I have no less than 30 pounds of plastic jigs. All the major brands in about every color you can imagine.
I can't remember the last time I used one.
I have been using 3 different hair jigs from Pappy. The purple passion, white hot and bad shad.
I just can't seem to quit catching fish on the hair jigs.

Is there a time when the plastics work better?

IMO, They both work equally well but each has their place and time. I have a good amount of both. I typically use more plastics in the Spring, Summer and Fall when the water is warm and fish are pretty active (most of the time). I tend to use more hair jigs during the winter to get more bites from cold sluggish fish. I also tend to use more hair jigs during the winter due to the way I fish with a jig and bobber. That way I don't have to reel in and fix my plastic jig when I miss a fish across the creek. There have been several occasions where when the fish get finicky in the summer and I switch over to hair jigs, I start catching fish. This has been the case the last few trips.

I fish both. Like you, the hair jigs have been producing much better lately for me. I get mine from Stump Thumper Jigs and just ordered some from MVM Tackle on here. "Neapolitan", Light Blue Splash and a custom color have been the best producers with some others running a close second. I will put plastics on a couple rods and drop them down if the fishing is good and I'm hanging up a lot. Mainly because I don't mind losing those as much as the hand tied.

I bet I have about the same amount of plastics if not more. I just started hand tying jigs and I have the bug pretty bad. There is something about catching crappie on a jig that you made that just brings a smile your face. To be honest I think if you put a jig in a crappie face he is going to eat it if he is hungry. I will be the first to admit that jigs catch more fisherman than crappie.

I do use hair jigs, but the slow fall on a hair jig has been irritating lately with all the wind, so I�ve gone with plastics to get down faster.

I would like to see a picture of that honey jig if possible

Mostly feather for me...I use hair and plastic on larger more toothy fish.

I have had a white hot tied on my 11' G-Rod for 3 months. I am using spider wire line. When I hang it up I just pull it loose and bend the hook back. It has caught several hundred fish so far

PM sent.

>E

All crappie plastics. I haven't used a plastic in 6months thats how long I've been tying. I use fur now and wouldn't go back

Feathers 10 months out of the year. It's all just personal preference and confidence.

I like my own hand tied jigs. Nothing more fun than catching crappie on your own creations.

Nice crappie BTW! I too like float fishing for crappie and use certain soft plastic designs on light jigs.

The thing about plastic vs hair or feather is the versatility of design.
For example, I recently found how good wacky rigged grubs are:


Creature designs catch all species:

Cone tail or Crappie Magnet grubs work anytime any place:


Spike tails work great:

You can modify many soft plastics you own to be more effective:


The thin flat tail works at any speed retrieve whereas the curl tail must be moving at a certain speed to move. Give me a straight thin tail any day!


The nice thing about soft plastics on light jigs 1/32-1/8 oz., is that most species of fish bite them, even this large catfish!