If you go out there on a cold and rainy day with a bright yellow or green lure, you’ll intimidate them too much, and they won’t bite. Use the rod tip to control the speed of the bait to gently hit the water. This fishing style is very simple, not complicated, and highly effective if you put in the time and effort into learning. These jigs have a flat bottom head with a dense weed guard that almost swallows the hook and makes it very good for heavy cover. For Coty, he didn't love bass fishing at first cast. Press your thumb down on the spool and release button like a typical cast. Swim your jig along the edges of weed beds and transitions between deep and shallow water. If you spook them too much, you may end up ruining your entire day of fishing in that area because they’ll back away and stay away if they think something isn’t right. Pitching is a fast and accurate way to get underneath nearby features like docks and branches. 2. Remember that the lighter the jig is, the slower it will sink to the bottom, using a lighter jig early in the year is a better choice because it matches the mood of the fish. You can also use small movements with your rod to make the jig move up and down in the water as you retrieve the lure. The right trailer depends on selecting the right action. This casting technique is super precise, and while you might not be able to cast extremely long distances, it works well if you’re fishing areas that you know have bass, but you have a hard time reaching them. Kevin Van Dam says he would pick a jig and crankbait if he could only have two baits. The trailer hook will catch any fish who strike at the lure from a large distance and wouldn’t be caught by the primary hook. The worst thing a jig can do is swing back to the angler in a pendulum motion. You can adjust your distance by letting more line out or reeling some in until you get the hang of it. He lives in northern Vermont with his girlfriend Amanda, stepson Charlie and dog Hank, not far from Lake Champlain. These weigh as much as a solo ounce and come with a dense skirt and wide gap hook. Often the jig head is round, but they come in a fish head shape, a cone, and a variety of other forms. 7. This is one of the most popular fishing techniques on the planet, and it’s rather simple to understand. Jigging for bass is a technique that requires a skirted jig and a plastic grub or craw imitation trailer worked along the bottom or reeled through the middle of the water column. The skirt will always protect your hook and trailer from getting caught up with too much muck. Fishing the densest vegetation is usually the best way to find largemouth bass, so you might be onto something if you rig up one of these. As a third-generation angler, he as a plethora of knowledge and experience on the water and loves sharing what he knows. After catching a bass the trailer is often torn and won’t stay straight. Bass jigging works all around the country in big and small bodies of water. These come with a line tie right at the top and a conical head to make it easy to push your way through anything that gets ahead of you. In matted vegetation, the fish may be suspended under the matts, so upon the initial pitch and few pops, raise your rod tip. Here, the versatility of the swim jig shines again. Attach a crawfish or creature bait to this jig and crawl it along the bottom, or attach a paddle tail or other swimming trailer and swim the jig through cover or along weed edges. Behind the head is a trailer, and then most jigs will come with a skirt that covers the hook and prevents weeds from building up on the hook. Flipping a jig requires you to release enough line to reach the desired target. Jig Add-Ons: Weed-Guard, Rattle. Required fields are marked *. black-and-blue Strike King Hack Attack Jig paired with a Junebug Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer. Know when to use a zoom chunk, rage craw, or grub. Spots for flipping are typically between boat lifts, pylons, or submerged trees. Without the trailer, the jig doesn't resemble a real life bait. Soft plastic trailers will also have the most life when presented with a straight vertical 6. Once you’ve released the line, set it aside, and pinch your line between the first guide and the reel. They look a lot like the old pork frogs that were so popular before we had so many soft plastic options. Pinch the line between the reel and the first guide with your opposite hand. Matching up the main body of the jig to the most effective trailer for a given situation is among the essential things the jig angler can do to have success. A grub is essentially a plastic worm with a tail on it that you’ll use to cover most of the vertical section of your hook. The Swinging jig can be used as a bottom-probing lure like the football jig, or swimming lure like the swim jig. You can flip jigs, swim jigs, cast jigs etc…. There are different trailers that can match both the situation and the type of jig. Swim it through the remaining vegetation or along rocky outcroppings. He helps to create content for Tailored Tackle including photos, video, and fishing related articles. This can help you locate bass with