When fishing cold water (around 42 degrees) is it better to use a bulkier slower moving jig? Or a lighter slower falling jig?

Either a big 3/4th oz with big skirt and rage craw

Or smaller 3/8th with normal skirt and rage chunk

Depends on depth

 

I like a 1/8 to 1/4 oz with small trailer like a baby rage in shallow (down to 6') cold water.

I can argue for both bulky and smaller profile jigs in cold water. I spend alot of time this winter going back and forth between bulky football jigs and smaller profile jigs of the same weight.

It depends on what the fish want.

Edit: i used both styles in mainly heavier jigs mainly between 1/2 -1.25oz

ill be throwing hair with no trailer

I'm with Teal on this, traditionally you would use a lighter jig to slow the fall and keep the lure in the strike zone longer because cold water fish are more lethargic and I agree with this thinking to a certain degree. There are those times when a fish in cold water want to go big or go home and expend the least amount of energy chasing after food, especially the big girls who would be cruising this time of year searching for spawning spot.

 

Besides, there are no jig police out there that I know of who tell you what size to present, so use them both and let the fish tell you what they want.

 

Nice post Teal!

If the bass are laying on the bottom I will use a heavy bulky jig so I can slowly drag it.

 

If the fish are suspended up off the bottom a little I will lighten it up but keep the bulk so it will fall slowly and give them a chance to bite on the way down. 

 

If they are suspended high off the bottom I will be throwing a jerkbait.

Rabbit hair

Rabbit hair

Rabbit hair on the back of my spinnerbait caught my largest fish to date...I may have to tie a couple in on a jig and let 'er rip!

 

EDIT:

I forgot, I did tie one in a couple of years ago, I forgot all about it til now:

Bass in cold water will not chase down prey very often. The reason is they are cold blooded and do not need much food to survive. This means slooooow down every aspect of your jig presentations.

I don't use a heavier jig in water unless it's windy or deeper than 25'; 3/8 to 1/2 oz is heavy enough.

Big isn't better when bass are cold. Again the bass don't need to eat big prey. More compact jigs with shorter size trailers are a good choice.

Nothing works better then a hair jig with a pork trailer in water below 50 degrees.

Tom

tom has given the same advice that i would. in colder water, a bass's metabolism is slow. usually, they will also be eating smaller crawdads in colder water. at least that is what i have observed from my many years of fishing. slower fall rates and more compact offerings usually do better in cold water.

bo

Reminds me that I made this vid a while ago

 

Reminds me that I made this vid a while ago

 

 

 

Where can I obtain some of this rabbit fur and how do i tie it on

I usually start off with a 1/8 ounce jig with different trailers.  If I don't get any hits I start fishing larger jigs.

Where can I obtain some of this rabbit fur and how do i tie it on

Netcraft and/or Barlows carry it. I prefer a less "fluid" jig in cold (<50 degrees) water however; much like a sparcely tied 1/8 oz. bucktail. I slow crawl it over structures, giving the bass an opportunity to eyeball it. No hops or twitches. Most baitfish in cold water have very little movement, so this presentation replicates that pretty well.

You can get "rabbit fur"... aka zonker strips at fly tying suppliers

Give a hair jig a try. Rabbit fur strips have tons of action. They wave around with the tiniest bit of rod movement.

It doesn't get much colder than the day this video was made, water temp stays around 39 degrees in the winter in this spot thanks to the the Nuke plant

 

 

 

Rabbit hair on the back of my spinnerbait caught my largest fish to date...I may have to tie a couple in on a jig and let 'er rip!

EDIT:

I forgot, I did tie one in a couple of years ago, I forgot all about it til now:

If I have a all hair jig, do I still use like a rage chunk trailer?

If I have a all hair jig, do I still use like a rage chunk trailer?

I don't think you would ever go wrong with any Rage products and I'm not saying that because Steve is a sponsor here. I was late catching the Rage, but after my first season of using Rage products, I'm convinced that they are the real deal.

 

I am also a big fan of a pork trailer in cold water. Uncle Josh pork tailers work very well in cold water and in MHO, I think a fish will bite down on a pork trailer and will hang onto it longer in cold water situations.

 

As far as using a hair, living rubber, silicone or a hybrid, I've had success on all and would use all.

 

Good luck, I hope I was able to help you.

The zoom chunks and super chunks are good in cold water..or for when you want a more subtle action. Rage are awesome too.

The zoom chunks and super chunks are good in cold water..or for when you want a more subtle action. Rage are awesome too.

 

I'll have to try them Teal, I never gave them a thought. What are you experiences with Chigger Craws for cold water? I used them last fall and had some success with them, but as the weather got colder I got real busy with work, so I couldn't give them a whirl.

I use them too and have several bags but i havent really used them alot in cold water. They are good all around tho. I would think that they would be fine. I love their watermelon candy color, its a favorite of mine.

The chigger craws are a great tailer and will work in colder water when the fish are a bit more active. With that said, I have had better luck with a zoom chunk in cold water. The more subtle the better in cold water for me. Having both on hand and trying both day to day is probably your best bet, but more often than not  I would be throwing a zoom chunk in really cold water.