted head and an elongated hook. You complete the lure by threading your own choice in "body" materials on the hook. Some jigs do come complete with bucktail, plastic or synthetic feathered skirts. Both types are extremely effective in jigging for bass.
Head Weights
Jig heads come in various weights. The 1/4 oz., 3/8 oz. and 1/2 oz. heads are the most common. The weight of the jig head determines how deep the lure will sink after casting. If you want the jig to get down to serious bass territory--15 feet in depth--use the heaviest of the weights. If you are fishing the shallows, the 1/4 oz. head will produce results.
Head Designs
Anglers debate whether the color of the jig head matters. One factor in head design that does seem to make a difference is the presence of a paint "eye" on the weight. Pro angler Roland Martin writes that jigs that have eyes tend to catch more bass than "eyeless" jigs. Apparently, the bass are more convinced the jig is a real baitfish when it sees the eyes.
Skirts
The skirt is the most important feature of the jig. Jig skirts come in dozens of different colors and color combinations. The general rule for selecting a skirt color is the color of the water. Brighter-colored jigs tend to work better in dark or murky waters, whereas more subdued colors work fine in clearer waters.
Weedless Features
Since a jig drags along the bottom, it's smart to use a type of jig that won't accumulate weeds on its head. Choose a weedless design or a jig that has a more pointed nose compared to a round head with no nose. The nose will allow weeds to flow away from the jig as it bounces through the water. Keep your jig clean of debris: Bass will not bite if a jig is trailing a foot of moss or weeds.
Motion
Jigs are designed to mimic the motion of a wounded minnow in the water. To sell this idea to the bass, you need to give the jig a jumping, quivering motion by jerking your rod tip in a staccato manner as you reel in the jig slowly. Visualize dancing or hopping the jig along the bottom.
Pigs and Chunks
You can often improve the presentation of a jig by adding a small bit of pork rind to the hook. You can also substitute with a ribbon of soft plastic or a soft plastic jig tail. Bass love the smell and taste of pork rind. Pork rinds tend to work better in colder waters, notes expert angler Russ Bassdozer.
Landing
When a big bass hits a jig, you will feel the strike. A bass will grab food, turn its head and start to move towards deeper waters. This is the crucial moment to set the hook by jerking the rod up and to the side once. If the jig is in the fish's mouth when you jerk and the fish has turned away from you, you're likely to set the hook. Otherwise, if it's a soft strike and the fish hasn't really committed to taking the jig, you're likely to jerk the bait out of the fish's mouth. So jerk quickly, point your rod tip down towards the water and start reeling.
References
- Bassdozer: Jig No Pig!
- "Kevin VanDam's Bass Strategies Revised Edition"; Kevin VanDam, Louie Stout and Judy Purple; 2010
- "The Bass Angler's Almanac: More Than 650 Tips and Tactics"; John Weiss; 2002
- "Roland Martin's 101 Bass-Catching Secrets"; Roland Martin; 2008
- "What Fish Don't Want You to Know: An Insider's Guide to Freshwater Fishing; Frank P. Baron; 2003
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