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Skirted jig & trailer used like a spinnerbait

Posted By: SenkoSam

Skirted jig & trailer used like a spinnerbait - 02/11/20 10:50 AM

First, do you add a trailer to a spinnerbait ?
Second, if you do, what?

Years ago when Uncle Josh pork frogs were sold, I added a #1 or #11 to my black skirted, 3/8 oz, weedless Arkie jigs. I found out that I caught more bass with a jig than using Texas rigged plastic worms but not for reasons you would thing. One day as I was retrieving a jig back to the boat, I noticed the pork trailer's tail action. If you've never used a pork frog as a trailer, the action part are the two triangular shaped tails that flutter like a flag when retrieved horizontal to the bottom or that flap slightly when jigged on bottom. Here's the rig:
[Linked Image]

It should have been a clue that you can catch bass by swimming a jig which is like retrieving a spinnerbait seeing as how skirt and trailer action get fish to bite (other than the blade on a spinnerbait). First time it happened was when I was leaving a spot and forgot to retrieve a jig lying on bottom. As soon as the boat started moving, a bass hooked itself on the jig. After that, I found three jig trailer designs I preferred to use that did as well if not better than the pork frog.
Note the plaster molds I made to make duplicates just in case they were discontinued as in the case of Uncle Josh going out of business. Also note the wire rig used to keep the plastic frog trailer from getting dislocated on the hook or coming off. Action is the same.
[Linked Image][Linked Image]
[Linked Image][Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

It amazing that for so long I bought into the idea that a jig and trailer is seen as a crawfish or frog by bass. Neither are skirted nor do any trailers look nor move like anything in nature. Skirt bulk & flutter and trailer action combined account for all strikes. I'm sure there are other trailers, but the one's pictured do well on a horizontal retrieve in shallow water.





Posted By: Coolarrow

Re: Skirted jig & trailer used like a spinnerbait - 02/11/20 11:46 AM

I do fish a trailer on my spinner bait, I usually use a zoom trailer. I figured out the ”swim jig” about 30 years ago. I was fishing a jig flipping trees and brush and they would smack it while I was reeling it in to made another cast. So I started fishing it like a spinner bait. I tried an Arkie jig with a curl tail grub all white and they smacked it. Now there are so many options for this type of fishing! I throw a jig with a paddle fluke a lot. Once you figure it out it makes for some awesome days!
Posted By: 361V

Re: Skirted jig & trailer used like a spinnerbait - 02/11/20 12:10 PM

Lots of choices. Larger swimbaits, craws, grubs.....but here’s a simple stand-by that’s hard to beat: [Linked Image]
Posted By: Ken A.

Re: Skirted jig & trailer used like a spinnerbait - 02/11/20 12:55 PM

If you are looking for the original Uncle Josh pork baits, R & R Marine in Pittsburg has a ton still in the original bottles.
Posted By: SenkoSam

Re: Skirted jig & trailer used like a spinnerbait - 02/11/20 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Ken A.
If you are looking for the original Uncle Josh pork baits, R & R Marine in Pittsburg has a ton still in the original bottles.


After I used my last pork frogs and pork eels, the ones I make from plaster molds do as well and are less messy. Some used to say the fatty hide and salt was what drew fish to strike and hold on longer. But like any lure, other things matter more than taste/smell such as action and bulk as in the case of the skirted jig/trailer combo.

But thanks for the tip! I also like the split tail trailer for spinnerbaits along with one Bill Norman produced: Snatrix plastic worm. I caught my first 5 lb bass on that lure in black Texas rigged and then figured why not use a white Snatrix as a sb trailer.

But at times I want to use a spinnerbait like a skirted jig. I'm talking short-arm, 3/8 - 1/4 oz spinnerbaits with a #4 Colorado blade and black skirt. You don't hear much about short arm sb's, but the first time I let one drop down a steep rip rap bank - BANG! - bass clobbered it. In fact the first time I experimented with it, I attached a black pork frog trailer to it as I would a skirted jig and later started using different trailers to see which would allow a certain speed drop. I won't fish for bass without at least one in the boat.
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