The Versatile Jig

The rubber skirted jig has been around for many years. Today it still remains one of the most popular baits among bass fishermen. It is also considered to be a big bass bait. Most all tournament fishermen have one tied on at all times. A jig can be used in a variety of situations and can be thrown all year long. Here are a few different ways you can become more versatile when it comes to throwing a jig.
In the spring, the large female bass move from their winter hideouts into the warming waters of the shallows. They hold on a variety of cover. In this part of the country one of the best places to pitch a jig is around lay downs. A lay down is a tree that has fallen into the water from the bank. A bass will position itself under the log or around the branches and use these areas for an ambush on forage. Cast or pitch the jig right beside the log or tree and begin working it slowly back. Repeat the same cast two or three times and then switch sides and do the same thing on the other side of the tree. Some lakes like Kentucky Lake or Rend Lake have buck brush in abundance instead of lay downs. This is a big bass hangout in the spring. Note that not all bushes are equal. Look for small differences in the bushes. This is called finding a pattern within a pattern. Sometimes the bass relate to the slightly deeper bushes or the bushes that are thicker than others. Usually the first bass you catch should tell you what the majority of bass are doing. From there you can run that particular pattern throughout the lake. For these types of jig fishing I recommend a Strike King Premier Elite 3/8 ounce to ½ ounce jig. I tip all of my jigs with a Rage Tail Chunk. They come standard with a heavy gauge Mustad hook. I throw my jigs on 20 pound Vicious Fluorocarbon unless the woody cover is super thick. Then I will switch to 65 pound braid. Once the fish vacate the shallows I turn to a swimming jig. The Strike King Tout Grade Swimming Jig has a stream line head so that it can be pulled through grass or around any cover that you are casting to. Swimming a jig is simple. It is basically casting it out and retrieving it much like a spinnerbait. This is a more subtle presentation when the bass are reluctant to bite a spinnerbait. I tip my swimming jigs with a Rage Tail Craw. As far as line size I usually use 15 pound Vicious Fluorocarbon for most applications. As the summer heats up, the bass move out to the cooler water temps of the deep. They often hold on various structure such as stumps, rocks, shell beds, and brush piles. This is when I grab my football jig and go to work. This jig works great in deep water. There are several sizes but I typically use ¾ ounce model. Lakes that have ledges such as Kentucky, Wheeler, and other Tennessee River chain lakes are a football jig fisherman’s paradise. The key is locating the structure on the ledge and then casting to it. Simply cast the jig out and drag it slowly bumping all of the structure. Once you hit the structure hop it over it and that is usually when the strike occurs. Another great summer time pattern is pitching heavy jigs into deep grass. Strike King with the help of Greg Hackney came up with the perfect grass jig. This technique is used for lakes, mostly in the south, that have deep grass. These jigs are big in size. A 1 ¼ ounce jig is typically used. The key is to look for deep grass lines and to work the jig searching for holes in the grass. These are just some of the ways to use jigs. There are many more that can be done with a jig. As far as equipment goes I use two different reels. When I am flipping in close quarters I use an Ardent Denny Brauer Flipping reel. It is by far the best flipping reel on the market today. This reel has no drag system allowing you to pull the fish from the heavy cover. When I am casting a jig I use an Ardent XS1000 reel. This reel will outcast just about every reel on the market. As far as rods I use two different sizes. For flipping and pitching I use a 7’6” heavy flipping stick. For casting I use a 6’10” medium heavy rod. Remember that the jig can be used all year round. It is not a one dimensional bait. It is one of the most versatile baits on the market. It is just getting out there and practicing with it.