Tag: jig fishing

June 22, 2010

Custom Jigs Made Easy

I have tied my own jigs since I was a kid and have always enjoyed sitting down and refilling my jig box every year. I recently did just that and took a bunch of photos of the process.

Years ago, jig tying was a pretty basic thing. You had your choice between a handful of different heads in various weights and sizes. Now there is a plethora of head designs, skirt colors and materials; different hook set ups, different weed guards – the list is a mile long. There are also a million different jig companies out there, with some standing far above the rest. However, I still prefer to make my own.

Here's my process:

First off you have to sit down and order everything.

There are a two suppliers that I prefer: Stamina, now "Lure parts online", and Netcraft. I have been using both suppliers for years now and both are easy companies to deal with that have a lot of products for tying your own jigs.

I first pick my heads and weights and I recommend you buy in bulk to save money. Think ahead for next year – the investment may cost you a little more up front but when it comes time to replenish your jig box you'll be glad you have more supplies on hand.

At this point you should choose whether or not you are going to buy pre-painted jig heads or custom paint them yourself. If you finish them yourself there are a few options: you can powder coat them, dip them in vinyl or other finish, or spray with a number of different paints. I have switched to painting them with vinyl paint I feel it holds up the best on the lead. Powder coating eventually chips off as the lead dents, where the vinyl is a softer finish and seems to stay on longer as the jig head gets beat up.

Note: Most vinyl finishes are really thick and will need to be thinned to spray out of an airbrush.

Now for the skirt material and colors:

I used to use all rubber, but I switched to round rubber when that came out, and I recently made the switch to silicone skirts. The color selection is endless and I really think color is one of the most important things in a jig. As far as colors go, I have my favorites that I have used for years but I am always trying to match crawdads and forage from lakes whenever I get the opportunity.

Above: Here's a color model from a local lake. Below: As I paint my jig heads I prefer to first coat them in white vinyl paint.

I use straws to keep the paint off of my weed guards.

I will just hang the jigs upside down by the hooks as I paint them.Once the primer coat is on the skies the limit as to what you can do.

This is a 1/2 ounce shad colored swim jig head.

After the heads are all painted it's time to start laying out your colors. I try to use a lot of colors and material on my jig for a full-bodied bait. This is, of course, all personal opinion and the main reason I tie my own jigs to begin with.

I like to lay everything out before starting in batches.

I use the very simple method of tying my jig skirts with a pointy jig skirt tool and a silicone band.

Once the skirt is tied up its ready to slide on your jig.

After its done you can see how all the colors melt together into a perfect harmony of fish-catching goodness.

One of my swim jigs also shown with a Little Creeper swimbait trailer I matched it to.

Tying your own jigs can be a fun and rewarding thing, it can also save you hundreds of dollars at the register of your local tackle store. Have fun!

February 18, 2010

New Site Advertiser: Dirty Jigs

I'd like to welcome Dirty Jigs to the Wired Angler web site. Dirty Jigs puts out some of the toughest jigs I have ever used. Curt, the owner, is downright compulsive about putting out the best product he possibly can. You have seen them mentioned in some of our past articles here on the Wired Angler. Be sure to check out his full line of jigs here: Dirty Jigs>

Over the last few weeks we've been working on joining up with some of our favorite companies, and we will be posting up ad space for some of these new sponsors over the next month or so. So what's in it for you? Well lets get down to it: we will be doing periodic product giveaways and contests. Who doesn't like a shot at some free stuff? All of these new sponsors are really going to help us keep bringing you all the great info you have been enjoying over the last couple years so please help support them when ever you can.

Here's a 10.1 pound fish Matt Allen caught on a No-Jack Flippin' Jig:

Dirty Jigs Tackle>

December 6, 2009

Proven Baits for Targeting Trophy Bass

By Matt Allen – a new regular contributor to The Wired Angler.

If you're anything like me, there's been a day where you stood in a
weigh-in line and stared at the guys ahead of you with two bags in each
hand. After that you turn around and the guy behind you has got the
same thing! Here you are with a single bag, there might be 13 lbs in
there if you're lucky! You wonder why you even got out of bed that
morning. Was it really worth the gas to come out here and get
humiliated? Did spending the day at home taking care of the house
really sound that bad? And most importantly, how did these other guys
do it?

