I just can't figure out Jig fishing. I catch lot's of fish on a Texas Rig Worm, but for the life of me, I can't catch them on a Jig? What am I not getting?

Bites. You're not getting bites. Or, your confidence in the jig is so low you aren't paying attention. If you're like me, you can fish a Texas rig blindfolded. Keep on jigging till it comes natural I reckon.

Jigs are hard for me too but I am determined.

They don't always want a jig. It goes the other way too. Just keep one tied on and throw it everytime you go.

Best way to learn a new bait is to take everything out of the boat but that bait and then go to the lake.

You shouldn't expect to be able to catch them on a jig anytime you can catch them on a t-rig. Sometimes they just don't want a jig at all and at other times they are crushing it. One thing you can do to increase your success is to practice and become proficient at pitching a jig to enter the water with no splash. You may be getting bites on a jig and not even know it sometimes. Learning to control the fall and staying in contact with the jig and what it's doing takes practice.

Here is one of my old posts from last year. It really breaks down the mechanics of pitching and flipping a jig. I hope this helps.........................

I pretty much did the same thing last winter and I do not regret it. It is now my favorite way to fish. I have found pitch and flipping for me is the most productive way to fish a jig. Flip it at your target (making as little surface disturbance as possible), let it fall on slack line. Give it a few seconds after it hits bottom and then check it by easing back on your rod. If it is still there then give it a short hop or drag or...... but if you loose your jig then odds are she has picked it up and is swimming away. Reel in your slack and set the hook. For me 90% of the time they hit it on the fall and you never see or feel the hit. At first it is very aggravating and is difficult to detect the bite but over time it starts to get intuitive. You will instinctively know how long it takes to hit the bottom at 5' or 10' or 15' or 20' or....... and when some thing seems off about the fall you know it has stopped on a limb or a bass has it in her / his mouth. The best way I can describe this bite is you loose your jig. You will know what I mean after you get the experience of making 1,000 pitches at a certain depth and not getting a bite. But when you start to get that feel then its game on. Now if I can put the jig down I want to start learning how to catch them on big swim baits.......

Thanks Guys I guess I'll just keep one tied on and practice. I think the jig colors that I have are what seems to work for other people, Black/Blue, Green Pumpkin, and Brown. I have those in 3/8 and 1/2. I can pitch pretty well, I guess I should watch my line more on the Fall if I understand what your saying?

I'm in the same boat with ya abnaki54, I fish the s��t out of a wacky rig and Texas rig when flipping and pitching but rarely fish a jig and when I do its usually a creature style bait, but bigkev made as simple possible. Great post. As with other new lures and presentations we're just going to have to fish it. Focus on what the jig is doing,what you're feeling and at some point you will get dialed in. I am taking my own advise here.

A lot of times I will change the way I'm fishing it if I can't get the bites I'm looking for. Also realize you're not going to appeal to as many fish as you would fishing a Texas Rig or a finesse rig, but the bites you will get will normally make it worth it.

Classic answer Sherlock.

You have to admit....the reason you cant catch fish on a jig is because your not getting bites. I am rolling out of the chair with that observation.

Try flipping the jig at an angle to where it is easy to see the line against the water reflection. A jig on a slack line getting bit doesn't always make a good thump on the rod, but you can see the line twitch. Sometimes the line will just start moving away.

My biggest jig fish were caught watching the line....not feeling for a bite. Until I started watching the line vs feeling for a bite, I would "never get a bite" as well. The fish can suck the bait and spit it out in less than a second and you might never feel it. If you really want to get better, watch the line very closely as well as feel for the bait to hit bottom, get bit, etc.

I down size my jigs during this time of year, just as you would do your other baits to get bit. Cut the skirt back short and rely on your trailer to do most of the catching. Finesse jigging with no more than the 1/4 oz. jigs is a good place to start. Work the heaviest cover you can find on shore.

I love to fish and crawl a heavy jig on deep ledges this time of year in 15 to 25 ft. of water which requires the 1 oz. jigs. I still cut that skirt back just barely past the hook and rely on the trailer to get the bites. I build my heavy jigs with 1/2 inch dome eyes with a BB under each dome to produce the sound chamber. The large eyes also turns the jig into a football type jig which helps it to stand up and helps with the hang ups.

^^^^^
Yes
Try a high viz braid to fluoro leader
This will improve your ability to detect the bites ( sight and feel)
You will also feel the structure and cover better.
At times it's just after you nudge into or crawl over something then let the jig sit or fall--that's when you get hit

Spot on.

That's it right there. The old man that taught me how to fish a jig took me out in his boat and made me leave my tackle bag in his truck. I told him on the way to the lake that I hadn't ever done very well with a jig and he said "then that's the only thing you're gonna throw today"

He did me a huge favor that day. I just fished a jig and after a couple hours of catching nothing I was getting discouraged. Then I caught a 5lber, followed by several 2's and 3's and I was hooked. I fished several more trips on my own with just jigs and I started getting more and more bites. Fish in areas where you know they are. Fish slow- don't over-work it. They're gonna eat it.