im reading up on jigs in hopes of mastering them this year. in almost all conversations the trailers mentioned are the very realistic crawfish imitations.

i have gotten some of those to try.

i also was given a few bags of the classic powerbait chunk trailers.i dont think they even make them anymore.

they look just like this http://www.basspro.com/Zoom-Soft-Plastic-Trailers-Big-Salty-Chunk/product/7520/42955 except they are powerbait.

when would you pick these over a modern craw style trailer?

The only thing you need behind a jig is a Rage Crawl or Lobster! Once you get good with a jig simply throw out the other trailers that don't say Rage.

I'm not a fan of the old style jig trailers...especially the pork ones. The soft plastic chunks lack action and the pork ones are a pain to get off of a hook when you want to switch baits. However I have heard that the old style chunks work better in the winter time but I cannot confirm that through personal experience. I deer hunt in the winter Deer certainly don't like them.

You'll hear a lot about "Rage" products on this website, and they do work. But... So do the other million jig trailers on the market. I'd start with some Netbait Paca Chunks. Cheap, and they are effective. Rage are good products, but Strike King is proud of them $$$$$$$$$$$$

I used the pork rind trailers back in the day when soft plastics lost action in cold water. New soft plastics are much better, I don't use the pork trailers anymore. For craw trailers, I have been using Speed Craws. I bought some Rage Craws recently, and will pit them against the Speed Craws. I am keeping score, and will post my results here when I have something to report. I have been working on a new lure, so the craws have been getting neglected.

ive used the rage craws and have got bit, nothin big but i have gotten bit to say the least although i havent reeaallyy fished em hard like other baits. are they the best? eh idk about that but they are good baits. ive got better and bigger fish using yamamoto double tail grubs as a trailer as well as an excite baits raptor tail chunk but id say about 90% of the time, theres a yamamoto double tail on my jig.

The "old" style jig trailers still catch fish, there are times that less action is wanted from your trailer, but you still want a quick fall speed or need to fish the jig fast. cold water and frontal conditions are what come to mind. I only use the old style chunks in the winter, I know some people still use action trailers but I just feel more comfortable using a chunk style. Then other condition I have noticed is frontal conditions when the fish are shut down, I use a heavier jig that drops faster but still don't want a lot of action as it falls infront of there face, for this I use trailers just like your powerbait trailers, this is basically a reaction type strike and i feel the action type trailers will turn more fish away under these conditions, I just want a big piece of meat falling right infront of there face as fast as I can get it down there.. Realistic trailers have also been real good to me behind a finesse jig, but then again so has the zoom swimmin chunk, the difference is I am basically swimming it along the bottom with the swimmin chunk, and barely crawlin it with the realistic trailer

Rate of fall

The speed at which a lure falls through the water column is often key to attracting bites. With jigs this rate can be altered by changing the weight, adding a bulkier skirt, thinner skirt, larger trailer, thinner trailer, or the shape of the trailer.

Crawfish trailers tend to fall straight down while chunks tend to spiral or glide to the side.

When I'm throwing jigs and not getting bites I'll change colors or trailer first.

I still fish quite a few of them. Most of the time I will throw a 2" chunk on a finesse jig when I fish them.

Some of my best fish have come on a Zoom Super Chunk.

I still use them,I stock piles Joe.S chunk when he was selling them. I realize not many people know who he is anymore...but his chunk bait were super soft and some of the first ones that I used when I started using Jigs.

Unfortunately I don't use them as much as I used to...but they do work.

The only thing you need behind a jig is a Rage Crawl or Lobster! Once you get good with a jig simply throw out the other trailers that don't say Rage.

Word!

im reading up on jigs in hopes of mastering them this year. in almost all conversations the trailers mentioned are the very realistic crawfish imitations.

i have gotten some of those to try.

i also was given a few bags of the classic powerbait chunk trailers.i dont think they even make them anymore.

they look just like this http://www.basspro.c...duct/7520/42955 except they are powerbait.

when would you pick these over a modern craw style trailer?

There really is no "rule of thumb" when it comes to those type of trailer but I use them in cold water, and I also use them on post frontal days when fish are tight to cover and won't move and I use them when ever there is a distinct water temp drop like the water going from say 64 degrees down to 57 degrees or so, the first time that happens during the fall the fish will often get in a negative mood, it is also the stat of turnover. Anyway, I tend to use these when the fish are lethargic, that is a time when you don't want the bait to have too much action.

What Smalljaw said. In addition to that; I always start with a craw and if i'm not getting bit or the claws are just getting nipped off I switch to a chunk. It's less action and more subtle appearance will often do the trick.

Have fun jiggn'