Jig Fishing

This is the year I learn how to jig fish. I am 60 years old and still trying to learn. Any help would be much appreciated..

Thank you
Bobby

learn how to trim the skirt for your area. It is different all over.

Bobby,

there is no wrong way to fish a jig. I have caught tons of bass on them. Most folks don't throw them because they don't have confidence in them. The best way to gain confidence in them is to throw them. Here is what I suggest you try.

Chances are you have confidence in some sort of soft plastic bait. The next time you go fishing rig a rod up with a jig. Don't get wrapped up in all the hype as to which one. Go to Academy and buy a 3/8 and a 1/2 oz black & blue Booyah A Jig. They are about $3 bucks and they have a good strong hook and a rattle. They also have a pointed head that comes thru cover well. Put whatever trailer you like on back.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/booyah-boo-jig?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions

Tie it on a MH rod with 15-20# line of your choice. Start fishing your confidence bait. When you start getting bit switch to the jig. Fish it just like the soft plastic lure you have been catching them on.

Throw it out, let it hit bottom, work it in little hops, or just slowly drag it across the bottom. If you feel it come up to a limb and you can yo-yo it in place a couple times even better. Sometimes the fish really thump it hard. Other times it is just a little tap. Some times you go to pick up on it and it just feels heavy like you have snagged a wash cloth. Reel down and set the hook hard. It don't cost nothing to swing so set the hook if it ever feels Funny.

Once you catch a few fish on a jig you will gain confidence in it. The thing you should notice is that fish on a jig will normally average 4# or better. Let the fish tell you how they want it. Pay attention to what the bait was doing when you got the bite. Was it falling off a limb, was it sitting still, were you reeling it in??

This is one of the hardest things for the average angler to do. Duplicate exactly what they were doing when they got the bite. Pay attention.

If you want to talk about it lemme know. I am happy to help. Shoot me a PM.

Ken

I like dragging instead of hopping. The longer you leave it still, the better.

Great advice, my bro.....

Thank you very much Ken!!

The last time I fished with Steve Lynam he smoked me doing this. I have a hard time letting anything sit still on the bottom. But that day, thats what the fish wanted. Throw it out next to a stump and let it sit.

Typically I pitch it next to the stump and let it fall to the bottom, paying close attention to my line as it falls. After it hits bottom, I will hop it 2-3 times. If I don't get bit, I reel it up and pitch it at another target. It is kind of a numbers game. If you hit 500 stumps in a day hopefully you will have a few good ones.

Don't mention it. I have a favor to ask you.

If you are my undertaker, promise you will make me look really good.

Yes sir I promise I will

I’m terrible with a jig. My 16 year old son is good with one. Last June we fished for smallmouth in Tennessee. My son and his friend did great, they’d only bite a jig. I did terrible, only caught largemouth, and not with a jig. I’m determined to use it more and learn to fish it.

In my experience jig fishing, it seems that a majority of the time a hard hit is usually a smaller fish. The bigger fish I have caught on jigs, the line got heavy or just started swimming, never actually felt a thump of any kind. It almost seems like the smaller fish will try and crush it, then eat it.

That's the thing about fishing. You can learn watching someone do it but you can only get good at it by actually Doing it.

I’ve had it both ways. I’ve had tons of 5s hammer it. My pb was a 9.72 and I just felt a tink. I thought was that a bite? Lifted the line was heavy set the hook. People say mostly bigguns bite jigs but I seem to catch everything on them. It’s is my favorite fishing. It has days were they just won’t bite it.