How to Fish a Jig for Bass

Using specific jigs can be an easy and effective method for certain fisheries to catch more fish. We will go over some tips for finding the 

perfect fishing jig, colors, and jig trailer.
Jigs are great because you can catch bass all year round, in clear water or stained water conditions. You can throw them on anything, and you don’t need much knowledge to do so.

This guide will help bass anglers identify the best jig and pick jig trailer or fishing equipment. Jigs make for optimum lure use because they can target almost anywhere – in any weather.

The chance of a bite occurs with one fall, and it’s essential to prepare correctly. Jigs fish correctly that mimic crawfish can be very effective where prey live. The perfect part about this style of fishing is that it allows you to enter challenging places where other baits cannot go.

As anglers, we make it very convenient for bass not to resist these life-like imitators.

Productive Tips Jigging for Bass

The art of working a jig for bass has become one of America’s favorite fishing techniques for catching fish. Catching bass on jigs is a technique that originated by skipping jigs or plastic grubs under docks and around trees. Then by casting and dragging it across the lake’s bottom, till today, swimming it through vegetation.
Anglers are common to fish jigs at all water column depths, especially along the bottom. Another reason for the lure’s success is largemouth are available throughout the country in large or small bodies of water. For all of them, you can effectively use a jig. When fishing jigs, they imitate various characteristics, namely, crawfish, goby fish, perch, and panfish. The most common imitate is the bluegill.

Jigs usually cast farther than standard bass lures, and you can use a heavier line, allowing excellent protection against the thick cover. Understanding to catch bass on a jig is fundamental for understanding all levels of the sport.

Best Bass Jigs

Jig fishing is an excellent method of freshwater angling. It is possible these jig types below will attract bass for you in the near future. Fishing with jigs can be an efficient way of covering water to catch fish; however, jigs can be tricky lures to master. When anglers succeed, removing the lure from their tackle box is challenging.

A bass Jig is also very powerful during every season and on any water body type. The only difference is the features of the jig for the presentation, which can represent the color, size, weight, hook size, and most importantly, the head style. Below read a list of them all!

Types of Bass Jigs to Use

Bass jigs are essentially a hook with a metallic weight and eye attached. After that, they feature rubber skirts, also with weed guards attached to hooks. Several varieties of styles do not require a highly efficient presentation. What makes some bass jigs differently in design in many respects depends primarily on their shape and weight.

These two characteristics determine whether a jig operates in shallow or deep water. Four designs represent the best lures and most successful jigs for bass. Look closely and see which jig heads are the best for your type of angling.

Finesse Jigs

Finesse jigs commonly have smaller diameters and are used on lighter tackle. In most cases, skirts are shorter and the head smaller, making the lengths stretch around their heads. They are popular when the technique needs to be finesse fishing. It’s a method for bass fishing slowly and lighter by putting little bits of movement in the lure.

Finesse jig-style lures can also be flipped or pitched across the top of the water for a lighter, smoother presentation. Finesse jig lure can be used in these situations, during cold-front, spring when the bass hits smaller size baits, and fall when you want to cover a lot of water using a smaller profile jig.

Punch & Flipping Jigs

Punch jigs are most commonly known for power fishing and are used when flipping and pitching jigs. There is lots of exposure on both swim jigs and casting. But the punch jig is your best jig for fishing in lakes for big fish with vegetation. They sometimes even have drilled cylinder heads to move through thick vegetation easier.

This type of lure allows flexibility in different presentations and vegetation. The jig will give you access to the thickness areas, and it is large enough to offer good balance if it sits at the bottom and thin enough to penetrate vegetation easily.

The rigs have been formulated specifically for high-end punching rods and reels. These types of lures average from 3/4 to and 2 ounces each. This lure has become very special and unique to heavy cover fishing on Lake Okeechobee, lakes in Texas, and others.

These lures use flipping hooks to capture fish in the most complex underwater areas. Many anglers even add rattles, and some have rattles integrated for added attraction. It’s all for attracting big bass in the dense bushes for one of the most efficient methods for finding trophy size big bass!

Football Jigs

A football jig is a good lure for anglers working hard bottom lakes. The football head jigs are probably the most popular of the style of jigs and most commonly used. The head shapes are larger to avoid getting stuck on rocks, timber, and other items on the lake’s floor.