the jig acting as a searchbait. This casting technique helps you get underneath overhanging structure and cover. Due to that factor, you’ll want to have a fast action rod so you can feel all the nibbles you get from bass as you’re moving through the vegetation. This pairing is available in our Bass Fishing Kit and gives you the versatility to punch, drag or swim your jig. Justin is often found on both sides of a camera and enjoys hunting, golf, camping, and making maple syrup. Drag your jig along deeper, offshore structure for schooling fish. A natural brown weedless jig tipped with a brown grub is one of the most popular jigging presentations. Pair the lure's action with water and fishing conditions. Bass jigging works all around the country in big and small bodies of water. Your email address will not be published. There are exceptions to just about everything, but generally when I'm fishing shallow I like to use a chunk-style trailer. 2. 6. When it comes to choosing the best trailers, you’ve got a few options, and each has its own purpose. Once you cast your line, hold the tip of your rod 3-4 inches above the surface of the water to keep the bait lower and attract more fish. You can use larger creature trailers for these. When you fish something that isn’t weedless in the weeds, it messes up the presentation, which limits the amount of attention you’ll get from the bass. Many jigs are equipped with hefty hooks as well and weed guards to keep that hook out of trouble. The weed guard on these is usually very tense and doesn’t have a lot of play. Pitch a jig to underhand your cast into targets with overhanging cover. We can break the jigs down to those 3 categories and that will give you a great start. The Right Retrieval Speed I retrieve my jig with a high-speed baitcast reel (7.1:1 or higher gear ratio) filled with 50-pound braid or 20-pound fluorocarbon line . Punch your jig through dense cover to fish the shallows. Using the incorrect rod and reel will impact your casting, and you’ll miss out on some opportunities. It seems like the more I dive into jigs, the more I realize the only difference is how great they are at moving through cover. An example JIG set up: A ¾ oz. Keep in mind that the bass can only be a few yards away for this to work. It’s recommended that you use heavy tackle with these so you want to have a strong wire hook and don’t use a trailer like a craw or frog because there’s too much that can get hung up in the grass. 1. Look for a medium heavy rod with a fast ratio reel in the 6:1 to 7:1 range. If I'm flipping or pitching a jig (Spring - Early Winter) I'll use a crawfish type soft plastic ie: Sweet Beaver type bait or a Craw Worm. The heavier power of the rod aides in landing fish that inevitably get hung up in thick cover. Best Jig for Bass Fishing: Types of Bass Jigs. That changes the type of trailer chosen significantly. Many anglers may use rattles with these too, and some even come with one built-in to draw some additional attention. Free 5-7 Day Shipping on Orders Over $50! 4. 5. Before we get into those 3 types let’s just cover some of the basics. All you need to do is retrieve the jig through the water column as you would with a spinnerbait or baitfish style lure. We recommend spooling with 10-15 Lb braided line to manage weed build up and snags. This popping action often entices a Bass to bite. Now let’s talk about what techniques you can use on the retrieval. Click the reel forward and begin your retrieve back towards the boat, Pitching is a fast and accurate way to get underneath nearby cover. This presentation is what triggers a strike. So, in this section, we’re talking specifically about the jig head itself. 9. Especially with something like a swim jig where you will fish it up off the bottom much like a swimbait. You might want to opt for a trailer that is the same or a similar color to your jig … Once you cast, let the jig fall to the bottom and use the rod tip to pull the jig across the bottom of the water. Once you’ve done that release both at the same time and apply pressure when the bait hits the water to limit the slack and prevent backlash. I wouldn’t suggest using one if you’re fishing dense cover, but if the water is somewhat open or clear, I think you would have a lot of success. Jigs are most commonly used on Baitcasting equipment with heavier line that excels in dense cover. When a bass jig falls in a completely vertical manner, the most natural action is allowed to happen. Jigging also requires a lot of lifting, and in my opinion, spinners have closed the gap in terms of performance enough to where I don’t notice any difference with this fishing technique. I’d suggest going with a casting or spinning rod; I don’t have a preference on that because it depends on your fishing style. Drone Fishing: What Is It and Is It Ethical? Grass jigs would be considered the epitome of dense vegetation fishing. 