Liking the Jig, but a little confused. First jig fish ever!!

[Majorpede]

So got so bored the other day I decided that the cold weather was not going to stop me from fishing. Just got a new Booyaaaaahhhh Jig (just picked it up had no Idea what I actually needed) and told myself fish it until you catch something with it. Walked around the neighborhood pond dragging it hoping it, and using every technique I had ever heard of, and guess what happen. Fish on. The funny thing is 1. He was shallow, and 2. With 50 pound braid, and 20 pound Mono leader (about a foot long) I felt nothing.(this is the setup I use for Plastic's) I actually saw him chase it down as it landed after hoping over a log of wood, and eat it so I set the hook. Its hard to tell in the video but thats about a 5 foot drop to the water. I know I have to get some line that's more visible above water for lite bites. Should I go Braid or Flro? It just makes me wonder how many other bite's I missed that day. My Rods a Med Hvy is this good for jigs in light cover? I know I am going to do more fishing with jig's so any quick pointers or, links to good pointer would be greatly appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEYn--X33uc

 

[redbug]

Nice fish way to get one on a new technique. I am a big mono guy I don't like braid or floro.
I fish a jig about 75%of the time and find that the bass just suck the jig in I will feel the bite on occasion but most times it just feels heavy.
Be sure to watch the line for ticks that will be the fish sucking the bait in then set the hook.

 

[fish devil]

:twisted: Nice job out there. I use to be a mono guy but now its strictly braid for jigs. Its just more sensitive making it a little easier to detect a bite. Plus its way more stronger than mono. Watching the line is also critical. Any kind of movement means the fish has the jig in its mouth. Time to set the hook!!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[Brine]

Congrats on your first Jig Fish! The first one is the hardest one =D>

Seeing how you've gotten braid and mono responses....I'll go with Flouro :mrgreen: , and here is why I like flouro. As you may know, in the winter when the matabolism of the bass slows down, they aren't going to chase down their prey like they would during other times of the year. That said, it's fairly traditional to think that in the winter, you have to work your baits slow. In most of the lakes I fish this year, I'm trying to find the clearest water I can, even though...muddy/stained water will warm faster when the sun is out. I've had much better success in the winter fishing in the clearest water I can find and I feel it's simply becuase...the bass is much more reliant on seeing his food this time of year, rather than spending any energy searching out what he hears but can't see.

So, I'm looking for clear water and I'm working a bait slow. Both of those factors make flouro the right choice for me, as I want to present the bait in the most natural way possible. A slow moving cold-water crawfish just inching along the bottom. Ever so often I will give the rod a light twitch, but for the most part, it's simply dragging the jig along the bottom at a snails pace. While doing this, the bass can get a pretty good look at the bait without having to move too far, and I don't want the line to be part of what the fish is interpreting. You also found that in cold water, wood cover will heat up too and could very well be a reason why that bass was using the spot. :wink:

The more I use braid, the more I have found that it really only helps me in specific situations, and neither have to do with sensitivity. I like braid for throwing topwater frogs over grass and pitching in or around heavy grass. The common denominator is heavy grass, and I am usually using 40 or 60# braid to cut through the grass and "horse" a fish out before he can bury himself in the grass.

What I don't like about braid....The exact issue you had. You never felt the strike. Braid is sensitive so long as you stay in direct contact with the bait. If you allow ANY slack in the line.....you'll never feel the strike. And for me, dropping the rod tip just a couple inches creates that situation. Mono on the other hand...is much more forgiving in this respect, and flouro is inbetween the two. For me, flouro wins for the reasons I explained above. Line watching is part of any slow presentation, but fishing in the wind or low light will make line watching tough. I want to feel every bite, so keeping tension on the line at all times is a must for me. Otherwise, you're left thinking.....I wonder how many bass bit and then blew out my jig :lol:

Black and blue is tried and true! Good job on the video commentary too

 

[Truckmechanic]

I am a Mono guy myself. I love a Boyah jig and I am in with what everyone else is saying, Learn to Watch your line and feel all the little "ticks"

 

[Jim]

nice job! You do have to become a line watcher for sure. The payoff is bigger fish.

 

[poolie]

Congrats on your first jig catch. I'm still a novice with the jig myself, but I tell you, it's one of those versatile baits that's worth learning how to use. You can drag um, swim um and pretty much everything in between. With a trailer or without.

I'm with Brine on the Flouro. I made the switch from mono 2 years ago and never looked back. My 'frog' rig has braid but otherwise I love flouro. The secret to success with it is in the knot.