It also makes them different from the others that lay on their side. The design of the jig head makes it stand upright. Fishing with football jigs can be the most leisurely. Cast it out, let it sink. After letting it settle, start by pulling up slowly and then setting it back down with long pauses in-between.

However, these big heads do not make these good baits around vegetation. Instead, it’s ideal for mimicking crayfish in deep and shallow water. Also, thanks to its large head, it has incredible balance, always leaving itself in an excellent position to get bit by a trophy bass.

Swim Jigs

It is known as a widespread fishing method that is easy to understand and learn. You cast the jig like a spinnerbait or frog lure. These jigs are fitted with pointed heads, allowing them to travel through the cover, helping with easy movement efficiently.

In most cases, swim jigs have shorter profiles. Between the jig head point and the eye which they tie the line. The overall length is generally more straightforward—allowing for more efficient water covering than some more common and usually longer rigged lures. In addition, a swim jig hook has traditionally been used in tandem with other trailers such as paddle tails.

Swimming a jig is accomplished best with constant reeling, none stop action, or maybe just a slit pause like a swimming baitfish. A rod’s slight shake or periodic pull could induce a reaction bite that standard retrievals cannot get. Swim jigs are the best for covering lots of water or hunting schooling fish!

Advanced Swim Jig Tactics for More Consistent Bass

In practice, you should always use a Swim Jig, focus on edges, cast repetitively with little or no effort in the water column. You will notice your strike will reach your highest when you throw a jig directly across the submerged vegetation of some type.

The strikes are generally immediately followed when your lure hits the vegetation beneath the surface. If your bait doesn’t get bit, recast the lure instantly, letting the lure hit again. You can have fish that will look at the bait two or three times before striking and ripping the pole out of your hands.

To avoid hitting too many structures, you only want to tick the tops.

How to Crawl a Jig in Winter?

It’s an ultimate cold water tactic with a significant impact on bites. First, choose a jig for bass that is good for these conditions. Then, get ready for your jig to fall directly on the cliff’s edge. That bass that is cold suspends facing bluff walls or rock faces nearby.

If covered with rocks, it could have bass on it. The heat from the sun will penetrate the rocks, putting off the heat under the water for bass. The warmer the water, the quicker you can crawl the jig; the colder, the slower you should crawl.

Bass Fishing Jigs Setup: What gear to use?

It requires an excellent gear setup if you wish to fish a jig for bass successfully. A wrongly mixed rod and reel might affect the casting technique, the retrieve of your jig, the hook set and leave you with disappointment or no opportunities.

With the proper setup, you will quickly detect the bait while retaining the appropriate hook position when the bass bites. Knowing this is why we suggest getting a few supplies necessary to make your experience better.

Best Jig Rod For Bass

Long rods work more effectively with jigs because the length provides more leverage in deeper water and the accurate positioning of your bait. The rod must be about 6′ to 7′ feet long to use effectively. In addition, it should be robust, a medium to fast action rod that helps pull some hard fighting bass out of the thick cover.

You can have too stiff of a rod, but a rod too soft will cost you fish. Most prefer a baitcasting rod when jig fishing, but you can use a spinning rod effectively if long and stiff enough.

Choose Your Reel

Using grass jigs to pitch or flip, you should use baitcasting equipment. Many anglers prefer cast reels as they can give greater accuracy of your pitch or flip. A baitcasting reel packed with fluorocarbon line with a 6.21 reel is an industry standard. However, the biggest motivation for anglers over a spinning reel is its weight alone.

Using a spinning reel big enough for a 1-1/2 jig would be incredibly heavy as to why spinning is closing the gap in performance for efficiency. Angles will always favor convention reels since they have increased weight, speed, accuracy, and ability to control.

Selecting the Best Bass Jigs

Tell me what jig weight to throw? Bass jigs are manufactured with a choice of sizes that measure ounce weight, often within quarter pounds.

Wind speed and depth are also critical when deciding which to use. These two factors determine how quickly one can choose the best jig for bass.

