Jigs (Standard Fishing Jigs)
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| Jigs: Jigs are one of the most popular lures for all types of species. You can catch almost anything on a jig from panfish to muskies. Jigs have a variety of sizes. There are tiny jigs for catching panfish, large jigs for pike and muskie and medium-sized jigs for everything in between. Jigs come in different styles also. As you can see to the left, some have spinners attached to them, some have lots of hair at the end, while others may have tubes or a combination of tubes and hair. Every jig on the market will catch fish, but different sizes, colors and styles will out fish others in different situations. How To Use Jigs Jigs are most commonly used by casting them out, letting them sink to the bottom and slowly jigging up and allowing the lure to fall back to the bottom. This is very effective around cover and rocky bottoms. Fishermen also use jigs under bobbers. Steelhead fishermen will float the jig downstream rigged with a bobber. Crappie fishermen like to use jigs under a bobber to work around the docks or weeds in lakes. Jigs with spinners can be reeled in slowly for lots of action. Where To Use Jigs Jigs can be used anywhere. You can use them in lakes, ponds, rivers or streams with lots of success. They can be used in deep and shallow water and around most types of cover. Using them along rocky and sandy bottoms are very effective. Rigging a bobber to a jig can make it very useful to fish docks, weed lines, and around timber and brush. Types of Fish Caught on Jigs Everything can be caught on a jig. Small jigs are best for panfish. Medium-sized jigs will catch all types of bass, salmon, and trout. The large jigs are great for pike and muskie. Problems With Using Jigs The biggest problems anglers have with jigs is that they get caught up easily when fishing around rocks. Fishing rocky areas are some of the best places to use jigs, but they will get caught up in snags. You will lose some jigs, but also catch more fish when using jigs around rocks. If you pay close attention to where your jig is at, you can keep the jig just above the bottom most of the time keeping it above the snags. Lighter line and a more flexible rod will help you feel the bottom better, but you might lose more fish using the lighter line. If you do get snagged with the lighter line, it's going to be very hard to get it out. You might lose some lures along a rocky bottom, but it is usually worth it to catch more fish. |