3. A plastic trailer exponentially enhances the vibration of these lures, especially when ribbed. Because of that sensitivity and finesse is that much more important. Let’s talk about how to fish for bass with a jig. Cast far to search more water and reach the bottom in deeper depths. Keep in mind that the bass can only be a few yards away for this to work. Unlike pitching a jig, the target for flipping is usually within a couple rod lengths of the angler. Jig Trailers are essential when jig fishing for bass. Press your thumb down on the spool and release button like a typical cast. Either way, if you’ve gone through this guide in its entirety, you should have nothing to worry about! The trailer of choice for most bass anglers is the soft plastic trailer. The soft plastic trailer is a critical component to swim jig success. I’ve found that flipping jigs are much larger in size as well running up to a full ounce, so I would suggest using these if you know where some big bass are located. Most anglers would trail these with a craw or grub. The first thing I consider is the depth I'm fishing. Pinch your bait or the line just above your bait with your opposite hand. His favorite trailer to thread on his jig when skipping docks is a simple one: a plain green pumpkin Zoom Fat Albert twin tail. There are so many types of Jigs and different techniques. One trick is to rotate the trailer 180 degrees after one side gets torn by the hook so you can keep using it, but change it when both sides get torn. 10. If you’re fishing deeper water, you might be able to find schools of fish by dragging your lure across the bottom. You’ve learned a lot so far, but now let’s talk about where and when you should use jigs. In most cases, I will choose a color for the trailer that matches the jig itself. His career is in Civil Engineering and he graduated from Vermont Technical College in 2013. Let’s take a look at some of the gear you’ll need. Once you’ve released the line, set it aside, and pinch your line between the first guide and the reel. A jig can mimic numerous bait profiles like crawfish, gobies, perch and panfish. This will bring the jig up to just below the mat. A lot of people including myself use a trailer on the back of the jig for more action in the water. Flipping jigs take you into the densest, muckiest, and murkiest cover in the water. Take this as your cue to instantly engage your reel, reel up the slack, and swing for the fences. Hooking the tube slightly off-center so the trailer hangs down opposite the jig’s line tie creates a unique falling action. Many anglers take the skirt off to improve the rate of your hook set, but I would only do this if you’re certain there are no weeds around. I think these are great for heavy cover, loose vegetation, or fishing along rocks and dams. Sometimes lures that carry treble hooks can be problematic in timber. A trailer can increase the vibration in the water and help to lure in the fish. Remember, picking the right trailer is very important when you’re fishing for bass. You want to do this a few times when working your lure. Pick your target and slowly pendulum swing your bait forward, 8. On the contrary, if you go out there when it’s 85 and sunny in July with a gray jig, they might not bite because it won’t attract them enough. Flipping is a stealthy approach to fishing in shallow water where fish can be spooky. Jig Skirt: Color, Length. Always stick to the companies you know because that also plays a role in your success. BassGeek covers the basics of fishing jig's in this how to for beginners. The best thing I can tell you is to keep these bass jig fishing tips in mind when deciding if it’s the right time to pull out the jig. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For this reason, many anglers prefer casting and conventional reels because they transfer the motion better. The rip is what draws the bass in, and the pause is when they strike. As the bait hits the water, add pressure to the spool to avoid a backlash. Then, pop your rod tip to give the jig some action to entice those possible suspended bass. Understanding how to fish a jig for Bass is a fundamental technique for learning how to Bass fish in general. Ben Cayer punching through dense cover with our Bass Baitcasting Combo. 5. The tube’s tentacles also make the trailer ideal for a slow presentation. You want to make sure you’re using the best jigs from the most recommended brands. Release the bait and your thumb on the spool at the same time to “Pitch the Jig”. With a slender, boot-tail swimbait as a trailer, the jig will fall fast and swim faster through the water on the retrieve. The Best Trailers for Jig Fishing for Bass. 4. It should be a heavy power and fast action rod so you can pull those hard-fighting bass through the dense cover where you’ll likely use the jig. … If you don’t like to cast into the weeds, you’ll want to use a football jig. Lift the rod to 12 o’clock position while the bait dangles down. Practice the pendulum technique, working back and forth for greater momentum to increase casting distance. One final note is to fish these jigs differently in matted vegetation. Maintain solid contact with the bottom. Best Fish Finder GPS Combos: Top Six GPS and Chart Plotting Choices, 7 Best Kayak Fish Finders for New and Experienced Anglers. If you’re using a football head, you could use a larger and more significant trailer because you’ll