I am new to jig fishing for crappie...am having a blast. I am at the point that I still take a few minnows with me though, Ha. I don't quite understand the nuances of using different weight jigs. When to use a 1/16oz or a 1/8oz or a 1/4 oz jig. I am going to order some Jigum jigs but not sure what size i need to start with and why. I do know, however, where to find the right information...TFF! So, If you don't mind sharing your preferences with me maybe I can help you sometime with an air conditioning question or an electrical question. Thanks guys!

Jig weight is important in that the jig has to be able to "tell you" what's happening on the end of your line. For instance, if you try to use a 1/16 oz while fishing 25' of water, you won't be able to feel the jig well...if at all. You would therefore no be able to tell what you jig was doing (bumping brush, rocks, a condo, etc). And more important, you probably wouldn't be able to tell when you got bit. As a rule of thumb (and it's not exact), I'll use a 1/16 oz down to +/- 15'. After that, I'll use a 1/8 oz. I will seldon use a 1/4 oz, but do carry them just in case. So you are correct in wanting to understand "what weight when". It's hard to go wrong with about six of your favorite colors, both in 1/16 and 1/8 oz JIGUM JIGS.

Well for me it all depends on the wind, if the wind's over 10 to 15mph it's a 1/4 oz. If the winds calm 1/32 to 1/16. It's easier to detect a bite with the lighter jig, but if the winds up it will take a month of sunday's to get the jig down.

Good-luck

Marc

Rodney, glad to see you get into jig fishing. It is a blast. Usually, the deeper you fish or the windier it is, the heavier your jig needs to be. This is mostly due to being able to tell when you have a bite. In calm air with 6 lb. line, 1/16 oz is fine down to 15 or so feet. This is one of those things where everyone has there own way to judge it, so I'm just telling my way. If the winds blowing, say 10 mph, I'l go up to 3/32, or 1/8.
If it's really howling, or I'm fishing deeper thaqn 20' I'll use 1/4 oz. 1/16 is probably the most common size. I even fish 1/32 sometimes when they like it fluttering down on the drop. The jig has to be putting enough pull on the line to recognize when your getting a bite. A 1/16 oz in 22' of water with a little wind blowing, you'd never know when you got bit. Plus, in the deeper water it takes too long to get your jig back down where the fish are. Sometimes, you'll never feel the bite, you'll just see your line go a little slack, or jump a little, or sometimes it just looks different somehow. All those could be fish, but if you have so much slack in the line from too light a jig,you'd never see that stuff. Other folks will likely tell you something different, so again, this is just my own preference. Have fun with it....Jon

EDIT: Yeah, what Guy and Marc said. LOL

what's the logic of not using split shot instead of a larger jig

Not sure really. I sort of feel like you get a little better chance of feeling/seeing whats going on with the jig when it's the only weight on the line. Course, it wouldn't be much different than having 2 jigs on and that works great sometimes if not a huge ammount of brush to hang up on. Catching them 2 at a time can be a real blast! That split shot might be a grand idea on those really windy days fishing in deep water.

Matthew will make you some good jigs and I will say that I use every size from 1/64 to 1/4 and here is when...

In the spring and they get shallow I use the smaller ones, 1/64 & 1/32 and after they have been in a while and moving in and out I may go a little deeper with trolling from what was less than 6' to more than 6' and then I will go to the 1/16 maybe 1/32. Once spring is over and I move to fishing brush piles in deeper water I go to 1/8 & 1/4 to feel it better and help in the wind.

Skip

I always use split shots to adjust to wind conditions and I always use a 1/16th oz jig no matter the water depth or wind conditions. It works well for me. Just my $.02.

dman . we are on the same team . shoot i even like using a 1/16 oz split shot in shallow water , fish really dont care if you use a split shot ,. been doing it for over 30 years .

I wil use a 1/4oz jig almost all the time when I'm fishing open water, bridges, brushpiles, or condos. A bigger bait will catch bigger fish, plus the heaver jig will keep your bait down in contact with the fish. I use 1/16oz jigs for shooting docks and sometimes I'll use a 1/8oz jig for jigging timber. One more thing line weight is also a factor when it comes to jig size.
GoodLuck CrappieMaster

fishing barges and piers I like the lightest jig I can get
away with. 1/32 is the wgt I use 75% of the time, I catch
a lot on a slow fall. Line wgt is very inportant I use 6lb
yellow wally line.
mike

I AGREE WITH MOST EVERYTHING SO FAR BUT BE CAREFUL WHEN BUYING HEAVIER JIGS. MOST COMMERCIAL JIG MAKERS INCREASE THE HOOK AND BODY SIZE WHEN THEY INCREASE THE HEAD WEIGHT.I NORMALLY LIKE ALL MY JIGS TO BE THE SAME SIZE, JUST HEAVIER. A CUSTOM TIED 1/4 OZ JIG WITH A #4 HOOK IS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS A 1/16 OZ WITH A #4 HOOK.

Wow...what great information...you guys are to be comended...first for your extensive knowledge and second for your willingness to share it...it all makes perfect sense...I plan on returning the favor to you sometime...now let me get busy ordering those jigs...Thanks again!

When you use split-shot it seems like you would miss the fish that lift your jig wouldn't you? The fish would lift your jig but your line would still be tight due to the weight of the split-shot. You would never see or feel the weight release. Or am I understanding this wrong? I'm thinking the split-shot would be a few inches above your jig, or do you put the split-shot right up against your knot?

I agree and don't really know why anyone needs a bigger hook than a #4. I have some #2 for anyone that wants them, but that is a big as I will even think about carrying.