I just picked up some hair jigs to try this year in the cold water. I’ve never really fished hair jigs. For those that have do you put a trailer on? I was thinking a baby paca craw would work just not sure if you use a trailer on these or not. Thanks for any info. 

What size jig we talking about? 

you can do it either way.you dont want a trailer with alot of action if you use one, the tiny paca craw will work a trd makes a good hair jig trailer too,

I do not use a trailer on a "Hair Jig" 

And to be clear - I'm taking about these 

And not these ~

A-Jay

8 minutes ago, Bassguytom said:

I just picked up some hair jigs to try this year in the cold water. I’ve never really fished hair jigs. For those that have do you put a trailer on? I was thinking a baby paca craw would work just not sure if you use a trailer on these or not. Thanks for any info. 

This is a mini crash course in hair jigs ~ 

A-Jay

12 minutes ago, Michigander said:

What size jig we talking about? 

1/8 ounce 

I don’t use a trailer on a hair or marabou jig but if I did it would be one that didn’t have much vibration.

Hair jigs tend to be a cold water bait and there is no need for a trailer.

29 minutes ago, Bassguytom said:

1/8 ounce 

What hook size? I have 1/8 jigs with a 1/0 and 1/8 jigs with a 5/0. ?

Hair jigs are good lures for river smallmouth bass.

On a true hair jig...no.  on a hybrid style like North Star Custom baits make, yes.  Those are 1/2 oz football and have both silicone and and hair.  I use either chunk or a net bait paca craw.  And it's just a dead stick and slow slooooooow drag.  And I use light line

1 minute ago, Teal said:

On a true hair jig...no.  on a hybrid style like North Star Custom baits make, yes.  Those are 1/2 oz football and have both silicone and and hair.  I use either chunk or a net bait paca craw.  And it's just a dead stick and slow slooooooow drag.  And I use light line

I tie hybrid jigs like that and have a lot of success pitching sunken trees/stumps as well.

If I use any trailer on a hair jig, it's the tail section of a trick worm and I only use that when I'll be letting the jig sit motionless on the bottom.

Whatever trailer you select using hair jigs don’t use gel oil  type scent that sticks the hair together.

1/8 oz is typically a crappie jig or fly as they are called in a Tennessee used under a pear shape float or bobber.

Imo the best hair jig trailers are pork rind, UJ 101 Spin frog for 1/8-1/4 jigs. Second choice I recommend Don Iovino 2” ton2 1/2” hand poured* twin tail jig trailers. Third choice is a straight tail hand poured

* floating worm cut 2 1/2” to 3” long and split the tail 2” using a safety razor. Start with the 3rd choice it’s inexpensive.

Tom

PS, my hair jigs are 7/16 oz w 5/0 hook using 2” to 4” pork rind trailers year around.

* hand poured soft plastic moves better in cold water.

 

2 hours ago, slonezp said:

Hair jigs tend to be a cold water bait and there is no need for a trailer.

Small hair jigs need not be only a cold water bait any more than a Ned rig is...

 

oe

A  3 inch Berkley Gulp Minnow is a pretty good trailer for a hair jig in certain situations.  I have good luck with the combination of a Kalins hand tied or VMC Dominator hair jig(I also tie my own though) and that particular trailer during the winter.

 

If you are going to add a trailer to a hair jig its very imperative that you use a trailer with minimal action.  It the hair on the hair jig and how it is influenced by the fact that its in water and the movement ad action that the water gives each individual folicle of hair that make the jigs such a great cold weather lure. 

Most of the small "hair" jigs I tie are fished sans trailer.  When I have used a trailer, its been in warmer water and I used a 3" Brewer's boot-tail grub. 

 

A hair jig will catch bass in clear warmer water as easily as most any small plastic bait, it just isn't the only bait that works in warmer water and there are plenty of more available baits to do the trick.

 

oe

 

(I've never figured out how to post pics or I'd add one here)

Hair jigs tend to stick together when they get wet and they look far smaller.  What I do is I cut a thick grub the length of the shank of the hook and thread it on.  That way when it gets wet the hair cant contract smaller then the girth of the grub.  I like to use work out zman grubs because they are bouyant and much lighter because most of the salt is gone.  When I don't have any used grubs I just soak new ones overnight in water to get the salt out and use them. 

I don't use trailers on my hair jigs, I fish a zig jig 99% of the time if it's a hair jig, and I probably am targeting trout or panfish 75%+ of the time I have one tied on at all, but really, if a trout or a crappie will eat it, a bass most certainly will too.

Anyone tried the Salty Frog pork trailers popping up on the auction site? 

I do not typically use a trailer with hair jigs since a trailer interferes with natural movement. 

I love trailer on a small hair jig, they were biting this good the other day (1/8 oz). A lot of the crappie guys will put a small curly tail on a hair jig and most striper guys will put a paddle tail or fluke on a big hair jig. The bass guys use fly n rind on bluffs and they catch big time bags 

similar to ajay if your using a marabou or feather type jig no trailer. if im using an arkie type tied from bear deer or fox then i willl use a small subtle trailer.

1 hour ago, padon said:

similar to ajay if your using a marabou or feather type jig no trailer. if im using an arkie type tied from bear deer or fox then i willl use a small subtle trailer.

The only “bear hair” that floats is Polar Bear hair now endangered species. Bucktail hair is the long tail hair that also floats as long as you don’t trim  the ends.

Craft hair is nearly worthless regarding natural movements that bass tend to react to.

Tom

101 Spin Frog, if you can find them.  I have 2 jars of blue, one each of green, brown, white left.  I spend far too long when I get hung just to save the frog.

 

I can buy more jigs, but no more Uncle Josh.

12 hours ago, WRB said:

The only “bear hair” that floats is Polar Bear hair now endangered species. Bucktail hair is the long tail hair that also floats as long as you don’t trim  the ends.

Craft hair is nearly worthless regarding natural movements that bass tend to react to.

Tom

Give Yak hair a try sometime.  It works great jigs, and large streamer flies.