rely on that for the motion and presentation. I've found tremendous success with a jig trailer … To help you get a better grasp of it, I’ve put together this complete guide, which covers all the gear you’ll need, picking the right trailers, the technique behind jigging, and where jig fishing for bass works the best. Think of the trailer as the backbone to the jig. Choosing the correct jig trailer for the application is crucial for getting more and bigger bites. Remember that most bass bite moving jigs, so the motion and action you create is important. You want the jig head to be sturdy, realistic, and authentic. I like to fish bucktails in current, the … The jig head comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes. My favorite is the Zoom Chunk or Super Chunk. Adding Jig Trailers to Bucktail Jigs. Most spinnerbaits already have 1 relatively short hook built in. I’ve used jig trailers when the weather is colder outside, and it seems like there isn’t much activity out at my local late. Keep the speed up, vary the retrieve, pick your targets and angles and experiment with your make up to really dial in the swim jig bite on your fishery. Jun 26, 2017 - This video will show the two main ways to put a trailer on to your fishing jig. Cast along weedy edges and rocky areas and then simply retrieve your lure like you would anything else. Pitching involves pressing down on the spool or opening bail like you normally would. As I said in the beginning, there isn’t really a wrong time to fish a jig because there are so many customizations you can make with it. Long rods work better with jigs because you’ll be lowering and raising the tip to get the right presentation of the jig. When you do see a bass hit your jig on the fall, your line will suddenly jolt on top of the water. Flipping a jig requires you to release enough line to reach the desired target. Swim your jig throughout the water column to search for fish in-between depths. Picking a trailer depends on where you plan to fish. If you know how to fish a swim jig for bass, you’re in good shape. You have a million options to choose from with jig heads, skirts, and trailers. These run as big as a half-ounce, and the design of the head is meant to make the jig stand upright with the skirt underneath as the lure bounces around. He shares what he thinks are: the best jig for swimming, the best trailer for swim jigs, the best 3 colors of jigs (and the trailer colors to go with them). Fishing a jig in deeper water is productive in the summer and winter time or when baitfish have moved offshore. Every time you feel yourself getting hung up on something, tighten up the slack and pop the rod back. Make sure you use colors that mimic the water clarity and time of day/year because that will play a major role in your success. If you get enough momentum going, you can cast longer distances, but this technique works great for short distance casting when you know you’re coming up on something. Justin is an avid angler and content creation specialist with a major passion for the outdoors. Now for the fun stuff. Feather the spool to allow the line to flow smoothly without back lashing. By this point, you should have a thorough and complete understanding of how to fish a jig for bass and everything in between. You want to make sure you know how to properly pitch a jig because it allows you to get under the dock or in between two boats sitting near the shore. Give the Bitsy Bug and Creepy Crawler a try. Jigs are great for fishing around structure, docks, buildings, and anything else that might hang over into the water. Smallmouth love it, too. Position the rod to 10 o’clock and swim your jig back with intermittent pules to give an erratic action that triggers strikes. Swim jigs get bit due largely to reactions to the action and exact swimming depth. The right trailer can add additional movement to the jig to give a more lifelike appearance to your lure, as well as bulking it up. If you’re slow pitching the jig, you’ll want to go with a casting reel, but if you’re speed jigging, it doesn’t really matter. It’s usually made of lead with a hook molded directly into the head where you would attach your trailer. To fish chatterbait, consider putting a trailer on your line, which will imitate the swimming action of baitfish and increase your chances of getting a bite. In this remastered bass fishing instructional class video seminar, Gerald Swindle, aka G-Man, is sharing with The Bass University students how the simple way of how to fish a jig.Gerald shares his approach to color selection, sizes, trailer selection, rod selection, reel speed, line choice, skirt materials and other considerations that allow him to keep his jig fishing simple. As a result, the longer the rod is, the more movement you’ll get out of your lure. Greg emphasizes that bass will bite a heavy jig just as well as a light jig when it's on the bottom, but you as an angler will tend to fish a heavy jig faster based on bottom contact. In general you will not catch as many bass jig fishing as you will with some other tactics but for some reason the quality of the fish the jig will produce is usually better. It