 

[Majorpede]

Thank's a lot for all the info guys. I love this site, I'm learning a lot. I love Mono, well until I got the braid I'm using I had not tried anything else. I guess I will try out Fluorocarbon and see how that turn's out.

So I have a few Jig's 2 are Strike King pro foot ball head Jigs. I'm assuming these are what I should be using when dragging on the bottom, and in fallen tree's???

I have the Booyah in the video, its more of a point with its head. I looked around, and figure that it would be best for "punching through heavy cover".

So what the difference with it and the pointy ones used for swim jigs?
Is there a difference, Or is a Jig a Jig, and there not super technique specific, just suggested use's?

When should I use the one's with a rattle, and when should I not use a rattle? (dark and clear water?)

I have a Ike finesse jig that's alot lighter then the one mention above, and it does not have a rattle.

Thank's for your help agin guy's!!!!

 

[Brine]

The football head is great for dragging the bottom. However, this is for hard bottom areas that don't have much wood or grass. Jigs, like many other baits have been tailored for specific situations. I'll give you a brief and generalized example with crankbaits. Some people like a tight wiggling crankbait in clear water as it appears more natural, and a wide wobbling crankbait in stained water because it gives off more vibration and helps the bass find the bait. Well, I feel the same way. Now, that said....Does that mean you can't catch fish using one vs the other in the same situation? Nope, you can. However, going off of fundamental differences, you would most likely increase your odds by fishing the right crankbait in the particular situation. Well, jigs are the same way. In your case, the football head jig is shaped such that it keeps the jig from rolling on it's side, which is a good thing until you get to grass or wood, which it does not like to come through given the shape of the head. That said, your pointed head jig is designed to come through both wood and grass easier with the pointed head, than would the football head.

About rattles..... On a jig, most of the time I like rattles. If I'm fishing stained water, I like them even more. I like rattles because it can replicate the sound of a crawfish crawling along rocks along the bottom of the lake, and the sound of the rattles could very well entice a bass to come investigate the sound that otherwise he may not hear and thus never see.

Ike's jig...Well, Ike is a master at finesse fishing, and that jig is probably a "finesse" jig. I use a jig like this when I'm fishing clear water, and the fish are not active. Often, this would be a good choice in winter in clear water. No rattles in this situation is fine, because you are not trying to draw inactive fish to your bait. You are trying to put it in front of them and make it look as natural as possible. Because bass don't have to eat as much in the winter as they do at other parts of the year, a smaller bait may seem easier to eat without spending any more effort than needed to eat it. The lighter jig is also good for suspended fish giving the bait a slower fall and longer chance for the fish to bite.


Without rambling too much more.... :roll: Stick to two colors. Black and Blue and Green Pumpkin. Those two colors will catch fish in any water color. Clear/Slightly Stained water throw the green pumpkin. Anything else, throw the black and blue. Once you've caught 20 fish on the jig, let's hear your best techniques!

Good Luck!

 

[Majorpede]

Great!!! now I fill more on track on what I should be using, and when. You made it very simple thank you again. Now I just need all this bad weather to take a hike. LOL

 

[Truckmechanic]

Without rambling too much more.... :roll: Stick to two colors. Black and Blue and Green Pumpkin. Those two colors will catch fish in any water color. Clear/Slightly Stained water throw the green pumpkin. Anything else, throw the black and blue. Once you've caught 20 fish on the jig, let's hear your best techniques!

+1 stick with one or two colors. Perferably what is listed and build confidence in those. Also play around with it. I personally like to "finesse" a jig and many times will fish them without a "pork" on them as most people consider it crazy to not use one. I just feel like it looks different without. I also like to fish mine on light line,8 - 10lb mono. Have fun with it. Go fishing with nothing but your jiging rod and a couple jigs, see what you come up with.

 

[jigster60]

=D> =D> =D> Wtg.....One of many more for ya my friend ,,,,Jigs are fish catchin machines ..... Some days thats all they'll bite I have a jig tied on every time I go ......Hence the Name JIGGY :lol:.....There is lot's of times you'll never feel the bite...I use braid with 3 foot floro leader lots of time ya just get a mushy feeling or heavy feeling You'll learn in jig fishing the feel of the jig when it is bumping rock wood or whatever it contacts under water if it feels different set the hook.... I' have set the hook in lots of stumps and limbs in 50 years of fishing all hook sets are free ya know ...I'd rather swing and miss than not swing at all.......JIGGY

 

[Majorpede]

10-4 Its funny you said that. I lost that jig to that log that same day. I guess its time to stock up on black and blue, and Green pumpkins. Thanks for all the tips guy's.