I want to discuss the difference between fishing for a bite and fishing for a big bite.

Despite
popular belief, there is a difference. Odds are, that guy standing in
front of you with all those bags wasn't dragging the same 4" worm,
throwing the same tube, or fishing the same crankbait. He may not have
even been in the same part of the lake! Its not a case of random luck,
there is a reason all those bug-eyed monsters are in those bags!

Over the last few years I have found what I believe to be the three most
consistent baits to catch giant bass. By implementing jigs, topwater,
swimbaits, and sight fishing you can catch more and bigger fish than
you've ever caught before! I'm going to discuss the first three at
length tonight and will save the fourth for another time.

As
you read through this, keep in mind that the baits mentioned are the
baits that I am personally using to catch oversize bass. I recognize
that you live in different places, fishing for different fish.
Therefore, realize that when I mention a 9" swimbait, you may want to
consider one that is 4"-8". If I mention an 8" lunker punker you may
consider using a 6” lunker punker or a super spook. The particular
baits in question, while important, are not a deal breaker. Focus on
the concepts and I believe this information will help you catch bigger
bass more consistently.

In addition to choosing the right
bait it is also important to consider the right location. This is an
entire topic within itself that will have to wait for another day but
follow these quick examples to increase your odds of encountering an
oversize largemouth. Examples of high-percentage locations are
long-tapering points, wind-blown points, creek channel bends, edges of
flats, ledges, and weedlines. Most importantly, the location you choose
needs to have quick access to deep water (the actual depth will vary
based on the body of water you are fishing).

Another
misconception is that your goal is to catch fish. What I mean by this
is that if you are catching one pounder after one pounder the odds of
suddenly catching a 7 pounder let alone a 10 pounder, are greatly
reduced. Large bass will occasionally school up but it is rarely with
small bass. What this means is that if you are catching a lot of small
fish its time to move. You are looking for locations that are holding a
handful of quality fish, not a school of small fish.

The Jig

The
first consistent big bass producer I want to discuss is the jig. It is
widely accepted nationwide as one of the most consistent fish-catchers
available today. Unlike the other big bass options, bigger is not
always better when referencing the jig. Instead, I feel that attention
to detail is the important focal point. All too often an angler will
choose one or two jig colors for all applications. Remember, the jig is
used to imitate everything from crawfish to bluegill.

It is
important to carefully match your colors to the forage you are
imitating. A few colors that I have extremely high confidence in are
Dirt Nap, camouflage, and Pumpkinseed Bream. These colors can be found
at dirtyjigstackle. They represent varieties of brown, black, watermelon, green pumpkin,
and bluegill. This allows me to duplicate nearly any forage that the
bass may be keyed in on.

There are a multitude of ways to use
a jig but my personal experience has shown that hopping, swimming, and
pitching are the three most consistent ways to catch big fish. When I
hop a jig I use a drag-pump-pump action. This allows the jig to imitate
a craw that is beginning to move, then spooks and pumps up off the
bottom. Typically the bite will come as soon as I let the bait fall on
slack line.

Swimming a jig is another versatile option. A
variety of trailers can be used to further imitate a particular forage.
This technique is incredibly simple! I often just cast and retrieve the
bait as I would a spinnerbait or crankbait. The power of this bait is
in the secondary movement. Not only is the trailer moving but the skirt
pulsates as well. This breaks up the pattern and causes a shimmer
across the whole bait that is extremely lifelike!

The last
way I fish the jig is simply by pitching it into heavy cover. For this
I typically use a 3/4 oz pitchin' jig. Using a heavier jig allows me to
get a reaction from the bass. The bait falls so quickly that the bass
has a split second to react before the bait is gone. Ideally, I will
let the bait fall, shake it, and pull it out, in just a few seconds. By
implementing this technique a great deal of water can be covered in a
short period of time.

Topwater baits

Topwater is
another awesome opportunity for big bass! This genre represents
everything from a 2" popper, to a buzzbait, to a 15" wakebait. There is
something about a slow moving bait across the surface of the water that
draws in big bass. Fast moving topwaters are extremely effective but
rarely catch the giants. If you are looking for a true giant, slower is
typically better.

