Fishing jigs are artificial lures used to catch both large sports fish like bass and smaller pan fish like crappies. These jigs come in various sizes, designs and colors. It is recommended to select the correct jig for the fish you are going after, as well as the water conditions.
Common Designs
Jig lures share some common design elements. They are not usually “realistic” lures in that they don't really look anything like a real minnow, for example. They present a particular “look” or action in the water that is known to attract fish. Most jigs are made of a weighted head welded to a long hook. There is a molded “eye” within the head to connect the fishing line. Colored skirts, made from bucktail, plastic, or marabou feathers add color and action to the lure. Some jigs include a few strands of stiff material to help keep moss and vegetation from fouling the jig.
Bass and Walleye Jigs
Jigs made for bass and walleye fishing are much larger than jigs intended for crappie fishing. They come in sizes as large as nearly 3 inches long. Bass jigs look a lot like bass spinner baits, minus the long wire lead and the spinner spoons. Bass and walleye jigs come in many colors with skirts mostly made from plastic materials. Some bass and walleye jigs include a wire bead near the head that produces a rattling noise, a presentation that attracts bass. Bass and walleye jigs, like crappie jigs, are “danced” through the water and along the bottoms of lakes and ponds.
Panfish Jigs
Panfish jigs are much smaller than jigs for large sports fish. Most jigs meant for attracting crappie and bluegills are approximately 1-inch long. Panfish jigs also come in many colors and the skirts can be made of various products. These are lightweight lures intended for shorter casts and use on lightweight rod and reel combinations, like spincasting and spinning reels.
Soft Plastic Jigs
The design of some jigs is to approximate the appearance of real baitfish, including minnows, tadpoles and crayfish. These jigs differ from other kinds of lures because they are extremely lightweight and not suitable for long casting or deep waters. These realistic jigs are very simple in design, including a soft plastic body with a hook threaded through the body, and a somewhat hidden eye for attaching the line. There are larger jigs for fishing for bass, and smaller jigs for panfish.
Tube Jigs
Tube jigs feature standard weighted heads with attached hooks. You can then add your own soft plastic “body” to the hook. Some of these tube bodies include tails or streamers that make the tube jig move in interesting patterns in the water. Tube bodies come in dozens of colors and textures. You would use tube jigs most often used for panfish but you can adapt larger designs for bass, walleye and catfish.
References
- The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide: Jigs
- Bass Pro Shops: Fishing Jigs: Buyer's guide
- “What Fish Don't Want You to Know: An Insider's Guide to Freshwater Fishing;” Frank P. Baron; 2003
- “Fishing Essentials for Dummies;” Peter Kaminsky; April 4, 2002
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