Here's how to fish football jigs from Scott Martin! You'll catch big ones on this technique when you use his tips and tricks.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/football-jigs.html

I wish I could fish jigs in my lake.  It's too shallow and the bottom is nothing but muck.

I wish I could fish jigs in my lake.  It's too shallow and the bottom is nothing but muck.

 

Many of my old favorite ponds/lakes had muck on the bottom as well. 

You can indeed use jigs and other baits on that type of bottom though.  Scaling way down to 1/16-1/8oz skirted jigs as well as split shot worm rigs will work without getting buried in the muck. 

And soft stick baits like Senkos, weightless or barely weighted, can be worked on or just above the bottom with light twitches.