Some of my favorite topwater baits include the
Black Dog Lunker Punker, the JSJ Bluegill, the Super Spook, and the
Snagproof Frog. Each of these baits excels at catching large bass.
However, the spook and frog are typically geared towards bass well
under the 10 lb mark. Topwater is a prime example of bigger is better!
If you use a spook, consider the super spook instead of the super spook
junior. You'll be amazed how many small bass will still eat it, and you
might just be surprised by a fish that is bigger than any you knew were
in your home lake.

Remember, getting more bites is not the
ultimate goal. You need to find the balance between quantity and
quality. Increase the size of your offering until you are catching a
few less fish, with the occasional bigger bite. Consider that a 3 lb
bass will often eat a 12" bait, whereas a 10 lb bass will often pass up
on a 4" bait. Again, finding that balance point is key!

I have
found through trial and error, that big bass do not want to work hard
for a meal. They will often track a slow moving bait but will not
strike unless the bait does something erratic. When using a wakebait I
use a slow, steady retrieve but will snap the rod tip sharply once or
twice during the cast. The snapping motion causes the bait to turn or
jump in an erratic manner. This brief change is often what the bass is
waiting for and you will be rewarded with what I can only describe as a
watery eruption!

One misconception about topwater is that
bass prefer to eat on top during low light conditions. The vast
majority of my topwater bass over 7 lbs came during the middle of the
day. During these "off peak" times you may go for hours without a bite,
but when it finally happens the bass will be big! I can recall many
days where I've thrown a frog or a wakebait for 8-12 hours and only had
4-7 bites. But those 5 fish limits were almost always in the 25-35 lb
range. Don't let the sunlight limit you. Topwater is a viable option 24
hours a day!

Swimbaits

The final big bass option is
the swimbait. This term once referenced a trout-imitating soft plastic
lure with a swimming tail that was a minimum of 6" long. In recent
years this genre has grown to include everything from a 2" Swimming
Minnow to the 12" Osprey swimbait. Like topwater, size matters when it
comes to swimbaits. If you limit yourself to 2-5 inch swimbaits you are
going to get bites, and plenty of them, but you are probably not
selecting for larger fish. Is a 4" swimbait that much different than a
crankbait or spinnerbait? I really don't believe it is. If you want a
swimbait to work in your big bass arsenal, you need to start at 6
inches and work up from there.

There are a wide variety of
swimbaits in the 6" range that will catch big bass. The 6" Basstrix is
now widely accepted as a big bass producer. This bait really isn't all
that big. It doesn't require a special rod and reel combo but will
often produce larger than average fish. The 6" Baitsmith is another
excellent choice. It is significantly larger than the basstrix but is
small enough to be fished nationwide. This bait has been proven to work
from California to Wisconsin and was conceived in the far Northern
reaches of Idaho.

While the 6" is a terrific option to catch
big bass, going even larger will select for the true giants. The 8"
Huddleston swimbait has caught numerous double digits from coast to
coast. Over the past few years it has proven itself time and time again
in and out of the tournament scene.

Swimbaits are very similar
to topwater baits, in that they are most effective when worked slowly.
With these baits I use a variety of techniques. The most common
technique is to sit shallow and work the bait slowly uphill. In order
to accomplish this I allow the bait to sink to the bottom in deep
water. Once it has reached bottom I begin a slow, steady retrieve along
the bottom. Don't be afraid that the bass won't find such a slow moving
bait. Giant bass rule their domains and they will know when an intruder
has arrived!

While the slow and steady retrieve is the most
common don't be afraid to work these baits quickly to create a
"bulging" effect on the water's surface. Fishing a swimbait in and
around weed edges is another great way to locate big bass that are
looking to ambush an easy meal.

I hope that you are able to take
some of these baits and principles and apply them to your own
waterways. There is no reason that you can't go out to your favorite
body of water and catch bigger bass! Remember, not every lake has 10
pounders. You may simply be trying to catch 4 pounders instead of 2
pounders. These techniques apply to every body of water nationwide. If
you choose to implement them you may soon be the guy standing in the
weigh-in line with 5 bags smiling knowingly at the guy behind you who
only came to weigh in with 4 bags!

September 19, 2009

Jiggin’ Basics

If I had to pick one lure that I could say with confidence I could catch quality fish on 365 days out of the year it would be a jig.

