I've been asked a lot recently the whats, whens, and hows about jig fishing again, so I'll put it up.  Since I've been in Iraq, I've refined my techniques through studying, reading, and then experimenting while on leave.  They worked well enough to put me in first place on an open tournament and get me 600 bucks.  I can't wait to try them in some bigger money events.  Anyway...here we go.

I classify jigs into two categories.  Skirted jigs (like the ones that earthworm77 sells on www.micromunchtackle.com) and non skirted jigs- soft plastics on a jighead.  keep that in mind while reading further.

The first step in becomming a successful jig fisherman is to reduce the amount of factors you have to consider.  With the different styles, weights, skirts, colors, and trailers, there are probably hundreds of millions of possibilities.  no other bait offers this kind of flexibility...or challenge.  Not knowing where to start can make these lures really intimidating.  Not to mention they are tough to use in practice because strikes are often barely detectable and generally you're in heavy cover.  

Jighead styles-  I'll keep this brief and basic.  There are hundreds of types of jigheads, but all you really need are 3.  Standup, grass (arrowhead), and football.  Standups are good for non-skirted jigs and used in practice like a shakey head or when deadsticking soft plastics.  Grass jigs...I'll let you figure that one out.  And football jigs are best suited for rocky areas.  All three can be either skirted or non skirted, depending on what you buy.

When to use skirted jigs-  I like skirted jigs when the added bulk is not a problem.  When fish are really active, when I'm swimming a a jig, or when I'm around heavy timber, I'll usually reach for a skirted jig.

Non-Skirted jigs-  I like these when there is a lot of grass or when bass are turned off to larger baits due to weather, pressure, or whatever.  

Jig weight-  5ft or less, 1/4oz

                12ft or less, 3/8oz

                17ft or less, 1/2 oz

                25ft or less 3/4oz

                deeper than 25ft, 1oz

Colors-  When in really, really clear water I reach for colors like brown, green, or smoke.  usually I'll go with double tailed skirted grubs (aka hula grubs) on a fin-tech lures title shot jighead.  In less clear to muddy water, the first color I reach for is black.  Black will work in any water condition during any time of the year unless the fish hate it that day.  It's really a good place to start with and what I reccomend for anyone new to jig fishing.

Trailers- I break the trailers down to three categories to help limit the amount of crap I purchase.  To me, there are only straight tailed worms (trick worms, senkos, etc), action trailers (grubs, hula grubs, etc) and craws (beavers, craws, chunks, etc.)  I never use pork, but thats only because I don't like to fool with it...not because it doesn't work.  It works just fine.  

I generally use straight tailed worms on non-skirted jig rigs for shakey heads, punching through heavy grass, or for days when bass are turned off to larger baits.

I like Action trailers 90% of the time because of how I fish jigs (we'll get to that next)  I move my jigs around a lot more than most and I like the added action.

Craws find a lot of action with me in the spring on both skirted and non skirted jigs.  This is because bass are really keyed in on the little critters and I feel I can get the most out of their profile during spring time.

Technique-  Now that you have your jig picked out (or if you just decided to read this far)...here's how I get down with the jig.  I don't like casting jigs because more line=less fell of the lure.  I keep them relatively close to the boat...as close as I can given the water clarity and brightness of the day.  Usually this is between 15ft and 10meters.  I'll pitch it to whatever cover I'm around (trees, grasslines, docks, lilly pads, the list goes on and on) and let the jig fall to the bottem.  Once its there, I let it sit between 10-30seconds and then barely hop it.  Once it hits bottem again, I shake it gently for a bit, then hop it again.  After about the third hop, I swim it a few inches off the bottem and try to hit anything between it and the boat.  Occasionally during the swim, I'll stop it and let it settle.  Sometimes this alone generates strikes.  To simplify it....  cast, sink, stop, shake, swim, stop, repeat.  

Hope this helps.

Good info!  I wish I had read something like that when I started jig fishing.

On a local side note....

If you were home right now you wouldn't believe it.  Stillhouse is 32 feet high and Belton is 24 feet high... and both still rising!!!    (floodgates are closed due to downstream flooding)

http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/reports/fish.htm

Use simple techniques to perfection & you'll consistently catch big bass  

Good info, helped me alot!  

This might be sort of a stupid question.... I have heard jigs are a finesse lure so lighter line is best.. .but then again... is lighter line a good idea to fish in heavy cover? I have been using 10lb for all my rigs, but I recently went up to 20 on my spinnerbait rig. What line do you guys use for jigs?

I've been using 20lb Power Pro all year. Seems to work okay!

Just thought I would add this short video to this thread seeing how it fits the name.

JIGS

Aint Texan, you send all the videos you want I love em & will share with others who believe in all you guys are doing.

Don't listen to CNN  

You just stay safe & get your butt home ASAP  

AT_ SEND VDEO!  I will use it in the 10k member video.  It will be a segment to represent yourself, sfc-al and all our military members.  Send it on!

Awesome post!!!  Definetely a keeper to refer to.  

And I second Catt's post!