There are various kinds of jigs. Almost as many as the different number of fish species you can catch. What is the perfect angler jig? Before choosing, see below some of the best casting jigs for catching trophy bass, describing what makes a jig work better and how to find the right one. You will catch bigger fish if you perfect your jig for bass techniques.

Selecting A Trailer

Keep in mind the different trailer affects the behavior of the bait. It mimics the baitfish species, the appearance, and the shape of the bait. For example, a jig trailer is a flexible hard plastic bait tied down using jig hooks. It enhances action around jig tails which complete the overall shape.

Each trailer seems different because it triggers an action when in the water. However, most trailers move or push water, while some don’t. Generally, the warmer the water, the bigger the action you rig. And the clearer or colder waters, you should put your efforts into reducing the size and shape to create a smaller overall profile. It is always best to use trailers every time you fish a jig in either condition.

Best Bass Jig Trailers for Fishing

Chunks

Generally, they seem like something else that’s like a hybrid. These are usually lesser than the craw size but larger than the grub because of their square, rectangular bodies. These are fantastic at covering up thick vegetation or slicing up boulders, dam walls, or rocks.

One other use for chunks is when using swim jigs as well. This smooth float makes for an excellent presentation through the water. But, again, we remind you that most bass bites are on moving jigs. Therefore the motions you create are essential.

Grubs

A grub may just be considered an amateur trailer or basic addon. Grubs are also plastic worms with sectors or tails attached to cover your horizontal hook. Most anglers start with a grub, but always keep in mind that they still work. Use light colors to mimic water clarity and the day of the morning as it is vital to get success.

Craws

There have been instances where anglers choose craws to chase a fish as it spawns, and they can see the appearance in the water. You also can use it if you are targeting deeper water, as crawfish swim on the lake’s bottom, which remarkably presents a great opportunity.

Generally, the most successful trailer option to choose from is when the year is correct.

What is the best color bass jig?

You must first know which food bass prefer to eat locally to know this. So this is the easiest choice for getting a quick decision to color? Below are three primary colors for you always to consider. Hopefully, as you grow more experienced in fishing with a jig, you begin noticing colors that fit certain circumstances, weather styles, or weather patterns.

Selecting colors

Colors depend on the season, geographic area that you are targeting. The jig usually imitates crawfish; therefore, color matching works well in context. Green pumpkin, watermelon, and other related natural colors are excellent choices.

If fishing dirty or stained waters, it helps to use a black and blue combination. Certain jigs often imitate bluegill and shad with color matching. For example, Bluegill imitation uses green pumpkin or jig in blue to match hatches for a bass meal. For simulated shads, a white dress and white trailer work very well.

Wind Factor

The wind is an essential factor affecting fishing. The bigger, the heavier the wind blows; it requires a larger size lure. If the wind blows your line, the jig is too light; you won’t remain in contact with the bottom. The heavier jigs help you overtake the wind and reach the bottom.

However, don’t be afraid to use a heavier jig head, but a smaller jig in size. Keep it moving by working it up and down. It will help a bass decide sooner when it looks and acts more like a natural crawfish.

Depth factor

A bass jig can weigh between 1/8 ounce to 2 ounces. Fish a suitable weighing jig in the depth of the water you are on that day. When water gets deeper, change to a slightly heavier jig to cast farther and get down deeper. The fact that water is deep also does not mean you need to fish on the bottom. The majority of bass live in a suspended state most of the time.

Jig Fishing Retrieve

It is perfect for short casts, pitches, and turns with reflected surface cover. The bass will sometimes hold on to the lure, and it must also be a priority in watching it fall. Long hops that keep the water close to the bottom for retrieval can be helpful. A tiny action on the rod and pump allows baits to move in a streamline. Use short hops; the football head can have the best success with this technique when used under the water surface.

In Conclusion Practice

Bass fishing involves feeling and sensitivity to lure and rod. Therefore you need to be close to the rod’s seat to detect vibrations emanating from the jig. Bass can bite the jig and spit it out in one half second, so keep a close feel of what’s going on. Over time you will learn how a bass bite feels over the different object that is touching. Jigs can quickly help people explore beneath the water’s surface, allowing you to understand the different types of submerged debris. You will learn the fishing technique with practice, and it will become your own.

Have you fished a Jig before? How big was your catch? What bait/lure did you use? Got some other tips you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!