Second to a swimbait, I probably fish a jig more than any other lure on my boat, and for good reason. I have caught more bass in the 5 to 10 pound range on jigs than I can even keep track of.

I like fishing jigs deep in rocky areas more that anything, so I fish a lot of football head jigs in 1/2 size up to 1 oz which I refer to as my 1 ton jigs. I keep my colors simple. For the most part if I am fishing clear water I use mostly brown and orange. In dirtier water I switch over to brown and purple. My reasoning behind this is that in the clear water I get a natural presentation, where the fish are extremely sight oriented feeders. In the dirtier water the fish are a little more conditioned to use thee other senses to feed, so when they come in contact with the brown and purple it will show up quicker to them in the murky water. I am a big fan of June bug as a trailer color on this set up.

I have a friend that dives a lot of lakes for me and catches a lot of crawdads. The colors do vary a lot, but brown with a little orange is the most common here in Northern California. Also – believe it or not – the bass really seem to prefer the smaller crawdads as a regular meal. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense because of the ease of eating and digestion. As crawdads get bigger, they get a harder shell, as well as a bigger set of pinchers. I don't know about you, but I would rather not have my lunch bite back if I could avoid it. What I am getting at is that in most situations with jigs bigger is not necessarily better.

On to fishing them:

There are a million ways to fish a jig. In fact, I don't know if there is a wrong way to do it. I have my favorite ways to work them, but the most important factor time. Some starting tips include always fishing them on fluorocarbon line. This is going to give you the best contact possible with your bait so you can detect even the lightest pick up. What I have found over the years is that the bigger the fish the harder to detect the bite. These fish are capable of sucking up so much water you don't really get much of a tick-tick type of a bite.

This is a style of fishing where you really need to be on your game and paying attention.

Rod recommendations

I like to fish jigs on a rod 7' at least. You need to be able to pull up a lot of line on a hook set. I prefer a pretty heavy jig rod but everyone is going to have their own comfort zone.

Where I start

Most of my jig fishing is done in rocky ares, drop offs, walls, bluffs, etc. I like to start on points and areas surrounding them. I'll usually bounce downhill or pull along at a certain depth parallel to a certain depth until I find where most of the fish are concentrated. This can be a real crapshoot at times and considering the forage you are imitating it makes sense. Shad travel together and stay together as they move most of the time. Crawdads roam alone and hide most of the time, this is why I think bass are so willing to hit a jig. My theory is that they are more conditioned to come across lone crawdads as they go about their daily business. Whether or not they are in the mood to eat or not is more or less up to them. Where as if you find a ball of shad busting the surface, more than likely the bass in the area are actively feeding.

Most of my retrieves are based on what I have seen of crawdad behavior in the water and what they do when they are in distress or feel like they are in trouble. If you are to go down and pull a crawdad out from under a rock, swim up a bit, and drop it in front of a bass, the crawdad will swim frantically backwards to get away. Bass can not handle this and love to eat crawdads when their they are at a disadvantage. So one of my favorite retrieves is to pop my jig off the bottom and let it fall. to imitate this distress. I do this pretty quickly, and most of my bites are going to be on the fall. I even use this method in cold water. If this does not work for me, I like to drag them on the bottom slowly, always keeping a tight line and contact with the bait. 90% of the time one of these two methods works for me.

I like to fish jigs anywhere from 5 to 60 feet of water. As a general rule, anything below 15 feet I'll fish 3/4 or 1 ton jig. But it really depends on when the fish are hitting the bait and how aggressively they are hitting.

Pictured: Bass Patrol 3/4 oz. jig with Little Creeper crawdad trailer

The jigs themselves

My favorites include Jig Monster football head jigs, Revenge Baits football head jigs with a Yamamoto Hula Grub, and the recently discovered Fin Tech Title Shot jig heads with a custom made crawdad trailer. I prefer the Hula Grubs on days where the bite proves to be slower.

Pictured above a 3/4 oz football jig head (brown) and a 3/4 oz Fin Tech Title Shot weedless head (green)

The materials jigs are made of are endless. What I am looking for are a good quality hook first and foremost. Some prefer silicone over rubber and vice-versa. I don't really care either way myself. Just fish your confidence no matter what – if you're fishing something you don't think is going to get bit, you might as well not even be fishing.