Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Ernie · May-09-12 1:24AM

Without shame, I took this from the NHBA Discussion Forum because it is a great lesson!

Thanks Charlie!

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Most of the pros will tell you that this bait catches bigger fish than other baits on a consistent basis. Most of the time, they are pitching them into heavy cover and allowing them to fall, watching the line for a telltale twitch, at which time they set the hook, HARD.

When not pitching, they are casting the jig out, allowing it to fall and dragging it v e r y s l o w l y across the bottom. About the only time you see them hopping a jig is in the late fall when the crayfish are very active and breaking the surface.

On the Tidal Potomac, as well as most every other tidal water in the country, they all swear by black/blue, as most tidal water is stained water. Most will use a soft plastic crayfish imitation trailer in warmer water and a pork rind crayfish trailer in cold water. Reason being that pork rind has more action in cold water than plastic, but is more expensive and more trouble than plastics for use in warm water.

This is an excellent bait for fishing heavy grass and pads. Selection of the proper jig depends on the density of the cover, depth and tidal/current flow. Heavy grass or pads requires a head style that allows the jig to come through the cover without hanging up. Bottom fishing points, etc. makes it a lot easier as you can use just about any style jig. Selection of weight is a lot more important. Punching grass requires anywhere from 3/4 oz. - 1.5 oz. jig in order to get through the grass to the bottom where the fish are holding. The same thing may be true when pitching into buckbrush, heavy timber, etc. In contrast, fishing most pad fields can be done effectively with 3/8 - 5/8 oz. jigs with trailers. When working the outside edges of grass beds with good tidal flow, I frequently use 1/8 oz. jigs, allowing the tide to wash them naturally along the bottom.

Blakemore Lure Company has a slogan that says "You can't fish it wrong as long as you fish it slow"! This is especially true of a jig 'n pig.

hookup · May-10-12 7:24PM

This is one of the best threads on jig fishing I've ever read

When I'm serious, I'm fishing real pork. #18 for 1/4 or less and #11 for 3/8+

For regular days though, the plastic is just way too easy not to use it.

I love the jigs!..... the tik is my crack cocaine and I'll always forsake catching more fish on something else if I can get anything to bite a jig. It's just such a precision instrument.

A dressed jig is just the start, and it begins at the tying table.... thin skirt, full skirt, no skirt, weedguards, weight, color, head shape/size, hook shape/size, etc. And that's before we even get to trailer selection. To me, it's about finding the preferred profile and then putting it in front of them with the "right" presentation of the day.... which can be anything from short fast hops to long slow gliding swims. The trailers vary from long thin worms to short fat pigs to double tail skirted crazy crawler things. The profile and the presentation need to work together on any given day, and the jig is critically important to both.

That said, once I've run through all the options with no answers, I'll go down with the ship on the one or two profiles I have the most confidence in.... one of those, of course, is the jig-n-pig..... normally fished with a quick short hop up and and quick short fall on a slack line. It's not as easy as it sounds because while the lift is only 6-12", it is done hard enough to stretch the line a little bit to cause the jig-n-pig to do a little snap at the top of the lift before it quickly descends. It's a reaction bite with that presentation and is the only way to get a bite on some days. The pig needs to swing, or "flap", in an exaggerated movement at tdc so the standard single hooked pig works best (using a contrasting color trailer can help also.... blk/blu). If they want a full jig-n-pig mouthful but want it gliding or hovering, I thread the pig on the shank of the hook and the only movement is the mini-fluttering of the two claws (I always match the jig color with this one.... blk/blk)... it's very subtle... and has the added benefit of always laying flat in the mouth so the hookup rate is very high. I actually prefer to use a jig with no weedguard for this one because it lays so flat.... done with a small pig it is a great choice for winter fishing.

I've never separated the jig from the trailer in my mind.... it is one profile and when changing jigs, we change the profile and if also changing weights we've changed the presentation.... dressed jigs are NOT just a delivery vehicle. That sells them short and I know dang well a pig on an undressed jig is not going to outfish a dressed jig-n-pig. Of course, I tie a lot of my own and I would hate to think I'm wasting my time.

And while I'm hammering away, casting weight and presentation weight are two different animals.... but they are part of the same puzzle. Being able to make a long cast with a jig-n-pig on a windy day may be part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Pacemaker Fishing Forum

#1 May-09-12 1:24AM

Jig fishin'

#2 May-10-12 7:24PM

Re: Jig fishin'

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