What are the advantages of throwing a jika rig? 

 

-Payton

I've thrown a jika rig a few times, had moderate
success. Not a rig I throw *often*....

I have had great success on this rig. The fish in my avatar was caught on jika rigged brush hog. It is a rig that works well with creatures, craws, lizards, and worms. One of the advantages that I like is when I am in heavy cover or in really thick grass I don't caught on the cover or grass like I would on shakey heads etc. They are simple to make, so if you want to try them out its not going to break the bank.  

I need to make up some more of them and use them this year a little more often.  they do come through grass very well, better than a texas rig in my opinion.

The Jika Rig keeps the bait just off the bottom when you work it forward. I have had good luck with the Rage Structure Bug.

 

It's a cool little rig with more fluid motion than a T-Rig when working soft plastic baits on the bottom . I believe it is a rig that works a bit better from a boat vs. the bank as it needs a higher line angle on the retrieve to get that weight more up and down as it contacts the bottom . If your retrieve angle is too low then the weight is more horizontal on the drag which takes away from the action . If using from the bank I suggest at least a 7' rod and a high 10 to 11 o'clock / 2 to 1 o'clock rod angle on the retrieve

What I like about the Jika rig is that you can cover alot of water.And the many baits that can be fished on this rig is countless.

I'm a big fan of the jika rig.  I fish it quite a bit.   I'm getting to where I throw it in most places where previously I'd throw a jig.   For me it excels in deeper weed line edges.

I like them. I think they are a tool like a T-rig, drop shot, shakey head, C-rig, and so on. 

I make two kinds. The single split ring with the bass cast sinker is for bed fishing and lilly pads. Personally I don't think there is a better rig for fishing into little pads. The fall is much slower than a punch rig. For beds it puts your bait right down there at egg level, which is what it's going to take. The double split ring with drop shot weights is for fish on bottom, so a summer and winter deal. 

If it's mid-June you're still going to smash more fish on a drop shot and if it's mid-November you're going to catch more fish on a shakey head, but jig rigs do have their place. I added pictures of the ones I make. For hooks I recommend Gammy superline EWG's. The welded hook eye holds your split ring in place.