| Bass
101 The
Basics ©
2006
Bass411.com
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1 – Bass Fishing Lures
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1.3
Jigs
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1.3.1
Introduction
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Think jig and you’re
thinking small lead head bodies with a hook sticking
out. Now think bass jig. The difference between a
bass jig and your typical walleye or panfish jig is
more than just size. While generally bigger, the
bass jig usually has a rubber skirt pre-attached,
and often features a brush guard over the hook, as
these workhorses of the bass fishing world are
designed to go into heavy cover and bring the fish
out. They are strong, have heavy hooks, and are yet
extremely versatile to fish and a known big fish
producer.
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1.3.2
Physical
Description and Rigging
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Jigs are comprised of a heavy
hook, size 1/0 or larger, with a lead head molded
onto it right at the eyelet. This lead head often
has a molded in keeper on the rear to hold the
rubber skirt on, though some models fasten the skirt
in a more permanent manner. Most jigs are designed
to be fished in heavy cover and therefore come with
a weed or brush guard in front of the hook. Usually
this guard is made of several strands of thin
plastic in a bundle, which allows it to be flexible
enough to press down when a fish grabs it. Shown
with and without a craw trailer. See figure 4. The
jig is almost always tied directly to the line, with
no snaps or leaders.
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Figure 4 |
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Rigging the jig is an important part of
fishing a jig. In years past, pork rind was placed
on the hook as a trailer, thus being dubbed the “jig
and pig”. Nowadays it is much more common to see
the use of plastic trailers such as plastic crawfish
instead of pork. The plastic trailers are more
economical, easier to deal with, and won’t dry out
on a long run across a lake like pork can. They also
come in a larger variety of colors.
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Variations of the bass jig reside mostly
in the shape of the lead head, with models
specifically aimed at getting through brush, weeds,
or rocks have come along in recent years.
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1.3.3
Fishing
Techniques
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The basic method for fishing a jig is a
slow, stop and go retrieve, hopping the jig across
the bottom. After the lure is cast out, allow it to
sink all the way to the bottom. You can see your
line slightly bow from slack when it hits bottom. It
is important to keep the line fairly tight, and also
to watch for any slight twitches indicating a fish
strike, as bass will often grab the bait while it
falls to the bottom.
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Once the bait hits bottom,
retrieve the bait by raising the rod tip to the 11
or 12 o’clock position, and then dropping it to
the 9 o’clock position. Always reel up any slack.
Pause with the bait sitting on the bottom and repeat
the pumping retrieve to bring the lure past any
visible cover such as logs or brush and any
vegetation. |
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Another method of fishing jigs is
flipping. This is a technique where the lure is not
cast out with the reel, but rather the lure is held
in the hand and then swung out by moving the rod tip
like a pendulum to “flip” the lure under tree
branches or other obstacles. The flip is short and
targeted for a specific spot.
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Pitching is a variation of the flip, but
is more often performed where there are fewer
obstructions above the surface of the water, but
targeting a nearby piece of cover is critical, such
as a pocket in a lily pad field. The pitch does not
require holding the bait; it is just swung in an
underhand method to the target
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The strike of a bass on a jig can feel
anywhere from a hard tug, to a couple small taps -
like that of a sunfish - to a solid, heavy feeling
on the line, with no other indication of a bite. It
can sometimes be quite difficult to feel the
difference between lodging the bait into some cover
or the subtle pick up of a fish. When in doubt, SET
THE HOOK. A jig requires a hard hook set, so when a
bite is detected, reel down, get the slack out and
set for all you’re worth. Use a heavy rod and
heavy line, as most of the time you’ll be pulling
fish out of some fairly heavy cover and you need to
be able to steer them out of it in a hurry to keep
from getting hung up. Heavy bait casting rods and
reels or flipping sticks are the norm for fishing
jigs.
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1.3.4
Applications
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Jigs are best fished in heavy cover
including weeds, bullrushes, reeds, and brush and
trees. They are very weedless and should be thrown
right into the nastiest looking spots you can find
– those spots you just know are harboring a big
old bass. Jigs are effective in all seasons, on
spawning beds, and in and around all types of cover.
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1.3.5
Summary
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The jig is extremely versatile but is a
little more difficult to master in comparison to a
spinner bait. Experience is the key. After a few
fish, you’ll get the hang of it and know what to
expect. Jigs are very effective, and a great “big
fish” bait as they tend to keep smaller fish and
sunfish away and are often the choice of pros when
looking for the kicker fish to fill out their bag.
Every tournament angler should have at least one rod
rigged with a jig at all times.
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Author's
Ratings: |
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Versatility
- 8.5
Ease of use - 4.5
Effectiveness - 8.5
Big Fish Factor - 9.0 |
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1.4
Crank baits |
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