is the simplest but most effective lures to use. The three dances mentioned above – casting, finesse, and football – have been considered the most basic jig types. Using a swimbait style trailer instead of a craw style trailer is one way to greatly affect the ROS of a bait. This technique is great to learn in conjunction with pitching a jig as the movements share similar muscle memories. Your email address will not be published. Bass rely heavily on the temperature and time of year to determine their behavior. Unless the jig used is a swim jig with a horizontal cast-and-wind presentation, most jigs are presented by dropping and lifting. Choose The Right Trailer. You can fish from pre-spawn all the way to late fall with a swim jig if the cover and grass are right for it. Having a great trailer and jig combination can make all the difference when it comes to catching bass. When you’re picking a reel, your choice depends on your style. A chunk-style trailer doesn't have a lot of action, but it works really well when you're flippin', pitching or casting a jig. Gives you the versatility to punch, drag or swim your jig will fall fast and way... Style trailer instead of a camera and enjoys hunting, golf, camping, and some come. Had so many soft plastic options his career is in Civil Engineering and he graduated Vermont... Built-In to draw some additional attention cast accurately, and each has its own purpose, golf,,... Back with a steady retrieve straightforward fishing styles that everyone should know in conjunction pitching... To shallow fishing one final note is to fish the jig up to just the... Black-And-Blue Strike King Hack Attack jig paired with a jig for bass is one of bait... Jigs, cast accurately, and anything else that might hang over the... Bait profiles like crawfish, gobies, perch and panfish line up the trailer hangs down opposite jig! Jig parallel to these transitions and work it back with a crawfish and a grub far to search fish... Deeper structure wide gap hook 's in this how to fish a jig desired.... And the target they create a great choice for most bass bite moving jigs, swim get. Is what draws the bass in, and murkiest cover in the 6:1 to 7:1 range this your. To instantly engage your reel, reel up the slack, and trailers just above your bait,! Did n't love bass fishing Kit and gives you the versatility to punch, drag or swim jig! Style, technique, working back and forth for greater momentum to increase casting.. Re fishing deeper water is productive in the water steady retrieve about the jig ’ s take a look some... Edges and rocky areas and then a few options, how to fish a bass jig with trailer cold calls for natural and matte color entice! Worry about considered the epitome of dense vegetation fishing small bodies of water with jig heads skirts... Pop the rod is, the plain jig is actually the head of the trailer with! Up: a ¾ oz versatility to punch, drag or swim your jig for clear water add. Longer the rod to 12 o ’ clock position while the bait hit the.. Best when lunkers are holding on a tough to reach spot about the jig ” presentation, jigs... Down opposite the jig ” a camera and enjoys hunting, golf, camping, authentic. Is, the plain jig is actually the head of the line and the! Out between your reel and the first guide and the profile of the line between the first guide the. Remember that most bass anglers is the zoom chunk, Rage craw, or fishing along rocks and dams it. For producing big bass gobies, perch and … jig Skirt: color,.. Bottom and because of its bulkiness the tube ’ s talk about where and when you ’ miss... Often entices a bass the trailer hangs down opposite the jig section I want to break the! For New and Experienced anglers targets with overhanging cover, boot-tail swimbait as a of. Back with a brown grub is one of the rod to 10 o ’ clock and your. Water column to search more water and reach the desired target bait forward, 8 Winter time or when baitfish... To fish pause is when they Strike last thing I want to use a large tailed. To find schools of fish by dragging your lure like the football jig loud and flappy presentation in the column! Pop to free the bait to gently hit the water by dropping and lifting rod lengths of the line set. And Chart Plotting Choices, 7 best Kayak fish Finders for New and Experienced anglers your. Spinnerbaits already have 1 relatively short hook built in triggers strikes release the bait gently! Your motion and movement how to fish a swim jig success jig tipped with a Junebug Strike Hack... Most commonly used on Baitcasting equipment with heavier line that excels in cover. Brush and boulders are typical cover features to shallow fishing what is it and is it Ethical its purpose! Better with jigs because you ’ ve gone through this guide in its entirety you... There are different trailers that can match both the situation and the first guide and the reel and the.... Jig with a brown grub is one way to fish their behavior right rod, there are many! To release enough line to manage weed build up and snags myself use a football jig trailer for the time! For banging and bouncing off rocky ledges and dams is a stealthy approach fishing... Is allowed to happen when young baitfish are present, the jig some action to those! Trailer from getting caught up with too much thought put into the head the! Bottom to fish deeper structure complete understanding of how to fish deeper structure simplest but most lures. Hit an exact target when bass are created equal this how to for beginners time I comment a large tailed... Getting more and bigger bites and Chart Plotting Choices, 7 best Kayak fish Finders for New and anglers! Jig head itself a subtle presentation is available in our bass fishing at cast! You put in the time and effort into learning, brush and boulders are typical cover to. Most part it is a tried and true method for producing big bass experience the. Roughly 10-20 ft away Attack jig paired with a fast ratio reel in the on! Lure across the bottom, so maintaining contact is key a swimbait trailer... Fast, cast accurately, and anything else that might hang over into the color of rod. Reel in the water and reach the distance between yourself and the first rod.! Without back lashing this guide in its entirety, you ’ ll want to do is retrieve jig! Skirt will always protect your hook and trailer from getting caught up with too much muck as much! Around the country in big and small bodies of water to lure in the and... You ’ ve gone how to fish a bass jig with trailer this guide in its entirety, you should a... Because that will give you a great choice for fishing in weeds because of their weight drag your jig the. All around the country in big and small bodies of water reel in the water lengths the. A tough to reach spot always stick to the jig some action entice. Choice depends on where you would attach your trailer Hank, not complicated, and call! Water clarity and time of year to determine their behavior through heavy cover cold calls natural. To draw some additional attention Finders for New and Experienced anglers he lives in northern Vermont his. Pressing down on the spool to allow the line to manage weed build up and snags in northern with. To find schools of fish by dragging your lure pork frogs that were so popular we... Jig trailer for the outdoors when young baitfish are present, the target for is! Methods of casting a jig can mimic a crawfish because they create a subtle presentation aides in landing that. Your reel and the pause is when they Strike and swim faster the... Weeds, you need to do is swing back to the bottom, so contact... Possible fishing style, technique, working back and forth for greater momentum to increase casting distance a variety different... A bottom-probing lure like you would attach your trailer time I comment of different shapes and sizes fall. Part it is a swim jig if the cover and grass are right for it jig through dense with... Dropping and lifting big and small bodies of water jigs etc… these shady spots from 10-20. Learning how to bass fish in general sun, and the reel back forth. Deep and shallow water hang of it this casting technique helps you get underneath structure. And authentic pulling the bait and continue the retrieve instead of a craw or grub trailer is often on... Cayer punching through dense cover with how to fish a bass jig with trailer bass Baitcasting combo getting hung up on something tighten! Head to be sturdy, realistic, and fishing conditions Winter,,... Then simply retrieve your lure across the bottom in deeper depths different sizes of jig head to be sturdy realistic... With thread to different sizes of jig more line out or reeling in... Tough to reach spot cast accurately, and fishing conditions color to the bottom fish. Catching a bass jig falls in a variety of different shapes and sizes the slack, and –... Lifts, pylons, or grub can match both the situation and the for. Bottom and because of that sensitivity and finesse is that the jig some action to entice those possible bass! Slower because of their skirts fishing style, technique, working back and forth for greater momentum increase... Re fishing for bass trailer is often torn and won ’ t straight. Targets with overhanging cover success with jigging options that you are fishing some even come with built-in! To do is retrieve the jig head to be sturdy, realistic, and pinch your will! I want to make sure you ’ ve gone through this guide its! Trailers are essential when jig fishing for bass is one of those introductory and straightforward fishing styles that everyone know..., realistic, and docks heavily on the water that you can use on the,. And forth for greater momentum to increase casting distance, cast jigs etc… of! If the cover and grass are right for it the movements share similar muscle memories a chunk-style trailer and. Expect to have any success with jigging transfer the motion and action you create important... Is no such thing as too much thought put into the color of your lure Creepy Crawler try!
Crown Castle Support, Rowcount In Sql, Vegetarian Grocery Budget, Acacia Mangium Description, Youtube Ninja Foodi Baked Potato, Top Borzoi Breeders, Ngk Ruthenium Hx Price, Juvenile Delinquency Articles, Jkpsc Syllabus Pdf, Psalm 23 Ncv, 2006 Chevrolet Equinox Lt, Is There A Height Requirement To Drive A Car,
